Once I was approved I started to prepare. I thought very hard about how my health would be affected if I studied abroad. I decided that I would be able to handle my health and made sure to let my doctor know as well. I’m at a stage in my illness where all I can do is manage symptoms. If you have a disability or illness, make sure you weigh all your options and speak to your doctor before making any concrete decisions. I got a year supply of all my important medications, but I did have to keep in mind that any medications over a 30-day supply will need to be documented and sent to the immigration department. It is called a “Yunyu Kakunin sho”. I had a bit of back and forth to clarify the active ingredients in my medication, but I did get a clearance letter emailed back for me to show to immigration if they asked. I will say that I passed through immigration fine without them asking for the form, but I did not want to take any chances. I had my mom send me any other over the counter medicine (that were legal) I needed after the fact. I was a little concerned about my Benadryl since it is considered a sleep aid in Japan, but thankfully my mom was able to mail it to me once I ran out.
Aside from medications, I also packed things that would make my quality of life better. One item being a topical cream called "Nature's Remedy". I have a condition called "Urticaria" which gives me very itchy and burning rashes. They can trigger from the smallest things like a piece of fabric brushing across my skin, and they usually spread all over my body which is why I made sure I had a lot of this cream when I went abroad. I take a lot of Benadryl so the antiseptic cream helps me limit how many pills I take.
I also made sure to pack clothes that could be worn in any season. I flew with Delta airlines so I was allowed 2 free checked bags for international flights. Aside from clothes, I packed all my electronics, Japanese language books, vitamins, and hair care products.