Days 27 and 28

Fireworks are both pretty and explosive. These few days have seen both those qualities. I have never denied being a pain in the ass, in fact I have admitted to as much on many occasions. To put a slight spin on the next sentence you are going to read: the pain the ass gets the ointment.

Day 27

Clichés are so cliché, and this one is done like dinner, but it fits like a glove...so, when it rains it pours. Today was torrential, and it was a beautiful sunny Sunday. Today's storm was not water falling from the sky, but rather people arriving at the hospital.

It was around half past ten when my phone rang. My friend Jun was down stairs in the hospital, but since it wasn't official visiting hours they wouldn't let him leave the first floor (in all honesty they probably weren't even supposed to let him in the door, but the guy at the visitors window knows me apparently). Since we couldn't hang out inside, we left. I wasn't supposed to leave with out first getting doctors approval and filling out a form, but since he couldn't stay and I wasn't about to go to the sixth floor and cut through the red tape in my chainsaw style, I just left. We went to a sunny spot near the hospital and hung out. Jun is my hero as he came prepared; he brought some snacks, some coffee, and two cans of beer. Since I was already breaking the rules, I decided why not break them some more. So we kanpai-ed and I enjoyed my first cold one (in fact the first drop of alcohol) in twenty eight days (I know it was that long as I enjoyed a few my last night of freedom).

As noon was approaching, Jun had to be on his way. I came back up to the sixth floor. I knew there were going to be questions, and I was debating just making something up about being somewhere in the building, but in the end I told the truth (which is probably good now that I know the guy at the visitors window knows me). No one said a thing, which was good, but I seriously though I was going to hear about it. The fact that I had a bit of a buzz from the beer in the sun made my Japanese slower and probably simpler. The thing is there wasn't even a whole lot of time for the staff to notice before the next wave hit.

The plate of less than appetizing fish and rice had just shown up, and I was in the process of trying to decide how much of it I really wanted to try and eat. It was at that point that an English teacher from Kosha, Mrs. Shimoda, and her family showed up. Her boys were carrying flowers and chocolates. Since the room is small for four visitors, and I didn't want to disturb my neighbour during lunch, we went to the lounge to talk. It was at that point that the third wave broke.

Sitting at the head of one of the tables, with a big bag of picnic supplies, was who other than the night class gals. I gave them a wave, but sat down at talked with the Shimodas for a while. They are really interesting people, as they lived in Viet Nam for three years. Both mum and dad are English teachers, so the boys speak a little bit. We talked about the hospital and about school, and I gave the obligatory explanation of my surgery. They couldn't stay long, as I am sure they were off to go look at cherry blossoms. When they took their leave, I transferred over to where the gals were.

The previous identification of a large bag of picnic goods was indeed correct. I was presented with the choice of stay in the lounge or go outside. Is that really a choice? So after hacking through the aforementioned red tape, and filling out the stupid form, we were off to the ruins of Matsushiro Castle. They are ruins,but they have been recently updated, with a few modern replica pieces and sakura trees (cherry blossom) to fill up the rest of the space. Today was full bloom, and the trees were simply spectacular. We found a spot outside the ruins and enjoyed a great chat and some wonderful food.

Food was consumed, coffee was drunk, and photos were taken. It was then that the wind started to pick up. While this made for a beautiful blizzard of blowing blossoms, it also made us all pretty cold. We packed up and headed to the next stop: 82 bank. They knew where the actual bank was (before Yuriko and I just went to the ATM). They actually only found it because they got lost one day. The nurses had told me it was close to the hospital, but never exactly where. The style of building is not normal for a bank, and the sign is very small and only visible from the street directly in front of it. That is really all justification for me not knowing that it happens to be the building in the middle of the parking lot immediately out the window of my hospital room. Quite literally, if I could go outside on the balcony and throw a frisbee, I am sure I would land it right on the roof.

The time to return 'home' (I don't know what is more disturbing, referring to this as home, or that I initially wrote that with out even thinking about it) had finally arrived. Food was stuffed in my belly, cash was stuffed in my wallet, and I settled back in my room. Dinner came shortly, and then it was just another Sunday evening. I played some hockey on the PSP (the Canucks beat the Stars twice!) and read for a while. After all the excitement I was pretty worn out, and I went to bed pretty early.

Day 28

It was going all too well. I should have expected that things would not continue to go as smooth and as easy as they were, but I has been so long since a Monday was actually good that I just got caught up in feeling happy.

