not again

Greetings from the Cheonam National University Hwasun Hospital.

I arrived back here on Tuesday night. I had to miss my last class on Tuesday because I had to be admitted to my ward before 9pm. I came prepared this time- I brought my laptop (which can't connect to the Internet), my iPod (which can) and Catch-22. My laptop has season 3 of Mad Men and season 1 of 30 Rock, so that's mainly what I've been doing.

As for why I'm here. The enzyme levels in my liver were through the roof. That's what the 536 was in regard to. As a result I developed an enlarged liver, which isn't good I guess. They tested me for hepatitis C, and I don't have it, so add that to the growing list of things I don't have. My enzymes have gone down by half, so now they think it was probably due to the medicine. As expected my platelets are wavering and I'm under 100,000. However, I'm gonna go on some new medicine which is a prodrug of prednisone. Plus I'll be getting something to take for my liver as well. My doctor says I can probably go home tomorrow, but have to come back on Monday to see where I am.

I really don't like having to take so many damn pills. People shouldn't have to take 15 pills a day not to die, especially at my age. But, what can I do? Well, one thing I could do is to have a splenectomy, that would take care of the ITP, because the spleen is where platelets get destroyed. But, my doctor said it's too early in my treatment to consider that.

My surroundings are much more tolerable than last time. I'm in a room that can hold 6 patients, but for now it's just one other guy and me. There are other patients in adjacent rooms, and when I get up and walk around everyone stares at me. I had one old guy stop me and speak Korean at me for 2 minutes straight. When he finished I replied with, "Hanguk mal-eun molayo," or, I don't understand Korean. He just walked away.

The food has been good. They keep giving me seafood. For breakfast I had octopus and for lunch they gave me a whole fish, head and everything. I didn't eat the head. Of course with those come kimchi and rice and a variety of other side dishes. Despite eating what they give me I've lost 4lbs in the 2 days I've been here. Maybe it has something to do with the size of my liver going back to normal. I don't know.

I guess this hospital stay isn't as dramatic as the first was, but it has still sucked. I think this is beginning to wear me down mentally. Something hasn't been right inside me for a while now. If they told me I had liver disease or cancer or whatever, well it'd be awful but at least we could get on with it. Instead it's just day after day of me googling my symptoms and freaking myself out and worrying about what I may or may not have.

I'm gonna watch more 30 Rock. It looks like my roommate is packing up. I'll have the place all to myself.