Getting My Antibiotics

I went to the doctor today. I don't like to go; when I have a sore throat as I do now I prefer to drink chammomile tea, oj, and V8, use Ricola sugar-free lozenges, consume daily quantities of garlic and kimchi, etc. Why? Because I believe all of these things will make me better. Repeated studies have shown, after all, that there is little difference in the cure rate between patients who were given "real" medicine (such as antibiotics) and those given placebos, or sugar pills. 35% vs. 31%, according to one study I read recently. It's all in the mind.

Up to a point, that is. My voice was going out on Tuesday and by Wednesday night all I could really manage in my last class was to write on the whiteboard and whisper--in a very hoarse voice--"You've got 10 minutes left" to my students.

Some of my students found my vocal difficulties a bit amusing, and since I haven't had a fever and therefore haven't been too grumpy, I agreed. I did sound funny.

By Thursday night I had had enough and I told my middle school students that I was going to go see a doctor the next morning. I should have anticipated their response, as it was 8 pm and they were moving into their 3rd hour of English instruction, all on top of a normal public school day. Middle schoolers are, after all, looking for any break they can get. So the dialogue, such as it was, went something like this (jokingly):

Students: "Teacher, we think you should go see a doctor now."

Me: "I told you, I'm going in the morning."

Students: "No, we think you should go see a doctor right now." (ie, cancel class)

Me: "Why?"

Students: "We want to see you next Tuesday."

Me: "What do you mean?"

Students: "You might die!"

But we did have class, finishing up the condensed version of The Elephant Man.

And I did go to the doctor this morning. Chammomile tea isn't going to cure a bacterial infection, which is what I think (and the doctor agreed) that I have. Got my antibiotics.

And here, I have to weigh in on the American health care reform debate.

I have Korean national health insurance. I co-pay 50%, which is less than $100 a month. The visit to the doctor, while not the most strenuous of exams, cost me the equivalent of $4.00. My medicine cost me $3.00.

I'm happy, and less than 9 hours after beginning my medication I already notice some improvements (I can talk a little).

Hopefully by Monday I'll be back to normal, and Tuesday night I'll get to see whether or not my middle school students appreciate the fact that I'm still kicking.