Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Bowling Meeting

     My hospital is a member of the Matsuyama city Medical Association(MMA). Today the annual bowling meeting, hosted by the MMA, was held. Of course I attended. After the bowling, my boss treated all of us to a barbecue. It was a fantastic time. I got the 2nd prize (55th in all hospitals) in my hospital. I think it was pure luck. I'm afraid I could be in bed for lumber pain or shoulder pain tomorrow morning. I tried to shoot a group photo just after the barbecue but I found the battery of my camera was dead. I won a prize as below.

Passport

     I'm going to enjoy skiing in Whistler in Canada this spring. I prepared new skis for me and my kids, a new video camera, and a walkie-talkie and so on. Besides, I sometimes check the website of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see security information about Canada. I'm glad to see that Canada is a secure country. Today's online news on my PC display says that terrorist attacks again occured in Iraq. I strongly feel I'm lucky to have been born in Japan.
     By the way, I almost forgot to determine if my passport was valid. I checked it yesterday and knew the expiry date was Feb.29th this year. I was so surprised to see it. I was lucky again to find out before leaving Matsuyama. I immediately applied for passports for me and my kids.

Muscle Pain

     Today is a national holiday in Japan. I was awakened by muscle pains in my lower legs. I had a muscle ache in my lower legs when I over-extended myself, abdominal pain when I lifted myself up and chest muscle pain when I raised my shoulders. Anyway I had muscle pains in my whole body. I went down the stairs like a patient with casts. My wife said "Age tells." My second youngest daughter said "You must be getting old. I will be a better skier than you in the near future."

Ski

     This winter I and two of my daughters got new skis. Today, I went skiing with my youngest daughter. I have three daughters. The youngest one is the best skier of them all. These days we haven't had enough snow here in Ehime prefecture. They say it's because of the effects of global warming. As I wrote before, however, this winter we have enough snow. We enjoyed skiing to our hearts'content.  Photos are taken just below the top of the ski area.

(KW: 美川スキー場)

Massive Snowfall

     This winter Japan has a record snowfall across the country. The weather is something different from usual. At the end of last year one of the safest public transportation systems, the JR express train derailed due to gusting winds or tornados. Some people were killed and more were injured. In the northern part of Japan more than 50 people have died because of the massive snowfall and related problems.

A Happy New Year

     A New year's resolution of mine is of course to keep writing this weblog.

     My whole family visited my parents' house and enjoyed some special food. I, Eri, and A went out shopping for ski equipment. Eri is going back to Tokyo on 7th, and we have a plan to go skiing to Whistler in March. Eri doesn't have her own ski-wear and boots now. She had had her own before. She has grown up so fast that her ski-wear and boots were too small for her. My wallet is getting thin.

Boxing Doctor

     I live in Matsuyama city in Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku. Shikoku( means 4 countries in Japanese) is made up for 4 prefectures. Today the high school student boxing champions of the 4 prefectures gathered in Matsuyama. The Shikoku Games were held to select the representatives of Shikoku. I attended the games as a ringside surgeon. It's one of my jobs but I like to see boxing. I was lucky because I was paid for doing what I like. If someone was badly injured I would have to act as a surgeon but usually I have only to stay ringside as one of the spectators.