Rant time…
I was going to finally do my 101 things update for May today but there was a change of plans and instead I am going to rant. Today there are two things on my mind that are really pissing me off so here goes….
I had thought I had pretty much overcome my morning sickness- this morning when I woke up I felt a little quesy but that has become fairly normal for me an I had no trouble eating my toast and vegemite for breakfast along with a glass of OJ. I was fine walking to the station, but started to feel sick as I got the to the trainstation but thought I was fine. Well I guess not- I had to change trains at Akihabara and it was all I could do to stop myself vomitting on the actual train and instead I got off at Akihabara and vommited on the train platform and again in the bathrooms. I felt bad for the commuters (and the toilet goers) but vomitting in a squat toilet is also so gross and makes you want to vomit more.
I was on my way to meet my friend James to go to JAF to get my license translated into Japanese so that next week I can get my Japanese license. I messaged him and said I was going to be a bit late and after that i was fine. I had vietnamese for lunch (nasi goreng) and have been fine since but am starting to feel a bit quesy now. I do wonder if it was the fact I had kimichi for dinner last night but seriously if it was that I think I would of been sick last night.
I hate vomitting and it annoys me because I wasn`t expecting to get sick since I really thought that apart from curry I was over my morning sickness! GAH!
Second rant for the day- well where to start. I do not have health insurance here. I am supposed to be put on Shun`s health insurance because I am not working at the moment and even if I do will probably early under 100,000 a month working part-time so therefore am entitled to go on to his company insurance. They are making it increasingly difficult for us though and send Shun home everyday with another thing we need or something I need to write on instead of telling him from the start EVERYTHING he is going to need. Because I wasn`t in Japan on the January 1 this year there is one piece of paper I can not get (something to do with tax/living here? I dont remember the name) and Shun`s mum rang the shiakusho and they said I can`t get it because I wasn`t here and that the company should just take a copy of my passport to show this INSTEAD they are making Shun go all the way to Nakano and get the peice of paper for me from the year before. And even then they are not guranteeing I can go on his insurance.
Now the biggest problem with this is that when I went for my first hosptial visit here for goma-chan they couldn`t do much cos I didn`t have my boshi techo (baby book issued by the ward office) or insurance so they said to come back in two weeks when I had both since they couldn`t do anything until then.
I thought I was booked into this hospital now but Shun thinks they haven`t booked me in yet cos I didnt have a boshi techo or insurance last time and they are waiting for those two things. This wouldnt be a big worry except that recently in Japan pregnant women are getting turned away from clinics and hospitals because they are going to be too full around the time you give birth. I was already late getting to my clinic and I am starting to panic that I won`t be able to get a spot AND that I won`t be able to find anywhere else to give birth. We have an appointment scheduled for the 20 June and I had assumed that I would definitely have insurance by then but that is looking more and more unlikely.
I am so annoyed that they are making us jump through so many hoops for me to be put on Shun`s insurance when since I am not working it should of been easy because we are married. GAH! I might just have to go ask the city hall if I can go on normal health insurance by myself especially if we can`t sort this out soon. Last time I was in Japan though I was refused even that since I was on a working holiday visa to begin with- seriously here it seems like everything is so much effort.
So yes, not only do I still have morning sickness but I also have no insurance and possibly no hospital to give birth at. I am definitely freaking out…
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Ohhh how stressful! I am totally with you on being sick. Ewwwww. I can deal with no end of bottom problems with the girls but sick? shudder! And I ended up with the kid with food allergies, huh?
On the hospital thing, I didn’t realise the city had these issues, too. I don’t know whether you’ve tried it but when I was having no end of hassle getting my hello work stuff sorted I took a book and went on a day trip to the city office. Took a number, was incredibly polite and just kept getting passed around until I had a FULL list of all the paperwork I needed, where to get it and where to submit it. I think sometimes the pregnant foreigner thing works better than the toe the line businessman.
AWWW big hugs!! Wow – I can’t believe they are being so stick up the bum about the whole insurance thing?! That seems pretty ridiculous that they are making you jump through all those hoops and that Shun will have to make a trip so far away just to get one little thing. I can’t believe they wouldn’t let you on his insurance though… the one thing do is keep being ‘urusai’ about it. Like Heather said something about being a foreigner.. esp. a pregnant one seems to fluster the bureacracy quite a bit and you can usually end up getting something done. I just hope you can get it by your next appt. Hopefully the clinic at least will be understanding at let you reserve with just the boshitecho since you actually CAN’T use insurance at the hospital to pay for the appts. At least.. in my experience.
As for m/s aww you poor thing. I had the exact same thing though – I felt I was over it and then it came back with avengance and I puked outside my office or in the toliet every day for about a week or so. It’s really hard to put the cause to just one thing since it can be food triggered, hunger triggered, or even just surge of hormone triggered… I do know one thing though – it Isn’t fun.
