dazed, and loving it
y'know those things you want to avoid, but you do them anyway? and then you are rewarded untold? thus was my saturday.
Lauren was going to an international clinic in central Seoul and i went with her. she had a limited knowledge of the place and she wasn't sure how long she'd be waiting for an appointment. she's been very sick and her symptoms have been pointing towards cancer. i didn't want her to be alone in a hospital dealing with this stuff, so went with her.
i met her in the morning sun by school at 8am. she was sitting on one of the kiddies coin slot rides giggling away when she saw me (a month ago, she had a ride and, being over 3 foot, she had a horrible time). we got onto the subway and headed into Itaewon.
at the clinic, the doctor said Lauren's symptoms were too extensive so she needed to go to a hospital. the doctor provided a map, walking distance, to the university hospital nearby, and we went to that international clinic on the 2nd floor.
Lauren only waited a few minutes before seeing the doctor, while i sat outside worrying uselessly. until this point, i was kind of the guide and keeping busy. now, was the waiting game. i have mixed memories in hospitals. i've seen friends suffering badly, yet i've also had incredible conversations that were funny, heart-wrenching, and life affirming.
Lauren then went for some blood tests, giving me some positive information as i sat nearby. the doctor thought she was more likely suffering from a torn stomach lining (she had stomach surgery a month ago), and said some of her symptoms were less likely to be cancer. from there she had to book an exploritory procedure, and then go for an xray, so i waited outside and was beginning to feel relief and hope she was going to be cured quite easily. she isn't allowed booze or meat for 3 months.
when she came out of the xray room, she had this huge smile on her face. seeing her like that was like a big weight off my shoulders that i didn't realise i'd been carrying. she needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts while i drew a map of how to get to the hospital for her procedure later in the week.
Lauren had her phone out, talking to family, explaining what the doctor had said while i sat outside in the sun, then we walked back up the hill to the restaurants to find something healthy for lunch. we spoke to some kiwis in the pita bread sandwich restaurant for a few minutes, but we were both too emotionally drained to really have any great conversation with them.
the war memorial is walking distance from Itaewon, and we joined the thousands of others basking in the warmth outside. we bumped into some ex-Shihwa teachers and were invited to a bar nearby, so accepted and put Lauren's no-booze to the test. we both drank coke (ok, it was diet coke - don't tell anyone, cos i'm a diet coke addict). great live music had attracted lots of the people from the Chungju Palooza a few weeks ago, and a few of the musicians.
in the bar, it hit Lauren that she may have something seriously wrong with her stomach and wondered what that may mean. frankly, i hadn't thought from that perspective whatsoever. so she had a quiet moment or eight considering how it may effect her life. it was around this moment that i realised just how preoccupied she had been all morning. she didn't kow the way to the subway station when we were at the hosptial.
i took a few photos and then some cops came at around 430pm to turn the music down (yes, it was saturday afternoon).
we left a while later to find something to eat in Itaewon, both opting for no meat, listening to some bands playing outside, much louder than the bar music. in fact, one band was a thrash metal band and the lyrics were all screamed, and, oddly, their audience was aged 3 to 11 and over 35's. after dinner, Lauren saw a pedicure salon/shop/room (whatever).
i wasn't invited (thoughtfully), so i went to a bar and watched a game of rugby. incidentally, i promise all Canterbury fans i will not watch another game this season. they've lost all the games i've seen. chatted rugby for a while, then Brian, Kevin (new teacher) and Jason arrived, on their way to Leyla's farewell party. i was supposed to go, but didn't feel up to it. Lauren arrived and said i looked like i would pass out at any moment so back on the subway we went and laughed ourselves (read: myself) silly all the way home.
instead of taxiing, we walked from the station and talked some more about the day. basically, i was emotionally drained. i could've cried at any moment. i'd gone for a few weeks scared for Lauren, but not really expressing it. this day was ALL ABOUT LAUREN and i was able to forget everything else. it felt awesome.
this is the most fulfilling day i've had in Korea.
