The Accidental (Medical) Tourist

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We were greeted with a smile at the new Bangkok airport by Kuhn Deng who had been our driver on our visit 9 years ago and again 2 years ago. Deng has a top of the line van complete with AC and a DVD player. He is an avid US sports fan, so on our last visit we brought him a Seahawks cap. It was so nice to be with family again at J's uncle and aunt's house!

J had been battling a cold since Tokyo and our first morning in Thailand he awakened with a case of food poisoning (dim-sum surprise?) as well. By that night he wasn't any better so we took him to the hospital pronto. We did not go to just any hospital, we went to Bumrungrad International which was recently written up in Newsweek and featured on 60 Minutes. It is known for being a premier destination for medical tourists who need heart bypass surgery but can't afford to pay the astronomical rates at home. J was in to see two specialists within just 15 minutes or so of waiting. They prescribed him some meds for his stomach trouble and the cold and sent us home. After another unpleasant night, J was totally dehydrated and not doing any better so we took him back to the hospital first thing in the morning. Within 30 minutes he was admitted to his own private room, complete with TV, DVD player, microwave, refrigerator, private bathroom, pajamas, slippers, toiletries kit, balcony, a couch....it was more like a 4 star hotel than a hospital room! There are no official visiting hours, I was allowed to spend the night on the couch and was even provided a pillow and blanket of my own. The hospital contained a Starbucks, McDonalds, Au Bon Pain, Italian restaurant, Japanese restaurant, and a huge food court serving all kinds of Thai food. Around the perimeter of J's floor was an outdoor garden with views of the city, very nice for getting a breath of fresh air. The nurses were all so nice, spoke English well, and were very attentive. J's meds were kept in a lock box on the wall of his room. The nurse would come in with his chart, get out the appropriate doses, and give them to J at the correct time. The doctor who admitted J came to see him early the next morning and announced he could go home whenever he liked. He was in the hospital for about 30 hours total. We spent the next few days around the house so he could get his strength back. We were so lucky to be with family and near such a top hospital when he got sick!

So this Thanksgiving we are most thankful for our health! J was feeling better just in time to partake in Thanksgiving dinner. Even though Thanksgiving is not celebrated by the Thais, J's uncle and aunt took us to a very nice restaurant serving an American Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings. It was great to meet their friends and to enjoy a lovely meal together. I have prepared the Thanksgiving feast for our families back home for the last 7 years, so it was nice to have a year off from the cooking although we did miss seeing everyone around our dining room table.

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Comments

[Jess]

so thankful
I'm so glad you're better J! No fun at all but it sounds like the best place for it to happen. Merry Christmas!

[Pamela]

To Bad...
Sorry to hear that J was so sick. However, the hospital sounds nicer than some hotels i have stayed in.... no more food poison J.

[angela]

happy thanksgiving it was then!
the hospital sounded great! and so glad j's all better now. that reminded me of my hospital here in london. it was quite like a hotel rather than hospital but the one j was at sounded even better!!! ;)