I'm Going To Die
I think I'm going to die. Perhaps this is appropriate, I just found out I'm living near the old Yoshiwara. No, not the area that was infamous for the mizushobai, the OLD Yoshiwara where they dumped the bones of the condemned and untouchables.
Just as I arrived in Japan, I threw my back out from hauling my luggage around. I've been taking Alleve to reduce the pain, it helps a lot, and I when it runs out my back isn't so painful as it was, so I must be healing well. But now, my legs are going bad. Two days ago, I noticed I had a few red spots on my skin below my ankles, it didn't seem like anything to worry about. Then yesterday it was up to my ankles. Today it's up to the top of my socks, with faint streaks up to my right knee. It looks like little subcutaneous hemorrhages, but it could just be a bad rash. I'm worried that it's something serious. I can only speculate at what's causing it, there are many possible reasons I can think of.
1. I'm walking too much. I live a sedentary life and now suddenly I'm spending 5 hours a day walking.
2. The ofuro is too hot. I've been soaking my legs to relax, perhaps I should cut out the long soak.
3. I've been eating cheap, crappy food like salty instant ramen, maybe it's a reaction to MSG or maybe all that salt has shot my blood pressure to hell. That one could be serious.
4. I have a Pocari Sweat deficiency.
5. My shoes and socks are too tight.
6. I need to wash my trousers.
7. It's a simple heat rash.
8. That ridiculous old Japanese legend is true, sleeping under the breeze of a fan will suck away your life force, and if you do it long enough, you will die in your sleep.
Well, anyway, I decided that I need to take it easier. I was already taking it easier due to my sore back, but then I went out to the Ginza and realized what a crappy neighborhood I'm living in, so I decided I needed to get out to some other area of town at least once a day. But after walking for 5 hours around Shinjuku, an area I actually know rather well, I must have overtaxed myself. Before I left, I knew my health wasn't so great, and I decided that I had enough time here so that if I had to spend one full day of rest for each day on the town, it wouldn't be a huge tragedy. So tomorrow I'm going to rest all day, and see how things go. Otherwise I'll probably have to visit a doctor and have my legs checked out, and that is my absolute worst-case-scenario for a visit to Japan, dealing with a Japanese hospital. I've done that before, and it's a nightmare.
Just as I arrived in Japan, I threw my back out from hauling my luggage around. I've been taking Alleve to reduce the pain, it helps a lot, and I when it runs out my back isn't so painful as it was, so I must be healing well. But now, my legs are going bad. Two days ago, I noticed I had a few red spots on my skin below my ankles, it didn't seem like anything to worry about. Then yesterday it was up to my ankles. Today it's up to the top of my socks, with faint streaks up to my right knee. It looks like little subcutaneous hemorrhages, but it could just be a bad rash. I'm worried that it's something serious. I can only speculate at what's causing it, there are many possible reasons I can think of.
1. I'm walking too much. I live a sedentary life and now suddenly I'm spending 5 hours a day walking.
2. The ofuro is too hot. I've been soaking my legs to relax, perhaps I should cut out the long soak.
3. I've been eating cheap, crappy food like salty instant ramen, maybe it's a reaction to MSG or maybe all that salt has shot my blood pressure to hell. That one could be serious.
4. I have a Pocari Sweat deficiency.
5. My shoes and socks are too tight.
6. I need to wash my trousers.
7. It's a simple heat rash.
8. That ridiculous old Japanese legend is true, sleeping under the breeze of a fan will suck away your life force, and if you do it long enough, you will die in your sleep.
Well, anyway, I decided that I need to take it easier. I was already taking it easier due to my sore back, but then I went out to the Ginza and realized what a crappy neighborhood I'm living in, so I decided I needed to get out to some other area of town at least once a day. But after walking for 5 hours around Shinjuku, an area I actually know rather well, I must have overtaxed myself. Before I left, I knew my health wasn't so great, and I decided that I had enough time here so that if I had to spend one full day of rest for each day on the town, it wouldn't be a huge tragedy. So tomorrow I'm going to rest all day, and see how things go. Otherwise I'll probably have to visit a doctor and have my legs checked out, and that is my absolute worst-case-scenario for a visit to Japan, dealing with a Japanese hospital. I've done that before, and it's a nightmare.