Teesside football coach, 32, fights for life in Thai hospital against severe lung infection

Mark Mckeown, from Hemlington, has been placed into an induced coma after falling ill with pneumonia in Thailand

By Jade McElwee

 

 

A Teesside man is fighting for his life in a Thai hopsital.

 

Mark Mckeown, from Hemlington, has been placed into an induced coma after suffering with severe pneumonia.

 

The 32-year-old moved to Pattaya, in Thailand, 12-years-ago to teach children how to play football in underprivileged schools.

 

It is believed Mark developed a chest infection and admitted himself into hospital around two weeks ago.

 

But in the last few days, doctors placed him into a coma due to the severity of the condition he is fighting.

 

The former Coulby Newham Secondary School student's family are at his bedside including sister Jodie, two brothers Lee and Shaun, as well as his mum and dad.

 

Mark's friend Richard Sanderson, who regularly travels to Thailand to see Mark, said: "He's in a really bad way.

 

"Everyone is in bits and can't believe what's happening.

 

"His family are trying everything possible to keep him alive. It's costing £2,000 a day to keep him in there."

 

Full story: https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/teesside-football-coach-32-fights-17798198

 

-- Gazette Live 2020-02-24

I may be coming down with a 'chest infection' myself. So for: Runny nose, dry throat, cough. Praying I don't get a fever. Been taking Vitamin C and D all of last week. Late last month it was the flu... that was rough. Hopefully he has a speedy recovery. I wonder if they tested him for that one virus that is going around? Vidcom-16?

Terrible news! 

 

I've lost a good friend who had a heart problem and was then in a vast room of Sappasit hospital Ubon R. with around 20 other patients who had almost all contagious diseases, including lung infections.

 

  He died on the same day after he received urgently needed blood that we found from donors through TV.

 

  It turned out that he had four different types of lung infections, and even one of the doctors told me that I shouldn't come to visit, it would be too dangerous.

 

The irony was that we found a single room for him, but he had to be in intensive care after the second lung infection.

 

We had no other choice. I wish I'd have known that before. 

 

  "My country doesn't have enough money to separate patients with contagious diseases" were the doctor's words.  

 

I've even seen a live operation in the middle of the night, right in the middle of the room, done by an Indian doctor who seemed to help out. 

 

I hope that he'll make it.

 

Thai hospitals are in no way up to international standards when it comes to hygiene. 

Surprised they did not mention that it is not CoVid 19

 

But we all know this virus is under control in LOS

There are no other infections with that virus than those officially claimed

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by sweatalot

16 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

Surprised they did not mention that it is not CoVid 19

 

But we all know this virus is under control in LOS

There are no other infections with that virus than those officially claimed

Certainly the first thing I thought of when I read the thread title. Great journalism.

Top man, great coach, brilliant with the kids. Hope he pulls through ASAP.

Thailand or any third world country is not the place to be for any complex medical condition....

 

one needs critical thinkers, competent medical staff and adequate resources and infrastructure (I.e. proper isolation rooms) To have a reasonable chance for complete recovery....

 

outrageous daily costs cited....should have a competent person to review them....

2 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Surprised they did not mention that it is not CoVid 19

not surprised at all, would not be surprised if they didn't even test for it...….what they don't know they don't have to lie about

 

 

A friend told me recently (Sat) about an Asian guy (almost certain Chinese) walking into a venue he was in (LKM), he was sweating  profusely and looked very ill indeed, his shirt was soaking and you could see water droplets on his exposed skin - definitely had a serious problem going on

 

He said he never saw a place empty so quickly, the guy sat down and people actually got up and moved away - you could see staff getting into a panic not want to serve him, pretty much everyone headed for the exit - no idea what happened after that

 

Don't know what is going on with this young man Mark but it is highly suspicious IMO

 

I hope he recovers soon  

2 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Terrible news! 

 

I've lost a good friend who had a heart problem and was then in a vast room of Sappasit hospital Ubon R. with around 20 other patients who had almost all contagious diseases, including lung infections.

