9AM Get out of bed Dave, get out of bed Dave, get out of bed Dave. You’ve got to go to the hospital Dave. Put on clothes Dave, take your medicine Dave, get on the bus Dave. Make sure you’re wearing pants Dave. Oh my goodness, have to decide what shoes to wear Dave.
10AM OK, I did it… Up, medicines, beard oil’d, snappy outfit-ish, shotgun coffee and out the door just in time and experienced all four of Japan’s seasons within the four minute walk from home to the bus stop.
Felt a little bit more springtime when I first looked out the window
{They taught me well at the school for “worlds worst secret agents”}
All of the seasons, all at once: Grey rainclouds, bright sunshine, crispy windiness all at the same time (on rather warm stuffy bus)
11AM Rocking to Belly (the band)’s “Dove” en route to Okayama University Hospital 岡山大学病院 / usual as only this & Bob Dylan’s basement bootleg are in the basc “music” app for past years (i have stashes in Bandcamp & Relisten)
PS Also have signed #vinyl
11:30AM This is a “foursquare check-in” from Okayama University Hospital. I think I’m the mayor by now :)
Injections impending / 1st of 8ish checkpoints
12AM Update: nurses love my spring blossom vibe tie
{Many things happened}
My tactic with communicating with hospital doctors is taking a printed memo in both English & Japanese (i use machine assisted translation) as most doctors studied medical terminology in “English or whatever” and having something they can read rather than listen is a huge help
{in preparation, February 8, 2024}
2:45PM At least eight hospital checkpoints completed – both medical and administrative – Plus pharmacy (with all the QR codes and special booklets) and now my secret Kissaten was closed but reopened to serve me this glorious lunch with flowers on the table & 3 beverages.
Timing is quite late so it’s gonna be a bit of a packed transit ride so will be white-knuckling on the way home, two buses with a switch-a-roo at the main train station bus loop.
Earplugs and Valium ahoy.
4:30PM View of Okayama Symphony Hall from the bus window for no particular reason but to say “I’m heading home…”
PS peek the tram as well
Bonus: Saw these sweet Doc Martens while cutting through the station // kind of want a pair for my wife and a pair for me but really Dave, stop… I mean start… I mean stop buying, I mean buy buy buy!
Problem is: I really want the pink or green ones on the left but only in women’s sizes :( and not big enough for my Flintstone feet so got to choose between super futsu black or brown #BoysJustWantToHaveFunShoes
Later:
There’s a lot to say but the short version of what I came to say is:
I’ve never recovered significantly
There are major breakthroughs despite efforts
Its so fcking tough (as am i)
Many “check out” early
Mondays are still traumatic
I don’t have an “normal job”. My job is to try to get myself healthy dealing with a debilitating illness #mecfs and be the best husband and Papa I can as well as drifting out creative projects into the world. You know this already ~~ it all started with a Monday in May 2013 ~ 2 days before, I did a day long master class workshop and was on fire > Monday i passed out and ended up in (displeasing) emergency room at Lionsgate Hospital, North Vancouver.
Thus began a tumultuous couple of years of playing hospital roulette St Paul’s to Royal Jubilee.
{Anyhow, there’s more stuff about this stuff where in here… I realize I didn’t really tell you much about my hospital visit but this is more for me than for you so whatever}