Diary of My Eye Disease Treatment
Day Eleven
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
JENNIFER | SEPTEMBER 20, 2014 10:50PM JST
This Morning
I was woken up at 6:00 to get my blood drawn. This is usually done after I have completed my third IV. The weekend nurse came in and was able to get two tubes of blood filled. I found it a bit strange since I usually get three by the other nurses. She was a bit nervous and I don’t know why. I guess she’s just new here. She dripped blood on my bed sheets and about 10 minutes later she returned with a third tube stating that she needed one more. It didn’t help that last night she was running back and forth due to complications another patient was having in another room. She was probably already tense about that. When she first came to my room, she brought a flashlight, but then forgot it. I had to call her to retrieve it and asked her if my sheets could be changed. She agreed.
Breakfast
This morning I was invited to sit with a couple of people; the lady I met last night, Kaori, and another lady who speaks little to no English. Her name will be Maya. We ended up having a table full of women. I mainly spoke with Kaori because her English is remotely understandable. Maya doesn’t say much and the other lady who was sitting beside me doesn’t either. We did not speak about any interesting topics, but it was nice to join them. For breakfast we had soup, tofu and vegetables salad, a Japanese radish and white bean side dish and rice. Again, it was good.
This Morning
I was woken up at 6:00 to get my blood drawn. This is usually done after I have completed my third IV. The weekend nurse came in and was able to get two tubes of blood filled. I found it a bit strange since I usually get three by the other nurses. She was a bit nervous and I don’t know why. I guess she’s just new here. She dripped blood on my bed sheets and about 10 minutes later she returned with a third tube stating that she needed one more. It didn’t help that last night she was running back and forth due to complications another patient was having in another room. She was probably already tense about that. When she first came to my room, she brought a flashlight, but then forgot it. I had to call her to retrieve it and asked her if my sheets could be changed. She agreed.
Breakfast
This morning I was invited to sit with a couple of people; the lady I met last night, Kaori, and another lady who speaks little to no English. Her name will be Maya. We ended up having a table full of women. I mainly spoke with Kaori because her English is remotely understandable. Maya doesn’t say much and the other lady who was sitting beside me doesn’t either. We did not speak about any interesting topics, but it was nice to join them. For breakfast we had soup, tofu and vegetables salad, a Japanese radish and white bean side dish and rice. Again, it was good.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez---Breakfast
I got my sticker and returned to my room.
Eye Injection Time
Over an hour later, the doctor came in and gave me the shot. I felt the prickle on my skin and almost immediately the pain trickled into my face. The headache was instant and it moved to the entire right side of my head. I lay there. It lasted long enough. Annoying enough. Sure enough, splitting enough. After what seemed to be 20 minutes later, which I’m sure it was not, I got up still feeling woozy and continued working on my computer.
The Follow-Up
There is nothing much to say about the follow-up. It was the same as yesterday. The doctor conducted the identical routine. I put my head on the machine, got the steroid eye drops, looked into the blue light and done. He asked me about my sleeping habits and that’s about it.
Eye Injection Time
Over an hour later, the doctor came in and gave me the shot. I felt the prickle on my skin and almost immediately the pain trickled into my face. The headache was instant and it moved to the entire right side of my head. I lay there. It lasted long enough. Annoying enough. Sure enough, splitting enough. After what seemed to be 20 minutes later, which I’m sure it was not, I got up still feeling woozy and continued working on my computer.
The Follow-Up
There is nothing much to say about the follow-up. It was the same as yesterday. The doctor conducted the identical routine. I put my head on the machine, got the steroid eye drops, looked into the blue light and done. He asked me about my sleeping habits and that’s about it.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
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© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
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Afterwards, I called my aunt to keep her in the loop. I told her that I might end up losing all Internet connection for some time since I cannot leave the hospital to make my payments. She immediately figured that I did not have the money. I told her that even if I was holding it, I couldn’t leave the hospital to pay my phone. For some strange reason, my mobile company and my bank do not work well enough for them to deduct the payments automatically. Not necessarily from my personal account, but from the bank in general. I seriously need to get a Japanese bank account asap.
