#34injapan

[kingsephir]

Super long post.

Hello everyone! I’m sorry I have not been posting pictures and such of Japan yet but after reading this status, I’m sure you’ll understand. I would like to preface this with, other than my medical problems it has been a wonderful and beautiful time so far.

We arrived in Japan on October 3rd and started our 2 week quarantine. I had just come off of a 3 month regimen of Latent Tuberculosis antibiotics. Very strong ones that I had to follow a strict diet and really took a toll on me each day. At the hotel, they give us three meals a day (but we could also go to the convenience store anytime) pretty much still withholding to my antibiotic diet, I ate parts of the meals that they brought and the first day I began to feel ill. One might say, oh maybe you’re just not used to Japanese food? Maybe you’re stressed? But honestly? I was in a good mood and I’d lived in Japan for a year before and the food has never hurt me. Even raw fish.

I figured, like usual, I’d just have some discomfort and it would just go away the next day. Well, it didn’t. It just got worse. So I switched to bottled water (even though the water here is drinkable), still got worse, completely stopped eating the quarantine meals and ate only from the convienence store (which made my husband almost immediately improve) and I got worse. Going to the bathroom 10-20 times a day, finally can barely eat, can barely drink. So on the 10th day due to a sort of loop hole, I was able to go to the ER in Tokyo. They gave me an IV and took a blood test and a CT scan. They said that my whole intestines were really inflamed and I had a bacterial infection. I was taking probiotics and still could sort of eat so they let me go. I just wanted to make it to Aomori. Last few days I had fevers and still never got better, I was eating only banana and rice porridge.

Finally, the day to go to Aomori comes. I take anti diarrhea medicine (absolutely horrible feeling but I was desperate and needed to travel) and while my husband carried almost all of my things himself (absolutely bless him through all this) I made it to Aomori and my supervisor and some other coworkers came and picked me up. I had been keeping in touch with my supervisor about my illness the whole time, so he knew what was going on. They drove me and my husband to our house, gave us the tour and it was absolutely wonderful. It was cozy and well stocked, my predecessor had left a lot of things but useful things so nicely and neatly organized it was like walking into a cozy air bnb. The drive there was also absolutely stunning, some of the most beautiful landscapes i’ve ever seen. Honestly. They had me sign papers and stuff and then they took James to the supermarket and the town hall to take care of the paperwork I couldn’t in my state, and get some groceries.

I slept the entire time (about 4 hours) he was gone.

When my husband came back, he took my temperature and I kid you not I had a fever of 104°F or 40°C!!!!!!!!!! My supervisor and (landlord? Not sure who he is yet but he’s super nice) quickly came back and took us to the clinic. They put me on an IV and anti fever meds. The clinic doctor wrote a referral to the hospital for the next morning. I felt much better after the IV that night.

The next morning, (19th) I went to the hospital early and waited in a bed in the waiting room. They did a ton of tests on me. Ultrasound, ekg, stool sample, blood test, xray. All kinds of things. They admitted me to the hospital for at least a week. So here I am, at the hospital.

I’m not the only one of the Chicago group that got sick but im the only one /this/ sick. There is another person in my prefecture that had to get an IV for half a day and got antibiotics to take. I have been suffering with this for about 15 days now. And though I’m taking it one day at a time and I know I’ll eventually be okay, I’m very tired. The Tokyo doctors mentioned it could be E Coli but didn’t know without further tests. Today the hospital im at will hear what bacteria it is exactly so they will be able to tweak my treatment.

I have not had anything but water since the 19th as they “feed me” through an IV, give me liquids (im not supposed to drink much water) and antibiotics. They just upped my feeding thing to include more calories so I think that is good. But it’s been extremely rough.

However, everyone around me here has been so extremely kind and understanding and helpful to me. My supervisor’s supervisor seems to be in contact with the higher ups about the food we (Chicago consult group) ate. I really hope they improve things for others because if someone brought kids??? They could die. I am not kidding either. It’s extremely serious. I had sent an email early on about the food and they emailed the hotel and then emailed me back and said that everything was up to code. So 🤷‍♀️

Lastly, I want to thank my husband for without him idk how I could make it. It would be so hard and lonely and I need so much help. But he is always kind, and always patient with me when I am sick. I truly am honored to be his wife.

My supervisor and coworkers and friends who have all supported me and given me medicine and said nice things, I so appreciate you all. My supervisor is amazing and is showing my husband around and helping him take care of things without me, I am so appreciative for the people around me.

And the doctors who have all seen me and listened to me. I have had some really top notch nurses here, one hugged me when I was crying, one would talk very slow and clear and explain in detail with simple words how things were working and what is going on, one makes me laugh a lot. They are all very kind and so helpful.

Lastly, thank you God, that I am sick in Japan, because even if I paid for everything out of pocket im looking at no more than probably about $1,500 and I get money back through my insurance so I don’t even pay that much.

So that is what has been going on.

After I get out of the hospital my work is giving me an extra two weeks at home to recover and I couldn’t be more thankful.

I hope no one else has to deal with this while moving to a new country and they get it all sorted out. ❤️

Thanks for reading my super super long post haha.