Phon Thong hospital

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Geo: 16.392, 103.924

Jai was planning on a lazy day back working on her mats but I have hijacked her to act as translator at the Docs. We bike into town as soon as breakfast is finished and go to a Docs where I have been before and who speaks a little English. He has a quick look and tells me the wound is infected then writes me a short note to take to the hospital.
Looks like being a fun day.
We get to the hospital on the dot of 09:00 and I envisage still being sat waiting at midday but ... I am called through to what looks like another waiting room and almost immediately called into a room with a few beds where I am settled down. The Doc/nurse prepares me to drain the rubbish out of the wound and Jai beats a hasty retreat to a far corner. I am told that a needle is coming and when I ask if it a local anaesthetic she laughs says no then plunges it into the wound to start drawing stuff out ... wow, that hurt !!!!! She moved on to a small razor to cut away the dead and loose skin then back in with the needle and squeezing out as much as she can get. I've only just met her but she wont be getting a Christmas card from me !! With the wound drained she washes it down with iodine and bandages it up and I am finished ... and it is only 09:15, I cant believe it. We are told to go to desk No 4 in the main hall but as look around there are actually two No 4s ? Wait for some medication then go to pay the bill. About 9GBP for everything and by 09:30 we are leaving. Apart from the lack of local anaesthetics I can have no complaints about the service at all. Have to go the village hosiptal each day for a week to have it cleaned and dressed then back to the hospital next Thursday for a Doc to have another look.
Getting back to the house I think that my foot feels a litle better already. Perhaps it is just glad there are no more needles in sight !
If nothing else this has put an end to any thoughts of going to Vientiane next week although as my visa runs out on Friday 27th I still have to do something. First thoughts are atrip to Khon Kaen, about 3 hours away, to purchase a 30 day visa extension at the immigration office there. Dont reallt want to do this but it is probably the easiest option available for the time being.
I sit and get my book out, Jai returns to her mats and its another 'normal' day ...

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