I got sick Wednesday. It struck out of no where. Nausea. Chills. Aches. Extremely tired. Gas. Good god the gas. I took something for the aches and fever. Ate dry toast. Drank water. And stayed in bed. (Or on the futon.) Within 24 hours I was starting to feel better. By day 2 it had passed for the most part.
In South Korea umpteen people would have been telling me to go see a doctor. All the doctor would have done is given them a needle in the hip. It would have given them analgesics, vitamins, and distilled water. Maybe they would have gotten something for nausea. Nothing you can't get on your own here, or in Korea.
Due to the ease of access Koreans go to the doctor more easily than Canadians or other Westerners. They go to the doctor for the sniffles. For a common cold. There really isn't anything a doctor can do for a cold or a 24 hour bug that you can't get at a pharmacy and take care of yourself. Really, you don't even need the pharmacy. Rest and liquid is the most important.
No doctor. No problem.
Well for Americans, it actually feels nice to be able to afford a visit to the doctor here. I don't hesitate anymore. $75 for a visit if you don't have insurance.
ReplyDeleteIt is free here in Canada, although prescriptions cost. But you can't see a doctor as easily as in South Korea.
ReplyDeleteYou can see one the same day but that means going to a duty doctor. Your wait to see one could be a few minutes to a few hours.
Seeing your family doctor ... damn ... it could take weeks.
In Canada I don't go to the doctor for a 24 hour bug or the sniffles. :)
Hey Flint,
ReplyDeleteIn Korea, my Korea guy caught "the flu"(likely the Canadian version from me) and he swore to God that he was "dying". It was actually pretty amusing...I was sure that he was a nutcase with a comment like that.
He kept saying, "I've got to go to the hosptial". It was just crazy. I gave him Tylenol and he was feeling better, and swore it was "a miracle drug".
Holy crap, I had no idea that it was the majority of the country that went to the hospital for the common flu? Nutso...
IT is strange coming from the west. :)
ReplyDelete