http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi by the director of Iwase General Hospital ja http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=27 A visitor came to see our hospital this week. He is the one who picked up our hospital as a candidate for his clinical training of next year. The nuclear accident brought about a drastic fall in the number of doctors in Fukushima. We appreciate that he visited us in such circumstances. We recognize doctor shortage as a pressing issue in order to protect the lives of local residents. We’d like to have as many trainees as possible to restore medicine popularity in Sukagwa. Our task is to water the seeds so that they grow to bear fruits as great doctors in the future. Ｔhe medicine students, please visit us! The whole hospital surely gives you a big welcome. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-05-16T18:36:18+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=26 The Cherry blossoms are at their peak in Sukagawa. This is one of cherry trees at our hospital. Behind this is the outpatient wing. The portion of our hospital has been under demolition work at the moment. We expect construction to begin in September and new outpatient wing is now due to open in June 2013. Please click the following URL for more information! http://www.iwase-hp.jp/about/new_visitor_building_info/new_visitor_building_info_menu.html Junichi Miura sukagawa 2012-04-25T11:05:16+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=25 Time is flying by and spring has come again. I feel this is the way we get old. I did some research on anti-aging recently. What every books has in common is “Moderate daily exercise and a well-balanced diet are the most effective measures.” Anti-aging will be secret to our longevity at the same time. I’d like to make Sukagawa a city with long living healthy people. First of all, I have to be in good condition for this purpose. So I decided to go jogging at the offset. Exercise in the early morning makes me feel refreshed. Spring has come and the cherry blossoms are going to be out. How about just start doing something for anti-aging this spring? Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-04-16T14:03:00+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=24 One of our colleagues left our hospital a few years ago. She was a great nurse. She quitted her job and started taking up farming. She launched “Farm House Inn” on the 11th March this year. Aiming to enable city women to enjoy nature in Fukushima, and then to refresh their mind and body. That is her wish. To lose experienced staff was a heavy loss for us. However, I recognized her as our compeer still now, as she had an aspiration for “healing” even in a different field. “If there is anything we can do…” Being impressed with my offer, she smiled like a sunflower. May many people cleanse themselves with her warmth.... Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-03-22T14:34:52+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=23 I read “Time for outrage” written by Strphane Hessel over the weekend and it reminded me of something important. I used to live in the U.S and Canada for several years. Through the life there, I learnt a lot in terms of not only medicine but their cultures. I reckon Japanese are quiet and modest in comparison with western people. Especially, people in Tohoku area are not good at showing emotions. You might say modesty is a virtue of Japanese, but that depends. It wouldn’t hurt if we get angry at what is happening in Fukushima. One year had passed since “that day”, yet still now, we are surrounded by mountain pile of problems. Let’s assume that we are outraged enough in our minds, but who understands our situation without showing it? Nobody would do anything unless we express our challenges and difficulties. Modesty is a virtue of Japanese. However, the outrage would be justified if that anger leads to any hope. I was quietly pondering such a thing over the weekend. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-03-06T10:10:19+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=22 Today, I heard birdsong around me. Still very cold and windy outside, but I feel footsteps of spring coming towards to Sukagawa. It has been almost a year since the great earthquake occurred. What do you think? What do you feel? What do you miss and what do you need? I ‘d like to be always sensitive to your pain, not to fade the memory of the disaster. Junichi Miura fukushima fukushima 2012-03-02T11:26:46+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=21 KOKORONO SOUDANSHITSU (counselling room –for minds and hearts-) was launched on the 21st on January, and since then we provide the counselling monthly. Dr. Naoki Yoshiyama, a professor of Bunri University of Hospitality, concerned with mental health problem after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and kindly became our consultant as a psychosomatic medicine doctor. His warm smile will definitely encourage confused people, inside and outside Sukagawa. Besides, our mental health team invited professors, Mr. Masato Ishizaki and Ms. Jyunko Yoshimura, and led a hospital study session on the 27th January. Mr. Ishizaki is a professor