Let The Medical Adventures Begin!

Last night, I experienced the same kind of stomach pain that landed me in a hospital bed in California a few months ago (where my gallbladder was removed), so I decided to go to the doctor today. Turns out, it was a giant waste of time.

I decided I’d kill two birds with one stone and see a doctor for my toe (that’s been red, swollen and hurting for almost four months now) since I was already at the hospital. I went to him first and, after X-rays (which only cost $4), he told me it wasn’t broken. Still, he either didn’t know what was wrong or didn’t know how to say it in English. He explained a few things to me in Korean while I just stared at him and then he sent me out of his office with a prescription. I still didn’t know what was wrong but I bought the medicine because it was only $7. The nurse instructed me to wear bigger shoes and not play soccer and to come back for another X-ray if the meds didn’t help.

I then went to the gastroenterologist (which my surgeon in Cali warned me I would need to see if my stomach issues continued). He spoke a little more English than the first doctor, but not quite enough. From the time I spent talking to him, I gathered that he thought there was nothing really wrong with my stomach and also that I would not be allowed to take the pills that I had just bought for my toe because they’re bad for your stomach (there were three pills: a pain killer, an anti-inflammatory & one for the upset stomach that the other two pills were sure to cause…the third he told me I could take).

I know no more about my toe and stomach than I did when I woke up this morning. But I can’t say I’m surprised. (This is why I put off the medical adventures for so long…I still have the dentist and eye doctor to tackle but I’m not up for it just yet.) Almost every time I’ve gone to the doctor in my adult life, I’ve walked away without answers. Really, the only differences between today and doctor visits in the U.S. were the language barrier and the fact that I could actually afford it for once! I think it’s a fair trade and, at this point in my life, I definitely prefer to take this end of the deal.