Well by now alot of you should know that I live in south korea. well Monday, just after mid night I woke to an extreemly horrible pain in my stomach. I went to the "Urgent Care Clinic". The American doctor there thought that I was suffering from pendicidis (sp). He loaded me up with demoral, then loaded me in my agonizing state into the ambulance. I went up the road to the only Korean Hospital I am allowed to be treated at. The closet American hospital is in Seoul, 3 hours by Black Hawk helicopter.
By this time it is maybe 3 am tuesday. I was told that my white blood cells were ok. going to give me an ultrasound at 9 am. (No big deal) at 11am I finally get to go in for my ultrasound. I overhear and what I could make out of the very limited english that was being spoke, is that I have a gal stone. I then asked if I could have a drink, something to eat and maybe a smoke. I was told to stay where I was, that the doctor would come soon. Well at 430pm I get a call from my boss (the power of cell phones), he tells me that I am having an operation to have my gal blater removed. and that I should be on my way to pre- op shortly. well that never happened. I ended up staying the night in this hospital, fighting with the staff for me to go out side and smoke a cigarette.
Finally at 850am this morning I was headed for surgery. Gal blater removed sucessfully. Now I ask for a small amount of water, they act as if I just asked to go run a marathon. I couldn't drink a sallow of water, fucking water til, 4pm. ok, with that time limit passed water drank, fuck the water what about smoking? Dr. says that I can smoke next to the winow, GREAT DOC, Thanks. I light up next to the window, never seen so many Korean nurses in all my life. They came in screaming. Finally my boss, convinces one nurse to bring in a wheel chair. Great, now I am headed out side for that 1st real smoke since surgery. (this entire time I am trying to maintain my temper, but its not working). AHHH, finally nicoteine. The other obstacle that I faced is that I speak english and only english, but I was given a tv with 12 channels all in HONGUL. AHHH WTF, got that fixed, and also got INTERNET in my hospital room. Now I am happy.
This is the longest journal that I have written since I joined sg.
By this time it is maybe 3 am tuesday. I was told that my white blood cells were ok. going to give me an ultrasound at 9 am. (No big deal) at 11am I finally get to go in for my ultrasound. I overhear and what I could make out of the very limited english that was being spoke, is that I have a gal stone. I then asked if I could have a drink, something to eat and maybe a smoke. I was told to stay where I was, that the doctor would come soon. Well at 430pm I get a call from my boss (the power of cell phones), he tells me that I am having an operation to have my gal blater removed. and that I should be on my way to pre- op shortly. well that never happened. I ended up staying the night in this hospital, fighting with the staff for me to go out side and smoke a cigarette.
Finally at 850am this morning I was headed for surgery. Gal blater removed sucessfully. Now I ask for a small amount of water, they act as if I just asked to go run a marathon. I couldn't drink a sallow of water, fucking water til, 4pm. ok, with that time limit passed water drank, fuck the water what about smoking? Dr. says that I can smoke next to the winow, GREAT DOC, Thanks. I light up next to the window, never seen so many Korean nurses in all my life. They came in screaming. Finally my boss, convinces one nurse to bring in a wheel chair. Great, now I am headed out side for that 1st real smoke since surgery. (this entire time I am trying to maintain my temper, but its not working). AHHH, finally nicoteine. The other obstacle that I faced is that I speak english and only english, but I was given a tv with 12 channels all in HONGUL. AHHH WTF, got that fixed, and also got INTERNET in my hospital room. Now I am happy.
This is the longest journal that I have written since I joined sg.
try to make the best of Korea
I guess the moral of your story is, if you wake up with sharp pains in a foreign country, get a drink and smoke before you call for help?