Since Shouhei went home on Saturday, and Nonoka went home today, there is no longer a bottle neck in the physio room. Prior to today, the two of them and I all needed to use the same machine, of which there only happens to be one. With only Nonoka and I using the machine today, I did not have to wait around for twenty minutes for my turn. This morning I was able to breeze through my new physio routine in record time.

The carrot on a stick; motivation makes people work harder and get through things faster. For any expat Canadian living overseas it is hard to imagine that the chance to watch an NHL playoff game live would not be motivation to get past the most difficult obstacles. This weekend while surfing the internet, I stumbled across a page that offers programs that can access streaming TV. The page I saw stated that CBC broadcasts of the playoffs would be offered on this program. That was enough of a hope for me to race back to my room and buy some internet time. Sure thing, after about ten minutes I had downloaded the program and I was watching the Canucks and Starts in real time. This is only the second time I have seen a real time NHL hockey game here in Japan. The other was in a Canadian Bar in Tokyo and I skipped the morning session of a conference to do so, and that wasn't even the 'Nucks.

It was nearing the ten minute mark of the first when the first image flicked to life on my computer screen. The resolution had noting on HD, or even your standard CRT (cathode ray tube, you know, normal old tv), but I could see the puck and the players, and that was good enough for me. Beyond my elation at now being able to watch hockey in Japan, I was thoroughly entertained by the game. Edge of the seat, talking to the ref and the players, suggesting strategy, that's me when I watch hockey. Today was no different. In fact, when the Canucks put their first puck in the net I cheered so loud that the nurses came in to see if I was OK. Nurses and Doctors flowed through my room as is usual, but today they all got a little lesson on the game of hockey. My enthusiasm showed them how passionate Canadians are about hockey, and I was able to tell many of them that it is not football or baseball that brings the most sports fans together in Canada, but hockey. Even my friend Hiro wants to come to my room to watch the next game.

After the inevitable overtime I was pretty pumped up. I worked hard in physio, especially since we have to end early on Mondays. Rounds not only require us to sit around waiting, we have to burn through physio faster than normal as well. None of that bothered me, as on Friday Horiuchi-sensei said during today's rounds that I would be informed of my discharge date. Finishing physio and then waiting for rounds is standard fare, but feeling happy while doing that was new for me. When the gaggle gathered and gawked, I was ready to learn my fate.

Legend-his-own-hospital Dr. Akizuki led the group again this week. He manipulated my knee and said some stuff in Japanese. He looked at me and repeated it, and said “OK?” Not really understanding, but knowing that I heard the word for injection (and not being afraid of needles, either before, but most definitely not now after this experience in the hospital) I said my favourite way to agree with out really showing support and gave him a “sure.” Then they were out the door.

I was a little stunned. What happened to my promise? Dr. Horiuchi told me that I would find out today, and that I should be out before Friday...but no one said a thing. He knows that I need time to make arrangements before I get out. The biggest thing on my mind is Kunoichi, not only because I am paying per day to have her watched, but also because I know that girl has a job and organizing the earliest convenient time is going to take some work. That is the biggest thing on my mind, but there are two issues that are the most important to take care of as early as possible. First, I need to get a ride home. Since some of my friends don't have standard schedules I should manage a ride home, but the day and time I am released will determine who it is that can pick me up. I will have to make a few phone calls to make this happen, and that requires some advanced notice. Furthermore, my friend Jun has been doing some work on my garden, and he has my house key. I need know that he will be home to give me my key, or we need to arrange a place for him to hide the key (but I only want to hide it for as short a time as possible, hence needing to know when I am going to get out). On top of all that, since I am good to go, I don't want to have to continue paying for the hospital room and the food that I pick at. The criteria for release is apparently if my bad leg has over fifty percent strength of my good one. The test I did today clocked me in at over sixty. So what is the hold up?

One of the nice nurses is in charge of my room this evening. I called her in and explained to her that I was promised that I would learn my discharge date today, but I hadn't learned that yet. She went and called someone, and came back with probably this weekend. First, that is not a set date or time, and secondly Dr. Horiuchi said that I would be home before Friday. There was a feeling deep down in the bottom of my gut that told me not to believe I would learn anything today. Right beside that feeling was an other that was telling me not to believe that I would be out by Friday. The problem he gave me a loose promise that thing were going to go that way, and since he is the doc I'm inclined to hold him to that.

