So this week I was stuck in bed for two days with norovirus, which was pretty miserable. But, this also gave me a chance to visit a Korean doctor for the first time and I was amazed by how easy everything was. Korea doesn't really seem to have regular general practitioners like we do in the states. It seems like people only really go to the hospital. Therefore, when I became sick at school my co-teacher drove me back to Chuncheon to a hospital near my apartment. She had called and told them a foreigner was coming and they assured her an English-speaking physician was present. When we arrived I was amazed that there was absolutely no waiting. I simply filled out a sheet of paper with my name, phone number and alien identification number and they already had a thermometer in my ear. It was ridiculous.
Immediately, after they took my vitals I was led into a backroom and saw the doctor. He quickly diagnosed me and I was out the door in five minutes. But not before getting a shot in my butt (they don't really ever give shots in the arm here) and getting a prescription for some medicine. Before leaving I obviously had to pay and my co-teacher began apologizing profusely as we approached the desk to pay. She kept saying how expensive it was being while assuring me that I could file to be reimbursed through Fulbright. I was therefore expecting the worst when I handed over my credit card and was shocked to find out it was $14. Yes, only $14! My teacher seeing this began to apologize once more. I don't think Koreans have a good understanding of how expensive healthcare is in the states. I was also relieved that my medicine was less than $10. It's not even worth the hassle of filing for a reimbursement.
Spending the next two days at home in bed was interesting. Despite me explaining norovirus to my host mom a few times and even giving her the doctors Korean explanation she didn't really get that I wasn't supposed to eat a lot. She therefore prepared a few different dishes that Koreans eat when they are sick. I tried my best to eat some of the meals but my inflamed bowels plus, the fact that the special meals were all basically watery, boiled white rice made that a little difficult. Luckily, my host mom understood although she was still pretty insistent that kimchi would cure me. I eventually got out the doctor's sheet one last time and showed her where it said only cooked vegetables and no spicy food in Korean but she just thought it was nonsense. Koreans are convinced kimchi cures everything!
Although I'm hoping I don't get sick again I was relieved it was so stress-free to see a doctor. And I was amazed by how cheap everything was- if only healthcare back home was so efficient and cheap!
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