My once a year, big health exam 2015 (ningen dock)

Friday, March 27th, I had my once a year, huge big health exam. In Japan it's called a "ningen dock" you can pick a 2 day test meaning you stay overnight and get tested for 2 full days.  Or you can get the 1 day one. I have kids at home and as you know March was busy for us. So, I really only have time for a full day one. Besides that tests for tons of things. I get these every year and have ever since I hit age 35 (before age 35, I got yearly exams too, but less thorough ones). My husbands health insurance pays for mine entirely (unless I ask for an additional test, which I did this year.) My appointment was at 9am, and it was in Ibaraki which is close, but this specific hospital is about a 45 minute drive from our house. So not too close, but not too far away either. Noboru went with me for moral support. Love this guy! Sweetest guy ever! I went to each room alone though. But he knows, I really dislike going to this big yearly test. So, he goes for moral support. And for that, I really appreciate it. They sent to my house a week or two before, 2 fecal tests, they wanted me to collect at home the week of my appointment. Sorry a tad TMI, but if you ever have one of these coming up, it may help someone to know. It's not too terrible though, they provide you a plastic stick you swab the outside of your poo, careful you do not stab said poo, lol, just swab the outer area.  ( I think we're all adults here) and then put it into a plastic tube type thing. It's all clean and tidy. I did put my sample/tube containing specimen/test in a small ziplock. Also they sent a huge questionnaire for me to fill out. Noboru filled mine out. I don't understand why I have to fill every single thing out, every single year. Meaning shouldn't it be in their file already? And what I mean like, questions like, "has your mother, father or grandparents ever had diabetes?" My answer was no. And yet they ask me every year. Granted, perhaps it could change from year to year. But for me it hasn't. Another question. Has you mother or grandmother ever had breast cancer? We write down, my mother. And every year, they ask me the same painful question. And I keep having to answer the same thing, "yes, my mother had breast cancer!!!" Just wish this was on file, so I wouldn't have to keep reliving certain questions again and again like groundhogs day. Again granted perhaps someone new...quite possibly their parent could have gotten cancer since their last screening but for me...90% of the questions will stay the same. Oh well. So we filled out the form. Had the form and sample all set for that Friday. They also send a note saying you may NOT eat anything the night before after 9pm. And to not eat anything the morning of, not even a glass of water. They wanted absolutely nothing in your stomach. So, we get there. Hand the lady all my stuff. She in turn gives me a ladies medium size hospital outfit. Like a weird polyester type outfit. All people inside are wearing the same outfit. She points me to the ladies changing area. She also says, you may not wear a bra, but you may wear panties and socks. So, into the changing room, I went. An older grandma type was in there changing and my foreign-ness shocked and surprised her. : ( Gosh don't you hate that... when it happens. : ( I mean...I am a ball of nerves at this point. I keep thinking about the barium stomach test. Meanwhile I have to deal with super shocked half naked granny. So, I went to my locker and took off my clothes and switched to my outfit. The grandma starts chatting with me. I chat back. And then she was very normal and relaxed. I left the changing area and went and sat down in the huge waiting area. There were many doors. A TV on. A magazine rack. And about 25 people all in the same exact outfit, I was wearing. I was weighed and they got my height and my weight. I'm 2kg less than last year apparently. I can't personally see a dot of difference in my weight but, you know...she was the one with the file. : ) Then I went to another room, they gave me a heart test, she also measured my waist. Then I went to another room/area. We went through the paperwork Noboru had filled out. She wanted to go through each question with me. However, she was so cute and she used English with me. So, in the end we did a hodgepodge of English and Japanese.  I don't mind when people want to use both languages with me at all. I do know, it makes some people mad. But, I don't mind a bit. : ) She also took my blood, 2 tubes of it. I also was asked to give a urine sample as soon as I changed my clothes when I first came into the building, sorry I left that part out. Also, there was a poster about HPV on the wall. That test is an additional 3000 yen, $30 US. It tests to see if you are at risk for cervical cancer. It checks the DNA apparently. And online from what I see how they do in America, they say you should get a regular pap smear yearly, but they are also recommending American women to get this DNA HPV test for any woman over age 30. So this sounded like something, I should get. And if your test comes out clean, you only need to get it every 3 years then, meaning this HPV DNA test. So, just something, I thought I should get. Apparently cervical cancer...women die most from 2 specific types of HPV and this test checks for it. This is what it says online. Granted, I am no doctor, but the test sounded like something I should get. I am a woman/girl/female and I would prefer not die from cervical cancer and yeah, I'd like to know, if I am okay down there. So, besides getting my regular papsmear that day, checking for other ailments down there, during my pap smear, we also had them give me the additional HPV DNA screening. Just peace of mind. After that, I went downstairs for my mammogram. My mammogram did not hurt last year or the years before, but my mammogram hurt like hell this year! It was pure yikes! However, given my mom had breast cancer, I know it's seriously, a very important test. In between they checked my eyes and my hearing. And then I was sitting in front of 2 barium testing rooms. Waiting for my name to be called. And really dreading this test. Sigh. : (

