Preparations

It is getting so hot here in Japan but when I read the news it seems that almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere is experience soaring temperatures.  For some reason I find the heat (and in our case, humidity) of summer scarier than the cold of winter, and I'm concerned about how the cats and John are going to cope with it.  And Tetsu!  Especially because I will be in the hospital for two weeks starting next week, I keep nagging Tetsu to be careful, to come in from his garden work even when I'm not there to badger him, etc.  Every summer for years I would go to the States for a month and let Tetsu and the animals handle life on their own, but those were the days when Tetsu was still working in an air conditioned office and the animals were a lot younger...  Summer woes!

Last week I finally met with the orthopedist who will perform hip surgery on me this month.  It was a full day of testing...  Blood test, urine test and electrocardiograph in one part of the hospital.  X-rays and CT scan in another part of the hospital.  Getting blood taken for possible use during surgery and then talking to the doctor about surgery details (gulp!) and then doing the paperwork for hospital admission.  For all that work and all the people involved this day, we paid only about $100 because of health insurance which covers 70% of the cost.

Everything in the hospital was very personalized and though all the technicians seemed very young, I guess that is the way it is going to appear to me from here on in.  The university hospital is technologically advanced with special sealed operating rooms.  (I haven't seen it yet but that's what I've been told).  I have opted for a shared room so there is no cost for hospitalization though a single room only ran about $100 a day.  I vaccilated about whether I should rent a storage/refrigerator/TV bedside table for about $3 a day because I didn't use it at all when I was in the hospital for a week last year but maybe TV will be a distraction this time around.  As for surgery itself, according to the city hall where we filled in paperwork for additional medical care (because I'm over 65?) out of pocket for hip replacement will be about $500.

There are a lot of pluses to socialized medicine, though granted I had to wait 5 months for one of the operating rooms and my doctor to be available.  

I'm beginning to pack a bag for my stay... new pajamas.  Books to read.  My sketchpad and pens and paints.  This week I am staying close to home (and in the air-conditioning) to avoid any chance of contracting Covid.  (One of my pool friends came down with it last week!!)  I've got enough reading glasses thanks to Tetsu!