вівторок, жовтня 24, 2006

the earwax post (because I know you all want to know)

First off, happy birthday to Tina!

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When I got to church Sunday morning, I realized that I couldn't hear very well out of my right ear. (I didn't realize this sooner, because I live by myself.) Plus, I had a bit of an earache. I (correctly) figured that this was somehow connected to the last week of being sick.

Nadia's suggestion was to squeeze the oil out of walnuts with a garlic press and apply a couple of drops in my ear. I thought she was crazy, but I tried it, and my ear got better (temporarily) within 10 minutes.

However, it was only a temporary pallative, so I called Dr. Sasha at Peace Corps. His first suggestion was that I come to Kyiv and have him check it out, but after I pointed out that it was a 13 hour trip, he then said that he would help me set up an appointment at the clinic here in town.

So after lessons yesterday, I walked over to the clinic and presented myself to the director, who wanted to know why on earth some doctor in Kyiv had called her rather than someone at my school. I opted not to say that I trust Dr. Sasha more than most medical personnel I know here and that I came based on his recommendation rather than of my own idea. Sometimes not knowing Ukrainian all that well helps me out.

I then saw the doctor, who wanted to know why we were going to call Dr. Sasha on my cell phone. "For translation purposes," I explained. "But I understand everything you're saying," she replied. "Um, yes, but what if I don't understand you?"

She then washed my ear out with a plunger-thing and warm water, loosening up some rather disgusting earwax. And I was all better...and then the doctor asked if I could give her son individual tutoring in English! No rest for the weary...

(I said no.)

~*~

Not much else has been going on...Nadia's birthday is tomorrow, Erin is coming to visit next week (yay!), etc., but nothing current today.