A November Worth Forgetting

 Good Riddance NOV 2021

One of those months I missed out on half of and don't want to remember the other half.

One of the best parts was the change in weather.  The heat and humidity of summer departed.

It got so chilly outdoors I actually wore socks on a few of my morning walks.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

This event with the moon was advertised as something last seen hundreds of years ago.

So moon gazers were alerted and told when and where to be positioned in Japan for viewing.

About a week prior, a wicked chest cold snuck up on me.  I'd have to fix myself.

Not that I don't trust Japan's doctors.  I just hate going to hospitals and clinics.

Especially, since that Coronavirus thing came along, I don't wanna be around sick people.

To avoid getting a PCR test (where they shove a stick up your nose) I stayed at home.

Chest colds usually go away in about a week. So, I drank lots of water and rested.

This cold didn't seem to be going away but, I wasn't interested in seeing any doctors.

So, I went and talked to the lady in the drug store.  She recommended some cold medicine.

By this time it was the 19th of the month. The partial lunar eclipse would be tonight.

Google Translate would tell me all about this Japanese medicine.

It told me what the dosage was and mentioned it may cause drowsiness.

Don't operate any machinery.  Uh-Oh my camera is like machinery. 

With the big lens, tripod, and gimbal holding the camera, the contraption weighs about 15 KG.

So the first dose of medicine, I just took a little sip.  Maybe, half of a normal dose.

Instead of walking to some faraway location, I climbed up on the roof of my house.

Probably an hour and a half before moonrise I was on the roof waiting.

Once the camera is set up, I usually do some stretching and exercises.  But not tonight.

When you're coughing up globs of stuff the size of softballs, it's best to take it easy.

When out on a moon shoot I never sit down.  Tonight I sat down on the stairway, waiting.

It was cold and windy on that rooftop.  It even looked like it might start raining.

A golden-colored sliver of moonshine appeared. Fast-moving clouds sometimes blocked the view.

At 6:39 PM this photo was taken.  A few more shots were captured and, it was time to go home.

Almost an hour passed and the tripod was folded, when this scene appeared.

Quickly, I got set up again and captured the full moon, partially covered by clouds.

The following morning at 5:37 my clearest photo of the NOV 2021 Full Moon was taken.

Note: As the moon sets the rabbit turns upside down.

Back to Cold Medicine

That stuff really works.  The reason you shouldn't operate machinery:

IT KNOCKS YOU OUT!

Depending on which translation service you use, you will get different interpretations.

Like, "It contains herbal ingredients" or "codeine" or "other prescription drugs."

Some of the Japanese OTC Cold Medicines (when abused) cause serious problems.

Taking those three bottles (sips) over a period of two weeks cured me.

But, some folks who use drugs for thrills, end up differently.

Now We Have Omicron

Another thing that came along during this miserable month was Omicron.

The world hasn't quite yet decided IF WE SHOULD PANIC.

Hopefully, we won't go through extended periods of coronavirus restrictions.

Not sure about you but, I think this November was one worth forgetting!

Shadanhojinhokubuchiku - Yow !

Prettiest Doctor on Planet Earth

Scared to visit doctors, from previous experiences, I only use them when I have to.

The past few months, I hadn't been feeling well but, try to hide it.

Finally, I got half scared to death and decided, it would be a good time to turn myself-in.

Almost three years ago, I had been in this hospital for surgery. It's up in Nago, Okinawa.

They cut me open and installed some mesh, to patch a blowout in my belly.

It was fun, joking with the nurses and sneaking off the fourth floor, to get outside.

No smoking rules, forced me to ground level, past the mortuary, to get outside and smoke.

The doctor let me cut my visit a few days short because, I recovered so quickly.

Shadanhojinhokubuchiku is the hospital, I was in and decided to go back there.

Attorneys Love Things Like This

Those mesh patches, feel sorta funny, when installed in your pelvis.

After awhile, you get used to it and, life goes on, as usual. It beats being dead, I think.

Some gal back in the USA, won 57 million dollars because of a mesh lawsuit.

It seems Johnson & Johnson, got caught selling defective patches and has to pay, now.

The woman, had all sorts of problems, with the mesh and, felt like she was on fire.

Back around June, of this year, my mesh started burning, down there in my lower tummy.

Not really interested in becoming a millionaire, I decided to get a checkup.

What if, they quit selling that mesh in the USA and, sent some to Japan ?

Hospital Visit

Certain, I was about to be admitted, I traveled light. Just carried a few extra smokes.

All appointments, for the next few weeks, were put on hold.

Keys, a few hundred dollars, cameras and, other junk I usually carry, were left at home.

Just the wife and a daughter, drove me to the hospital. The dog I said, "Later Stinky."