Big hugs and hope that everything with your licence goes through without a hitch. Adjusting to any more, esp. an international one is hard so I’m hoping its smooth sailing for you guys from here on out.
Oh Lulu, it sounds like an awfully stressful day!! *BIG HUGS*
I can’t believe all the trouble they are making you both go through just to get you on Shun’s health insurance. It really seems like they are not only wasting your time but theirs as well. When I got put on Naoki’s insurance the whole thing was done in a week… I would definitely do what Heather and Sara have said and get down to the city government and find out for yourself what is going on!
Sara made a good point – you can’t pay at the clinic using your insurance anyway so hopefully it won’t be a big problem if you have only your boshitecho… I’m sorry I have no real advic for you on this one because I haven’t had to do any of it yet. I really hope your clinic is understanding and lets you reserve your place there. You have been once and early on in the pregnancy so I don’t know how they could reject you…
Good luck with getting your Japanese license. I really think that you shouldn’t have any problems there!!
*HUGS*
Wow, that sucks that you are having such a hard time with all the paperwork. But, I guess that is pretty normal in Japan for things like that to take time, right!!! I would be beside myself with such a long time in between check ups while waiting for that insurance. I know that normally if you dont have your insurance, you can pay in full and get reembursed later… I wonder if you can do that? Might be expensive at the start, but better to have peace of mind right!? Gosh, even if it meant paying a month of the national health insurance to tide you over while you wait for Shun’s company to get their act together, it would be better than not being insured at all right… that is if you can afford it of course. Ask you MIL to look into the National HEalth Insurance scheme, cos I am sure you can pay by the month. That is what people do when they are in between jobs… HTH.
OMG Girl, you did not have this figured out before you got preggers? I don’t know what to say, but Shun’s company should not be taking this long, what’s the deal with them?
I second paying in full upfront and just get reimbursed later, otherwise you don’t have any other choices, in the meantime until your husbands insurance kicks in. Definitely get on the National Health Insurance until Shun’s company picks up their half.
I’m so sorry you’ve been feeling so shitty =(
As for the puking on the train… I always carried a few plastic grocery bags in my purse just incase I needed to throw up in a public place. Makes it a little nicer and easy to clean up. Only ever had to use one in a taxi and the driver LOVED me for it lol.
You should be okay still. I didn’t book my hospital until 16 weeks. I think the bigger hospitals are bookable even later though. Don’t worry too much! (I got my boshi techo before I had insurance though… I needed my visa first for that, which I didn’t get until I was about 10 weeks. Just meant I had to pay about 5000 a visit at the ladies clinic.)
Good luck!!!
LOL @ Khea and her magic bag
How many times did you have JUST THE RIGHT THING when we were hanging out in Ueno?!
I`m so sorry you are going through all this. Its hard enough being pregnant.
I`m trying to remember what we needed for the handbook….I think the hospital gave us a piece of paper to bring to city hall but am not 100% certain.
Yes, the hospital situation is horrible. I went to the dr 3 times (4 weeks, 5 weeks and then 7 weeks) before they would confirm that I was pregnant and by that time (well by 5 weeks) the hospital was already booked. Even the hospitals near my ILs were all booked (luckily they knew a dr who referred us). I just kept thinking at 5 weeks all the hospitals are booked, what do people do “I think I`ll get pregnant this week and book my spot….”?
I`m not sure about the health insurance at the hospital because although I was 100% positive that pregnancy isn`t covered by health insurance, the hospital makes me hand over my health card every visit.
I think your husbands company is just being stupid, it really shouldn`t take long to put you on his health insurance when you can just go down to your ward office and get it done on the same day.
sounds like you’re having a tough time! *hugs* unfortunately i have no advice but i definitely have a sympathetic ear!!
Hi everyone thanks for all the comments. My clinic is a private clinic and I think they just want to make sure I have insurance even though I can`t use it to pay for stuff. That said my insurance does cover some of the tests they do like blood etc. Apparently it just doesn`t cover the birth (which is conflicting as that is not what I thought) It is quite a popular clinic and I really think they just wanted to make sure I have insurance and boshi techo and everything before they accept me- maybe it is because I am foreign, I don`t know. It is not like I am going to do a runner- I really need the hospital, to you know, help me give birth. Kind of stupid really.
I have my boshi techo- That was easy- I just filled in a form and told them how many weeks I was and got it. I needed nothing from my dr but he said if I had issues to show my scan. That was easy though.
The insurance is proving to be more of an issue. If we don`t have it sorted by this Friday then I will be going to sign up for national health insurance- I have been turned away from that before though which is also my fear this time. Hopefully I will have no issues though. It is relatively cheap to go on normal health insurance anyway- about 2800 a month if I remember correctly for the first year.
Khea- I had to laugh. You are seriously macgayver! I am definitely going to be carrying plastic bags from now on.
