Friday, Day Seventeen: Shilla Hotel, 70th Birthday in the ER

In the U.S. I am really 69 today, but as Koreans count it I am 70, which is a special birthday. 

I went down at 8:00 to tell them I wouldn't be going to the shelter for the comfort women. I need to keep my leg up or in use, but not just sitting or standing. At dinner last night Jon asked how I'd do on the flight and the answer is that I just don't know. I have an aisle seat so can get out and walk and that should help, and by Wednesday it should have improved. I don't think a few days would make much difference. 

Jacob Italian restaurant on the right.

Interior view of Jacob restaurant

 I went back to the room and sat at the computer or lay down watching CNN, but both with my foot up. At about 1:00 I went back to Seoul Selection for a book on Chinese characters I have long wanted, and a CD of gayageum music. I had a cup of coffee there while inspecting some other books. I then went out and walked down Yulgok-ro  toward Insadong to find a place for lunch. I settled on an Italian place, Jacob, on a little side street near the entrance to Insadong which it turned out led to the back door of Somerset. I had a dish of assorted sausages. They all tasted the same to me, hot dogs with extra garlic, but were different shapes and colors

Jon Keeton and k-6ers <KF Revisit photo>

 the afternoon we had a debriefing with Join Keeton. At 6:00 (18:00) we assembled to board buses to go the the Shilla Hotel for a reception with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was quite an affair. There were speeches, then we ate. I found a seat in the back where I could put my foot up and took my plate back there. Several people came up to speak to me so I wasn't alone.

Himself at reception <KF Revisit photo>

Staff was walking around with drinks and I saw one young woman with glasses of juice. I asked if she spoke English; she didn't. I asked in Korean if the drinks were alcoholic and she just looked at me. My Korean isn't that bad. Jon thought she didn't expect to hear Korean from me but I think it was that Korean desire to say what the guest wants to hear and she didn't know what answer I wanted.

 Cathy, Elliot, Gerry (me in rear) <KF Revisit photo>

There was a talk by a deputy foreign minister, and Gary, a K-1 from Hawaii, gave the RPCV response. He started with a chant from his home state; very dramatic. 

Group <KF Revisit photo>

When I could see it was almost over, I went downstairs to use the men's room, then waited there for the group.  When they got there I went out with them. On the steps my knee must have collapsed under me, it's kind of a blur, but here I am going down about a dozen granite steps head first. I hurt a finger, my shoulder, and banged my head on the steps. I came to rest at the bottom. I'm lying on my back and people are yelling "help him up!", or "don't move him!" One said "call an ambulance," probably because I wasn't moving. I just lay there stunned but completely conscious, trying to assess the damages. I did say "Don't call an ambulance [yet]." I also told the woman who was telling everyone what to do to "stop telling people what to do, just let me be." I never lost consciousness and answered the "orientated in three space" questions. Eventually I decided to try to get up and I did with little difficulty. A couple people (I think Joe) helped me to the bus, and Elliot said he was coming to my room with me. On the bus I apologized publicly for telling the woman to stop telling people what to do, and asked that if they knew who was doing the organizing to pass on my apology. When I sat down I heard from the back of the bus "Apology accepted."

Ms Kim & Jeong; Angels of Mercy at ER

But when we got to the hotel Miss Jeong told me she wanted me to come to the hospital with her. How could I say "no" to that face (on the right in the picture)? She and Sunny Kim took me to the ER at Seran General Hospital not too far away.

In my room with head bandaged

The doctor examined me, had x-rays taken. The doctor spoke some English and relied on Miss Jeong for help; discharge instructions were in Korean. The x-ray tech asked me if I spoke Korean and when I indicated "some" gave me instructions in Korean, which worked out fine. By then I was alert enough to handle it. I got a pain shot (OK now but in the morning?), bandages, and instructions to come back in if I feel pain (pain shot would mask that) blurry vision, vomiting, and that kind of thing. He described my injures as contusion. He also warned of possible delayed bleeding in the head. Hence the warning to come back if need be. I told him I'd be in Changwon tomorrow so he gave me notes to give any doctor that I see, and his card. I'm back now and feeling OK.