When you check-in at the front desk, they decide, where to send you next.

This, I'll call station #4.  There must have been 35 people, who arrived before me.

Orthopaedics, I had to google. I figured, it had something to do with bones.

An hour wait at the front desk and, another hour stuck here. Groan.

Blood pressure, heartbeat and a few other things, eventually got checked.

Poor little nurse, couldn't reach high enough to measure my height so, I did it myself.

Once, they decide, which doctor you need, you get to wait another hour.

Soon, I started telling the wife and daughter, "It's a miracle. I'm cured. Let's go home."

Beautiful Woman Doctor

A gorgeous, late twenties, almond-eyed, long-haired, gal in a blue uniform, greeted us.

The wife comes along, to help with the hearing and translation.

She gets informed about my last visit and, pulls up all my records on the computer.

Meanwhile, I do stuff like, look at her fingers and, see there are no rings.

She has me, get up on a table for examination and, I had to pull my shorts down, a little ways.

She started poking around, looking for the scar, from my last surgery.

Sort of a gorilla, it took her awhile to find the spot. Then, she pokes around there.

"Does this hurt?" she asks.  "Yeah. That's why I came here. It  burns, like fire." I told her.

She wanted my pants down lower and had me raise my fanny up a bit.

Then, she pulled everything down to my knees and had me spread my legs.

Holy crap. The gal started, sticking her hands all over my crotch, probing and squeezing !

"Does it hurt here? How about, when I do this? Pain here?" 

"No, sweetie. You're making everything feel fine. It doesn't hurt down there." I told her.

Off to the Echo Chamber

The doctor determined, some sort of internal images, should be taken and, away we went.

"That gal's too young to be a doctor. She's cute. Did you see what she did to me?" I asked the wife.

"Why didn't you punch her in the face?" I said, while we walked to the next station.

The wife said, "She's a doctor, doing her job. Maybe, she's an intern. That's why she's young."

Well, I sort of enjoyed it but if, I saw some young guy, do that to you, I'd knock them out."

At the EKKO Station, the missus, waited outside and, I went in with a 3/4 good-looking gal.

She slapped some grease on me and, watched a TV screen, while rubbing a machine around.

Both sides of my pelvis got viewed but, she kept away from the Tinker Toys. Yeah !

Another hour or, two and, we got to see my favorite doctor, again.

The doctor, after looking at the pictures, said everything looks normal. I could go home.

Duh. My belly's on fire. That's not normal, to me !

Let's Try a CT Scan

That's one, I have never experienced and told the doctor. MRI, I've done some.

She said it was similar to an MRI, just a different machine.

They gave me some sort of transfusion machine, hooked-up and taped to my arm.

Took some blood and, pumped juice in me and, I'd have to wait an hour.

No eating lunch. Dammit, it was going on two o'clock and, I was hungry.

"No smoking," a gal told us. But, the wife whispered, "She said, one was OK."

The wife, couldn't stay there in the room. "No problem," I told her.

In case, they spoke Japanese only, I could understand, "Hold still and, hold your breath."

The machine, was similar to an MRI, just smaller. It wasn't like going into a coffin.

The gadget, on my arm, got colored juice, pumped into an artery.

The machine buzzed and, I spent about half an hour on the table, moving in and out.

When done, they unhooked me and, when I stood up, felt like a drunk.

That's something I've become accustomed to so, it was easy navigating through the hospital.

The results of the CT were delivered back to the nurses at my doctor's station.

Knowing it may take another hour, I had the wife and daughter waiting and, got more smokes.

The lady doctor, finally had us brought in but, didn't feel me, this time.

After looking at all the evidence and, consulting with the big doctors, she knew.

The burning sensation is caused by some nodules. I can get pain killers.

Nope. I don't want some drugs, to numb my brain so, I won't feel the burning.

We settled on some medicine, that's like Vitamin B 12. I got a month's supply.

And, I have another appointment, with the lady doctor in two weeks, for a checkup.

When she asks how I feel, I'll say, "I don't know. You tell me."

Total Damages

The wife knows, I like to clown around and, is happy to have me home.

She told the daughter about my thrilling experience with the young lady doctor.

They both had a good laugh and, we went out to dinner, while in the big city.

With my Japanese health insurance, it cost about 150 bucks, for everything, yesterday.

It would have totaled over $17,000 if, I had no health insurance. Probably more, in the USA.

When I go back, I'll ask the doctor, "Could you add a little Viagra, to that medicine?"

Then, start dancing around the room singing, "I'm the Hoochie Coochie Man."

Natural Sunburn Treatment Using Aloe Plant

Best Things in Life Are Free

The sunburn and skin medicines I use, grow outside my house and office. Aloe.