Time Warp. Today's post until now was written between five and seven, the time that rounds ended and I spoke with the nurses and seven the time something was finally done. It is now eight thirty, and the situation is slightly different. If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, I have been bathed in it. I finally decided that I had reached my limit with the staff not communicating with each other, and not getting a straight story or follow up answer from anyone. Dinner came, and I refused it, I told them I was on a hunger strike. When they tried to pull out the shelf to leave my food, they found I had jury rigged it closed (don't mess with a man who knows his knots). When a new nurse came in to see what the problem was, I told her I had already explained it. My room mate explained to her that I had spoken with another nurse but never gotten confirmation, she said that they had changed shifts so she knew nothing about it. High five for sharing patient information girls, keep up the quality health care!

Since the sincerity of my problem was not being addressed in a manner in which it was obvious to me that they understood the severity of the issue, I decided that they needed a demonstration of just how serious I was. I started to pack my bags. I put all my snacks except water into a bag. I took all my books and computer stuff and put it away. I started to remove clothes from my closet and put them into my suitcase. Now, I know this is extreme and probably more than what the situation called for, but I needed to make a gesture that showed that I wasn't willing to wait around for their hierarchical bullshit to get in the way of my care. I was never planning on going anywhere (I left the book I haven't finished, the clothes I need for the week, and my towels, and flowers and cards, and all my valuables in the lock box) but I did a good job of making everyone think I was. Half of the on-duty staff must have come in and tried to speak with me, but I just kept packing. I'm no card shark in poker, but no one here was calling my bluff.

After putting most of the stuff I could afford to pack, and leave that way, into my bags, I realized that my own haste was my enemy. I couldn't keep packing with out putting necessary items away. My room mate Serizawa-san gave me a bit of a break when he asked me what I was doing. He was trying to calm me down in a very hand-off way, and made it seem more like he was trying to help me make plans. I saw right though it, but it gave me a chance to stop, but still look to the staff like I was engaged in getting ready to fly the coop. I explained to him honestly (when the staff weren't around) that I was just making a gesture to show my level of seriousness in the issue. I confessed that I wasn't about to run out, but I wanted the staff to think I considering it. He admitted that he still didn't really understand, and he seemed genuinely concerned for me.

After the break, I was forced to figure out how to continue with my charade and not make more work for myself or stall out and call my own bluff. I was standing around with my hands in my hair, when yet another nurse came in. This time the news was music to my ears. Dr. Horiuchi had returned and was waiting to confer with me about my discharge. The conversation was full of apologies, him for not explaining the situation to me during rounds and not informing the staff, me for the manner of which was required to bring him back. This guy is really a great man, and a wonderful doctor. Even when I was super pissed off at him, I couldn't be that pissed off in front of him. He has a really diffusing nature, and he listens and then responds (the nurses are great listeners, but I often feel like I would be better off talking to the wall...at least I might hear my own echo or something). Dr. Horiuchi and I talked about my leg, my treatment, and my post-discharge care and concerns. I did and do feel genuinely sorry for him that he had to walk into the shit storm of this evening, but I am not ashamed of what I did, as I honestly believe it was the only way for the nurses to break the hierarchy and call him back. He remembered our chat from Friday, and said that he meant to keep his word (he couldn't say it because he cannot break rank, but I got the feeling that he was going to talk to me during rounds, but the divine one Akizuki stole his chance).

I was given the option of Wednesday or Thursday. I really wanted to select Wednesday so I could get the hell out of here as fast as I can, but I did have all those pesky little preparations that made learning this info very important. I placed a few calls, and in the end Wednesday is going to work. Yuriko is going to come pick me up (she really has been my saviour, I guess she has been my surrogate family for the duration of this stay). Jun is going to hide my key on Wednesday morning. And as soon as I have typed this, I am going to email Sayuri about Kunoichi.

I know I should feel happy that I know when I am getting out, but tonight has taken so much out of me. I am completely exhausted, but my heart is still racing and I know I am not going to sleep very well. As I am coming to the end of this post maybe I am supposed to have some epiphany where I say if I could go back and change it all I would, but screw that, I got results. I am not proud of it, but I am sure as hell not going to be ashamed of it. I know when I am leaving now, I know my schedule between then and now. And to top it all off, I already have most of my packing done. I will bring Dr. Horiuchi some nice sweets next time I come, and I will bring something for the nurses too. I have no hard feelings toward them, I just wish they would have been more contentious about communication and getting back to me with answers. I hope that between now and Wednesday afternoon that my favourites all have a shift, because I want to get a picture with them before I go.

And it is here that I must stop for the night. I will write one last time before I leave...and I will even post it from here for simple posterity's sake. If the news of my discharge has brought a smile to your face then I am glad, I have still yet to crack one, but I just might soon. Again thank you all for you support, being able to write in a candid manner to people who know me pretty well has probably been the best form of therapy in dealing with my time here. Two more days. I just smiled.