良薬口に苦し Ryouyaku kuchi ni nigashi

ひどい風邪をひいている。。。I've catch cold...and it is the worst one among several series of influenza I've had before in my life...Seems like my body is still in the stage of adapting to the winter condition..cold and dry...I still managed to attend my everyday routine to the kenkyuushitsu but with less experimental activity and more to surfing and reading journals..

My bad influenza starts with only a few cough but it get worst day by day..By recommendation from a lab friend, I bought Benzablock, self-remedy lozenges (24　in a box) for cough and flu with natural herbs costing 900Yen at the Coop's pharmacy. They even bought me some kairo カイロ, sticky patches like koyok in Malaysia but you stick it outside your inner (not directly on skin) and it will transmit heat to your body so that you will feel pleasant in the cold winter. A few attempts seems promising but nevertheless, I still have running nose and dry cough (It was real bad when I'm accidentally awaken in the middle of the night just due to coughing and don't really aware when did it ends and continue sleeping). Despite of the never ending cold, I thanked my lab mates a lot for their approaches in trying to make me better. Japanese, although advance in technology and standard of living, still possess the uniqueness of Asian culture in morality and good conduct. This treatment makes me really feel that I'm not that far from home.

Another unique character about Japanese is that they will try their best to prevent themselves from being a vector in spreading the virus to other person. This could be done (in case of influenza) by wearing a mask. During winter and rainy season in Japan, you could find almost everyone with influenza or running nose will cover themselves with masks. In spring however, the mask is used to prevent from inhaling pollens, a common phenomenon where thousands were warded due to allergic reaction and this has become a common reason to escape school and work. There is even a USB-attached mask on sale (please refer this catchy advertisement).

Thanks to God that I rarely fell sick but when I got hit once, it will be a heavy one.I personally feel that this fight with influenza and dry cough will never ends without an antibiotic as it keeps on haunting me for two weeks. So one day, I and Asmadi (another Malaysian friend in Energy Science doing phd trying to cure his frequently nose bleeding) seek consultation at the Kyoto University Student's Clinic (same with Klinik Mahasiswa in UM but with better service). After filling the all-Nihongo form (luckily I practised writing my faculty address and home address a lot earlier) and helping Madi explaining to the cute nurse about his condition, I got my consultation from a young physician and a friendly nurse asking friendly questions after realizing that I could understand Japanese.

As a result, I end up with several medication prescribed by the physician and being charged 390Yen. So affordable for students like me!! (please refer pics). I went back to the kenkyuushitsu and straight consuming the prescribed drug. One of them which comes in a form of white powder in a small packet is sooooooooooooooooooooo bitter!!!!Never had anything like this before!!! As I complained about it, a friend next to my desk Matsuda-san said that there is an old Japanese proverb 良薬口に苦し　Ryouyaku kuchi ni nigashi which means Good medicine tastes bitter. I automatically remembered about a perumpamaan Melayu 'pahit seperti hempedu' and later spend some time explaining it to them. May I have a speedy recovery so that everyone in the kenkyuushitsu will be safe from the virus. Hehehe..till then, I need to sleep...seems like the flu pills I consumed earlier has started to react...