It's great for cuts, scratches, rashes, sunburn and, other uses, I haven't tried, yet.

After a few days, under the hot Okinawa sun, I returned home as red as a tomato.

Most folks use lotions on their skin, to prevent ultra violet rays from burning them.

I don't want to get all slippery and, drop a few thousand dollars worth of camera and lens.

So, I get in the shade, whenever I can and, fry in the sunshine, otherwise.

Back in civilization some stalks of aloe get sliced-up with a steak knife.

The barbs, poking out of the plant's sides, need to be trimmed off, unless you want more pain.

These photos were taken with the iPhone. The aloe was refrigerated overnight.

Scientists and purists, might say the cold aloe, won't heal the skin as quickly.

Well, I ain't  a science dude and, quit being pure, many moons ago.

Ice cold aloe, slices easier and, feels great on sunburn !

Once all the spikes are removed, slice the chunks right down the middle.

Then, you have one to hold in each hand. Smear that cold cream all over the sunburn.

Here's an image of the cool medicine, ready to be rubbed on sunburn.

My back, shoulders, face and arms would all get the same treatment.

Before long, the sunburn quits hurting and, my newly tanned hide appears.

If all goes as planned, my skin will just keep getting darker and, no more sunburn will occur this year !


40 Amazing Uses for Aloe


Previous Post: Aloe Plant Could Be Good for Your Health

Likeable Lichen of the Year: Facts and Photos

It Resembles Spanish Moss

Twice, I visited Yohena Gardens this month and, that plant caught my attention.

Researching it, didn't take long because, I shot a photo of the tag, hanging from the specimen.

Saruogase (サルオガセ) was the name written in Japanese.

With that information, I plugged into a Japanese search engine and learned plenty.

Botanical Name: Usena

Common English: Old Man's Beard

Japanese Name: Saruogase (サルオガセ)

Native to: Just about any forest in the world

Uses: Medical Herbalism, Fire Starter and, To Scare People

Herbalists, Scientists and Witchdoctors

Remember this first: Just because I research it, doesn't mean I am a doctor.

The hairy looking plant has been used by Europeans, Native Americans and Chinese.

If, you want to drink some concoction or, stuff it up holes in your body, follow the links.

Some references, I trust, others we, can't be too sure of. They could be quacks.

At the Medicine Woman's Roots, learn how to make teas and tinctures.

Conservacion Patagonia News, reports, the antibiotic plant, treats lung infections.

Eat the Weeds and Other Things to, nibbles on it for carbohydrates and Vitamin C.

Gardenweb Forums has terrestrial information on growing  Usena.

The Herbalist's Path, gives a world history of the plant's usage as a food and medicine.

Ladies with yeast infections, at Susunweed, learn how to, add this to vodka, for treatments.

Northern Woodlands, reports the plant is stronger than penicillin.

Safety Issues, concerning internal usage of the herb, are addressed HERE.

Sustainable Homesteading, gives internal and external uses for Usena.

Those wishing to visit a Japanese Website, may want to check Mountain Wildflowers.

Some mountain folks, claim the herb is used to treat hysterical women.

And, it can stop men from cheating, too !

Armed with All this Information

Some conclusions, come to mind. I'll ask Yohena if, I can take some Saruogase home.

Sounds like it would be nice, to have some hanging from a tree in the garden.

It helps remove pollution from the air and, would be a good treatment for wounds.

Internally, I would probably, never use the stuff. Maybe, test it on the dog.

Women who get yeast infections, that's something I think, they could fix, without this plant.

Just remember, to always buy your yeast from a reliable source and, it shouldn't get infected.

Ask any dude. We get all our yeast from beer and, never get yeast infections !

End of the Week Snapshot -- Gotta Go

Beer Is Great Medicine

Sometimes, I wish I'd have brought a camera along, when I'm off duty.

Things like this, just happen when I'm out at night, preparing for the next day.

There's sort of a custom, where you order two drinks at a time, I've developed.

One, is for me and, the other, goes to whoever brings my first beer of the evening.

The model, offered to let me take this photo, and she was smiling.

Well, I told her, not to worry about her hair and posing with a pretty smile.

All, I wanted was an image of her standing behind those beers. Good practice shot.

But, the beer mugs, are a little off center and, you can't read the Orion Beer part. Dagnabbit !

It's good enough reason, to go back and, do it right next time. Huh?

What's this Got to Do with Medicine?

In case nobody has noticed, I haven't done much work around here, this past week.

A couple of days were lost do to painkilling drugs, the doctor's been feeding me.

Whatever muscle, I yanked wrong, doesn't hurt anymore.  I'm fit and fine.

