Hospital Nightmare

[fiddlehead]

Does that mean 20% of all profits for the week or gross?

That seems very big of the owner there.

I'll be there Sat. night.

[kjbowman]

Does that mean 20% of all profits for the week or gross?

That seems very big of the owner there.

I'll be there Sat. night.

He is giving every Baht of profit made all day Saturday.

He has also promised 20% of the gross income from Monday to Friday.

Yes it is big of him.

Thanks, and look forward to seeing you there.

PS. From your name could we infer that you play the fiddle?; bring it!

Or does the name mean that you're just "always on the fiddle!"...?

[fiddlehead]

From your name could we infer that you play the fiddle?; bring it!

Or does the name mean that you're just "always on the fiddle!"...?

LOL, No, i don't play the fiddle.

But, I've been known to fiddle around a bit.

I'll be there.

What time does it all start?

[kjbowman]

From your name could we infer that you play the fiddle?; bring it!

Or does the name mean that you're just "always on the fiddle!"...?

LOL, No, i don't play the fiddle.

But, I've been known to fiddle around a bit.

I'll be there.

What time does it all start?

It's kicking off at 5 o'clock Saturday evening, see you there.

O'Malley's is on Montree Road, near to the Senko bookshop.

[rockyysdt]

He always wore his helmet, but rarely did up the chin-strap. We can only assume that it fell off.

As we all know, in Thailand a helmet is worn to avoid a fine, not to protect the head. Another victim of this wonderful but frighteningly insidious culture.

It's pretty scary when you take a closer look at some of the motorcycle helmets provided in Thailand.

With no impact absorption material between the riders head and the helmet shell your impact protection is zero.

Just about the only advantage these helmets offer is abrasion protection and fine avoidance.

If you're hiring a scooter on your holidays always insist on a quality helmet which includes a lining of foam material which provides impact protection.

Whether your skull hits the road or the helmet shell, it will still split without absorption material.

By the way, fail to secure the strap and you may as well ride without the lid.

Edited March 8, 2009 by rockyysdt

[fiddlehead]

I went out and bought a new one after reading and hearing about Josh.

The strap on my old one would come undone if you yanked on it hard so now i have one that works. I wear it a lot more too.

I did see an accident where one of the cheap helmets really saved a guy. A big truck cut right in front of an old guy on a motorcycle and just cut him right off. HE laid it over and he slid (much of it on his head) about 7 meters. He was ok although his glasses got broken and he was scratched up a bit.

Of course, the truck never stopped.

Hey, last night was fun. A good bunch of people, all out having fun for a good cause. And tons of prizes on the raffle too.

[BigSnake]

Question, were the friends willing/able to pay for the service the hospital provide for Josh? If not I can understand why the Hospital didn't want to release him without payment. Now as one who has had a similar accident, for me I had my AIA care card in pocket, not a problem, had nurse to speed dial AIA agent on my mobile and I receive VIP treatment. May I suggest to any and all, please check with Thai Life, AIA, AIG, NZ, BLUPA or any accident insurance provider. Some decent Accident insurance will cost about Bt1500 a year, some of the very best can set you back Bt25,000, depending on age. I know some of you will see this and think accident insurance, for what I have money, can take care any bills my self, yes true, however; a no brainer:, the hospital personnel/doctors do not know your cash flow status, but they will be able to quickly check any insurance care card you present to them. Over to you ALL>

[kjbowman]

If anything comes from all this, it should be;

Make sure you have good insurance.

Get a good quality helmet and wear it properly.

Last night was truly memorable; good people gathering for a good cause. We'll post as we know the financial situation.

Does anyone out there know a good, English speaking, chiropractor/physiotherapist? The closer to Phuket Town the better.

Thanks.

[thesikh]

Having seen Josh from day one (A friend and myself found him in BP Hospital) I can say that he is getting better BUT It will take a lot of time for him to heal. All his mates have rallied around him. I organised a 7-a-side football tournment last weekend 28th FEB at British International School followed by a raffle and dinner at Khanasutra and we managed to raise 34,000 baht. The bars on P.P (His last job was on P.P.) have done well as they have contributed about 70 odd thousand. I was not at O'malleys fund raiser last night but I am sure Lei came up with similar funds. Who ever thinks this is a scam has to get a life and a heart. It is heart wrenching to see Josh in this condition. He is walking around but looks like a skeleton. The lady who takes care of him is 600baht a day (24hrs). We will be sending him back to the UK to be with his Mum as soon as he is fit and able to go. The Scarbourgh fund raiser took in 2,000+ Quid. Which again will go a long way to helping Josh once he gets back.

