Science Fiction UX

I haven’t quite recovered but let me tell you about the Health Check I had last week. Just a regular health check but it was the most extensive examination I ever have experienced. Gosh, I was examined straight up and up side down, from the sides, back and front and inside out. The whole experience was framed by that the first thing I had to do was to undress and get into a kind of “uniform pyjamas” approximately 6 sizes to small, for me.

Believe it or not but all in all there were 13 stations for different kind of examinations! The medical clinic was moreover spread over 5 floors. So for more then 2 hours I, and everyone else called in for examination that day, was busy travelling up and down between the floor in our great uniforms in pink an blue. It was an unrealistic feeling over it all – or as we participated in a futuristic incomprehensible movie. Except for the extensive health check I had to spend the entire evening before filling in approximately 50 questions. The spectra of question covering everything form my inner felling (“any time felt so sad that you feel that you would like to die?”) to trivial questions such if I have experienced tension in my shoulders. Furthermore in the morning I had to prepare and bring samples of both the big thing and the small thing, if you see what I mean. (Well I did not manage so well with both of the samples but I spare you the details). As the crown of the day and all activities, we were all provided lunch to intake at the medical centre.
So what kind of stations was there in the health check up? Well, here is the list. BTW I was asked in written beforehand to refrain from drinking and eating from 9 o clock the evening before. But I thought what the heck – it is just a health check up not an operation. But listen carefully to my advice; Refrain from eating and drinking the night before you are going to experience a health check in this scrupulous country!

This is what you have to conquer, after providing the various samples you brought with you and the 50Q-form you also provided!
1 Blood sample and blood pressure
2 Gynaecological examination; this is a story in it self. Not so bad actually.
3 Lung X-ray
4 Breasts X-ray.
5 Measure of the stomach (!). This I just have to tell you about, you get some liquid to swallow; thereafter you are put into machine and asked to lay down. The “Driver” of that equipment starts navigating as it is an gaming machine, and demand you to turn to the left, to the right, roll around, lower your head, down with your feet turn around and around three times. It was quite funny. Of course all instruction was in Japanese. Lot of laughs!
6 Heart beat measure (?) with cables all over the body.
7 Ultra sound for measuring – I think – the kidneys and liver.
8 Sight check
9 Hearing check
10 Height and weight check.
11 Breath out and in check.
12 Meet the doctor, do I have any question? Actually I had. Q: Why did they measure my stomach? A: Because they measured the stomach! Mmm, aah I see!
13 Left and right eye, deeply photographed, Puff, puff with air straight into your eyes. This was the most uncomfortable part, for me being phobic about eyes.

Afterwards it was quite interesting to see the other clients during the lunch, all in their own clothes dressed up again, and not just other anonymous science fictions co-actors.