June 29, 2018 (Friday)

I haven’t slept well last night. I woke up 00:44 am JST and went to the toilet. I have to use my last pill. But I woke up again around 3:22 am JST. And from there I was awake. SO!!!!! I decide to go to family mart! Yey! Break the fasting before breakfast.

I ate pancake with maple syrup and hot milk tea! Of course with my nurse’s permission. I have the hotcake micro waved for me, it was hot and soft! Parang Jolibee!!! Back at my bed at 6:30 am JST.

It was a cloudy and rainy day. By the way this is the view from my window. Though the weather might be not nice, I feel nice today, no pain or anything. Starting the day right. I have to gargle the 2 types of gargle medicines. 1 for anti bacterial and 1 for fever blisters.

Breakfast time with Mrs. Higuchi. For breakfast, steamed cauliflower and carrots, 2 pieces of bread, margarine and strawberry jam, apple juice, banana and tea. But since I already ate, I only ate the vegetables, margarine and bread. The rest is for later.

This is my cute doctor, Yamaguchi Sensei (山口先生). Every day she makes rounds except Sundays.

My stats are doing good. I took 3 capsules of Cellcept  and anti bacterial medicine. Today is Friday, another medicine for protection against viruses added for today.

10:00 am JST, I got my shots Steriod Pulse 20mg, medicine for the intestines and took Furosemide 20mg. Nagatsuji Sensei made his rounds, took blood samples and he cleaned my neck for me. In fairness, he did well with the gauze today, compared to yesterday. Another blood test for today. Something is fishy, hhhhmmm… they are looking into something, I will know the results later. I took my bath at 11:00 am JST. I think I have the change the time. It seems that things get blurry after the shots. Hhhmmm, let’s change the time.

I have the difficulty of getting my stuff from my apartment because I have to ask my boss, Mr. Matsumoto or, my Indian friend/office mate, Pretty, to do it for me. It’s a little something too much to ask, considering that they are busy and taking their rest during their days off. But it’s a good thing that, it is so convenient here in Japan, on line shopping and next day delivery. Today, this was delivered!

Lunch time with my 2 roommates: Mrs. Morimoto, 87y/o and Mrs. Higuchi, 63 y/o. For lunch is white fish, steamed broccoli, 100 grams rice, string beans and carrots salad and tea. It was delicious and I ate it all.

2:00 pm JST shot: Steroid Pulse 20mg and took Furosemide 20mg.

Office time, actually this is the canteen where we eat, I stay here often after the shots, doing something over the laptop. I can’t tend to stay in my bed for a long time. It seems to sad and sickly.  And the sound of the keyboards will bother the others in the room. 

I ate the banana from breakfast as a snack.

Ms. Morimoto, the manager of the ward, talked to me today. Because the last time we talked, I asked her if there is a Lupus society inside the hospital. And the answer came. There is no in-house society, but the social workers said that there are immune system disease societies outside the hospital. But it seems that it will take some time for me to be able to join these. But it was a good news.

Today’s dinner was a little sad because I was alone. Mrs. Higuchi had a treatment all of a sudden and Mrs. Morimoto doesn’t want to eat out of her bed. Dinner: 100g rice, steamed tofu and carrots, steamed pork stripes  (Yes! it’s been a while), Chinese cabbage and carrot salad, jelly juice apple flavor, and tea.

As expected, Nagatsuji Sensei came with the results of the blood test. He said that my potassium level has gone low and he have to give another additional supplement, and there it is the big white one, Slow-K 600mg, and 3 capsules of Cellcept.

And he, braked it to me gently (singing!), Nagatsuji Sensei, told me the news! The schedule of the next month’s blood transfusion. This time, I will be having it Tuesdays and Thursdays. July 3, 5 ,10 and 12. This time he said that I will not eat lunch and will shoot anti vomit, anti pain, anti rashes before each session. But I asked for the omission of breakfast. He said that I will get dextrose instead. I will be wiser!!! 

As expected, they all want the fastest way to treat me that’s why they scheduled me urgently. I might also undergo bone density check, because the treatment might affect my bones.  

Though Nagatsuji Sensei had to break the news about the treatment, I had him laughing while we were conversing. He asked me why do I know about Potassium (k), and I said it is because it is very normal in the Philippines for the subject of chemistry to be studied! Right? He was so amused! He said that, it is normal for doctors like him to study that, but he didn’t expect me to know about that because he knows that I’m an accountant. I said, I  studied in a science high school and he was surprised, I am really a 頭がいい人 (atama ga ii), hhhmmm, bright person. (well classmates! Let’s go!!).  So we said good night.

I returned to my room, brushed my teeth and gargled. I changed into pyjamas, closed my eyes and prayed in silence.

But I can’t sleep  I have to take my anti irritation pills at 10:30 pm JST. Hoping for a good night sleep.