Getting diagnosed with the flu

February 7, 2009 by Karin.

After hearing about my symptoms, the doctor at Sanno Hospital said, “you probably have the flu. It’s been very popular this week.” For the flu test, he wanted a sample of my mucus. Tilting my chin up and peering into my nostrils, he paused, “oh! Your mucus is yellow,” before dunking his Q-tip (all 8 inches or so) in and out of my nostril. I gagged as the cotton bud dipped past my nose and tickled the back of my throat.

In the waiting room, I waited for the results while trying to make out the original Japanese version of the book, “Everyone poops.” Suddenly, a nurse burst through the curtains of the exam room to hand me a face mask, “put this on.” Ahh, a big clue. I tried to smile at the little girl who sat down beside me but forgot that she couldn’t see half my face. So I squinted my eyes at her and hoped she understood that I was being friendly. Luckily with the mask over my mouth, I could sound out the words to “Everyone poops” without the people beside me overhearing and thinking me strange.

I thought about keeping the mask on to protect innocent passersby from the same virus that attacked innocent me. Yet, it was so hard to breathe through the material over my mouth that I pulled it off as soon as I left the doctor’s. On the way home, I tried extra hard not breathe my flu virus type A on anyone.

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