This poster taken the day of my big health check right between both barium/stomach cancer checking rooms. This poster helped! It gave me the boost I needed. And Noboru also gave me some major pep talks too. I told him at first..."let's just sneak out of here." Noboru said, "I know, you hate this part of the test." So, we looked at this poster together. And it made me feel much better. In the green it basically says..."don't want to take this test, because it's hard?" I shook my head. No, I don't! : )  Remember I am not a professional translator here or anything, so I will do my best to tell you what this says. In white it says...STOMACH CANCER. 1 out of every 9 men will get it. 1 out of every 18 women will get it, in their lifetime. Did, you know, if found early enough...98.7% of stomach cancers can be cured. Not cured but...you know what I mean. Stopped. If caught early. And the end says, TAKE THIS TEST ONCE A YEAR. Sigh. You know...I hate to say it. But this poster was exactly right! Yes this test sucks!!! But it is so very important to take it! Some people wait until, it's so late, they can't even get helped and they die. Catch it fast and nip that cancer in the bud! So for me...yes I hate taking this test. But I know it is so important. So, as I sat in the waiting area, no joke...I could actually hear feel my heart beating faster. I felt very nervous. I felt really stressed out, right about then. Waiting....waiting for them to call my name. Secretly, hoping they don't *ever* call my name. : (  Then suddenly...they called out my name. And my heart sank and I looked at Noboru. And he said. You've got this! I said, I so DON"T got this. : ( I walked to the door and inside I went. In my room there were 2 super nice chipper overly peppy ladies. I wasn't quite feeling so chipper or peppy at that moment. I had gone through this very moment in my mind, a million times... these past few weeks. Now I was here, standing in this pure white room, with huge white medical equipment. One peppy lady went in the back. One peppy lady stood with me. She gave me... a shot glass size of powder, she wanted me to down that in 1 go. I did. No burping. I didn't want any do-overs. Then she handed me, a clear liquid small-ish but bigger than the first shot glass size. She wanted me to drink that in 1 shot too. I did. Both were disgusting. *But, a tolerable disgusting.* Then she gave me a huge honkin', styrofoam cup of white (the thing from my nightmares/memories of last year)...looks exactly like Elmer's glue. Or thick chalk water. This tasted so disgusting. This was the barium. And I will not lie to you...this was *so* beyond vile. So disgusting. This was most certainly NOT tolerable at all! She said to me in Japanese. Please drink this in thirds. Take your first drink now. So, I did. That taste. OMG, that taste. A taste you'd never forget. I thought to myself... "Do not vomit Gina. Do not even try it. We do not want to start from scratch here." The lady in the back was already checking out my stomach. While I was standing. How do, I know? Because she was now speaking to me in an Oz the Great and Powerful voice over a loud speaker and in a peppy voice, said..I can see your stomach now. @-@ I thought, okay. : ) Second big gulp. Oh dear lord... this was *worse* than the first drink. Thinking...I can't do this. This is every bit as disgusting as I remember last year. Think of the poster! Sigh. Okay peppy lady who was with me says..."time to take the 3rd gulp and then let's lay you down." My mind was racing...I took 2 big gulps of that, I think if I drink the 3rd and final gulp, I will vomit all over this room. Like, Stand By Me, and all those pies. Double sigh. I am now officially stalling. Couple more sighs. So, I said... to heck with it. Hope I don't vomit. I took largest gulp ever! And I still had some in my cup. Oh crap. Not much but around 20cc worth. And she looked inside my cup and said, okay you're done, and she tossed my cup into the trash! Oh thank you, I thought! Bless you kind overly chipper peppy lady! Bless you, for life! : ) Happy sigh. : ) I think, I can do this! So, I lay on the table and they ask me to turn left, turn right, the table moves even upside down and all the lady in the back wants.. is my stomach to illuminate, so they can see any cancer or anything bad. Keep in mind, I have a very empty stomach except...white gross flavored glue stuff. It didn't last too long, this test. I was just *so* grateful she didn't make me drink the entire cup. Hope, I get these 2 ladies of AWESOME-NESS next year. Best ladies ever! : ) I exited the room. And Noboru was like. OMG, you have white all over your lips and stuff.... go rinse your mouth. I looked in the mirror, in the rinse your mouth out area (between the men and women's changing area) and I looked frightening. White crud (barium) all over my lips. I was quite scary. But super happy. I did it. After all that, we waited and they called me upstairs to go over my main results with the doctor. All details will be mailed to my house. Noboru went in the room with me, in case there was some heavy medical Japanese, I didn't understand. And the doctor said, I am in top health. No diabetes. He said, and compared both my x-rays from that day and the year before. He said my organs are all fine. My heart is fine. Cholesterol fine. He said, I weigh less now than last year....he said, you are 2kg less than last year (the lady already mentioned that to me downstairs, lol). And apparently he was the guy I spoke to last year. He said...you look and seem quite healthy. I said thank you, he really had nothing negative to say and we both said, see you next year and we left his office. I went downstairs and went to the ladies changing area. There were afternoon people arriving for their health checks. I was done. And again another lady in the dressing area...completely flabbergasted when I walked in the room. I know in bigger cities, foreigners are common, but very uncommon in the inaka/countryside rural areas in Ibaraki or Chiba. Why, lady...why!!!! Foreigners do live in Japan. We own homes in Japan, go grocery shopping in Japan, have kids. Drive cars. Live lives. We get flu shots, get health exams too. Geeze Louise. You would think I came from Jupiter or Pluto or someplace. I try to keep a positive attitude about it and so I smiled and just went to my locker and quickly changed into my regular clothes. I got dressed quickly. And left. 

