Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

A Nightmare

     I'm in my hospital now at 3 o'clock in the morning. I became very drowsy last night, earlier than usual, and hit the hay. I was going to sleep deeply until the morning, but I was troubled with nightmares. A serious patient showed up in my dream, saying "Do something! Remove my pain!" He is the patient who I was worring about. I have just done some treatment now.

New Prime Minister

     Mr.Shinzo Abe became the prime minister of Japan today. I expect him to follow an aggressive diplomacy. Japanese leaders have been taking an ostrich policy against China and Korea. Consequently it came back to haunt us. Japan should speak up for what we are going to advocate. I think that the new prime minister can do the talking to particular kind of asian countries; China and Both Korea.
     I've received several e-mails from those countries. Many of them are critical of my opinion in this blog. It seems that they don't have enough information or are confined in those countries. I'd like to express my opinion here.

(Vocabulary)
ostrich policy　事なかれ主義、自己欺まん
haunt　〔幽霊や不吉な思いなどが人に〕付きまとう　〔心の中に悪い記憶や予感などが〕絶えず思い浮かぶ、立ち現れる　〔悪い記憶などが人を〕悩ませる
advocate　〔論争などにおいてある意見を〕主張する、推奨する、支持する、唱道する

安倍晋三氏が総理大臣に就任した。彼には積極的な外交を行って欲しい。日本の歴代のリーダー達は中共や朝鮮に対して事なかれ主義を貫いてきた。彼はこれらの国に対してはっきりとモノを言えるリーダーだと思う。これらの国から電子メールをいくつか受け取っているが、彼らには十分な情報がもたらされていない。このブログで意見をどんどん書いていきたい。

(KW: 安倍晋三　総理大臣　総理)

Today is burnable trash day!

     It was my wife's great scream. It's my role in my house to take out the garbage in the morning on the designated days of garbage collection before I go to work．
     There is a spreading move to charge for plastic shopping bags in Japan. Checkout bags are delivered at supermarkets or convenience stores. It's very convenient but could be the cause of a pile of pollution. This movement is to try to reduce the amount of trash. For example, in 2002, Suginami Ward, Tokyo, set an ordinance to impose a 5 yen tax on each plastic shopping bag.
     I heard that 30 billion sheets of checkout bags are used in a year. The current legislation relating to checkout bags demands the collection of the bags which are thrown away from households as recyclable garbage. Unfortunately,in reality, few municipalities collect them as recyclable trash. Most of the checkout bags are buried in disposal facilities or incinerated.
     In my hometown, Matsuyama city, authorities are also extremely demanding that garbage is separated according to type. Consequently, my wife shouts everyday like at the front.

(Vocabulary)
designated   指定［指名］された
plastic shopping bag  レジ袋
ordinance  〔市町村の〕条例
legislation  立法行為、法律制定
municipality   （地方）自治体、市町村
incinerate  焼いて灰にする、焼却処分する

Eri goes (back) to Tokyo

     My eldest daughter is enrolled at a university in Tokyo. Though she was on her summer vacation during August and September, she didn't come back until September. I'm always thinking of her, wanting to see her. As the proverb says, "No child knows how dear she is to her parents."
     After her return home, she took an offical written test for her driver's license, and she passed it in one try. As soon as she got her driver's license, she wanted to go to Tokyo. (I don't want to say "go back to Tokyo".) I imagine that student life in Tokyo would be happy, but I miss eating dinner with all of my family.

(Vocabulary)
enroll  [自] (学校に) 入学する, (講座に) 登録する, (組織に) 入会する

Mr. Lee Kyung Won (李京源さん)

     Today I have been to Niihama city, about a one hour's drive away from here. I joined the talk show of a Korean movie star, Mr. Lee Kyung Won （李京源）. It's the first time for me to attend such a meeting. He performed as a supporting actor in the historical TV drama, "Daejanggum （大長今）," with Korean dishes and a medical theme. He told us untold stories behind the drama. It was interesting. To my utter surprise, he spoke to us in fluent Japanese. I was impressed that the acquisition of another language enriches life culturally and spiritually. I'd made up my mind again to learn Korean, German, and English. And if I can, I'd like to learn French, Spanish, and Swahili. It must be wonderful to communicate with those languages. After my early retirement, I really want to enjoy wandering all over the world.

(Vocabulary)
utter　全くの
・She's an utter stranger to me. : 彼女は赤の他人です。
・This is utter nonsense. : 全くの無意味です。
口に出す、話す、発する

Typhoon

     I was relieved that the big typhoon has passed away from my hometown. Every summer and autumn, a serious typhoon hits Japan. Generally speaking, typhoons are smaller than hurricanes, but they often damage Japan every year. A big typhoon was on its way to Japan. This typhoon was much bigger than usual and I was worried. It was lucky that the typhoon veered away. Japan is stronger against natural disasters than Specific Asia (means both China and Korea), but a few typhoons level a certain area every year.

     A Korean movie star is coming to Niihama city in Ehime prefecture tomorrow. I'm planning to see him. I'm afraid that his flight from Korea might be cancelled. It was really lucky the typhoon veered off.