 

  He died on the same day after he received urgently needed blood that we found from donors through TV.

 

  It turned out that he had four different types of lung infections, and even one of the doctors told me that I shouldn't come to visit, it would be too dangerous.

 

The irony was that we found a single room for him, but he had to be in intensive care after the second lung infection.

 

We had no other choice. I wish I'd have known that before. 

 

  "My country doesn't have enough money to separate patients with contagious diseases" were the doctor's words.  

 

I've even seen a live operation in the middle of the night, right in the middle of the room, done by an Indian doctor who seemed to help out. 

 

I hope that he'll make it.

 

Thai hospitals are in no way up to international standards when it comes to hygiene. 

I have seen an urgent operation in the ICU.

In a hospital in the Netherlands.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by hansnl

2 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Surprised they did not mention that it is not CoVid 19

I imagine most Covid deaths will be put down as severe lung infections now to avoid raising the magic number and effecting tourism

31 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Thailand or any third world country is not the place to be for any complex medical condition....

 

one needs critical thinkers, competent medical staff and adequate resources and infrastructure (I.e. proper isolation rooms) To have a reasonable chance for complete recovery....

 

outrageous daily costs cited....should have a competent person to review them....

Let's face it. You'd need a competent Microbiologist, as the virus always changes its form.

 

 How many of them are working at Thai hospitals? 

 

I've had a Staphylococcus Aureus infection ( bacteria living on our skin) from a "well known" German hospital and almost lost my leg. 

 

That happened after a Thai doctor messed up my leg so severely that German doctors had a good laugh when looking at the X-ray! 

 

A lady who also received an artificial knee joint at the same time frame did lose her leg, and I went through hell. 

 

I wish the poor bloke only the best to recover. Get well soon!!! 

 

I'm atheist; otherwise, I'd pray for him. 

"His family are trying everything possible to keep him alive. It's costing £2,000 a day to keep him in there

 

did they mean baht

15 minutes ago, hansnl said:

I have seen an urgent operation in the ICU.

In a hospital in the Netherlands.

The "ICU" at Ubon Ratchathani's Sappasit hospital was a bigger room with around 20 patients. 

 

  There were patients outside the room, as they didn't have enough space. 

 

  The whole air diseased with all sorts of bacteria and viruses. 

 

  The "Live OP" was a bloody one done at a monk by an Indian Shik with a turban in civilian clothes in the early morning hours. 

 

Patients there died in six to eight-hour rhythms. It wasn't very comforting to see that, and I'm not very sensitive. 

 

 I thought I was in a horror movie. 

 

  If I ever get seriously sick, I'll not suffer like that, that's already clear with my wife—no machines for me. 

Just now, bedbugy said:

"His family are trying everything possible to keep him alive. It's costing £2,000 a day to keep him in there

 

did they mean baht

No, ICU is expensive especially if he is in Bangkok hospital, it's a nice little earner.

2 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Surprised they did not mention that it is not CoVid 19

 

But we all know this virus is under control in LOS

There are no other infections with that virus than those officially claimed

 

Amazing that the UK media could write an article like that and not even address the possibility that it was CV... A young guy, with serious pneumonia who had recent international air travel.... That oughta at least be sending up a warning flare.... but here.... perhaps not..

 

But, yet another hospitalized Brit in serious condition with the family seeking financial aid -- and no mention of local/international health insurance coverage.

 

 

Sounds suspiciously like Covid-19? Healthy man, who probably doesn’t smoke, and who is fit and active. If I were a doctor it’s the first thing I would test for.

 

Certainly the next time I feel cold like symptoms I’m taking it very seriously from the get go ... plenty of water, sleep, no physical activity and healthy food. You don’t want that virus spreading to your lungs.

 

i hope it works out well for the man.

11 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Sounds suspiciously like Covid-19? Healthy man, who probably doesn’t smoke, and who is fit and active. If I were a doctor it’s the first thing I would test for.

