Archive Notes: This is an English translation and rewritten version of a blog post originally published in Japanese on October 5, 2019. [Japanese version]
I went to bed around 8:30 PM last night, so I woke up naturally before 6:00 AM this morning.
Even though I still feel sleepy, I just can’t seem to fall back asleep. It’s a bit tough when your body refuses to rest more, but it is what it is.
I started my day by taking care of my usual personal morning routine and daily household chores.
After that, I went over to my dad’s place, and then began another round of visiting various banks.
Thinking I could at least update my passbook, I headed to an ATM at Daido Shinkin Bank—a place I had never been to before. But to my absolute surprise, there wasn’t even an option on the screen to update a passbook!
Even for a simple balance inquiry, the system demanded that I insert a debit card.
For some reason, we have the bank passbook right here, but the debit card is nowhere to be found.
Giving up on that one, I headed to the next stop: MUFG Bank in front of the station.
Here, I deposited the living expenses I had previously withdrawn from a different bank account. Since all the recent chaotic paperwork started, I decided to consolidate all automatic utility and bill payments into my dad’s checking account at this branch.
Next up was Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC).
I found an old passbook of my dad’s from over 13 years ago, so I tried to update it to see if the account was still active. However, the machine rejected it with messages like: “Unable to process this transaction” and “Please visit during teller business hours.”
The remaining balance in that passbook is only around 1,600 yen (about $15), so my dad just said, “Just leave it alone.”
If I could just ask at the counter as his proxy, I would gladly do it, but the hurdle for my elderly father to physically go there himself is… well, pretty high.
After leaving the bank, I picked up some bread and milk for my dad at the local Konomiya supermarket, as he had requested, and then visited the Japan Post Bank ATM right next door.
I withdrew most of the funds from my late mother’s account, leaving just a tiny fraction. The property tax that used to be auto-debited from this account will be transferred to my dad’s MUFG account starting next fiscal year, so we won’t need this account anymore.
Seriously, why were there automatic bill payments scattered across so many different banks in the first place?
Why didn’t they just consolidate them into one?! Good grief!
Anyway, while I was at it, I dropped the account change form for the fire insurance into the mailbox.
With that, every single automatic withdrawal has finally been consolidated into accounts under my dad’s name.
Now, all that’s left is to wait for the automatic payments to start running smoothly from the new account setup.
As long as it’s a regular savings account with an active debit card, things are manageable. It’s those old certificate-of-deposit (fixed term) accounts that are the real troublemakers!
Since the bank errands were somewhat wrapped up, I had my first meal of the day just before noon.
By the way, my morning routine always starts with making and drinking fresh homemade juice.
After lunch, while fighting off an overwhelming wave of drowsiness, I hopped on my bicycle with my daughter and headed to the hospital (with Riona joining us too).
The weather today was a bit *too* nice, making the bike ride surprisingly hot!
When we stepped into the hospital room, the nurse was just helping my mother reposition her body.
Fortunately, my mother’s condition was stable.
Her top blood pressure reading was up to 145—a number that previously would have been considered too high and required medication.
There was no tube in her mouth today, and her lips were gently closed, which gave me a huge sense of relief.
Glancing over at another bed, I noticed another unconscious patient who hadn’t been there a few days ago.
However, I didn’t see an artificial ventilator around them, so perhaps their condition isn’t quite as severe as my mother’s.
I informed the nurse that the long-term care certification surveyor will be coming on Monday, the 7th, at 10:30 AM, and that I would be attending the session in person. After passing along that message, we headed home.
Once back, I prepared my dad’s early dinner and delivered it to him by 4:00 PM.
My days pass by in such a dizzying blur.
That intense, heavy lump in my chest that weighed on me until yesterday feels just a little bit lighter today.
It was honestly so suffocating that I wondered what was going to happen to me.
It was so painful that I caught myself thinking, “Is there anyone else in the world dealing with a situation like this?”
Tomorrow will probably be another day filled with the same fast pace.
Honestly, I feel like I need someone to hire for my own mental healthcare right now!
