Category: Main

Sawadee Khrap

Well I may finally have my answer to what is needed.  I met with Dr. Nathawut ( Cardiologist, Instructor at the University) at Siriraj Hospital, BKK.

I left home at 12:30 to get to the bus station by 1:00 – ticket to Ekkamai – 2:10 – then we were hit by a massive thunder storm and that among other things delayed the bus till 3:10 – arrived at Ekkamai at 5PM and got into a taxi to go to Siriraj – driver took a route through town – hitting massive gridlock (should have gone around)  – arrived at Siriraj at 7:00, actual appointment was for 8PM  – safe so far, but no time for dinner.   And didn’t get back home till 11:30 PM – one hell of a long day.

When I got to the hospital – I was taken directly to see the doctor – He went over the supporting documents I had from the CAT scan done in Sriphat, Chiang Mai, which showed that I had 5 semi blocked arteries, 4 of which had no symptoms.    The ones going to my head and stomach weren’t causing problems now and the one to my left side (arm)  had developed new arteries for getting blood – so for now  – don’t do anything.  Trying to open them may cause more problems.   However, the blocked artery to the kidney could be the culprit raising my blood pressure. 

His prognosis is to preform a angioplasty on the kidney artery and see if correcting it will bring my blood pressure back to a normal range.  If this helps lower my BP then the medicines to control cholesterol and BP should be enough.  Estimated costs is now about 80,000 Baht + costs of extra stents if needed or if there are any complications – (US $ 2,500+)   within my budget.   He only preforms these operations on Sunday’ afternoons so they will call me and let me know a scheduled date and time –hopefully within the next 3 months.  Siriraj is a teaching university and general Gov’t hospital and therefore has a very large patient load. 

So oatmeal in the morning, 30 minute walk around the condo every morning and try to get another 30 min walk during the day – watch the diet and take my medicine and get on with life.

Excellent, what he wants to do is the least expensive, least invasive  – just get the job done – saving me from the private hospitals, who always want to protect their bottom line.  They’d be happy to work on all 5 potential stents areas  – and then handle complications if they arise.  Starting at 500,000 Baht  (US $ 15,600)

So if you need medical assistance – head straight to the Gov’t Teaching hospitals – Siriraj,  BKK or Sriphat, CM  —- these are the main and largest ones and get a diagnosis, estimated cost and time frame – unless of course you have Insurance – then by all means go to a facility like Bangkok Hospital or Bumrungrad International – ambience is better, service is excellent, technical quality is equal – errr  maybe -  What the hell – You can afford it.

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Last week I was waiting to hear from a heart doctor in Chiang Mai and got the news that it would still be better to have it done in BKK – Damn back to where I started – He said he doesn’t understand why the high pricing now in CM but expects it is just because they can – “tourist trade” is catching on all over Thailand  –  local Thai’s would have to wait at the local Gov’t hospitals and he thinks that BKK would be as good and I would not have the plane and hotel fees to pay on top of the operation – So off to BKK I went.

First to King Chulalongkorn Hospital – took the bus from Pattaya to BKK (2hr  124 Baht) then a taxi to Chula – (1/2 hr  200 Baht)  not bad, got there about 11 – what a zoo – there must have been over 1000 people there – got in line and was at the information desk in 1/2 hr.  Lady there told me to comeback at 6:30 AM next day so I could  be in the front of the daily queue  – so I stayed over night and went in the morning.   Back in line  #58, going well, everyone told me that my Thai Drivers License would be sufficient – for the next 2 hrs stood in 3 lines and finally got to the photo taking one – there I almost passed out because of the heat and was told that I couldn’t go any further because I needed to have my Passport, -  DL won’t do.  Shit   Went home and would start again.   That evening I talked to a doctor at a hospital in Sir Racha – his hospital charges the same as BKK but he suggested that I go check out the other big Gov’t Hospital Siriraj in BKK -  better service , better staff and less patients.

So Wednesday I headed to Siriraj Hospital – left Pattaya by bus and taxi – didn’t want to be last in line so I left at 4 AM got there at 8AM — He was right  – started in line and was helped with everything by a “very cute” intern pre-med student – he walked me through the entire procedure and by 10:30 had my appointment with a cardiologist set – 6PM Friday.  Finally, would talk to a doctor and get pricing, schedules and exactly what would be needed. —-  what a relief.    The doctor in Sir Racha was right – about 1/2 the number of patients, – excellent friendly staff,  -pre-med students support, – pricing I am told same a Chula -  Tomorrow afternoon I will go again to Siriraj.     More news as it happens.

When this is over I will have gained a complete comprehensive view and education on getting medical care in Thailand – that is Gov’t Hospital care at reasonable pricing.  I’ll post my findings here for your benefit.

Ciao

Sawadee Khrap

Very glad Dan asked me if I wanted to go see the Cable Skiing yesterday – it’s getting really boring staying home in the condo with very little to do – waiting for the next doctor appointment to see what is going to happen.  I really want to thank all of you who offered to help in some way after I sent out my cry for help, especially financially if needed  – that took a big load off my mind and helped getting my BP back in check.   It’s always the ones you don’t expect to help that come through and the ones you think would be there are staying in the background.  But, such is life I guess.

First, I was overcome by the cost that they told me for putting in the stent – after I went through all that mess about the CAT test cost – now this -   Again I find this hard to believe that 400,000 B is the usual cost for stent placement – that would be out of the question for an average Thai – so I have been checking with local BKK Gov’t hospitals (should be about 1/3 the cost they told me at BKK Pattaya) like King Chulalongkorn Hospital – largest and oldest in Thailand – a teaching University Hospital too.  Don’t know exactly what but will find out later this week – something I can manage  (and I’m certain without needing help).

In addition, the meds are another problem – just checking on the ones the last Dr. gave me until my appointment on the 17th.    Apolets for example , a generic anticlotting medicine, costs about 1000 Baht for a months supply which was prescribed for me at Chiang Mai hospital  – verses  Effient ( a free sample was given me to try – newer and much more effective at lower doses – but hold on to your seats – I fell off mine again) – Effient is priced at  6,000 B/30 day supply – and this is from cheap mail-order catalogs – I don’t  know what BKK Pattaya hospital’s pricing is, but you can bet your ass it’s not any lower  —  again over the top for greedy Drug companies.   Thailand saw this as a problem for their population who are mostly poor farmers so locally making generic replacements available was a necessity – so many of these generics are available in Thailand for Thai’s incomes –  I want to start out on this road  – not the expensive “Medical tourist/Insurance“  high road.

The problem with this shit is once you start on it you have to stay one it from then on or complications can arise.   So on Thurday 17th  I will discuss in detail the on-going cost for these non-generic  recommended solutions as apposed to Thai generic solutions.  At least I’m learning and hope anyone reading this can be prepared if they need these services.  I don’t think there is any better reason for having this blog.

So I’m blowing off a little steam – but keeping the BP down – and still putting it all in God’s hands – just doing the footwork.   By the way, my BP is down to 130-140, even after a 30 min morning walk around the complex.   Still some fear about the surgery, but I do have a friend who will come down and be with me at the hospital -  Ahhhh what will tomorrow bring.   But thanks for being there for me, without your prayers and help I wouldn’t have made it this far.

but here’s a great shot from yesterday at the water skiing   -    P.S. Not Dan