We stopped for ramen along the way. I could have gotten a free lunch at the hospital. But, Noboru and I prefer to go and have lunch together. We have now both been big health exam-ed for 2015. Later that night we went out for my birthday dinner at yakiniku. : )

This week so far...

Hi ya'll, I don't have a lot of time, because I have to swing back to the plaza soon and pick up Bran from JHS soon. So I'll try to do this, as quickly as I can. : ) Last Friday, Branden was called out of class by the English teacher (she's the other 7th grade teacher, who teaches the other class) she nicely wanted to let Branden know that she got word somehow that yes Branden did indeed pass the Eiken 2! Woohooo! So for now, we are just waiting on the Eiken folks to mail something to the JHS. But yep, Bran passed you guys! : ) What else, we have been getting rain, rain and more rain. Since Sunday. Even right now, as I type this, it is raining. And super strong winds. So I have been treadmilling yesterday and today instead of my morning walks (just too windy, like walking in a typhoon). Also, last night we got insane amounts of thunder and lightning in our town. : ) What else. Oh yeah this pic. I had to get to Costco this week. You already know Friday this week, I have that huge physical exam, barium and all. So, I can't go that day. And Thursday I have a movie date. Wednesday Bran might get out early (the 9th graders graduate that day). So today was my only available day. However, Noah got off school today at 2pm, which is super early. So, I had to make my Costco run SUPER fast. Absolutely no delays. I left my house at 9am. Got there around 9:45am. I needed lean ground beef. I split this in many freezer bags. 1 of the biggest amounts of the beef will be tacos. 1 other will be meatballs for spaghetti and meatball night. I also split the rest in tinier amounts, so I could do stuff like... stuffed bell pepper. Just have multiple many uses for it, if you know what I mean. I also picked up some fresh pasta, we get 2 meals from the pasta duo/set, which is nice and makes it affordable. Also picked up a rotisserie chicken for an easy supper tonight. Yay! Easy dinner truly appreciated. Of course we'll have sides and stuff with it. And also picked up some car air fresheners (in the scent "Hawaiian Aloha" (seriously that's the name of the scent, lol, smells so good though). 2 are for my car and 2 are for Noboru's mini mini van. I am using 1 now and my car smells amaze-balls!!! I was really hoping to buy some mozzarella cheese for pizza night, but they had none. @_@ Which means yet another trip to Costco is in my future. But when? I'm not sure. Maybe I can go this week but in the evening? Sigh. I really hate it when they are out of something because it means another trek there. But that's okay. : ) I will for surely call first though. Which is smart. So that's the positive. : ) 

Cainz is right next to Costco in Inzai. And I needed some drinks specifically that yuzu lemon amazing drink! Since I was there...I went ahead and bought the matching conditioner to the shampoo, I bought last week. This stuff smells so good. I needed the matching conditioner! And it makes my hair so smooth. 

Ended up just getting the case of the yuzu lemon. : )

Anyway, this Thursday, my 2 really good girl friends and I will be going to see American Sniper. It starts around 10am-ish. So we are going to meet at the movies around 9:40am-ish. That gives us time to get our tickets and grab some movie snacks and whatnot. : )  We're going to lunch afterwards too. So, I can't wait. One of them is the one whose daughter also took the Eiken 2. So we are very close, and good friends. And so I am looking forward to spending Thursday with my really good friends.

