Lacessit

I'm surprised by the difference in local and general anesthesia here too. In Australia, general anesthesia is about one-third of the cost of the cystoscopy or colonoscopy itself. Here, it triples the cost of the procedure. Perhaps that is supply and demand, too few anesthetists. I would suggest the cost component of a hospital stay in Bangkok Hospital CM is more than that of Rajavej. Never had to stay in either. Apart from the cost factor, I prefer a local because I am good to go after an hour's rest. With a general, recovery is longer and I can't drive a vehicle for 24 hours. Not without looking like many Thai drivers, anyway.

The penalties for plagiarism and data falsification in science are quite onerous, and have ruined more than a few careers. Science most commonly gets corrupted when politicians start telling people what they think they want to hear, in preference to what they should hear. Of course, that has nothing to do with their standing in the polls. While Michael Crichton is an entertaining writer, it is quite laughable to cite his contrarian views on science as an authoritative link.

The second sentence was added subsequent to my response to the first sentence. As the work I did for the last organization I worked for, as an employee and consultant, is still in use today, 20-40 years later, I'd say it was not a pointless waste of time. By your own admission, you detested your work and was only in it for the money. Probably thought of it as pointless too. Just because that is your attitude to your work and life, you should not assume others think the same way. Do you have anything in your life to be proud of? Something for which people will remember you kindly after you've gone? I suspect that's the difference between us.

I have had Stage 1 bladder cancer since 2006. All of my surgeries in Australia to remove it were done under general anesthesia. I have yet to have a recurrence in Thailand, touch wood. At Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai, I was presented with the option of having my cystoscopy under local anesthetic ( 18,000 baht ) or a general ( from memory, 53,000 baht ). I gritted my teeth, and opted for the local. While it is no fun, I can cope with the discomfort. Dr. Wittawat explained what he was doing every step of the way. When he did the biopsy, there was a bit of pain as the nibbler took a chunk out of my bladder wall. Some blood afterwards, which cleared in 24 hours. It all depends on individual pain tolerance. I'd suggest doing the local route first, with the biopsy. If the pathology comes back positive for cancer, then go for the general anaesthetic for removal. In my case, with the small inflammation area, the pathology took a week to come back. I'd say 100,000 baht is probably a fair price for complete removal. The stay in hospital would be to ensure you stopped passing blood, which is inevitable with such surgery.

I am always amused by the fervent condemnation of socialism by Americans. They don't seem to realize the US military is one of the most socialist organizations on the planet.

I have one world patent ( expired ) that was very useful in saving my company millions of dollars a year in corrosion claims, most of which came from the automotive industry. I also invented a test method which measured nonionic surfactant in wastewater with far greater accuracy than the test method listed in "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater", the bible of all water chemists. AFAIK it is still in use today. I could go on, two examples are enough. I don't know if those are of use to you personally, but it is not all about you.

Ah, the standard response of someone who won't provide a credible link, and won't answer questions because it would reveal their lack of knowledge. On ignore now.

The difference is by your own admission you never really enjoyed what you did. I might still be working as a scientist if age discrimination was not so rife in Australia. I loved working at a laboratory bench, finding new insights into processes. Stock traders make lots of money because they deal in mind-boggling sums. Many are burnt out by age 30, due to the stresses involved. I may not have been the best paid employee in the companies I worked for, senior managers usually were. I earned enough to keep me happy, and the same managers called me in for many a problem or issue.

I suggest you provide a credible link to your assertion, and not some conspiracy website. Attacking the credibility of the argument is not the same as attacking you, which is not permitted on this forum. If you want to take it that way, it's your problem, not mine.

I am too old for the effects of climate change to have any impact on me personally. Having said that, the stupidity of many in the human race is depressing in the way basic facts get shunted aside. I put climate deniers and Trump voters in the same basket.

I have regular checks for bladder cancer with Dr. Wittawat Rawiyotai at Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai. Speaks good English, answers all my questions. Does cystoscopies under local anesthesia, 18,000 baht. The last cystocopy I had was in November. He found an inflamed nodule which he biopsied, about 5000 baht extra. No issues with the biopsy. Apologies if that information is too late to be useful, I've only just seen the thread.

I understand you don't want to answer my questions, because you can't. Climate deniers use a number of arguments to justify their denial, yours is just one of the weaker ones. When there are 95% of scientists agreeing global warming and climate change are man-made, and only a small fraction of those scientists actually working in the field, it demonstrates that particular argument is as dumb as a can of soup. Look at the 5% of scientists who reject climate science if you want to know where the gravy train is.

Spare me from the day I have to use Grab or Food Panda. Even with restaurants in my neck of the woods I know are good, there is just no way of knowing how many other deliveries the driver will make before my food gets to me. Or if the driver is lumping hot and cold food in together. If there was truth in advertising, the boxes on the back of every scooter sporting the logos would be re-labelled petri dishes.

Indeed. Does your intellect include the ability to define the First and Second Law of Thermodynamics, without resorting to Google? Do you understand the terms albedo and clathrate, and their significance in climate science?

My GF cuts my hair once a fortnight. Among other things she does for me. Possibly the OP might think that is a bridge too far in terms of cost.

Being a scientist myself, I am wondering how you acquired the intellect to make such a sweeping generalisation.

I have never been particularly focused on material possessions. Mostly bought secondhand cars, new when I could afford them. Even then, I wanted good engineering and value for money, not what was deemed a cachet brand. It's probably a measure of my fashion sense that I have owned two suits in my entire life. IMO many people spend a lot of time trying to impress friends and neighbors, when they would be less driven and happier if they trod their own path. Even after retirement, I am always looking for new things to do. Currently making a series of kitchen videos for YouTube.

I would not change what I studied, science as a career for me was rewarding and enjoyable. If I had my time over, I daresay I would have paid much closer attention to Australian family law, and adjusted the time of my relationships with women accordingly.

I would have liked to have traveled on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok, but that's not possible. My debit cards probably would not work anyway.

A pathology lab will do all the tests required for 2K -3K baht, and flag any results which are out of normal range. One can buy BP, pulse and blood oxygen monitors on lazada. The OP can then consult a doctor about what they should do. I'd suggest a PM to Sheryl to ask what tests are necessary in the OP's age group.

No

I am not scared of death. I am scared of dying slowly and painfully. So I have taken steps to ensure my exit is quick and painless.

Does tend to explain why the Thai road toll is so high. The neighbor driving for decades managed to survive without one, doesn't mean everyone does. I was very amused when I went for my motorbike license in Australia. At age 66, the oldest in the group by a long shot. I scraped through on the practical test, no surprise there as the young guys had much better reflexes and balance. Topped the class on the written test, which really teed off four young bucks who failed and were told to come back a month later.

Probably about the same time you became a comedian.

Makes me wonder how many unlicensed drivers there are. Driving without a license in Victoria, Australia. Minimum fine 35,000 baht and one month in jail if one has previously held a driving license. For someone with no previous license, 86,000 baht and 3 months in jail.