Pneumonia

Now I finally understand why we were sweating away and I was coughing up blood for the last week- I was officially diagnosed with pneumonia by nice Dr. Yamada today who was kind enough to phone me at work this afternoon. 

"Take rest," he said. Get stuffed! I'll rest when I am on the beach next month! 

This might also explain why I have felt so dull and tired and ill the last few weeks. Caffeine-laced genki drinks and pills are extremely effective, in fact I got quite fond of some of the pills supplied by Okada Sempai, but you know, you can't really lie to your body about these things. I sort of knew something was wrong when I started coughing up blood when we landed in Japan! 

This means that all Karate is off this week while I recover- last week was off because I had pains in my lungs, moving to my back. The gym staff were quite worried when I wobbled off the exercise bike last Monday and staggered over to the balcony and starting wheezing and cacking up like some old traction engine.  Here is a nice shot of me doing ido kihon. Note the kiai at the end! The blood started the day after.

Doing Karate you expect a ribbing now and again. But you don't expect your own body to have a go at you as well! 

Given that until last year I used to be a smoker, all those white smudges on the chest X-ray over the Saturday got me thinking.

I will try to update Isaka Sensei's Sit Down Basics this week, but I'll try to use the time I can't go to Karate to catch up on work!

Normal service (whatever that is) will be resumed next week!

Yoroshiku ;-)

Paul.,