I am not looking forward to Friday and taking the barium, lol. : ( That stuff just tastes awful. It's very needed and necessary yes... and to be fair they do try to make the powder (burp causing/making) stuff you take first taste as pleasant as possible (mine sorta tasted like Mitsuya cider-ish) however the first is basically sorta like baking soda type powder that REALLY makes you want to instantly burp and I am not a burpy type a person to begin with....but yes it really and instantly made me want to burp, then after that you have a cup of liquid, very very horrible liquid and I think this is the actual barium part (and it makes me want to gag but they just say...drink it faster. : ( I don't mind the other many many other tests at all. The blood test, the breast exam, the pap smear, the heart test, eye test... all of it is fine and I do not mind at all. I am just not looking forward to the barium. Very necessary though as I said. But...still...just tastes not so great...but whats worse than that, is it makes you want to burp and they tell you...if you burp you have to take it again. : (

Yesterday we had beef stew. It was so good. Tonight, like I already said, we're having rotisserie chicken. Am not sure if Wednesday or Thursday is the day we'll have spaghetti and meatballs.  Alrighty, I better end this now, since it's time for Noah and I to go and pick up Bran. Have a great week everyone! : ) 

My big health check up

Noboru had to take a huge health check up for work. It’s called a human dock? I’m iffy on the phrasing, I’m sure some of you know what this is and some of you have even had this before, so if I’m off with the spelling of this, sorry. They have a half day course, whole day course and an over night course apparently. His work pays for these tests. He was sort of nervous about getting one done. Meanwhile they also would pay 100% for me to go and get everything Noboru got except minus 2 of his tests, but everything else I would get. So, I got 95-98% of a human dock basically if that makes sense at all, a super thorough exam but 1 step below the human dock. Next year his work will pay for my human dock. But for this year, they’ll pay for this extremely good thorough testing. And since again like I said, he was nervous about going alone, I agreed and went with.

We had this appointment set a month in advance. They sent us each a pack and asked for a stool sample x2 from each of us. Hmm, have done this for the boys in yochien days and urine also. But was a first getting a stool sample for myself. @_@

March 29th, was our appointment day. It would be a 3 hour bunch of tests. When we got there and walked inside the very modern building, everyone was all wearing the exact same thing. All men, all women in capri type pants and baggy top, sort of like a gym uniform for adults sort of. At entering we gave them our names, cards and samples. She in turn gave us our matching outfits and told us where the changing room’s were. I think I could have been the first foreigner ever in this particular place because the look of shock when I entered. The fact everyone would go to Noboru, the first 30 minutes after our arrival and say....would you like to go in with her to test, what if she has trouble since this is in Japanese? @_@ Don’t get me wrong they were lovely and nice, just very nervous. Which then made me nervous. @_@ Noboru told them....should be no problem. “Okay.....well if you are sure”, they said. So, I go in and change clothes, put my normal clothes into the locker, slip on the slippers, same exact slippers as everyone else also. And go and sit down until my name is called.

It was a huge modern waiting room with 2 flat screen TV’s (one facing each side of seats) and about 15- 20 different doors, they called you from room to room. The waiting area was extremely quiet. Here’s what I got tested for. And a couple husband and wife couples testing together same time as Noboru and I.

First I had a chest x-ray and then....I went to a different door and had a mammogram. I have only ever had the ultra sound type breast checks, my first mammogram ever. And what I heard from my Japanese friends is they hurt! I took the mammogram and it could be just me...but it didn’t hurt at all. Nope nothing for me. They lady in here was so freaking nervous when she called my name. When I walked into the room, she was still really nervous. She spoke very slowly and I spoke back polite and just normal speed....Phew! Relief, she felt absolute relief. I even told her...you know I heard these hurt, but today it doesn’t hurt for me at all. You must be a good tester, she laughed and laughed. See, she had no reason to be so nervous. And neither did I. Then, I left that room, walked out that particular door and went back to the waiting room and then they measured my height and weight. Then I went and sat down for a second. I saw Noboru getting his blood pressure taken, while I sat, then the lady next to Noboru called my name. And I went and sat down. She tested my blood pressure and took blood to test for diabetes and test for cholesterol levels and something else she took 3 vials of blood. By now, I think the folks were relaxed with me being there and it was actually okay I was there and they wouldn’t have any long pauses with me or have any reason to be afraid when I entered their testing rooms. : ) : )

Then they tested my eyes in one room, then my heart in another room. Then I went upstairs and had a test for cervical cancer. And then I came down stairs for the last test. The dreaded test. The stomach test and where we had to drink barium. I did not like this last test. Let me give you the story below real quick. It might give you a laugh.

So before I was tested they gave me a shot in my upper arm bicep area. The shot sort of hurt. Which the blood test earlier didn’t hurt in the least. Hmm. Noboru was also about to take the stomach test. Noboru said the shot was to slow the acid in your stomach. So 2 rooms for the stomach cancer and check test. And we were both set to go. I had heard so many horrible stories about this test. I was really nervous now.
So, they called our last name...which one of us, which one of us? And then they said Gina. So, I went first. I entered and there was one young guy 20 something and very short and petite. And then an older grandpa aged guy, balding with a bad comb over. So I entered the room. There was a machine that would later flip me upside down, sideways and front ways and all sorts of weird ways. Also, this is the warning I got from the start of the day about this test.