I wish I could get on my husbands health insurance just by going to the ward office but it has to be done through his stupid office apparently. It is really pissing me off.
You won’t get turned away from the national health insurance as you are married and have the right to reside in Japan now. It will all sort itself out in the end- boo to Shun’s company for making it difficult. I have a serious hatred of Japanese HR departments as I am constantly having a run-in with ours and they are very “katai” generally.
As for morning sickness- I was SO sick until about 24 weeks and it was hard work staying positive about it. BUT I kept telling myself that bad m/s is a good sign of a healthy sticky baby and that is something to be grateful for. I am not looking forward to the prospect of being that sick again if I am ever blessed with another pregnancy but I read somewhere that having a baby with a different partner has been proven to show a decrease in m/s if you had it badly the first time around! (Which is something I will hold onto! LOL!) It all evens itself out somewhere though. I had an awful pregnancy but a relatively easy birth.
Hi Lulu. I followed you here from my blog now
Sorry about the morning sickness, I know it can really suck. Proceedural things can be such a downer as well, especially when people make it harder than it should be! I hope it clears up for you soon. As for insurance not covering the birth do make sure you check with your ward office because some offer money back on births. Not sure the exact name but I think it is seperate from the insurance. Here in Osaka we got 300,000 yen back after ds was born which covered most of our private hospital expenses.
Hi Lulu, occaisional lurker here..firstly congratulations on your pregnancy (and marriage!)..I just had my baby daughter last Nov here in Shikoku..As for insurance, the sticking point might be what type of visa you are on. Did you change your working holiday visa to a spouse visa? If so, you should have no probs getting your own insurance from the ward office. I did the same thing, then finally was able to be put on my husbands insurance last year.
Hope all goes well and the morning sickness gets better (for some reason Calorie Mate helped me instead of `normal`meals..I dont even like the stuff but was recommended to try it by a friend)…worked most of the time..go for the choccie ones
I know it is not similar concerning a birth, but I remember when I had to run around from dentist to hospital for x-rays and paperwork and to the kusuriya and ’round again because only point b can help you with point a – it’s so frustrating. Here’s for hoping they’re not putting you through the loops just because they can and that it all falls into place sooner rather than later. If you are married to a Japanese national and are clearly in need of this insurance (hello, bureaucracy, pregnant lady here!) hopefully they’ll get their toes in line a lot sooner.
Good luck!:)
I”m sorry to hear about all the trouble you are having. Unfortunately living in the US I can’t give you any advice but I hope that they smarten up and give you your insurance very soon. I haven’t had any children yet so I can’t comment on the morning sickness either but I hope you feel better soon! The plastic bag idea is great, I should carry those on my train rides to and from work in case.
Wah, poor thing!
I vomitted in a classroom bin once, not fun! Ewwww, so know what you mean about squat toilets making you want to vomit more!
Don’t stress about eating kimchi, I think no matter what you eat, morning sickness will either come or not come, without much warning unfourtunately.
I had a massive panic about health insurance too, I’d been in Japan for 2 years with no insurance so when I went to the city office they told me I owed a zillion yen in back-pay and even then they didn’t know if I could get on the national insurance, I then went into a sobbing OHMYGODI’MPREGNANTIHATETHISSYSTEMANDJAPANANDEVERYTHINGGGGGG!!! kind of hissy fit and the man saw how desperate I was and wiped the debt and put me on the insurance.
I’m sure it will be worked out soon and you’ll have no problem booking into the clinic, I know it’s hard but try not to stress!
Aww Hen, that sucks! just when you need to be relaxing! hope it all works out for you soon! xxx
darn-it. Just wrote a long comment but Reo pressed a button and erased. Now i’ll make it quick. CONGRATULATIONS! Sorry I totally missed the news about Goma-chan, when I was reading this post I was like “morning sickness? huh?” and had to scroll down to the couple of posts I missed.
And… gambatte. Japanese Burocreaucy can be a real…… (you fill it in). It will all work out I am sure but they will make it so unneccesarily complicated.
Blah to red tape in this country and sorry that you have this stress,and just at the same time as the m/s comes back for Part 2.Hope both are sorted out very very soon.
Thank you everyone! It seems now the issue is that I might not have paid the correct amount of tax at my last job which is also causing issues. Gah, I have had enough. I just want insurance and if I am not guranteed to be getting onto Shun`s by Monday when I come back from Niigata then I will go and get the regular kenkou hoken.
Was sick again this morning- I think it is stress. I feel like crap now. I went out for a couple of hours to study but couldn`t concentrate and felt sick so am home now having a rest upstairs.
Hopefully as Marianne said, both things are sorted very soon!
I threw up on a tree in the middle of a busy intersection in Barcelona…having just jumped off the bus in the nick of time. Good memories. Good luck sorting everything out – it still amazes me that they don’t cover childbirth here. We even had to pay 30,000¥ extra because Matilda was born on a Sunday!