A-choo!

My asthma has been aggravated by the Yellow Dust as well as a mild cold due to being subjected to countless sneezes and coughs in my classes. Even Ruby who I swear summons me into her office just so that she can cough on my face. Whenever I step back she takes a step forward. She doesn't even have the decency of covering her mouth. Anyway- my mild cold turned into the flu. At the time I had no idea what was going on and assumed that I was just really stressed and tired. I realized that something was wrong when I had trouble getting out of bed and had ZERO energy.

Apparently my symptoms had gotten far worse so on Monday I asked Christina to take me to a doctor. We went to Shinsegae Medical Clinic. I swear that the moment that we stepped into the clinic I was transported into the Ritz or maybe the Four Seasons. It was beyond chi-chi. I'm talking crystal chandeliers, water fountains, and a lady cleaning the floors on her hands and knees. As we stepped up to the counter I mentally tallied how much I was going to have to pay. I was pretty sure that It was gonna involve several zeros at the end.

When Christina was checking me in, the women at the front desk asked her what my Korean name was because my current "American name" wasn't gonna work. While I stared at her like an imbecile repeating that phrase over and over in my head (I swear I didn't understand) Christina said "How about the Korean name that I made for you?". I said "that's perfect!". Then the counter ladies asked about my last name because it wasn't going to work either. Uh oh. I told Christina to give them her last name and that way we could sorta be related. She said uh...why don't we think of something as close to my real last name as possible. So ladies and gents I give you my full Korean name: Park Hee Sun. Park is my last name and Hee Sun is my first. I kinda like it.

After getting checked in, talking to the doc via Christina, getting chest X-Rays, and an lung test I was told that I had the always crowd pleasing bronchitis. The doctor then asked (semi-jokingly) if I perhaps lived in a cave. I gave a puzzled no. He said that everything has been aggravated by several things- 1. Yellow Dust and 2. Rapid temperature changes. I told him that I work in a building that is freezing so much that my fingernails turn blue(due to no heating) and when I walk to work it's usually in the 50's. So I'm going from mild to freezing in a matter of minutes. He said that's why everything got worse and why I've been having trouble breathing.

He prescribed 4 different medicines that I have to take twice a day. FYI- medicines here are not given in a bottle/tube. They are given in little sealed plastic bags that have the exact dosage. It's shockingly convenient!

Oh and the doc's visit cost me 35,500 Won. Which is about $30.00. Not too shabby!

Since I didn't go into work, Ruby's husband Mr. Samurai rang my doorbell incessantly at 5PM to "check on you because Ruby was worried". HA! Worried my arse! She was checking to see if #1 I was partying up with Ali and #2 to see if I was even there.

I really truly hate these people. Hasta luego!