#1 you will have to drink a powder type thing first and DO NOT burp or you’ll have to take it again. Then you will take the barium. Okay so that was the information I had in my mind.
So, I am now standing in front of the machine, my feet and back are against this machine to start. And the younger quiet guy hands me this small bottle, of powdery round balls. A bottle sort of like Alice in Wonderland drank. My last thought before I drank, don't burp. So, I drink it and the first instinct I had when I put this stuff in my mouth was to cough. But, I didn’t cough (didn’t want to retake this) I forced myself not to cough. So, my cheeks were huge and frog ribbit ribbit sized because I am stopping this cough. And all I hear is keep drinking this, so I keep swallowing this. I had no urge to burp, but it did make me want to cough for whatever reason. So then he passes me this teeny tiny little cup, think a cup the size of cough med cup sized for kids, of a clear liquid. This tasted like an extremely sour cider soda type of drink it wasn’t cold, but not bad. This is so small I thought. This is barium? No problem, I think I can handle this! So, I swallowed the entire thing in 2 gulps!
I was worried for nothing, I thought. Just like the mammogram earlier. Remember the note and paper that morning said they’d give me 2 things to drink (not 3). So, I thought I’m done, I made it, I survived..... test away! And then, not but a second later, the man turns around and hands me this big cup, typical big normal standard size Styrofoam cup. About as big a cup as I drink out of at home for my dinner meals, so not small, let’s put it that way. So a fair amount. Ahem,I was wrong.... *this* was the barium. Not the other. @_@ This looked like liquid chalk. And tasted worse then liquid chalk. And was thick and disgusting looking. So, I take a sip. OMG! Worse then I imagined. Horrible. To be honest, I wanted to gag, I wanted to vomit, but the thought of starting from scratch all over again didn’t appeal to me either, so I would not be vomiting if I could help it. So there I am drinking this crud as fast as I humanly can without vomiting all over the both of us. I don’t know how I managed to drink that, but I did. So, now my stomach is full of crud, I feel queasy and I am now being flipped around left and right and I was literally and I’m not exaggerating with this, I was upside down toes facing the ceiling for like 2 minutes. I felt very unwell with that barium (to me it was like, liquid chalk) in my stomach. Then the older man came out and said, keep going round and round. So, I am rolling like 3 times on this plank/board, then to the side, and then my toes facing the ceiling. Might be a piece of cake for some. For me this was horrendous. However, I’m glad I did it. But I’d have to say for me personally....this was my least favorite part of the entire day.
So, I’m done now and I went and got myself dressed. Anyway I sat down. And Noboru walks out of the room with white all around his mouth. He said...”wow worst test ever!” I said, @_@ Yeah for me too. I then said...your mouth...it’s all white and yucky. He got dressed cleaned off his mouth. The lady said to us, if we don’t take a white poop by 5pm, take these laxatives. Neither of us needed the laxatives.
And now we will wait for the results to be mailed to our home, should take 2 weeks. I don’t think I would mind taking this test again next year at all. All the tests are fine and not bad at all. Except the barium one, I’m not so crazy about, but when thinking about what they’re actually testing for, I can see the good of this test. Didn’t taste good at the time, granted. But they are looking and checking to make sure I’m healthy, so I understand the reason for it. At least now I have an idea how the barium test is. And I feel good having had such a good thorough exam like that.

Anyway that’s just my own personal experience with taking a very complete and extensive exam here in Japan.

PS, my town tests for cervical cancer and breast cancer every Summer as you know, I usually blog my experience with that, I usually get that done there for free every year. Now I’m wondering if I should skip that this Summer, since I just had mine done now. I have a few months to decide still. In a way I think better be safe then sorry, so test twice. I have until June or July to decide.

Health check up finished, How we spent our 4th of July, Family game night, and yup it's Hawaii for sures!!! : )

Last week, like I said in my last post, we went to Toys R Us to get just a few things for Noah's upcoming birthday. : )

The hubster and I went. Didn't buy a whole lot as usual. Just 3 presents from us. : )

After leaving the toy store, we went to Don Quijote. Noboru was actually looking for something specific but didn't find it. However we bought a pack of curry senbais and left. Then we headed to go have some lunch together, just the two of us since the kids were at school. : )

We went to the Osho, a Chinese food restaurant, everytime we go have Chinese we always go here. It's so good. This pic was of my lunch. The servings are huge. I had to take half of mine to go. It was just too much food. Noboru and I sat and ate, talked a lot and then headed home. Anyway that was one of our days from last week. : )

One of Noah's obento lunches. Yakitori on a bed of rice, some steamed green beans and 3 fries. Some apples and 2 jellys. Leftovers basically. : ) I've made yakitori twice this month so far. Ha ha ha. I think I was in a yakitori type mood maybe. : )