of the University of Tokyo. Ms. Yoshimura is a professor of Tsurumi University and also a clinical psychotherapist. Mr. Ishizaki and I have been acquaintance for some time now, and he has been providing strong support to our hospital. He introduced us Ms. Yoshimura, and that enabled us to hold the study session this time. According to Ms. Yoshimura, mental conditions are prone to get worse after a while rather than immediate aftermath. She showed us the basic knowledge on mental health with useful therapy methods. Mr. Ishizaki and Ms. Yoshimura visit us on regular basis. It would be great if each of our staffs learn a lot about mental health, and eventually give their hands to their neighbours. Through the great earthquake, we have lost a lot. However at the same time, I feel like we are gaining something. Apart from anything else, I really appreciate that we are surrounded by reliable and supportive allies. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-03-01T12:01:54+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=20 As post-disaster construction and damage repair go on, our lives seemingly calm down. It’s true on the surface, yet what about on the inside? I can hear the alert that “mental health” is becoming significant issue more and more. Under this situation, I have been wondering if I could do something with it. With some experts’ kind support, we became able to set up “KOKORONO SOUDANSHITSU (Counselling room -for hearts and minds-) this month. The health insurance covers the consultation but you need advanced reservations. We’ll keep the door open for the confused people of all ages, so please feel free to contact us. Nothing would make us happier if we could be of help to you as medical personnel. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-01-16T19:43:41+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=19 A new year has just started. So many things happened last year. I do hope this year would be “Brand-New” one, filled with peace and happiness. I cannot help but feel the Great East Japan Earthquake led to the end of “competitive society”. “Living in symbiosis” would be a key word for the society from now on. We would like to be always next to you, searching for what we can do as medical personnel. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2012-01-05T18:40:12+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=18 Today, I’d like to introduce a message from a patient’s mother. I’m happy if you get some idea about our life in Fukushima through that. She thanks to me in the message below, but I’m supposed to be thanking her likewise. Since she and her son also gave me lots of energy…. ………………………………………………….. Dear Dr. Miura, I’m Yuki’s mother. Please excuse me for e-mailing you all of a sudden. Thank you very much for frequent replies to Yuki via e-mail in spite of your hard schedule. I really appreciate your consideration. Our house was collapsed because of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Even after that, our family got involved with many troubles. The situation made Yuki anxious and as a result of it, he had to be hospitalized three times. Every time he stayed at your hospital, all of staffs: the pediatric doctors, the nurses, the children nurse and nursing students supported us. Thanks to their warm kindness, he was able to recover. Furthermore, Dr. Mira, your encouragement gave us zest for living. I’ve been wondering how we can express our gratitude. Consequently we have decided to donate picture books to your hospital. Even though they are not so many, it would be lovely if you could utilize them in the pediatric ward or the waiting lounge. I understand that you are working with time running schedule. I sincerely hope you’ll take good care of yourself. Yuki and I wish you the best during the upcoming year. Yours sincerely, Yuki’s mother Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2011-12-28T18:52:38+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=17 “Hello, Welcome!” Cheerful greetings sound in a small tent. Although it’s freezing out there, the shop ladies are always full of energy. Fresh vegetables and colourful fruits are pleasant to the eyes. Homemade rice cakes look really yummy. “HATAKENBO Marche”, a small farmers market ran by JA Sukagawa　(Japan Agricultural Cooperatives in Sukagawa city), is on the hospital ground. The combination of “hospital and market” may sound little bit funny, but there is a story behind this. Just after the great earthquakes, we run out of fuel and so we couldn’t make the inpatients body either warm or clean. We called for supplies and the JA Sukagawa responded our request. Blankets and towels from the farm producers enabled us to tide over difficulties. On the other hand, most of farmers in Fukushima were hit by harmful rumours related to radiations. Even if they were proven safe for consumers, the sales were dropped. Sukagawa was not for exceptions. I figured it was our turn to contribute the local farmers this time. I suggested to JA Sukagawa to open the farmer’s market at the hospital ground and they were happy to accept it. Thus, the market named “HATAKENBO Marche” was opened in this April. Not only the hospital workers but patients are enjoying shopping fresh and tasty vegetables every day. Sukagawa city is located in northeast of Japan, therefore it’s freezing outside in December. Not been defeated by rain or snow, the shop ladies flash warm smiles to the customers. Although we all spent tough time this year, I feel “OK. We should be OK.” seeing their pleasant faces. