ENT

I wouldn't normally go to the doctor for a little cold, but with the ever present concern for swine flu I stopped by the doctor on my way home from work after spending the whole day feeling progressively worse with muscle aches, chills and a small cough. There is an ENT office just across the street. I have never been to an ENT, so I don't know if this place is Korea weird or just ENT weird, but it was weird.

After waiting about forty minutes, I was called back into the office, which is actually one big room. I sat and watched as a family of three small children took turns having crap sucked out of their noses. The sights and sounds were just like a dentist's office. I finally got called up to sit in the dentist chair, and through broken English communication determined I probably don't have swine flu and just need to rest and drink a lot of fluids. He then prescribed some pills, none of which is an antibiotic, some kind of cream to put up my nose twice a day (not doing that) and said I should wear a cotton mask out around people. He stuck some stuff up my nose and sucked it back out again. Then I was moved on to sit at a humidifier for two minutes and then some other station where I stuck two prongs up my nose that glowed red. I have no idea what that was all about. The doctor's visit cost $3,200 won (less then $3). I walked across the street to the pharmacy and got everything I needed for $5,600 won within 5 mins. My meds consist of individual bags of 4 1/2 (yes one is broken in half) pills to be taken 3 times a day. 24 hours later I'm feeling much better.