Sorry about the picture. It's the only one I have of me in Japan. I took it with my new A5511T phone from au.

EAR INFECTION

Chronic ear problem raised its ugly head last night. Thought it might be of some value to someone to describe the subsequent experience.

History

I have had problems with my left ear since childhood that have been left to the mercy of the Australian medical system. I've had five operations on the ear, the latest being in 1995.

Advice from the company clinic

At the company medical examination I asked about what I needed to do to see an ENT specialist. The doctor said that that all I needed to do was go to a large hospital and there would be specialists available. This came as a bit of a surprise. In Australia referrals are mandatory if you want to see a specialist. A referral lasts for six months, but I only have problems with my ear once every year or so so my most recent referral has often expired. When I go to see a GP they usually admit defeat after a brief examination and refer me to a specialist, which is fine but for the fact that it can be weeks before can get an appointment.

Hospital nearly entirely staffed by women (...a good thing of course)!

Anyway, it was fairly reassuring to know that I could see a specialist in Japan whenever I felt like it. Last night when my cottonwool bud came back with brown goo all over it I knew the time had come. I looked up hospitals and 耳鼻咽喉科 and came up with what looked like a hospital staffed by women and I knew this was the place for me. I rang up and was asked to come at 7:30 in the morning.

Too bloody early

Bright and early I turned up at the hospital at 7:20. The security guard told me to take a number and wait till the gate opened. 28. After a short time a roll call was made of our numbers and we lined up in kind. The door opened at 7:30 on the dot and I was the second at the "first timers" desk. I explained that I had no cash or health card but that my company was covering my health insurance. The girl said that I wouldn't be able to pay but that I should sort it out when it was all over. ENT (which I now know is 'otorhinolaryngology') is on the fourth floor.

On the fourth floor I was slightly disappointed to be greeted at the otorhinolaryngology reception by the first male staff I had seen apart from the security guards. Further disappointment when I discovered that the specialist wouldn't actually be able to see me until 9:00. The young gent apologised profusely for the confusion, which was probably actually the fault of my inadequate Japanese language skills. I rang and let a colleague know I would be late for training today. The late start did let me have a look around and find an ATM where I could withdraw a couple of ten thousand yen notes.

On to the examination

9:00 and I was back on level four. I sat down where I had been asked to sit at 7:30 with the number I had received at the same time. The hospital was humming by this time. An attractive young mother sat down beside me and told her son that they would wait around for an hour and if they still hadn't been seen to they would go. She kept asking him if he wanted to go to the pool afterwards obviously hoping he would say yes but he wasn't having a bar of it.My number came up and I moved into the 'inner' waiting room. The inner waiting room is a corridor with doors on both sides that reminded me a little of an old Beatles video clip or something. After a while the PA system summoned me to the 診察室 .

In the Shinsatsushitsu I saw what I had been looking for. And it wasn't just the friendly looking lady doctor. It was a big microscope on an arm. It wasn't quite as flash looking as the one my specialist in Australia has but it looked like it would do the trick. The guy in Australia is really proud of his microscope, but I am happy if it gets my ear clean.

The young doctor took a brief look in my ear and then seemed to be telling me that it looked like I had had a cholesteatoma, which is fucking amazing because she was right on. Australian doctors simply aren't that smart, not even the specialists. Then she noticed a scar behind my ear and for bonus marks asked me if I had had a mastoidectomy.

I was feeling good now and only flinched a little when the vacuuming started. I must have looked uncomfortable because she suggested I move into the Examination room where I'd be able to lie down. Back into the yellow submarine corridor for a brief moment before being summoned through. Microscopes on arms all over the place. I was really feeling good now.

Conclusion - need surgery

Clean ear and back into the Shinsatsushitsu. A sample had been taken of my goo for further examination for medicine prescription. I was given some disinfectant drops and some steroid drops, because lets face it the crap in my ear is probably fungus.

Back next week for better medicine and a CT scan. We'll have a chat about the results and I'll be introduced to a surgeon. She seemed to be recommending surgery to finish off the work that was done ten years ago. Need some new flesh grafted in there to make everything genki. Not too sure about the surgery. The fact that she wasn't a wanker like most young Australian doctors I've met was reassuring, but I've got to do some serious thinking before submitting myself to anyone's scalpel. Might do it just so I have something else to write in this blog.

Medical insurance

Ended up costing about 14000 including the medicine. I talked to the nice girl at work who is taking care of things and she said if I present my health insurance card at the same hospital I will get a refund, but I'm not sure how much. Will have to ask work. The health insurance card will be ready this Friday. Insurance cover is also a big factor in whether to go ahead with the op. I hope the story is of interest to someone.