Corn!

It all began when I was walking around Ulsan one day and I felt this pain in my foot. I had never had this pain before so later I looked at this hardened skin on the side of my left foot. I wondered what is this and why does it hurt when I walk. Several weeks went by and I would notice this same pain when I wore my tennis shoes. I wear slippers all day at school so there is usually no problem.

I told Karen, two Friday's ago, that I was going to get up the next day, Saturday, and walk over to the hospital near our house and ask my friend, the doctor, what this thing was on my foot. He actually speaks decent English. I feel at this point I should explain the medical system here and the mentality of Korean doctors in general. Most all doctors have offices in the hospital. You don't make appointments, you just show up, sign up and get your check up. We really don't have to wait but about 10 or 15 minutes each time. They don't waste time and they don't beat around the bush, yet they are extremely nice and good at what they do.

So, the next day I got up and walked to the doctor. When I arrived I went in to see my friend, showed him my foot and he said, "You know CORN?" I said, "Yes, I've heard of a corn." To which he replied, "This is corn." I said okay, what can you do about it. He said they can do two things. 1. Put something topical on it or 2. they can cut it out. I said, "Alright, how can I get this done." He said I should go see another doctor. I was led down the hallway by his nurse to another doctor. He saw it and said, "Corn...Go to the next doctor." I went outside his office and went in the room next door. This office had a sign over the door that said, "SURGERY." I talked to this doctor and he spoke pretty good English as well. He said that they should cut it out. I said, "When?" He said, Now!" I asked him if he meant right now and he told me yes. I can't believe the next question I asked but it will give you some indication of what was running through my mind. I asked, "Will it hurt? and he said, "Of course!" Wow! I thought to myself this is a perfect example of living in a different country and a different culture.

He proceeded to tell me to follow his nurse upstairs to the operating room and he would be right there. I went upstairs, took off my flip flops and put on slippers and went into the operating room. Let me tell you, this is the first time in my life I have ever been into an operating room and I was more than a little nervous. Two girls, who spoke no English, pointed to the operating table and I knew what they wanted. I laid down on my stomach and within two minutes the doctor was there. He cleaned my foot and said he was going to numb it. Here I go again with the same question, "Is it going to hurt?" He said, "YES." and boy was he right! The first two shots made me rising up off of the table in pain. After that, I just felt my foot being moved around, pulled and pushed. He was finished within a few minutes. The two girls stood by the bed as if to say, "Get up and follow me." I got up, changed back into my flip flops and went down stairs to see the surgeon in his office. He said I should be running within a few days.

I went out to the cashier and paid the 26,900 Won ($22.37) that the whole thing cost. I walked home and told Karen what I just told you. This is an experience I will never forget and it's actually funny looking back on it. This is just another one of the adventures from our time here in Korea. Perhaps you will remember this story the next time you have corn on your plate.