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2011-12-26T10:04:40+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=16 The kanji of this year, "KIZUNA (Ties)," was written on a large piece of paper at Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto. The scene, in which a monk dynamically draws Kanji with huge calligraphy brush, makes me feel the year is coming to the end. Kizuna is a really symbolic kanji for this year and became a word with significant meaning for us living in the Tohoku region, in particular. “Connecting hearts, spreading KIZUNA” That was a catchphrase for our Sukagawa Saigai FM. Saigai means disaster. Saigai FM radio stations are allowed to broadcast only under emergency situations. Just after the nuclear accident, local people got together at our hospital every night, and talked over the radiation problem. In the meanwhile, I found Saigai FM could be started rather easily. I brought up the idea to start the FM, and they agreed with it. We immediately got move on. Although nobody knew about setting up FM, we formed a committee for Saigai FM radio station a week later, and just one month after the earth quake, we started radio-broadcasting. Even during strong after-quakes, we grab a microphone to pass along vital information. In a program named Hospital Radio, we mainly delivered information related to radiation. During that time, we got interviewed by NHK world radio Japan. Based on the interview, the NHK radio program translated into 17 languages and our activities were introduced across the world. The reporter brought messages and songs from all over the world. They were the very idea of KIZUNA. Unfortunately, we had to close the radio station only after two months of operation. It was a very short period of time, but we believe that we were able to connect people’s hearts and spread the kizuna spirit through radio broadcasting. KIZUNA became a really special word for us. I wonder what the Kanji of the next year would be. Wishing we could step forward to get over the disaster, I hope it would be something positive. Junichi Miura fukushima sukagawa 2011-12-20T22:02:09+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=15 General opinion's making out we live in a world filled with hatred, yet I don't see that. In fact, we are surrounded by warm-hearted people. Just after the great earthquake, we ran out of fuel. We couldn’t make patients body warm. We couldn't even keep inpatients' body clean since the laundry company was damaged. Everyone was at a loss. I directly appealed to the JA Sukagawa(Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) asking for relief supplies. Later in that day, wagons filled with lots of blankets and towels were pulled up alongside the hospital. Moreover, one of the Rotary clubs knew our situation flew to the Fukushima Airport from Hyogo Prefecture. His private Cessna was stuffed with aid supplies and love. And not only them, we received countless gentleness in that chaos. In the disaster, nobody was died, nobody injured in our hospital, and now we are back on the safe ground. That is thanks to you all, thanks to the kind-hearted people. I don't believe the world is filled with hatred. Love actually is all around, that is so true. Junichi Miura fukushima 2011-12-09T16:05:22+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=14 As you know, we experienced the massive earthquake. Especially, the nuclear accident was 100% unwelcomed news for Fukushima residents. We have been struggling in the radiation environment. However, as medical personnel, we did not have time to whinge. In the midst chaos, everybody needed the accurate information. The average person had no idea what to rely on. Therefore, we spent our energy to gather valuable data to provide the residents with helpful information. In this April, I started offering lectures on radiation, in and out of Sukagawa. Next one scheduled in January will be the 29th. To know what is safe and what is unsafe, that would be the first step to put back the smiles. It would be great if I could be some help to bring you some peace of mind…, even just a little. Junichi Miura fukushima 2011-12-05T18:58:53+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=12 Cannot believe it's already December. You will find brightly decorated trees and colourful ornaments everywhere. No wonder, Christmas is just around the corner. Time is flying by! And that's how we get old...sounds sad, doesn't it? Still, in a sense, we should appreciate that. Imagine how many people lost their lives due to the earthquake and tsunami. Consider how many people are unable to spend Christmas with family or loved ones. Seize the day, feeling grateful to be alive. Junichi Miura fukushima 2011-12-03T19:54:46+09:00 http://www.iwase-hp.jp/ringblog_eng/blog.cgi?n=11 Hello! This is the test1 with picture. Junichi Miura fukushima 2011-12-03T08:54:26+09:00