A quick picture of Noah from last Thursday or maybe it was last Friday? I forget the exact date but it was sprinkling in the morning as we were on our way to the yochien. : )

And yup, I did do my half of the butterflies. : ) They were due Monday July 6th but I turned them in anyway on Friday July 3rd. : ) I didn't wanna wait to the last second, yet I didn't wanna do them too early either. LOL. Worry wart that I am, so I thought Friday was a good safe choice. Ha ha ha. Thursday afternoon, I did the faces like they wanted. And then I thought maybe they looked a bit plain. So, next thing I know, I am tracing the butterfly wings with crayon then adding polka dots. Honestly it was just a lot of fun! And I kept thinking how the kids would be happy and like those happy not scary, lol, butterflies. So, I just enjoyed myself a lot. : ) And then.....dundundun!!! I started thinking..... Should I decorate the back? Or should I leave the back plain? Decisions decisons. : ) : )

And sure enough as in the pic, I decorated all the backs of my half of the butterflies. Ha ha ha! Anyway I was pretty happy with how they came out and I hope the kids like them. If the kids like them that will make me happy.

Also on Friday July3rd, was my breast exam and pap smear. My appointment was at 1:45pm. It was definitely pretty interesting. But I am so glad I got it done. See those 3 big RV type vehicles in the pictures? I'll explain. Okay first I arrived at the place with Noah at 1pm. I was a little early. Hoping they could sort of let me go before 1:45pm and lucky for me, they did. Anyway I went into the building. Handed them my paperwork. And sat down with about 8 other ladies. For our town in the summer, they have 3 days and all day long during those 3 days, you can get an appointment to get checked for free. I was at first thinking it was going to be like a cattle call type thing, but not really at all. Anyway so I am sitting down. Most ladies that were sitting looked to be in their 50's. Though 2 younger ladies around my age also came. So it varied in age. They called my name and I went in the back. Once there, they tested my blood pressure. She said I have excellent blood pressure, no need to be concerned. Okay, that is good to know. : ) And then she walked me to the next station. At the next station they said my # is 14 and to go to the great big RV to the far right, but in the picture you are looking at it was the far left. The RV with the orange swirling stripe on it. They did not allow Noah to go in the RV's so the lady working there, watched Noah while I went into the RV. I had no idea what to expect when I entered. It was pretty quiet. There was like a lady doctor and 2 lady nurses in the front behind a curtain. One came out and told me and 1 elderly granny type to take off all our clothes from the waist down. And to cover ourselves with a towel. They had sent a letter to my house suggesting for anyone getting the exam to bring a towel and I brought my great big peachy coral colored type towel with me that I have had since I was a uni student, but it's one of my favorite towels. Okay so the nurse told us to get undressed and then the nurse left. It was just me and the granny type lady. We didn't speak to one another and we tried not to make eye contact. I think we just wanted to respect each others privacy and basically she didn't wanna see my gaijin parts anymore, then I wanted to see her wrinkly granny bits. So, I faced the other way, got naked from waist down and covered myself with my old faithful towel. I think we both felt relieved after we got covered in our towels. They called me first. Not by name now, they called me #14 (the other parts of the test they called me by name : ). It felt pretty anonymous, phew. In the US, when you get gynecological exams, you lay on a flat table, unmoving table and place your legs in stir ups. However, after having Noah in Japan, I know it's different here. So, I laid on a table but it was more like a seat, they did have stir ups, but just as I sat down. And yes there is even a curtain between my face and the doctor, so I can have even a bit more privacy. : ) Anyway as soon as I sat down in the chair with stir ups, they shot it up high in the air, the chair must have hydraulics or something. But I felt like a car getting a tune up, or a car at Meineke or the Jiffy Lube. The way that chair just shot me in the air like that. @_@ She tested me for cancer down there. results are not back yet. But I think I'm fine. When they were done, the chair was lowered and I left. Never actually seeing the doctor though I heard her voice. I went back into the room where the granny was still standing with her towel. And now we just smiled a quick smile at each other. And I got dressed and they called her in. I was dressed and leaving when 2 new ladies were sent in there. I never went into the middle RV. I wonder what's in there? Anyway, by now, they told me to go to the last RV, the yellow one with green stripes and before I went inside they instructed me to be naked from the waist up but to cover with my towel. It was seriously dead silence in there. And I do mean, complete and total dead silence. I actually got worried after folding up my shirt and bra that no one was in there at all. The lady came into get me but spoke very soft, very soothing type voice. It was an ultrasound type breast exam, no painful machine like I worried about. She laid me down on the flat table, still softly talking. She put that gel stuff on my breasts, same type of stuff they used on my tummy when I was preggers. The gel was really warm. She searched my left breast first, she took a very long time. Just being thorough. But of course worry wart me....thought, "she's taking too long, should I be worried?" Anyway she was very thorough and she didn't say anything really like, looks okay. No cancer. Just nothing. Just when she was finished with both breasts, she gave me a tissue to wipe off. And then I went and got changed. I was finished with my exams completely by 1:30pm. I felt so so so relieved and proud of myself for going and getting this done. I am sorta nervous about the results, but I think they'll be fine. : )

Yup, glad I went last Friday! : )

Last Friday, I made a simple curry. It was the weekend and I knew I had to make something but I didn't wanna be in the kitchen forever. So, this was pretty great. : )

Dinner last Friday.