I also noticed that whenever my aunt becomes a bit desperate and doesn’t have the answers to my problems, she finds a way to say that ‘if I want, I can always pick up and leave to the United States’ because I don’t owe it to anyone to stay here. I think that’s her way of trying to convince to me to go back. I always get a chuckle out of that. I have to remind her that I am happy in Japan and that I have no plans on moving to the states anytime soon. She’s wonderful!
A Ringer of Light
On a different note, what I have noticed with some cousins and other family members is that they distance themselves from me whenever I don’t tag along to their advice. This is nothing new. As if I were still a lost teenager and needed to follow their footsteps in order to know where my path should lead. This has caused me to almost completely disassociate myself from them. I have no negative thoughts or tendencies, just removing myself from what I feel is fake, bad or disconnected figures who swarm in their own mental ‘hierarchy.’ We all grow up and the same way they followed their paths in life, I’ve chosen mine and I am truly satisfied with my decisions.
I also noticed that whenever my aunt becomes a bit desperate and doesn’t have the answers to my problems, she finds a way to say that ‘if I want, I can always pick up and leave to the United States’ because I don’t owe it to anyone to stay here. I think that’s her way of trying to convince to me to go back. I always get a chuckle out of that. I have to remind her that I am happy in Japan and that I have no plans on moving to the states anytime soon. She’s wonderful!
A Ringer of Light
On a different note, what I have noticed with some cousins and other family members is that they distance themselves from me whenever I don’t tag along to their advice. This is nothing new. As if I were still a lost teenager and needed to follow their footsteps in order to know where my path should lead. This has caused me to almost completely disassociate myself from them. I have no negative thoughts or tendencies, just removing myself from what I feel is fake, bad or disconnected figures who swarm in their own mental ‘hierarchy.’ We all grow up and the same way they followed their paths in life, I’ve chosen mine and I am truly satisfied with my decisions.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
Meeting Maya’s Daughter and Pudding
Maya, who doesn’t speak English very well, stopped by my room and introduced me to her teenage or 20-year-old daughter. I can’t remember. She invited me to have some pudding on the low, but I told her that I didn’t feel confident enough to eat it. I asked her if it was okay for her to do it, but she clarified that it would be hidden. First off, I know that I can get away with murder if I want to, but I would rather not play with my health especially if I am paying a pretty penny to try and get better over here. I told her that I was scared and said it in the nicest way possible. I pretty much refused and thanked her anyway. They went to the eating area and probably had the pudding there. I sure enough didn’t want to take my chances. I already had the experience of cheating and it left a negative taste in my mouth. No, thank you!
My sheets were changed!
Lunch Time
The meal was remarkable! We had some radish, seaweed and another vegetable side dish, Japanese radish and mushroom soup, rice, fish coated in a thin layer of what seemed to be mashed potatoes, corn, lettuce and two slices of oranges. My mouth was watery the entire time I was eating. I wish I could have someone cook Japanese hospital food like this for me everyday. Maybe one day. But not in a hospital of course! I sat with the ladies whom I had breakfast with this morning and nothing much was elaborated on. We spent most of out time eating.
Maya, who doesn’t speak English very well, stopped by my room and introduced me to her teenage or 20-year-old daughter. I can’t remember. She invited me to have some pudding on the low, but I told her that I didn’t feel confident enough to eat it. I asked her if it was okay for her to do it, but she clarified that it would be hidden. First off, I know that I can get away with murder if I want to, but I would rather not play with my health especially if I am paying a pretty penny to try and get better over here. I told her that I was scared and said it in the nicest way possible. I pretty much refused and thanked her anyway. They went to the eating area and probably had the pudding there. I sure enough didn’t want to take my chances. I already had the experience of cheating and it left a negative taste in my mouth. No, thank you!
My sheets were changed!
Lunch Time
The meal was remarkable! We had some radish, seaweed and another vegetable side dish, Japanese radish and mushroom soup, rice, fish coated in a thin layer of what seemed to be mashed potatoes, corn, lettuce and two slices of oranges. My mouth was watery the entire time I was eating. I wish I could have someone cook Japanese hospital food like this for me everyday. Maybe one day. But not in a hospital of course! I sat with the ladies whom I had breakfast with this morning and nothing much was elaborated on. We spent most of out time eating.