 

Certainly the next time I feel cold like symptoms I’m taking it very seriously from the get go ... plenty of water, sleep, no physical activity and healthy food. You don’t want that virus spreading to your lungs.

 

i hope it works out well for the man.

I was in Bangkok early Jan and travelled the BTS busses etc - when I got back home I developed a cough and runny nose - a week later news of the outbreak hit the media - I did wonder what I had caught but runny nose was not supposed to be a symptom of corvid 19 but you just never know

If I was the family I'd be wanting to see test results and be asking some very probing questions 

 

It suspect that doctors here are told what to say under heavy pressure from government even if it involves not being wholly truthful

17 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Sounds suspiciously like Covid-19? Healthy man, who probably doesn’t smoke, and who is fit and active. If I were a doctor it’s the first thing I would test for.

 

 

you are not the only one thinking this 

I read that suspected cov19 cases are only being tested for infection in certain areas of Thailand, those that have had a lot of Chinese tourists, can anyone verify? 

This is the definition of wuhan virus.  Literally shutting down entire countries and cities.... and they didn't test for it?  If it is Covid then patts is major trouble. 

 

Also, if the guys been working here for 12 years he has govt insurance. Shouldn't be costing them 2k pounds a day.

 

Hopefully it's not, but it was always going to take an international case to force their hand.

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by BuyBitcoin

I am amazed that with the amount of Chinese who visit Thailand that they seem to have very few cases in the whole Kingdom yet places like South Korea , Italy and even the U.K. are getting an increase in patients with positive readings of this virus . I hope it’s not being kept under wraps in the hope that it will just go away . I hope the football coach recovers but his condition doesn’t sound to good ????????

I Begin to wonder what  bills amounts these Chinese With Wuhan flue have gotten from thai hospitals.

3 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Terrible news! 

 

I've lost a good friend who had a heart problem and was then in a vast room of Sappasit hospital Ubon R. with around 20 other patients who had almost all contagious diseases, including lung infections.

 

  He died on the same day after he received urgently needed blood that we found from donors through TV.

 

  It turned out that he had four different types of lung infections, and even one of the doctors told me that I shouldn't come to visit, it would be too dangerous.

 

The irony was that we found a single room for him, but he had to be in intensive care after the second lung infection.

 

We had no other choice. I wish I'd have known that before. 

 

  "My country doesn't have enough money to separate patients with contagious diseases" were the doctor's words.  

 

I've even seen a live operation in the middle of the night, right in the middle of the room, done by an Indian doctor who seemed to help out. 

 

I hope that he'll make it.

 

Thai hospitals are in no way up to international standards when it comes to hygiene. 

I have only had good experience in hospitals in Thailand, specifically an international one in Chiang Mai.  However many friends have not been so lucky with a lot of them being wrongly diagnosed or treated ineffectively.  Being as seriously ill as this man appears to be makes it hard for him or his relatives to get him out of there and at least a second opinion.  

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/13/air-pollution-spikes-can-heighten-risk-chest-infections-research-utah

 

The air around here is out to get you

Edited February 24, 20206 yr by morrobay

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Amazing that the UK media could write an article like that and not even address the possibility that it was CV...

The article appeared in a local newspaper for the area from where the poor individual originally hailed, and was in all probability written by a trainee journalist who is still a little wet around the ears!

Brits should forward this to the UK press, force the issue.

1 minute ago, OJAS said:

The article appeared in a local newspaper for the area from where the poor individual originally hailed, and was in all probability written by a trainee journalist who is still a little wet around the ears!

Or scared to mention Corona for fear prayut comes after him.

1 hour ago, bedbugy said:

"His family are trying everything possible to keep him alive. It's costing £2,000 a day to keep him in there

 

did they mean baht

While £2,000 sounds a great deal, 2000 baht would cover nothing.

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

While £2,000 sounds a great deal,

 

£2,000 A DAY is a great deal???