Blogging from Baoding

[david_dawei]

BTW: the cost is $7000 RMB for both eyes. Should of done it a few years ago...

 

That would be about $1000? If so that's not a bad price for both eyes. How would you rate the place that did it? Top quality? Medium? Bargain?

I did not go inside this facility. I went to the gym and her sister went with her... I got to see some brochures and it looked very professional, clean and hi-tech. We've passed by it's outside previously and so I knew that it was an eye care only facility; not part of a hospital.

 

We actually first went to military hospital which offered the surgery but she was put off by how busy they were that they couldn't even answer questions... so her instinct was that she didn't want to do it there. I think she made the right choice in the end.

 

I'm curious of the cost around china; we're so close to BJ, I encouraged her to check that out but she was obviously [and rightly] comfortable with her own hometown... Again, I think she made the right choice; check-ups are quick and easy to do.

 

One thing that is interesting, which I assume western medicine doesn't do is that she has a strict diet to avoid certain foods for one week to hasten the recovery and sight adjustment process...

[Smitty]

I'll ask my boss about the diet question the next time I see him.

 

Thanks for the information. I've been considering laser eye surgery for a while now, so I like to get info about why people choose the places that they do choose.

[david_dawei]

I'll ask my boss about the diet question the next time I see him.

Unless he knows Traditional Chinese Medicine, I can see where western doctors won't agree with diet restrictions.. but will be interesting to hear any comments.

[Joanne]

I'll ask my boss about the diet question the next time I see him.

Unless he knows Traditional Chinese Medicine, I can see where western doctors won't agree with diet restrictions.. but will be interesting to hear any comments.

 

Right.

 

The explanation is doomed to fail if everything has to be interpreted through ther terminologies of the (western) science (let's try not to argue about what is the definition of "science" ).

[david_dawei]

Yes, the chinese 'science' I believe is: The eyes are "Yin"... so once stressed in some way, return them to Yin.. eat Yin foods...

 

and of course the universal 'science' of rest, minmizing light via dark glasses and eyedrops every few hours help

[david_dawei]

Traveler's Observation

 

My first impression of the foreign vehicles in this city was that the germans once again showed their good relations with china; VW was the main non-chinese vehicle I saw and mostly as a taxi. I've not seen too much change here over the years as VW, Audi, Toyota, Honda still seem to be the dominant foreign vehicles... Once in a while I might see a Ford which was produced here, and I am sure that a few other US manufacturers have plants in china too.

 

I've yet to see the SUV take hold here, although the most popular vehicle is the chinese mini-van; I always thought this the most practical vehicle as you can transport more family/friends.

 

Anyway, I've seen reviews of the auto show in Beijing and they related how the interest in SUVs in china caught most manufacturers by surprise last year and so they 'tooled up' for SUVs for this years show. But in a poor city where pragmatism really seems to trump most other issues, I'm not sure I expect to see SUVs really be popular here for a while.

[chilton747]

I have seen several General Motors Shanghai cars in the southern region.

[Smitty]

Ok, I asked my boss, and finally remembered to post it.

 

He wasn't given any instructions regarding diet to assist in the healing of his eyes.

[rogerluli]

Traveler's Observation

 

My first impression of the foreign vehicles in this city was that the germans once again showed their good relations with china; VW was the main non-chinese vehicle I saw and mostly as a taxi. I've not seen too much change here over the years as VW, Audi, Toyota, Honda still seem to be the dominant foreign vehicles... Once in a while I might see a Ford which was produced here, and I am sure that a few other US manufacturers have plants in china too.

 

I've yet to see the SUV take hold here, although the most popular vehicle is the chinese mini-van; I always thought this the most practical vehicle as you can transport more family/friends.

 

Anyway, I've seen reviews of the auto show in Beijing and they related how the interest in SUVs in china caught most manufacturers by surprise last year and so they 'tooled up' for SUVs for this years show. But in a poor city where pragmatism really seems to trump most other issues, I'm not sure I expect to see SUVs really be popular here for a while.