Unexpected Visitor
Afterwards, I returned to my room and got an unexpected visitor from my job. The director of the English department showed up and kept me company for a little while. He asked me how things were going and we talked about my life in the hospital. We cracked some jokes, because he is that type of person. He brought me two magazines; a Reader’s digest, which I have never purchased or even read through before and another one called Monocle that focuses on business affairs, global situations, culture and other topics. Plus, the staff put a small monetary token in an envelope. That was a total shock and ever so unexpected. Super, duper thankful! He was going to meet some friends to have a drink after my visit.
What an awesome day!
Afterwards, I returned to my room and got an unexpected visitor from my job. The director of the English department showed up and kept me company for a little while. He asked me how things were going and we talked about my life in the hospital. We cracked some jokes, because he is that type of person. He brought me two magazines; a Reader’s digest, which I have never purchased or even read through before and another one called Monocle that focuses on business affairs, global situations, culture and other topics. Plus, the staff put a small monetary token in an envelope. That was a total shock and ever so unexpected. Super, duper thankful! He was going to meet some friends to have a drink after my visit.
What an awesome day!
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
Stinky Me
After my visitor left, I noticed a foul smell. I turned my head to the right and realized that my armpits were reeking in disgust. And yes, I put deodorant everyday. One thing I shall say for certain is that I have never smelled this bad for as long as I can remember being alive. The way I smell here after a full day of sitting or lounging is horrible. I notice that it isn’t the same type of smell an average person would have after a long day of work. It seems like the steroids seep out of my armpits and infest my personal space. Yes, it is an embarrassing moment to share, but I must. It is all part of this process, these medications and pretty much everything that I am going through. Mentally, all is fine and dandy, but the physical part of this ordeal is a bit challenging. I will save your eyes from reading a couple of other issues that I am experiencing so worry less. I know my body so well, that whenever something is altering it, I can see and feel the smallest matters materializing in any and every direction.
Meeting Kaori’s daughter
Kaori brought her daughter in to meet me. She was a pretty nice 38-year-old woman and speaks English quite fluently. We talked about my job and the fact that her mom, Kaori, wants to practice her English with me during her stay. I smiled and told her to speak with me anytime.
Dinner Time is here
I ended up taking a robust shower, scouring away all of the dirt I felt and by the time I was done, the nurse dropped by my room asking me if I wanted my dinner in here. I agreed and thanked her for the delivery. I ended up eating a great dinner again and relaxed on my bed while doing so. It was sort of a chicken parmesan dish except with no cheese, a couple of wedges of sweet potatoes and lettuce, some rice, a green salad with some thin noodles and a side of soup.
Well, that is all for today. I will keep you updated! Thank you for reading my diary!
After my visitor left, I noticed a foul smell. I turned my head to the right and realized that my armpits were reeking in disgust. And yes, I put deodorant everyday. One thing I shall say for certain is that I have never smelled this bad for as long as I can remember being alive. The way I smell here after a full day of sitting or lounging is horrible. I notice that it isn’t the same type of smell an average person would have after a long day of work. It seems like the steroids seep out of my armpits and infest my personal space. Yes, it is an embarrassing moment to share, but I must. It is all part of this process, these medications and pretty much everything that I am going through. Mentally, all is fine and dandy, but the physical part of this ordeal is a bit challenging. I will save your eyes from reading a couple of other issues that I am experiencing so worry less. I know my body so well, that whenever something is altering it, I can see and feel the smallest matters materializing in any and every direction.
Meeting Kaori’s daughter
Kaori brought her daughter in to meet me. She was a pretty nice 38-year-old woman and speaks English quite fluently. We talked about my job and the fact that her mom, Kaori, wants to practice her English with me during her stay. I smiled and told her to speak with me anytime.
Dinner Time is here
I ended up taking a robust shower, scouring away all of the dirt I felt and by the time I was done, the nurse dropped by my room asking me if I wanted my dinner in here. I agreed and thanked her for the delivery. I ended up eating a great dinner again and relaxed on my bed while doing so. It was sort of a chicken parmesan dish except with no cheese, a couple of wedges of sweet potatoes and lettuce, some rice, a green salad with some thin noodles and a side of soup.
Well, that is all for today. I will keep you updated! Thank you for reading my diary!
