Upon waking up in Japan, you are hungry. To your stomach, it feels like 3:00 in the afternoon and you haven’t eaten all day actually it is beacuse their time is 13 hrs ahead. It worked out well for working in Japan beause I could do a day’s work here and then  at the end of the day, I would send a report of that day to my office by fax ( seems such old technology now, at the time, it was almost a miracle for international business). But in the 2000s my daily report from Japan was by email.  It’s  waiting at my office in San Antonio when everyone arrived.

Today we plan to sight see and visit the hospital that is sponsoring the conference that I am speaking

We went to Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases. We had a tour and did some video filming. It’s always of interest to see the differences between US and Japan. The last time I gave a speech at that hospital, I walked in thinking, I supposed to lecture on hospital infection control? I think they need some soap, water, and a coat of paint. The hospital had been remodeled.

Patients are in 4-6 bed rooms and no private bath. There is one make and one female bath on the floor/ward.

The person that invited me to speak, Tei a pharmacist.After saying our goodbyes at the hospital, one of the doctors, Dr Itoh, walked with us to the Osaka Castle.

Osaka Castle “Osaka Jo” is the most beautiful ancient castles in all of Japan. I have seen most of them.

It was late in the afternoon, so the sun was just above the castle, not a good time for pictures. We walked and walked all around the grounds. There’s not much to see inside the castle.

Chris and I left San Antonio on Wed, Jan 29, 2014 for the flight to Osaka, Japan.

It was what I always dreaded, the long torturous flight. From San Antonio to San Francisco it was 3 1/2 hrs, and from SF to Osaka 11 1/2 hrs. You are so tired upon arrival. The immigration line too forever, they are now photographing and finger printing every foreign visitor.

After a $120.00 taxi ride, ( I forgot that Osaka had a new airport outside of the city) made it to the hotel.

It was a large, new, “tourist class” hotel, unlike the “business class” (tiny rooms) hotels, I usually stay at. Had dinner, “steakee”, Japanese small but tasty steak.

The time change is significant, Japan is 13 hrs ahead of the US. You are so tired, it feels so good to finally get to stretch our your bones in bed. The days and night are reversed, so part of jet lag is waking up every 2 hrs. Finally at 4:30 am, its time to get up.

Upon arrival, I recalled all the negative things I did not like, such as the hazy sky and poor air quality. After dinner, I was reminded of some of the things I really like about Japan…. I asked one of the workers at the restaurant where a convenient store was near the hotel? He gave me directions. I was outside walking down the street away from the hotel….when one of the young waiters came running after me, he had the map to the “Convenie” on his Ipad and gave me directions again. The Convenie was just on the corner.

It was surprising to me that my Japanese language was still there, tucked on some remote corner of my brain. I had rarely used it, except occasionally at the station.. there is no better way to say an ernest “thank you: but in Japanese.

When I left Japan in 2006, I was sure that I would never return. After 17 years of traveling to Japan 3 or 4 times a year, some years I went 6 times, I was done.

My beloved husband was diagnosed with cancer, I now had another focus. I didn’t keep up with my Japanese friends. Generally, I felt that after all the medical education, lecturing I provided, not one really cared. That was my other life, and I moved on and found fulfillment as a radio host.

This summer of 2013, I surprisingly received an email from a Japanese pharmacist I knew. I had given a lecture at his hospital on hospital infection control. He asked me to give a speech on Cancer Chemotherapy in the USA. I said thank you, but no. I don’t do that anymore.

He sent me many emails with the same request. I continued to say no, but offered to find them someone. With encouragement from my adult son, Chris, who loves Japan, and wanted to go with me, I began to consider it.

I thought of other nurses, but they would have no knowledge of the Japanese system. they would not know the key points to address such as the lack of informed consent and little awareness of the cancer diagnosis patients are provided in Japan.

What finally changed my thinking, is a email from Tei, saying ” we don’t care what you talk about, we just want YOU, Ann San. I said OK.

Another lesson of never say never.