(Vocabulary)
veer   (急に) 向きを変える, 曲がる
The road veers to the left just outside of town.
ちょうど町を出た所で道路は左にカーブします．
veer off/away    向きを変える, それる

Replacement of Telephone System

     Today, the total replacement of telephones was done in my hospital. Besides, doctors, head nurses, and some representatives of each section have got to have PHS all the time. It's a thorny issue for me. When I was tired, or wanted to take a nap for a while, I made it a rule to stay at some places except in my private room in my hospital. To tell the truth, I hid everywhere in my hospital.
     Sometimes the X-ray room, sometimes the rehabilitation room, sometimes the cafeteria. If I am in my room, I'll be surely caught by the phone. It's why I stay in other places. Though my co-workers may search for me, I can get some relaxation for some time. However, such relaxation time has become kind of a dream from now on.

(Vocabulary)
thorny  《通例[名]の前で》 (問題・事態などが) 厄介な, 扱いにくい

 

Anti-Japanese Pictures

     I'm writing up the memo bit by bit that I dashed off during my touring. When I checked some websites to know how to use a few words in real sentences, I found uncomfortable pictures on a website.
     First, I'd like you to access the following blog. A Canadian reports on education in Korea. I realized that we Japanese should insist on our opinion in English to make people understood worldwide. BLOG
     If you are Japanese, Google "桂陽中学校". You'll find many websites or blogs that criticize Korea only in Japanese. I think those are nonsense because Korean people can't understand it.
     A Canadian blog shows many anti-Japanese pictures that were drawn by junior high school students. To my surprise, those pictures were displayed in an official exhibition in a subway station in Incheon(仁川). You know, this exhibition should have been one of school activities. A Canadian was aghast at the fact that the Korean Government is formally fermenting anti-Japanese ideas.
     Liancourt Rocks (Takeshima) is Japanese territory and the Korean allegation has no grounds because they don't have any grounds. They squat on Takeshima and avoid talking at the International Court of Justice. I've been wondering why Korean people don't learn their own history. I knew why today. They are under Government mind control. I've some acquaintances in Korea and I like Korean cuisine and culture. However, I don't agree with the politics of the Korean Government.

(Vocabulary)
write up　〔日記・メモなどを〕詳しく書く、記事にする、きちんと書き直す
dash off　サッと［一気に］仕上げる［書き上げる］
ghast　びっくりして、あきれ返って、がくぜんとして
ferment　〔感情などが〕沸き立つ　〔感情などを〕沸き立たせる、醸成する
allegation　〔弁明や口実などの〕申し立て、主張　〔不正行為について十分な証拠のない〕申し立て、断言
squat　しゃがむ、かがむ　公有地に不法に［無断で］居座る［定住する］、公有地を不法占拠する　〈米俗〉排便する、大便［うんち］をする

韓国の反日絵

ツーリング中にざっと書き留めたメモを少しずつ書き起こしているが、英単語の使い方を確認するためにいろいろなウェブサイトをみているうちに不愉快な絵を目にした。まずは次のブログを見て欲しい。あるカナダ人が韓国の教育について語ったものだ。我々日本人は世界中に自分たちの意見を知ってもらうために英語を使わなければならない。 http://aog.2y.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1550&st=0 もしあなたが日本人なら”桂陽中学校”をググってみよう。この学校を批判するサイトを多く目にすることだろう。しかし、日本語で書いても意味がないのである。 さて、カナダ人のブログには多くの反日絵が示されている。上に上げた中学校の生徒によって書かれたモノである。驚いたのは、これは仁川（いんちょん）の地下鉄駅に堂々と掲示されていたとのことだ。これは学校教育の一環なのだ。 竹島は日本の領土であり、韓国の主張には根拠がない。竹島を違法占拠し、国際司法の場で話をしようとしない。なぜ韓国人は歴史を学ばないのだろうか。その答えが今日わかった。彼らは政府のマインドコントロール下にあるのである。韓国人に知り合いもいるし、韓国料理は好きだ。だが、政府の方針には納得できない。

(KW: 韓国　反日教育　反日絵)

Steroids Break

     I tried to stop giving steroids. Just after that, severe constipation occurred. Besides, the high fever started. Consequently I restarted giving steroids and was unable to stop giving them. At the 2nd operation I removed the shunt tube and the symptom of hydrocephalia seemed to appear. What a pickle we are in!

Continued from : http://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2006/09/defecation.html

(Vocabulary)
pickle　〔野菜の〕漬物、ピクルス、酢漬け　〈話〉困った立場、苦境

Korean Star's Website

     I'm learning Korean since 2 years ago. However, I had no chance to visit South Korea and actually use Korean. I wanted to post some messages to Korean Websites, but I didn't have enough courage.
     The other day I knew a Korean movie star, Lee Kyung Won was coming to my prefecture. I'd like to manage to meet him and try to say hello in Korean. I've composed some greeting messages in Korean, and am memorizing it now. Besides, in order to raise the possibility of meeting him, I searched his official website in Korea, and posted a short message into his website, saying "I'm looking forward to meeting you in Japan." Several days later, to my surprise, he replied to me! I could understand his message in Korean. I was so happy. My learning Korean was paying off. His Website: http://hompy.dreamwiz.com/sun6pens

Defecation

     The patient had a bowel movement. This means that the patient is getting better. It's lucky and happy. This feeling couldn't be felt except by doctors I guess. No one can imagine that anothers' defecation is the delight of general surgeons.

Continued from : http://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2006/08/mesenteric-pann.html