After being sick for quite some time, today’s plan was simple: stay in the hotel and visit a doctor when I can. My morning was very slow, and I spent most of my time sitting on the toilet or lying in bed. At around noon, I left the hotel with one of my instructors to visit the hospital and see a doctor.
Although I was able to receive all the medical attention and assistance I needed, the one major difficulty I had was communicating to the doctor. He did not know any English, so I had to resort to communication through broken Korean or a translator. This process was slow and tedious, and I was afraid I would misunderstand my health problems completely. Thankfully, the doctor was very patient, and asked me a lots of questions so he was certain of my issue. After lots of questioning, he decided to me send out for a blood test, an X-ray, and get an IV bag to rehydrate.
By now, I noticed that the hospital ran a lot smoother than a hospital in the US. To start, wait times were much lower, and I didn’t have to wait any longer than five minutes for the blood test or the x-ray. Additionally, the cost for healthcare in Korea is significantly cheaper, making the whole process of getting medical help very affordable for those who do not have insurance.
After my testing and treatment was over, the doctor prescribed me medicine and diagnosed me with food poisoning. I suspect that the eggs I ate at the hotel were undercooked, causing the sickness I’ve had for the past four days. However with a prescription and proper medical advice, I felt assured that I would recover very soon.
Once I picked up my medication, I spent the rest of my evening resting and catching up with my friends at home. Also, I wanted to quickly acknowledge my instructors, my family, and the Pitt travel agency for all providing me assistance while I was struggling with my health. I hope to get back into the action tomorrow!