 

I think we'll be going for the "Chinese mini-van" as David calls the Bread van...Its very practical in many ways...cheap, hauls lots of stuff/people, rear engine/drive for good traction and high road clearance for those "not-so-great" Chinese roads...On the SUV thingie I've seen lots of 'em in my travels..esp. the Mitsubishi version...

[david_dawei]

April 27

Although I've coached and played soccer for many years, I've never even seen a game while in my various trips to china despite it's popularity. I've seen pickup and kickaround games but never ventured to join in.

 

A few days ago I was invited to play pool with a guy who turns out to play on an 'over-the-hill' team... so I got invited to not just come watch but to play as well! I told him I haven't played nor exercised in 3 years; I'd give him 20 minutes top on the 'pitch'. Of course, we overslept the morning meeting and got to the game as it was playing and just watched.. then he came over at half-time and asked if I would go on the field and agreed. Without any warm-up or practice, I simply went through a mental inventory of moves and movements... The greatest difficulty was simply getting him to say where what position he wanted me to play; I kept making the word 'right' but just walked out on the field and then said 'zai nar'? Finally made a motion that I would be better on the left wing... which is of course the position, if play well enough, requires the most running!

 

I tended to play more defensive and simply decided I wouldn't allow their right winger to exploit the outside and made a few runs; all in all, had one shot on goal, passed well enough and came off after 20 minutes. I felt like I could easily of stayed on another 10 minutes but went off. [Of course the next day my legs were saying that probably 15 minutes was more than enough]...

 

After the game, we went out to eat and drink together; one guy mentioned that he saw I did a 'heel pass' which is probably my best move; it is a blind pass while moving in any direction; it is performed with the heel so that the pass is 180 degrees opposite of the direction you are moving. Hopefully it's strategy is obvious as people will chase in the direction you move and then you deliver the ball back to the space everyone is leaving; of course you have to position your run so that another teammate is on the receiving end of your pass.

 

One thing that I learned growing up was competition among 'jocks' is not just on the field; it also takes place in the bar; moral of the story is: don't try to outdrink a jock, they will go to any length to drink as much as possible if it appears like a 'game' is going on... So for that reason, I made no attempt to drink too much with this group but rather to drink as I played; carefully...

 

My suspicions were well founded as these guys brought out bottle after bottle of 'bai jiu' which of course seems the anti-thesis to hours of exhaustive running on a field...but boys will be boys. It's probably good that we had an appointment to be somewhere as there would of been really no way of 'exiting' the drinking politely and the outcome for me would of been fairly certainly in an alley. Also it was good that it was lunch time and we had to go out for a few hours, so I could sober up during that time.

 

One thing that I learned in my first two trips to china is that nobody can outdrink my wife's older sister; this was confirmed at this lunch with the ratpack... I've tried in previous trips to china and realized that sometimes humble pie tastes good. But that may of been what really turned up the drinking competition at lunch and a good thing that we had to be somewhere.

 

Anyways... my legs are really sore... I've got a ping pong appointment today and going to the gym tonight; They already said they are looking forward to next saturday's game with me, so I've got my work cut out for me to get my stamina quickly higher...

[david_dawei]

April 30

Had a strange 12 hour fever which peaked at midnight... was offered an "IV" of miracle water but declined B)

 

I said it was too late to go out and find an open clinic (of course it's easy enough but that was my excuse)... I was told that the "IV" would be done bedside good trump card

 

Then I said I wasn't dehydrated... I was asked, "what's that mean?" I said I looked at my piss and it's clear so my fluids are ok.. I was asked again, "what's that mean?"

 

That's wife talk for, 'that means nothing... admit it'... finally said I don't need to pump any sugar water into my body... and that was trumped with an offer of exotic medicines or a shot of penicillin in the ass...

