Wild Ride to Yokosuka Naval Base

Because Bruce has rheumatoid arthritis which is being treated with Remicade infusions, we have needed to make arrangements for him to receive those treatments every eight weeks while we are here in Japan. The treatment is very expensive and in the states is paid for by Medicare, with Tricare for Life being the supplemental policy which pays what Medicare doesn't cover. However, outside the U.S. there is no Medicare, so before we entered the MTC Bruce went to great lengths to communicate with Tricare Overseas to make sure his treatments would be covered by insurance (no small task, since Tricare Overseas is located in Singapore and the time change and language differences made communication challenging). In the end, he was told the treatment would not be available on a military installation, he would have to be referred to a Japanese clinic or hospital, we would have to pay for it out of pocket and then be reimbursed by Tricare, with a $300 deductible. The treatment is about $4,000 each time and we were hopeful that reimbursement would be prompt and reliable.

So one of our first stops on arriving here was the Tricare (military health insurance) office at Yokota Airbase. Our goal was an appointment with an internist who could refer Bruce to a hospital or clinic off base. However, the internist on the base was swamped, is moving in two weeks, and is not being replaced at the hospital here until fall. Rather than even seeing Bruce, he told him to go to Yokosuka Naval Base, about a three hour drive south of Yokota, to see an internist and get a referral there. Bruce had an appointment for 9:30 Friday morning.

Bruce is getting more comfortable driving on the base and in Fussa around our apartment and the Church, but we hadn't ventured much further (I haven't driven at all yet, just call me chicken....). Driving on the left side of the road, narrow lanes, heavy traffic, and road signs in Japanese are all still pretty intimidating. So we were happy to learn that a shuttle goes directly from the hospital at Yokota to the hospital at Yokosuka three days a week. We scheduled Bruce's appointment around that shuttle schedule, and so we showed up at the Yokota hospital at 6:15 Friday morning to catch our ride. 

Except.... no shuttle. Most offices at the hospital weren't even open yet, but Bruce finally found someone to ask about it. She made several phone calls and learned that since we'd scheduled the appointment with Yokosuka directly and had not gone through Yokota, they didn't know there was anyone needing the shuttle, hence, it wasn't running that particular day. Last minute Plan B: we drive. She was kind enough to give us a map, we said a fervent prayer, and off we went, Bruce driving and me navigating. Bruce said this was baptism by fire, and "What are we getting into?" And I said, "We're not getting into it, we ARE in it, and there's nothing to do but go for it!" (Easy for me to say, right, since HE was the one driving!). 

It was 6:45 by the time we left Yokota and our map said it took three hours, so we were anxious about getting there in time for his 9:30 appointment -- they're not very forgiving if you're late. We have a GPS but couldn't program it, since the key pad is in Japanese. But we figured if we got terribly lost, we could still get home, because "home" is already programmed -- so we had nothing to lose but a few gallons of gas and about 2,000 yen for toll roads.

And we made it! We arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base hospital at about 9 a.m., with time to spare! Next miracle: the internist there can administer the infusion treatment on the base! No deductible, no need to hassle with reimbursement!

When we were set apart, our stake president promised Bruce that the concerns that had been discussed (which we assumed was the availability of his medical treatment) would not be a worry, that miracles would take place and that he would have the health and strength he needed to fulfill his calling. We feel like we are seeing the fulfillment of those promises.  Bruce was also promised safety in his travels and we very definitely saw that! We are feeling very humble and very blessed!

We were much more relaxed after his appointment and drove around the naval base, Bruce always enjoys the ocean and looking at the ships. The drive home was even fun, and I took some random pictures (mostly through the windshield, so they're not great), just to give you an idea of the setting.

 

All we knew was that we needed to follow Highway 16!

So many tunnels and retaining walls!

Now seriously, wouldn't deciphering a road sign like that be enough to give you an anxiety attack?

Oh, to be able to read Japanese!

This flower shop was my favorite!

Bruce now thinks he doesn't need to worry so much about how he prunes our trees.....