samsung medical center

after an hour of travel from incheon international airport, we arrived at samsung medical center. there were a lot of people around where we entered. there were patients who seemed to have slept (with beds of course) in the hallway. and i thought, it's just like the philippines it seems. (only to know later, we entered through the emergency department.)

i got registered into the hospital roll. got my official wristband and card. i had my lab tests again. i stayed in a room with an old guy and his wife. (the wife was very good, she tucked my feet in when she noticed i was feeling cold. the airconditioning was on) i was very curious since there was a door inside leading to an office where doctors and nurses popped in and out. and i thought again, is this where i am going to stay?

the local representative of the insurance came around. he was very good and accommodating. he knew that i was alone.

later, i was officially admitted to stay in the hospital. the insurance guy told me i will be transferring to the ward. again i started thinking, so how many patients will be there?

a hospital orderly fetched me. he was taking me to my 'ward'.

and this was what i saw. my view of the ceiling changed. it was not all what it seemed to me earlier during the day...

hospital lobby

a scupture by the entrance

the reception area

a lounging area outside the hospital

my 'ward'

it was a 2-bed room. there was no patient on the other bed though. there was a fridge, mounted flat screen tv on the wall, and toilet and shower

the facilities of the hospital were good. it was SOP to have tissue culture for better prescription of antibiotics. the nurses were responsive and sweet (maybe because i was a friendly patient). they spoke english (limited edition) although the staff from the international department were good english speakers.

i had more tests and some were on a daily basis - blood, urine, xray, scans, ultrasound...they were actually stored later in a CD which they gave me as part of my hospital records.

on my third day, the doctors had to put a stent in my left ureter to make sure my left kidney was draining properly. for the procedure, i asked to be put to sleep.

the food was great! choice of western and korean menu. and they were big servings. i could not still eat much of it though. i only had a taste of it during my last 2 days after i had my double j stent. i was not having much pain after that.

view from my window

at night i could see the moon and the stars. and i thought: am alone and sick in the hospital. oh, how i missed home!

seoul, south korea

welcoming sunrise in seoul. on the ambulance to the hospital at 6 am. this was after getting stuck in immigration for an hour because my insurance failed to arrange for my visa. anyhow, after so many phone calls by the immigration officer, some browsings on his manual and questioning, he finally gave me an application form for visa. it was a special case he said, and warned me to get a visa next time i visit south korea again. i was allowed to stay for 59 days.

seoul at dusk. the han river which divides seoul into north and south. there are about 26 bridges that crosses the river connecting the north and south sides. the north is the old seoul while south covers the later developments. south seoul was where my hospital was located.

the seoul olympic stadium

typical tenement buildings. usually in clusters.