Visiting the Doctor in Hong Kong: A Comedy in 3 Parts

For those who know me, this photo is obviously not me... this is one of our LTS students from mainland China, performing an exquisite liturgical dance. 

I like to think that she represents the inner me, though -- this is how I see myself and how I hope to look in the New Creation, ok?

In Old Earth life, though, I am a good deal older and fatter than this --- and it was time for my first medical check up at a Hong Kong clinic this week, so  I thought I'd share a few of my observations with you all.

Part I  --  I had hoped the Chinese had invented a better way of doing mammograms, but no, it was the same, same deal, only with much tinier changing rooms (think airplane toilet and then cut the space in half) and no small talk to calm shaky nerves (my sister has stage IV breast cancer and I think every female on both sides of my family has had it... so I figure I'm a walking time bomb.  However, I'm pleased to report that everything is clear for another year).

Part II -- For a stool sample I was handed a container the size and shape of a pharmacy pill bottle.  Nothing else, just this empty pill bottle, handed to me by a nurse with very rudimentary English who didn't look like she wanted to be asked any questions.  You may not want to think about that for very long, and I'm not going to say anything else about it.

Part III --  I had all my appointments on Monday and the nurse dutifully wrote down my weight....  XX number of kilos.... which is exactly the same weight as I'd been when I left the USA.... and I could have sworn that I lost weight!  So for four and a half days I have been totally totally bummed about this, feeling sluggish and mad and sorry for myself.  All this extra exercise I'm getting in Hong Kong (we have no car here) and all this walking up and down the mountain and over to the metro station and up the steps and down the steps, and no weight loss at all??!?

But this morning, on my jogging path, it suddenly came to me... I did the math wrong!!!!  I had multiplied by 2 then added 20% instead of just multiplying by 2.2 (kilos x 2.2 = pounds)... So actually, I really and truly HAVE lost more than 10 pounds here in Hong Kong!!!

See, I'm already on my way to looking more and more like the beautiful woman in the picture.

Life is good!

I know that my redeemer  lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 
    ²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed,  yet  in  my flesh I will see God;
    ²⁷ I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.
       How my heart yearns within me!   -- Job 19:25