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Hi, all!
I haven't posted since just after we got back to Beijing in September, but thought it was time to say "Hi!" I read the board every day or two, but have not posted.
Every time I read I have questions (and often when I don't read) but am reluctant to ask because I don't want to be told to "call my doctor." The best way I can explain that is to tell what happened soon after I arrived here more than a year ago. A student came to class and said another student was absent because he was "in the hospital." I responded with a typical American shock, "Oh, no! What's wrong? Is he seriously ill?" The student, who was not particularly fluent in English was very confused so the conversation went on for several minutes while I attempted to adequately express my deep concern over such a serious event. Eventually the student managed to communicate that the problem was a cold! So, I quickly learned that doctors, in the sense that we understand them in the US as private people to whom you go when you have a medical problem, do not really exist here. Instead everything is done in hospitals. So, if you have a cold, you go to the hospital to see whatever doctor is on duty.
Basically I am doing OK. I do have more frequent heart pain (I call it that rather than chest pain because it is a specific pain over my heart) than in the past. I mentioned it to Dr. Gilligan before I left the States and he just responded something to the effect that maybe I was more symptomatic than he had realized. I also have fairly severe problems at times climbing to the fifth floor for classes. Some days I can get there just panting, but there are times when I am gasping and leaning against the wall. On these days, after these spells I am often somewhat faint, sometimes I have considerable heart arrhythmia, and I am always extremely tired for the rest of the day. I also have frequent problems with swelling in my feet and hands that only goes away when I lie down and usually then only if I take a HCTZ pill the morning before. Any suggestions other than "calling my doctor"? I know I could call the cardiologist I saw before Dr. Gilligan as he was very sympathetic and assured me that I could call him any time from here, but I am not sure what I would want or expect him to do from half a world away.
When I say that basically I am doing OK, I mean that I am able to keep a pretty busy schedule. I cooked about 2 gallons of cream of potato soup and stewed apples and took supper halfway across the city for about 30 people last night. Next week will be the big test. In addition to a full week of teaching, office hours, making and giving a major exam in my ecology class, I plan to cook all week. On Tuesday I plan to cook two small turkeys in my two toaster ovens as well as apple and pumpkin pie and lots of other Thanksgiving stuff for the same people. On Wednesday I plan to cook two more turkeys and pies for my Thursday morning classes. On Thursday I plan to cook two more and all the trimmings for our Thursday evening classes and on Friday I will cook a couple more for the students who come to our office hours and for friends from last year. On Saturday I may cook another one, but that depends on whether another group of ladies decides to come over. Last year I got pneumonia that lasted six weeks on the Sunday after Thanksgiving due, in part I am sure, from doing this, so this year I have found ways to simplify the process. I have a mixer to make mashed potatoes, whereas last year I ground them in a hand grinder. I have all the pans bought, whereas last year I had to find pie pans in a place that does not bake. Actually I make them in little serving pans. This year I know where to find turkeys, cranberry sauce, etc. So, I think you will agree that I am not letting this HCM thing slow me too much, but am trying to be a bit more careful than in the past.
I would love to show everyone how all this can be done in a tiny apartment with two toaster ovens and two burners, so if you come to Beijing, let me know and I'll introduce you to the glories of cooking American style in China. (One of our best things is that the weather is cold enough that food can be stored outside. Since robbery is a problem, there are cages on the windows so we store the food in the cages with rubber bands around the pot lids to keep the birds out!)
Well, enough cross cultural info!
Thanks to all of you for your help.
Rhoda
I haven't posted since just after we got back to Beijing in September, but thought it was time to say "Hi!" I read the board every day or two, but have not posted.
Every time I read I have questions (and often when I don't read) but am reluctant to ask because I don't want to be told to "call my doctor." The best way I can explain that is to tell what happened soon after I arrived here more than a year ago. A student came to class and said another student was absent because he was "in the hospital." I responded with a typical American shock, "Oh, no! What's wrong? Is he seriously ill?" The student, who was not particularly fluent in English was very confused so the conversation went on for several minutes while I attempted to adequately express my deep concern over such a serious event. Eventually the student managed to communicate that the problem was a cold! So, I quickly learned that doctors, in the sense that we understand them in the US as private people to whom you go when you have a medical problem, do not really exist here. Instead everything is done in hospitals. So, if you have a cold, you go to the hospital to see whatever doctor is on duty.
Basically I am doing OK. I do have more frequent heart pain (I call it that rather than chest pain because it is a specific pain over my heart) than in the past. I mentioned it to Dr. Gilligan before I left the States and he just responded something to the effect that maybe I was more symptomatic than he had realized. I also have fairly severe problems at times climbing to the fifth floor for classes. Some days I can get there just panting, but there are times when I am gasping and leaning against the wall. On these days, after these spells I am often somewhat faint, sometimes I have considerable heart arrhythmia, and I am always extremely tired for the rest of the day. I also have frequent problems with swelling in my feet and hands that only goes away when I lie down and usually then only if I take a HCTZ pill the morning before. Any suggestions other than "calling my doctor"? I know I could call the cardiologist I saw before Dr. Gilligan as he was very sympathetic and assured me that I could call him any time from here, but I am not sure what I would want or expect him to do from half a world away.
When I say that basically I am doing OK, I mean that I am able to keep a pretty busy schedule. I cooked about 2 gallons of cream of potato soup and stewed apples and took supper halfway across the city for about 30 people last night. Next week will be the big test. In addition to a full week of teaching, office hours, making and giving a major exam in my ecology class, I plan to cook all week. On Tuesday I plan to cook two small turkeys in my two toaster ovens as well as apple and pumpkin pie and lots of other Thanksgiving stuff for the same people. On Wednesday I plan to cook two more turkeys and pies for my Thursday morning classes. On Thursday I plan to cook two more and all the trimmings for our Thursday evening classes and on Friday I will cook a couple more for the students who come to our office hours and for friends from last year. On Saturday I may cook another one, but that depends on whether another group of ladies decides to come over. Last year I got pneumonia that lasted six weeks on the Sunday after Thanksgiving due, in part I am sure, from doing this, so this year I have found ways to simplify the process. I have a mixer to make mashed potatoes, whereas last year I ground them in a hand grinder. I have all the pans bought, whereas last year I had to find pie pans in a place that does not bake. Actually I make them in little serving pans. This year I know where to find turkeys, cranberry sauce, etc. So, I think you will agree that I am not letting this HCM thing slow me too much, but am trying to be a bit more careful than in the past.
I would love to show everyone how all this can be done in a tiny apartment with two toaster ovens and two burners, so if you come to Beijing, let me know and I'll introduce you to the glories of cooking American style in China. (One of our best things is that the weather is cold enough that food can be stored outside. Since robbery is a problem, there are cages on the windows so we store the food in the cages with rubber bands around the pot lids to keep the birds out!)
Well, enough cross cultural info!
Thanks to all of you for your help.
Rhoda
You know what they say, ya do what ya gotta do! 
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