While the therapy I received yesterday (and will receive again later today, and daily for the next two weeks) wasn't particularly effective, the drugs I'd been prescribed more than made up for the lack: they were startlingly effective. Within thirty minutes of downing a packet, I was nearly pain-free. I had decided to take a packet right before going to sleep; each round of the drugs is supposed to last me roughly twelve hours, as I'm to take a packet twice a day. I woke up a bit achy this morning, but the ache was nothing like waking up after aspirin has worn off. Amazing things, these drugs. It didn't hurt that one of the pills—I'm guessing the big green one—tasted like a forest: there were notes of wood, peat, and pine. Very interesting.
On the down side, my W2600 prescription was for only three days' worth of pills, so the orthopedic center, my new drug dealer, is going to have to write me a new "scrip" in a couple of days. I can easily understand the psychology of dependence and addiction: having experienced the power of these drugs, and knowing what sort of pain awaits me when they run out, I'm actually fearful of being caught without meds in a moment of crisis.
Dr. Kim scolded me at one point during the consult yesterday, saying (as some of my coworkers did) that I should have brought my problem in to the office before it had gotten so bad. My feeling: if I bring every problem to a doc before it gets bad, I'll be a goddamn hypochondriac. No, thanks: I'd rather go old-school and tough it out as long as possible.
_
One of the biggest downsides of the medical biz in South Korea is that clinic doctors can only prescribe three days worth of medicine. It really sucks for me because the best doctor I've ever had in my life works as the doctor in his "Clinic for Foreigner" in Daejeon, and most of my 45 (biking) - 50 (subway) minure trips across town to his miracle providing workshop require two visits' worth of meds (usually cold/flu related thanks to all the sick kids who don't believe in washing their hands or using tissue to blow their noses in South Korean public).
ReplyDeleteWell, give the PT a chance. Jee Yeun went for several weeks prior to and after her shoulder surgery. It takes time to work sometimes. Of course, if you have already precluded doing the MRI you might not ever figure out what's going on down there.
ReplyDelete"Old school". Is that what they are calling not taking advantage of readily available first world medical care these days? Ha! I can think of several more apt descriptions. But hey, I'm a libertarian at heart so play it like you feel it. Cheers!
I was hoping one of your pills wore a little white bowler hat and had a walking stick painted on it...
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeletePerhaps that's why I heard the faint strains of "Singing in the Rain" emanating from my abdomen...
John,
Yes, sir, I will give PT a chance. If John and Yoko could give it a chance, then so can I.
Daejeon John,
That's good to know—the three-day prescription rule, I mean. Duly noted. Thanks. Strange, though, that you can buy as many little boxes of aspirin as you want. I guess the rule doesn't apply to non-prescription meds.