Songkla hospital saves British man, 78

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Songkla hospital saves British man, 78

By The Nation

 

Picture: Samilatimes

 

The Prince of Songkla University Hospital has performed Bt1-million worth of special surgery to save the life of a retired Briitish naval officer for humanitarian reasons and is organising donations to send him back to the UK.

 

Kenneth George Smith, 78, told reporters from his hospital bed that he appreciated the help from the Songklanagarind Hospital, run by the university, so that he could return home to see his daughter and grandchildren.

 

Dr Ruangsak Leethanaporn, director of the hospital, said the patient was transferred from the Samui Hospital with swelling of an artery in his abdomen that was about to burst and become fatal.

 

Ruangsak said the hospital had to perform a complicated endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in a hybrid operating room.

 

Ruangsak said the hybrid operation caused over Bt1 million but the hospital did it for humanitarian reasons to save the man’s life as he was in a critical condition when he reached the hospital.

 

He said the technique only cut a small hole in his groin so Smith could recover fast.

 

The director added that the hospital has also coordinated with the Immigration Bureau to prepare documents to send Smith home.

 

He urged the public to donate to send Smith home by sending money to the foundation of the hospital until the end of September.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30351823

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-09

[smotherb]

Another financially insecure expat without even enough money to get home. That is sad.

[oldrunner]

Sad that a 78 year old Brit has a family in UK who either don't or won't care for him. I'm 78, retired USAF but that isn't sufficient, worked Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, wife and I saved most, fixed up home, finished large home for children. I'm ready to go but wife says no. Prostate cancer (King's Hospital Siri Raj fixed that), double heart by-pass, etc. Limited mobility but getting by with a lot of help from wife  of 33 years. Love Thailand? you betcha. Oh Yes, I've done it all, owned major share of bar on Patpong, hooped it up, etc. Wife still standing by me and is better than a "Nurse for hire". Sorry for those who thought all Thai women were charmers for life.

[nausea]

2 hours ago, smotherb said:

Another financially insecure expat without even enough money to get home. That is sad.

Surely as a retired British naval officer he has a substantial pension, and aren't there veteran associations looking to take care. Don't quite understand what's going on here.

 

2 hours ago, oldrunner said:

 "Nurse for hire".

That doesn't express the half of it - cook, housekeeper, driver, companion, bodyguard. The one good thing about getting sick is you really appreciate your SO, or not, as the case might be. Anyway, you get to the heart of the relationship.

[smotherb]

3 hours ago, nausea said:

Surely as a retired British naval officer he has a substantial pension, and aren't there veteran associations looking to take care. Don't quite understand what's going on here.

 

That doesn't express the half of it - cook, housekeeper, driver, companion, bodyguard. The one good thing about getting sick is you really appreciate your SO, or not, as the case might be. Anyway, you get to the heart of the relationship.

Not sure how the Brit military pensions work, but the US military pensions are split between all the ex-wives. I have a very good friend who is a retired USN Commander--LDO Medic. He gets only 1/4 of his pension, his three ex-wives get the rest

[smotherb]

19 hours ago, oldrunner said:

Sad that a 78 year old Brit has a family in UK who either don't or won't care for him. I'm 78, retired USAF but that isn't sufficient, worked Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, wife and I saved most, fixed up home, finished large home for children. I'm ready to go but wife says no. Prostate cancer (King's Hospital Siri Raj fixed that), double heart by-pass, etc. Limited mobility but getting by with a lot of help from wife  of 33 years. Love Thailand? you betcha. Oh Yes, I've done it all, owned major share of bar on Patpong, hooped it up, etc. Wife still standing by me and is better than a "Nurse for hire". Sorry for those who thought all Thai women were charmers for life.

It's really good to hear from another man who has a good Thai wife; instead of the usual unfaithful, gold-digging trollops described here.

 

[rickudon]

20 hours ago, smotherb said:

Another financially insecure expat without even enough money to get home. That is sad.

The article says very little about his circumstances, was he a tourist or living in Thailand? He may well have some money just not available at short notice, the surgery was emergency treatment. Totally insufficient information in the article to make a judgement.

 

Naval officer? Maybe. Maybe just a lower rank, with 'Officer' in the title. And may have only served for a few years. We just do not know.

[smotherb]

11 minutes ago, rickudon said:

The article says very little about his circumstances, was he a tourist or living in Thailand? He may well have some money just not available at short notice, the surgery was emergency treatment. Totally insufficient information in the article to make a judgement.

 

Naval officer? Maybe. Maybe just a lower rank, with 'Officer' in the title. And may have only served for a few years. We just do not know.

Well, sometimes you have to read what they say. Although, what is reported may very well not be what happened. However, based upon what was said in the article,

“Kenneth George Smith, 78, told reporters from his hospital bed that he appreciated the help from the Songklanagarind Hospital, run by the university, so that he could return home to see his daughter and grandchildren . . . urged the public to donate to send Smith home by sending money to the foundation of the hospital until the end of September.”

It appears Smith is conscious and capable of communication.

Consequently, I conclude that Smith could communicate to get funding. I am sure the hospital would help him do just that. However, since it is reported he needs financial help to get home, that bit of unconfirmed knowledge makes me think he does not have the funds to do so.