Lauren was going to an international clinic in central Seoul and i went with her. she had a limited knowledge of the place and she wasn't sure how long she'd be waiting for an appointment. she's been very sick and her symptoms have been pointing towards cancer. i didn't want her to be alone in a hospital dealing with this stuff, so went with her.
i met her in the morning sun by school at 8am. she was sitting on one of the kiddies coin slot rides giggling away when she saw me (a month ago, she had a ride and, being over 3 foot, she had a horrible time). we got onto the subway and headed into Itaewon.
at the clinic, the doctor said Lauren's symptoms were too extensive so she needed to go to a hospital. the doctor provided a map, walking distance, to the university hospital nearby, and we went to that international clinic on the 2nd floor.
Lauren only waited a few minutes before seeing the doctor, while i sat outside worrying uselessly. until this point, i was kind of the guide and keeping busy. now, was the waiting game. i have mixed memories in hospitals. i've seen friends suffering badly, yet i've also had incredible conversations that were funny, heart-wrenching, and life affirming.
Lauren then went for some blood tests, giving me some positive information as i sat nearby. the doctor thought she was more likely suffering from a torn stomach lining (she had stomach surgery a month ago), and said some of her symptoms were less likely to be cancer. from there she had to book an exploritory procedure, and then go for an xray, so i waited outside and was beginning to feel relief and hope she was going to be cured quite easily. she isn't allowed booze or meat for 3 months.
when she came out of the xray room, she had this huge smile on her face. seeing her like that was like a big weight off my shoulders that i didn't realise i'd been carrying. she needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts while i drew a map of how to get to the hospital for her procedure later in the week.
Lauren had her phone out, talking to family, explaining what the doctor had said while i sat outside in the sun, then we walked back up the hill to the restaurants to find something healthy for lunch. we spoke to some kiwis in the pita bread sandwich restaurant for a few minutes, but we were both too emotionally drained to really have any great conversation with them.
the war memorial is walking distance from Itaewon, and we joined the thousands of others basking in the warmth outside. we bumped into some ex-Shihwa teachers and were invited to a bar nearby, so accepted and put Lauren's no-booze to the test. we both drank coke (ok, it was diet coke - don't tell anyone, cos i'm a diet coke addict). great live music had attracted lots of the people from the Chungju Palooza a few weeks ago, and a few of the musicians.
in the bar, it hit Lauren that she may have something seriously wrong with her stomach and wondered what that may mean. frankly, i hadn't thought from that perspective whatsoever. so she had a quiet moment or eight considering how it may effect her life. it was around this moment that i realised just how preoccupied she had been all morning. she didn't kow the way to the subway station when we were at the hosptial.
i took a few photos and then some cops came at around 430pm to turn the music down (yes, it was saturday afternoon).
we left a while later to find something to eat in Itaewon, both opting for no meat, listening to some bands playing outside, much louder than the bar music. in fact, one band was a thrash metal band and the lyrics were all screamed, and, oddly, their audience was aged 3 to 11 and over 35's. after dinner, Lauren saw a pedicure salon/shop/room (whatever).
i wasn't invited (thoughtfully), so i went to a bar and watched a game of rugby. incidentally, i promise all Canterbury fans i will not watch another game this season. they've lost all the games i've seen. chatted rugby for a while, then Brian, Kevin (new teacher) and Jason arrived, on their way to Leyla's farewell party. i was supposed to go, but didn't feel up to it. Lauren arrived and said i looked like i would pass out at any moment so back on the subway we went and laughed ourselves (read: myself) silly all the way home.
instead of taxiing, we walked from the station and talked some more about the day. basically, i was emotionally drained. i could've cried at any moment. i'd gone for a few weeks scared for Lauren, but not really expressing it. this day was ALL ABOUT LAUREN and i was able to forget everything else. it felt awesome.
this is the most fulfilling day i've had in Korea.
posted by the Emperor Fabulous at 10:45 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home