We really are pretty big on the family time around here. And last Saturday, around 8pm, Noah had already fallen alseep. We whipped out Jenga. : )

I really love this picture a lot. Because it captures the whole mood so well. The big smile on Branden's face. And goodness... look the whole thing was balancing on that 1 thin red wood piece.

We played 2 rounds of this. Oh yeah, ahem. Guess who knocked down the jenga from this picture? I did. : ( Bummer. Ha ha ha. : ) Branden knocked it down the 2nd time though. And Noboru is feeling just a bit too proud of himself for not knocking it down. So hopefully B and I can get a rematch soon. : )

My dad, sent Noah this birthday card with some money in it for Noah to pick out a gift he wants.

Thanks dad. And yup, I had Noah call and thank grandpa via skype. : )

Grandma Mitsuko sent a sweet card and a gift card from Toys r us.

I'll try to translate my best....."For the Noah that's always happy" : ) And you know, most people that meet our kids irl, that's usually the first comment they'll make, 'they're such happy kids" . And yup, we had Noah call and thank grandma Mitsuko too. : )

An ichiman yen gift card. Does that mean we will be making another trip to Toys r us. @_@. Aw well, it's okay. : ) : )

Last Saturday morning the Flying pig stuff came. Smallest order in the world I think. 2 things.

Just an inflatable pool for the boys.

And a freakishly big bag of tortilla chips.

Saturday July 4th. American Independence day. Anyway I thought since it was sprinkling off and on that day for us here. So a BBQ for us was unfortunately out of the question. : ( But, I decided to bake a homemade from scratch apple pie. Yummmm! : ) What's that saying again....as American as apple pie. : )

Cinnamon, lemon juice, a bit of flour for thickening. brown sugar, etc etc. : )

This smelled so good. : )

And homestyle cheeseburgers. I figured our meal should be American for the 4th! Ha ha ha. : ) It's not very often that we make cheeseburgers at home but when we do, they are so good. : ) I had lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard and ketchup. Apple pies all done by now in the pic. : )

Real cheddar, crispy fries. I was so ready!!! So was the rest of the family. After we ate, is when we showered and then later that night is when we played jenga. : )

So good! : ) Just proves, you can take the girl out of America, but you can't take the American out of the girl. : ) So, happy 4th of July for whoever else celebrated it. : )

Had to get Branden ready for another smallish field trip. Just around the inaka near the school someplace. But with a bit of preparation, I got him ready for it. : ) I always translate my list in English. Fishing pole, rainboots, bait, bucket and towel. : )

You know how Noboru is in the dad's club at the elementary, right? Well, 2 of B's classmates dad's told Noboru that they were having their kids wear fishing boots. I said, fishing boots??? I just didn't get that, why not use regular rain boots? Now you know Noboru's hobby is fishing anyway. So he listed me like 5 reasons why B needed fishing boots. (shakes head) I just didn't get it and still don't, ha ha ha. But Noboru insisted and said he will use them a lot. etc, etc. Errr anyway. Hubby went and bought B a pair of boots for fishing. It has to be a guy or man thing. Or perhaps a fishing type guy thing. I am still shaking my head in wonderment about it. Ha ha ha. : ) Anyway they did make Branden happy. And now Noboru and B and some of his coworkers and their sons are all going to go on a father and son fishing thing soon. So, hopefully he'll use them then too. @_@ : )

And just when I thought the end of school drawing near, means no more things to buy, is when we got anther note saying Branden needed origami paper by Tuesday. Yup, it's neverending, ha ha ha. @_@. Good thing to have a good sense of humor about it though. So a trip to the 100 yen, and 3 packs later. And that was that. Oh please no more notes home with new lists of stuff to buy. Ha ha ha. : )

My friend and neighbor down the street Rumi-san (karaoke partner and bowling pal) brought over even more potatoes this week. These are humongous potatoes. They're downright giants! Ha ha ha. I am going to have to do something really nice in return but I am still thinking what it should be. : )

Last weekend, I got sucked into Youtube. My husband likes and watches Youtube quite a bit. However, I tell my husband basically everything. We're really close. Anyway I was talking with him about what a bummer it is that Kyle XY was gone off satellite. And he said...."It's on Youtube, just watch it there." I checked and sure as heck, he was right. So, I started watching where I left off. And I basically had 6 episodes to watch until reaching the end. I watched those last weekend in bits and I am so glad I got to see those like that. However now I am a Youtube convert @_@ and I have been checking out other shows now. I watched cycle 12 of America's Next Top model from start to finsih this week and loved it!!! Absolutely loved it!!!! Watched that in bits all this week. Now I am trying to decide what to watch next. : ) : )

Sunday, this past Sunday I made chicken noodle sooup. Just simple. It was very nice.

