Chillin and Illin

Wow, it's been awhile since I last posted- I'm sorry!

I've actually been flat on my back with the flu and laryngitis this week. I'd post some pictures, but they wouldn't be pretty- I haven't showered in awhile. Anyways, I finally feel like I'm on the mend and I'll be able to make it to school for the kids' Christmas Concert on Monday! They are all so cute, we've been having practices and they are so enthusiastic. Very sweet.

I thought since I had my first experience being really sick in Korea I'd give you all a run down on what hospitals and doctors are like here. On Thursday my neck was sore and my throat was killing me. The pediatrician in my neighbourhood didn't examine me or anything, he just looked at my throat and said "common cold". He gave me a prescription for three days- they only give you three day prescriptions here which sucks if you're ill for more than three days. Anyway, I thought nothing of it and went to bed.

The next morning I could barely get up- my whole body was just in so much pain, and my throat was so sore I couldn't even talk. I lasted about an hour at work before going home to bed. The next morning I felt even worse and decided it was time to go to the hospital. In Suwon, we have a great hospital that has a clinic especially for foreigners- all of the doctors speak English, and it makes for a less stressful visit for sure, since when you're sick and so far from home all you want to do is leave Korea (I won't lie! I was worried that I had meningitis or something, but I'm neurotic like that). Anyways, I didn't have an appointment so I wasn't sure if I would get seen... but they took one look at me at the foreigner's clinic and said if I waited I would eventually get to see a doctor. Fine by me, since I spent the whole time sleeping anyway. First they sent me to the community health section, where I waited for half an hour before spending 30 seconds with the doctor who then sent me to the ear, throat, and nose specialist, where I waited another half hour before seeing the doctor. He took one look at me and said "laryngitis"... literally two minutes later he had written me a prescription and had me on my way. Again, I was super worried because he didn't even examine me, but there was no reason to be. He was totally right.

Time for another nap. I've never gotten winded typing before!