 

My first thought was.... wonder who does that house call

 

----

 

Also went to see the new Jackie Chan - Jet Li movie at a movie theatre here; first time in five trips I've been to the theatre... probably the reason is because her friend asked me if I wanted to go to see a movie and I said I'd love to since I've yet to go in five trip! A few days later, my wife takes me

 

I was just a little disappointed in the movie but I won't spoil it for anyone.... I guess I just expected more but I'm guessing based on Jackie's past comments that there has not been a script they could agree on I can see why they did this one; they both got to have the kind of gongfu fun that is really at their roots... I would of liked something almost more epic and refined but it had alot of philosophical overtunes and so I did enjoy that... It's already being sold in DVD here too.

Edited April 30, 2008 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[lostness]

April 30

Had a strange 12 hour fever which peaked at midnight... was offered an "IV" of miracle water but declined B)

 

I said it was too late to go out and find an open clinic (of course it's easy enough but that was my excuse)... I was told that the "IV" would be done bedside good trump card

 

Then I said I wasn't dehydrated... I was asked, "what's that mean?" I said I looked at my piss and it's clear so my fluids are ok.. I was asked again, "what's that mean?"

 

That's wife talk for, 'that means nothing... admit it'... finally said I don't need to pump any sugar water into my body... and that was trumped with an offer of exotic medicines or a shot of penicillin in the ass...

 

My first thought was.... wonder who does that house call

 

----

 

Also went to see the new Jackie Chan - Jet Li movie at a movie theatre here; first time in five trips I've been to the theatre... probably the reason is because her friend asked me if I wanted to go to see a movie and I said I'd love to since I've yet to go in five trip! A few days later, my wife takes me

 

I was just a little disappointed in the movie but I won't spoil it for anyone.... I guess I just expected more but I'm guessing based on Jackie's past comments that there has not been a script they could agree on I can see why they did this one; they both got to have the kind of gongfu fun that is really at their roots... I would of liked something almost more epic and refined but it had alot of philosophical overtunes and so I did enjoy that... It's already being sold in DVD here too.

 

I was a little disappointed in the movie as well. I'm also jealous that you got to to a theatre...I wanted to do that when I was there and see The Warlords (ͶÃû×´). But, being thoughtful and practical, my fiance downloaded a bootleg copy onto her cell phone and we watched during the plane ride to Kunming (in between the flight attendants stopping by every 20 minutes to tell her to shut off her phone). An equally as cool experience.

[Smitty]

I was disappointed in the movie also. I found it almost too cartoon like.

[xiaofeizhu]

How are your wife's eyes? I have been wearing glasses since I got to China 9 months ago because dad in law says I should get the surgery (he's an eye doctor, studied at a prestegious hospital in Beijing) I'm deathly afraid of anything bad happening to my eyes. Is your wife satisfied now that some time has passed? How bad were here eyes to begin with? Mine are 20/600something...Both my hubby's older sisters had theirs done in Beijing several years ago and they love it...I think I have to pay 10,000 RMB. One month no beach? Ugh.

[david_dawei]

May 1

Just past midnight and the holiday will commence...

 

But I encountered what I have considered the most dangerous aspect of being in Baoding; I had created this theory some years ago but never shared it and never encountered it personally... tonight I have

 

Some may think that traffic is dangerous.. or that a wife's friend paying too much attention to you (ok, in any culture, that will be a close second)...

 

The most dangerous aspect of Baoding is, IMO, eating fish

 

One can get too accustomed to eating fish and not do the proper division of fish and bone in their mouth; the mouth must be a workhorse which has the gears ever-working to sift out the bone...

 

Ironically enough, and I deserved it tonight, I was comtemplating my theory while eating fish and low and behold I got caught in the compliant swallow

 

I quickly realized the errors of my comtemplative ways and quickly took off to the bathroom to see if I could reverse the course of the tettering bone somewhere in my throat; of course, don't breath too deeply; in fact drop into a gi gong state if you will... That didn't work of course.

 

I went back to the table with the feeling of bone-in-throat and did what I have seen as the only remedy; eat a ton of rice and push that sucker down the chute as quickly as possible; then let the stomach acids do the work to tear it apart into... well you know where it will come out as slush eventually...