Should have listened to Astro Boy.

So that's it, then. I have become another case in this year's pandemic, and am thoroughly, thoroughly annoyed about it. I feel rubbish, and without school for 10 days I am going to probably be behind and bored stiff. This is without a doubt one of the worst things that could happen right now...

That aside, I thought I'd let you in on how I came to know that I had swine flu. It's an interesting tale, let me assure you, and says a lot about the Japanese way of doing things.#

So I felt a little under the weather four days ago. The morning was absolutely fine, but I found myself being a little sleepier than usual towards the end. I was going to get an early night but instead took up Ben's offer of helping him, Els and Ollie make dinner (okinomiyaki). Never had shrimp before. It was alright, I guess. By 9 I was really lolling, and not in the ha-ha way, so I went straight to bed. No problem, right?

The next day I felt a bit worse. In class I was very tired and impatient, and a bit bunged up. Not a fun lesson. But still didn't think anything of it. Just a cold; people have them all the time, especially now that the season's changing.

Things really started to get bad two days ago, with random chills despite wearing three of my own layers as well as Jason's jacket when he took pity on me. He also gave me one of his virus masks, which I have been buying for myself since. The chills have pretty much stopped now, but I still sleep with a ridiculous amount of layers. My appetite's also improved now, which was also on the down that day.

Yesterday I was feeling a little bit better, and so took up the guys' offer of going to see the film Kaiji (looks like a cross between Deathnote and YuGiOh) that evening. A man can dream, right? After hearing that Aaren had become a confirmed swine flu patient I got a little bit nervous, and then Weezy drove the proverbial stake home by ordering me to the doctor's. And I'm glad she did, looking back. Anyway, before I went to the doctor's I decided to check the University website for what they were saying about the whole thing. A handy PDF asked me to call a handy phone number, and though it was a little late I found myself talking to the Imadegawa Campus main office. After relaying my fears, the woman on the other end gave me another number (I still don't know where for) and told me to call them, so I did. The people on that line asked me for much the same information as the first one, and then gave me a bit of advice. Sweet, golden advice I was oh-so happy to receive. What was this advice, you ask?

Go to the doctor.

Tch. Those wasted combined phone calls cost me about 400 yen!

Anyway, all the hospitals were shut, and since the flu isn't an emergency I couldn't just barge my way in. So today I got up at 8 (on a Saturday... *sob*) and cycled my way down to the University health center (open 'til 12), hating every fogged-up-glasses-because-of-heavy-breathing-reflected-through-stupid-flu-mask rotation. There was a sign on the door saying something about influenza, so I got out my DS and spent 10 painstaking minutes translating what turned out to be instructions for people who might have influenze: to not be there so they don't infect people, and instead to call the center up.

I honestly couldn't believe it.

Fortunately my disbelief was rewarded by a small sign on an intercom by the side, telling me that, if I had influenza, I should press the button and wait for help. I was then told by a nurse on the other side of the intercom that the doctor wasn't in today, so I would have to go to another hospital.

...

Managed to save herself a lawsuit (I kid) when she was brave enough to venture outside of the barricaded health center reception with a map to show me the way to the teaching hospital about 10 minutes cycle away. She even parted with a touch on the arm and an o-daiji ni, which was very touching, even if, now that I look back, it sounded an awful lot like a final farewell.

So with 2 hours left before that hospital closed, I made my way over the hospital, and my goodness was it confusing. It's a hospital for uni medics, so contains classrooms and stuff as well as all the normal wards and things, and this made it a nightmare to traverse. Here's a little hint: just because something that looks like a reception is staffed by people that look like they might be intelligent, doesn't mean either of those things will be true, nor does it mean they will know where influenza gets diagnosed. The North Entrance's 'emergency measures office' didn't know (what if I had the black death, eh? Think they'd know then?), the East Entrance's finance claims office didn't know. After trekking about the building for about an hour I eventually found the security office (got such a shock when I put the kanji on the sign into the DS and it came up with 'Marine Corps.'), where a friendly grey-haired man directed me down a darkened corridor to the one reception area still in operation during what I discovered were the off-hours.

So now for the actual diagnosis.

I was asked a few standard questions about my lifestyle (smoking and alcohol and stuff) as well as the symptoms I was suffering from, and then they took my temperature and complimented my kanji. I was at 36.6 celcius, if you're interested, which is a bit above normal. Then the kind doctor stuck a nasty long cotton bud right up my nose and into my brain, or so it felt. Then he checked my eyes, mouth and heartbeat, and then I had to wait outside for a couple of minutes before being told that I was positive for what the computer called FluA, and which he said meant I probably had swine flu. The probably burnt that exam room after I left.

Speaking of which, I then had to pick up some medicine to lower my fever, and some extras to reduce nausea if I needed them. They'd better be the best flipping pills on Earth, because they sure cost me it. I've been told to come back in 3 days if there's no change, but this is apparently very unlikely.

So I just got off the phone with the main office again, who said thanks for letting us know, and please don't come near us. 10 days off school for my troubles, which is 2 grammar tests I'll have to do some other time. Hoo-ray...

No letters today.

Thanks for reading! If this is the last post I make, know that I regret nothing!

***

でも、日本は豚がないでしょう？京都で見なかった。ほんとに怖いか、このインフルエンザ？
じゃ、僕がある１０日のあいだ、何をする？寮を出ることはダメだから、たくさんできないが、アニメを見られる。いいな・・・
でも、つまらなくなれるね。