Sunday, I put name tags/stickers on all of Branden's stuff. All of it was due to be at the school on Monday.

Monday July 6th and yup, more rain showers. : ) Branden going into the elementary with his fishing pole, boots, bucket, etc etc. : ) And funny, as I dropped him off I saw a few other of parents dropping off their 2nd graders with fishing poles too. : ) Different grades do different stuff, I think the 3rd or 4th graders went on an overnight trip. Another grade went on a big field trip far away someplace. : ) And meanwhile the 2nd graders have been in full fishing mode by the sensei's. : ) : )

Monday morning after both kids were sent to school, Noboru and I went and had breakfast at Mc D's. We haven't been in there in ages, we usually eat at home and if we eat breakfast it's usually Coco's. I had an egg mcmuffin combo. : ) He had the sausage mcmuffin combo. : )

He was searhing on his wireless, something about our upcoming vacation.

Same Monday, ha ha ha but now it's after school and Kumon. I had B try on the new jinbei we bought for him to wear to Noah's summer festival. Size 140cm. Good size. However, he needs new sandals to go with the outfit. The ones he had last year are way too small. Besides the getting the actual yochien ready for the summer festival us mother's also have to get our kids ready for the festival too. ha ha ha. So, yup, this festival has me occupied lately a bunch still. I now have to track down a bigger pair of sandals for B. As for Noah, I will have him try on his jinbei and see if anything needs replacing. We'll see. : ) : )

Nope, not a growth spurt, B's sneakers were trashed though, but yup, he's still a 21cm for now. He had used them full time since December. So, a trip to Narita's Sports Authority was in order for Monday. Goodness were we busy this past Monday or what? Ha ha ha. : ) : )

They were a really great deal at 30% off and I think they came to 2500 yen or so.

Anyway, the next day, July 7th was Noah's birthday. I'll make another post for that since this post is getting too long anyway. : )

TV Talk: Am still watching Ghost Whisperer. Dexter 3rd season. Gossip Girl is getting so good. Finished watching Kyle XY thanks to Youtube. : ) Watched America's Next Top Model cycle 12. Loved it so much. Did anyone else catch ANM cycle 12? If so who did you like, what did you think? At first at the beginning Allison sorta freaked me out with that whole, she loves nose bleeds stuff. I was like...she what???? And when Tyra said she got nose bleeds as a child and Allison simply said..."jealous" I was like...eww ewww eww! @_@. Ha ha ha. But she sorta became pretty cool towards the end and I thought she became a good model towards the end too. My favorites were Fo, London and Aminat (sp?) I am now thinking about watching the older episodes of ANM on Youtube because on satelite in Japan, we have seen up to season 2, so we're REALLY behind and now that I can watch the whole thing on youtube, I might catch a few seasons/cycles that I haven't seen yet. I think for us with sattelite, we are now getting season/cycle 3 soon. But it's so cool I can catch all the cycles via Youtube. Oh dear, have I opened up a can of worms by becoming a Youtube fan??? I would like to watch all cycles on Youtube. We'll see. : )

Vacation update: yes we're going to Honolulu for sures. The flights are just seriously that open. And we can tell by now it's gonna happen. We already booked the hotel and booked the rental car. So everything's already set. Funny little blurb though. Guess who will also be in Honolulu? The Yuka-sensei. Yup, Branden's teacher. Remember her sister is getting married and they will have it at a small chapel there. Like a wedding type package thing. Anyway, not many people are going but the Yuka-sensei and her hubby and 2 kids are going for 2 or 3 nights. They aren't staying so long, but they will be there while we are also there. Ha ha ha. I told B, "you watch you'll be swimming or walking around in Waikiki and all of a sudden you'll hear...Branden-kun!!!! An it'll be Yuka-sensei. LOL! She's a very friendly nice teacher. but yup, there's a chance while strolling Waikiki we'll bump into Yuka-sensei and family. : ) She knows we'll be there already (9 nights sleeping and playing in Oahu, then don't forget the travel days too....the 1 day travelling to Honolulu from Japan, in the first place and 1 day for travelling back to Japan makes 11 days. B and her have been nonstop getting excited about it. This is her first trip overseas. Yay Yuka-sensei!!! You can do it. :P And another of B's classmates is there right this minute, enjoying himself with his mom and dad and sister, He's a good friend of B's.. : ) I doubt she'll need it, but I am thinking of giving the Yuka-sensei our hotel information, just in case they run into trouble. And we could help just in case. I'll have to ask Noboru what he thinks first though. : )