But, the doc says, I have to keep taking the stuff, until it's all gone. Groan.

Painkillers and muscle relaxers, make me feel like a wet noodle.

They trick your brain. Don't drive or operate machinery. But, can you drink?

That depends, on which kind of drugs you're taking, I figured it out.

Last visit to the doctor, I wore an Orion Beer t-shirt and, asked him if, I could drink the stuff.

He said, "Beer in moderation is OK."

So, I tell whoever is waiting on me, to bring my beers in moderation. No more than, 2 at a time.

Then, I joke and tell them, "Remind me to slow down, when I hit number 17."

An Important Notice

Readers of this blog might want to check the view meter. It's nearing 2,000,000.

More than likely, my celebratory giveaway will be closed after tonight.

The Rules Are Here

Arrangements for selecting winners, must be done tonight.

It could be next weekend, before arrangements, to pick winners are completed.

That means, I have to get outta here and do some more work.

In Japan, we call that nominicating. Drinking while talking, work stuff.

If, I nomicate properly, Miss Pick a Winner, could be discovered tonight.

All I have to do, is locate a beautiful girl, to make the selections.

Tell them something like, "Would you want to get some good exposure on my blog?"

Er, maybe I should say, "Just a little exposure."  Hah !

See you next week.

Plant Photo: Mugwort -- Wormwood -- Dream Sage

Fuuchi-baa in Okinawa

 

 

The herb, grows wild, in this part of the world.

The Japanese call it Yomogi (ヨモギ) and its Latin name is Artemisia princeps.

The wife found some, in the wild, one day and, had to take it home.

 

It doesn't look like anything special, to me.

If someone asked me what it smells like, I'd probably say, "turpentine."

Mrs. RyukyuMike has rescued some and planted it in her garden.  Now I know what it's used for.

She makes Fuchi-baa juushii out of it.

Using leftover rice and, other stuff she, cooks up this mush. Porridge, maybe ?

Anyway, whatever it is, the stuff cures hangovers.  I have proof.

Many Different Varieties Exist Around the Globe

 

 

For each type of plant in the Artemisia Family, you'll probably find a medicinal use.

Remember, I'm not exactly a doctor or, anything like that when you read this stuff.

My research led me to the following:

Acupuncture Today

There, I learned about the Chinese way of burning this stuff in a practice called, 

moxibustion.

Flora of China

They just tell you the plant is used as a medicine.

Herbs Treat and Taste

Talks about the benefits and uses for treating tumors and asthma.

The WebMD

They say it can be used as a tonic for boosting energy and treatment for medical problems.

US National Library of Medicine

Guys, get this.  They say if you stuff your girlfriend's pillow with this stuff.....

.....maybe, she'll dream about you !

The Most Interesting Read 

The Witchipedia

Dudes and Dudettes,  Did you know there was a Witichipedia out there ? 

They have more mystical and magical uses for this stuff than anybody else in the world.

They even call it Sailor's Tobacco.

 Remember, you don't have to believe everything you read.

Conclusion

For now, I'll just stick with the wife's hangover cure.

She couldn't be a witch.  Could she ?

Travel Photo: Alongside a Jungle Stream

This photo was taken in Kunigami, Okinawa, Japan about this time last year.

Today, I spent most of the day at home with one of those winter colds.

Lots of liquids, medicines and soup were consumed and, I'm feeling better.

But, my brain didn't feel like cooperating on the blog tonight.

So, I went and looked at the old photo files and this one inspired me to write.

No matter where you may travel on this planet, a stream like this might be found.

It would be a good idea to find one and enjoy the atmosphere.

Take a picture and save it, too. That's just in case you catch a wicked cold.

It will make you feel better, if you think like me.

Anything, is better than sitting at home, taking medicines and eating chicken soup ! 

Tree Photos: Papaya the Tree That's Good for Your Health

Today I'm just posting a few photos of papaya trees to give you an example of the size.

The tree in the photo above is too tall for me to pick the fruits without using a ladder.

My first papaya tree must have been ten meters (30ft) tall when it had fruits ready to pick.

Then, along came a typhoon.  And snapped the tree right in half.

So, I decided, to keep myself healthy, I'd quit planting papaya.

 Nowadays they've come up with papaya trees that are a lot shorter.

Hah.  I'd be breaking my back bending over to pick them !

Matsudasan, the farmer in the background, was real nice to me.

He gave me a papaya to take home and wouldn't let me pay for it.

Instead of me trying to give a lecture on the health benefits of papaya, read this:

PAPAYA: THE SECRET TO LONGEVITY AND HEALTHY EATING

Do you know traditional medicine could probably put big drug companies out of business ?

That's what I'd be worried about if I was one of them.