Fond Farewell

Well, I made it safely back home to Los Angeles, after a fond farewell to all of my new Chinese friends in Chengdu. It was an incredible month, and I learned so much. I look forward to putting all this new information into practice with my patients at home (well, maybe not the fire needling...). I'd like to say a very special thank-you to all of the folks in Chengdu who made this trip unforgettable: all of our teachers at the hospital, our interpreters Jenny and May, Mr. Xie and his family, Dr. Zhang and his family, the "mei nu" (beautiful girls) who worked in the administrative office, the doctors and nurses who took care of me when I was sick, our hotel staff, and the poor waitresses at all the local restaurants who patiently helped us when we tried to order dinner every night. I miss you all already!

For those of you who would like to see more pictures, I am currently sorting through the 800+ photos I took in the last month, and will soon be posting the best of them online. Please check back in a few days for the link.

Oh, and one more thank-you: to all of you readers who faithfully following along in my journey! Xie xie!

A random assortment of pictures

Hi Readers,

Well, my China trip is nearing its end, so today I'm sharing some pictures that didn't make the cut with earlier blog entries. Enjoy!

Getting ready for a children's art class at People's Park

Always good advice

A bustling Saturday at Jing Li Road, a shopper's paradise (also where I got food poisoning).

A patient doing her own moxa in the dermatology clinic. When I took this picture, I pondered trying to explain the concept of "bagging one's own groceries" to the Chinese doctors, then I decided just to keep my mouth shut.

A family enjoying the lake at People's Park

Beyond Chengdu

This weekend we finally got to see some of the area beyond our city of Chengdu. Dr. Zhang and his daughter Yao took us to the Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, a village about 2 hours outside of Chengdu.

The irrigation system built there over 2,000 years ago is a testament to Chinese ingenuity. Li Bing, prefect of Sichuan at the time, decided to put an end to the devastating annual floods that plagued the region, and designed an irrigation system that is still in use today and has made Sichuan the most agriculturally prosperous region in China. Li Bing and his workers had to break through one sizable rocky hill to allow the water of the Min river flow onto the Chengdu plain, then they constructed a man-made island levee to divert some of the river onto farmland. Mind you, this all happened in the 3rd century BC. The enormity of the undertaking really hits you when you're standing on a man-made island with a foundation of bamboo and rocks, knowing that it has been there for 2,000 years and will probably be around for at least 2,000 more.

The beautiful hillsides surrounding the river are dotted with temples honoring Li Bing and his workers. We hiked along the stone pathways, savoring the fresh air and the ever-present sound of the Min river flowing along its course, a constant reminder of Li Bing's revolutionary engineering feat.

Priceless

Three days in a private hospital room: 300 RMB
One abdominal ultrasound: 41 RMB

One physical exam and bloodwork: 256 RMB

One ECG: 18 RMB

Ten liters of intravenous fluids: 337 RMB

One 300-meter ambulance ride: 82 RMB

Getting all of the above for less than $150: priceless

Yes, today I paid the Chinese hospital bill for my food poisoning episode and the total came to 1034 RMB, or about $138. If anyone has any insight into how much these services might cost in an American hospital, please share!

A sea of Ju Hua

Today we journeyed to People's Park with our professor Dr. Zhang and his family. It's a beautiful huge city park with something for everyone: carnival rides, tai chi practice, karaoke, tango lessons, tea houses, impromptu chorales of traditional Chinese music, paddle boats, and a dedicated grove of trees where parents can scope out potential mates for their children (there are even signs indicating that this is the express purpose of this grove).

As luck would have it, we came to People's Park in midst of the 2-week annual Chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) Festival. The park was positively filled with chrysanthemums - there were thousands of them everywhere.

So here's a quick Chinese herbal lesson (my students should know this - Ju Hua is one of the herbs we learn in my class). Ju Hua is sweet, bitter and cool, and enters the Lung and Liver channels. It releases the exterior, so it's used to treat the common cold. It also benefits the eyes, and can treat red eyes and blurry vision. Recent studies have even shown that Ju Hua is effective in treating hypertension. So what are you waiting for? Celebrate the fall season and immerse yourself in a sea of Ju Hua - it's good for you!

Our little corner of Chengdu

Hi Everyone,

I have to apologize for the sporadic posts and pictures lately. Between burning my face and being hospitalized in a foreign country, it's definitely been a week to remember. I haven't had many opportunities to take pictures in the last several days, so today I'm just posting some photos of our neighborhood that I've collected during our time here. It's a residential area that is active at all times, day and night. There are small shops and eateries, and everyone is friendly. It seems like many of the locals have become accustomed to the sight of Lisa, Prajna and me walking down the street, and many people shout out "Hello!" and wave when we walk by.

If you're wondering, the jars in the second picture contain different herbal medicinal wines. Prajna tried one yesterday, and apparently it tastes mostly like grain alcohol and very little like anything related to herbs, medicine, or wine. But hey, they promote longevity. To your health!

Meet the Jetsons

Truly, we are living in an amazing time. Scientists have sent a man to the moon. Doctors can replace a diseased heart with an artificial one. A microwave oven will bake a potato in under 5 minutes. And tonight I got to video conference with my sister's third-grade classroom halfway around the world in Woolwich, Maine. How cool is that?

Thanks to Skype, during this little adventure I have been able to talk to my husband face-to-face every day, chat with friends and family, and answer my sister's students' questions about pandas, acupuncture, and how to safely cross the road in China. It sure makes me feel a lot closer to home, despite that 22-hour journey to get here.

Now I'm just holding out for a flying car.