shilpae (실패)—failure

I tried going to nearby Samsung Hospital today to visit their orthopedic division. Took a cab from my place to the hospital, which is a bit more than a kilometer down the road from where I live—easy walking distance, but with walking now being a problem, I had little choice but to catch a ride. I limped into the hospital's airport-like entrance and was immediately confronted by a phalanx of gowned and gloved staffers who took my temperature before pointing me over to a special table. I went over to the table, was told to slather some antibacterial lotion on my hands, and was given a disposable mask to wear inside the building. I wandered over to a bank of work stations labeled "Without Appointment," and I spoke with a masked, gray-haired lady about what I needed. "Sorry," she said, "but you need to make an appointment if you're here for the orthopede. You also need to bring along your insurance paperwork." I asked whether I could make an appointment online; she shook her head ruefully. Nodding, I turned around and limped out of the hospital, now determined to visit a simple ortho clinic like the one I'd frequented in Daegu, back when I'd had that hip problem. (My boss had suggested as much.) Such clinics accept walk-ins and don't demand insurance papers; plus, the treatment is rarely that expensive, although I imagine that I'll have to pay a pretty penny if I end up receiving an orthotic boot. No biggie. Better a boot than nothing.

There's a light, obnoxious dusting of snow on the ground today, almost but not quite enough to make walking a slippery affair. I plan to remain indoors as much as possible, but the ortho clinic I just looked up is located right up the street from where I work, so I might have to walk that distance—from the clinic to my office—tomorrow morning when I visit. For today, I've got a New Balance walking shoe on my left foot and a durable sandal on my right foot, exposing my blackened toenails to the frozen world. I feel kind of sorry for my right foot, which seems to take more abuse than the left one does.