I'd been cooped up in my little office since early Friday morning. Leaving this room results in nasty looks. I fear leaving it without a medical mask on would result in certain painful death. They take the flu seriously and then some in Japan. Any room I step foot in ends up getting all of its windows opened. "Change the air" she says. She really hates my germs. The thing is I don't think I'm all that contagious anymore. Even though the doc said I'm not clear till Tuesday and I have no scientific evidence to base it on, still I have this reason-based hunch.
I think it makes sense though. Up until Thursday there was no fever, just a mild cough, nose running like a sieve and intermittent sneezing fits. Now if I were a flu virus that needed to spread to survive then I'd make sure I was most contagious when my host was unaware of my presence yet snotting and sneezing all over the place, thus spreading my little flu virus babies far and wide to reach as many ill-fated hosts as possible. That's not me today. No more snotty-snots and no more sneezing, but boy howdy was that me on Thursday! I thought it an early onset of bad allergies that hit every spring, or maybe a cold. Thus I taught all my usual classes and got in a good 45 minute workout at the town gym, where I felt good enough to keep adding plates till benching 105kg even. Usually I'll stop around 90 to 100 but I was feeling strong that day so flu? No way!
If only. I woke shivering in the wee hours of Friday, got the thermometer and damn! 37.5 C. (99.5F) I acted accordingly by donning a mask and dragging my futon out of the bedroom and into my little office. A little more sleep and one big ibuprophen gelcap later I'm feeling good enough to teach my 8:00 a.m. class but think it best to call Jim just in case. It's his company, L3, that I teach the morning business English class for. Good guy he is, I think it only apt he knows my condition so 6:30 a.m. call, he suggests I stay home. Fair enough. The fever returned so good call that was. My oldest boy stayed home from school Friday as well. No fever just cough and headache so we both went to Sakura clinic to get checked out. A long cutip snaked up my nose into the backside of my cerebrum later and hey, I got flu type A!
With universal health care in this land of course we can go to the hospital or clinic of our choice. Sakura clinic is the nearest one that offers the new flu drug so we went there. That and zero wait time there usually. The doctor is about 147 years old, wild white hair and repeats himself but all the better for a patient like me who doesn't always catch Japanese medical talk on the first run through. I guess these new flu meds have made it to the States now too. If you have the flu I can happily say from personal feeling like shit to feeling much better experience, the stuff works!
Once home I took the one dose cures all and went upstairs to lie down. The effect isn't instantaneous unfortunately. I woke to a fever nearing 39 (102F) with all three layers of clothes so soaked in sweat I had to change everything I had on. Just before and for a few hours after that the flu monsters (hallucination-like dreams with ogres, two headed angry pink tigers, flampavomers, etc.) visited me, but all was well by dawn. Peaceful sleep ensued for much of the day. Still not allowed downstairs or anywhere out of my quarantine facility, by afternoon I was feeling well enough to have early onset of stir craziness.
Which brings us back to me citing Gichen Funakoshi as I headed out the door for a run, much to my wife's disapproval. But she can't blame this one on some crazy thing only Americans do. Nope, not this one honey. I got this one from Japan! Gichen Funakoshi. 100% Japanese baby! There it is highlighted and dog eared right there on page XIV. Haa!
Now again, I wouldn't make it a habit of taking medical advice from martial artists, but there's really no harm in doing so on this one I don't think. I mean for one thing she'll cut me off, like smooches and everything! if I don't follow her sick bay rules, so I can't get too close to the kids, but dang it I'll go bonkers if I have to sit in this little room all day. And while he doesn't say it I believe getting out in nature is great treatment for any ailment, and so out the door I went. I'd broken a good sweat by the time I got to the base of Mt. Daisen. By the time I got to a flat opening near the summit I'd already reached "until sweat begins to pour from his body" stage but still had to follow the good karate master's advice so did a few kata before going on to the summit where I sat and absorbed a bit more of nature's energy before making my descent.
 |
| cycling app for runs is better than having to add another app ;) |
So there you have it. If you get the flu be sure to try the new fangled flu meds from Japan. Here it is again. Try this.
And for even quicker recovery break a sweat I say! Run up a mountain. Do karate kata. Jump on one foot. Just move!
My legs are feeling it now but the stir craziness is long gone. My attitude is brighter as well, and for those of us who tend to fall into depression ditches this method is good defense from that too I've found.
 |
| Mt. Daisen -- Flu recovery dojo |
Later. I was allowed to poke my head in the door to say goodnight to three kids, one wife, and a cat just now. Dad's in quarantine so it's a big sleepover for everyone else I guess. I'm still a day or two away from those hugs and smooches but she's forgiven me for being me so I'll get'm again in time. No doubt she'd have been upset if I'd have died or worse on Mt. Daisen, but I didn't so all is well. Funakoshi's advice is still golden for speeding up recovery. Sweat it out!
 |
| My インフルエンザ（influenza) printout from the doc's office. Contagious diseases are serious business in densely populated Japan. Classrooms close, hand sanitizer alcohol spray bottles and mask wearing citizens abound. All of the kindergartens I teach at have had "beware of flu" signs posted for weeks now. I'd hoped to dodge the flu bullet this year but nope, it nailed me! |
No comments:
Post a Comment