Reflection: Snowfalls at Spring time too

Nagano- The equinox marking the Spring time was last March 20 this year. It was a holiday for Japan as it also marked the beginning of spring season. However, as my 2nd son attended a 2-day 2nd gen workshop last March 29 and 30, he witnessed a vast snowfall in their seminar site. Since that time until April 1 were snowfall days here during Spring season. That was a literal snowfall post winter or spring time in Nagano.

I asked my wife if that normally happens but she too was surprised about the snowfall during spring time.

Eventually, it was a surprising weekend to me as I also experienced a rare physical situation at the same time. I was expecting a happy weekend as my 2nd son was attending a 2nd gen 2-day seminar outside downtown area. But since Friday evening, I already suffered coughing. Saturday was a signalling day that I cant do my usual weekend chores.

Last Sunday was a real battle. I got clogged nose and have to breath thru my mouth. I got fever; colds was severe until evening time I started vomitting. I could not join my family in their dinner but my eldest son and the just-arrived 2nd son have to nurse me as I kept vomitting. In like manner my 3rd son was also coughing and started vomitting late night.

During Sunday evening, my breathing is getting difficult as less air comes in. If I breath thru my mouth, I have to make sure my mouth is free. But if I vommit, that makes it more difficult. I wanted to lay down as I feel weak and weaker every hour. But if I lay down, the more it is difficult for me to take air. My mouth-breathing whispers louder and louder as my chest feels more pains. If I cough, my stomach gets more pain too.

By instinct I found myself looking for a body position and angle where I can breath comfortably. It was difficult if I lay down, if I stand, or sit down straight. I found it quite comfortable to get air in breathing if I bend my head and upper body down. I tried that position for an hour or two. But as I feel weak and weaker, and sleepy as well, I stumbled down several times from that bending position. I closed my eyes in that position with upper body and head bent. I have to sleep in that position!?! And I couldn't sleep the whole night. I preferred to take air in that bending position than sleeping.

At midnight, I saw my 3rd son vommit. I have to stand with head bend and wake up my wife to help and nurse my 3rd son. It was only that time I heard my wife telling me to go to hospital in the morning.

Monday morning, I was already on with my school suit thinking that my wife will help me go to hospital first and if the doctor will allow me to go to work, then I would be ready. Six am passed, 7 am, 8 am and my wife was not ready. At 8: 30 I asked her if she can bring me to the hospital and she replied that my eldest son knows where the hospital and can bring me there. Hearing that, I cried a lot telling my wife that she doesn't know how to love me, and I asked my son to bring me to the hospital. We walked to the hospital with my 3rd son who was also sick til now. While walking I heard my breathing getting louder as it whispers loud sound. Every step as I walked, I got less air. I was thinking to collapse along the street.

When we arrived at the hospital information, I spoke in English, show my medical insurance card and nobody understand me. I asked my eldest son to translate for me. We were told to wait til my name would be called. As I heard my name called, I raised my hand and a nurse came to get my body temperature. My 3rd son's name followed.

While waiting at the out-patient lobby, my son started vomiting again. Good I got some plastic in my pocket. My 3rd son's name was first called at the pedia. But as he kept vomiting, a nurse has to attend to her more than his pediatrician.

When my name was called, I saw the eyes of the doctor bothered as how I look. She put on her stethoscope on my chest while I can hear my breathing sounds. Without any further ado, the doctor told a nurse in nihonggo and the nurse brought me to another room, perhaps a ward room with a medical laboratory facilities adjacent to it. The nurse took a blood sample from my right inner elbow while another nurse took a sample from my nostril. A third nurse injected some medicine at my right shoulder. I got two strikes in a minute. I noticed that time that a nurse was also accompanying my 3rd son to the same room. He was given a nebular treatment. As my translator was with us that time, the nurse asked my eldest to hold the nebular hose keep to my sick son's nose. My eldest son was wearing a medical mask like us.

In like manner, a quite different nebulizer was prepared by my nurse. She used different nebule and added other chemical from a large vial. Me and my son were having nebulizer treatment almost at the same time. I noticed somehow, that my nostrils are getting open. Blocking mucos might have melted to roll the red carpet for my needed fresh air.

After the nebular treatment, I thought I was done. But the nurse brought me to a bed. My translator was with my 3rd son that time. So I just tried to take a little rest as how I understand the message from my nurse. After a couple of minutes, my nurse came back with a dextrose, a needle and a 250 ml oxygen. She spoke in nihonggo and although I didn't understand her words, I know her message that she would give my the 3rd strike of her two-inch needle. She hit my left arm. That was the most painful strike among the three. I suffered in an hour waiting as I look every drop from the 250 ml.

During lunch time, I heard that the laboratory test already arrived at the nurse desk. I heard "influenza jannai" "allergy janai" from the nurses talk.

After the last drop of the 250 ml, my nurse asked me to follow her. She said that there was no influenza nor allergy in me so I could be discharged that day. She brought me to the counter and I saw my 3 sons waiting for me. My eldest and translator listened from the nurse who explained about my medicines, and my son paid the bill with my medical insurance card. His mother left to my son some amount. After the nurse explained, my son told me about the medicine and told me that he finished paying the bill already and told me the nurse' direction for us to go home.

I thanked all the nurses around and the counter staff. We walked going home slowly.

When we arrived home, I need to cook for lunch for my kids. My three sons and I ate lunch together. My two daughters were at their day-care center and their mother reported at work.

After lunch, and after taking in the first of my 2-week medication, I could feel it is truly spring time. I got hope and little energy every hour.

Today, my eldest son joins the start and opening ceremony of his first year in junior high school class. I saw more hope from my translator-son and other children than my bitter-half , i mean better or should be better-half, this time.

But I dont want to carry "spiritual baggages" along the way. I rather put it to the concept that my wife is so pre-occupied and busy prioritizing the needs and requirements of the school needs of the only five children going to a new start of the school year.