Josh is a great football player (Which is how we met 2 years ago) and very nice Chap to boot. Has bad taste in football teams (Manchester United) I can only thank everyone who has pitched in. Lets keep things positive.

Billy

Edited March 8, 2009 by thesikh

[thaiwanderer]

any updates on this?

[fiddlehead]

I know he has been sent back to England.

I think someone from here took him to Bangkok where someone from England was going along to help him fly back to his home country.

I heard that he was getting a little better every day but still in no condition to travel by himself.

It's all 2nd hand information.

Hopefully we'll get an update from his family someday soon.

[Rathai]

I am all for helping a hardluck case. However it should be stated as such. The fellow didn't wear a helmet properly, didn't take health insurance and didn't have sufficient funds available for an emergency. Is it possible you played up all the other details because a story that stuck only to the facts would not have elicited sympathy?

This sad story has some inconsistencies and that cause me to question some of your statements;

1. You state the incident attributable to"

.

.

.

his family and the British National Health Service.

Ok. Then let his loving family repatriate him. Oh, I know people will call me cold and callous. However, as a citizen of his country, he should be pleading his case to his national government and its NHS.

And to those that will rip into me for not being nice. Tough. I have paid for people that could not otherwise afford care. I know there are also many other people on TV that have done the same and done alot more than me. I state this because there is a difference between someone that could have taken precautions and those that truly are victims of fate. BPH is a reputable facility. To accuse the hospital of impropriety because the hospital followed SOP and kept the patient until he was deemed sufficient for discharge is unfair. We all know the healthcare situation in Thailand and should be responsible. Sooner or later we have to accept responsibility for our own decisions and actions.

Wow! Are you a lawyer? !

I do agree with your points. I will add that in the USA, hospitals, when it comes to lack of insurance, are not that much better. They will save your life, but once you get the bill, you may not want to have been saved.

I am glad Josh is doing better.

[Valentine]

I really think if he has serious brain trauma his only hope is to get him to Singapore or back to the west. I just don't think neurological care is up to 21st century standards here. good luck.

A few years back a friend of mine had an accident on the road above Le Meridian, we were supposed to meet for dinner in Patong. He apparently came off his bike, skidded on his face & came to an abrupt stop against a large rock & he was wearing a helmet. Two days later he called me from Phuket International Hospital saying the only feeling he had was in a finger on one of his hands & that they were just getting him ready for medivac to Singapore which at the time I thought was the best for him. This was the first I knew of his accident.

After spending a long time in Singapore with no results he was eventually sent back home to Adelaide where he entered a specialist clinic. His brother contacted me to get a report from the hospital to help with an insurance claim. I read the report & there was recommendation that he not be moved for at least two weeks due to intense bruising of spinal nerves. About two years after the accident he improve dto the point where he had some movement in his fingers which is basically where he was before he left Phuket. Shortly thereafter he requested to be taken off life support & subsequently died.

Is this a case of well intentioned people doing the wrong thing based on the fact they did not think Thai medical standards were up to scratch? I often wonder the outcome had the physicians advice at Phuket International been followed.

[sandgroper2]

After playing football with his friends in Phuket Town on Saturday 7th Feb, Josh borrowed a bike from a friend and headed back to his room to shower and change. Later that evening, another bike carrying a lady and her two children pulled out into the main road without looking; he swerved to avoid them and crashed.

He suffered a variety of injuries including three broken toes, several deep gashes to his torso, arms and feet. His neck, shoulders and arms black with bruising. Most worryingly, he cracked his head on the tarmac causing a severe blood clot and brain swelling.

The injuries to his body are slowly healing but he still has no idea what happened; some basic language is returning, as are some images from before the accident, but he doesn't recognise his friends and seems incapable of creating new memories.

He was brought to The Bangkok Phuket Hospital who treated him immediately and probably saved his life. However, when it became apparent that there was no insurance and that his family did not have the funds to cover the bill, they stopped treatment. BPH is a private, profit-making business and this is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is that they then refused to let his friends check him out of their five star hotel/hospital and take him to a State run hospital who would have happily treated him.

He was finally released when, screaming in pain, his thumbprint was forced onto the invoice like a criminal. By the time he reached the State hospital he had an infection in his foot because of a dirty wound which had not been cleaned in two days.

Josh did not ask to be taken to this hospital and did not deserve this treatment; but here's the real question; did the "ambulance" driver who brought him there receive a commission? Why wasn't he taken to the State hospital which was actually nearer to where the accident happened?

At the end of the day, none of this matters. What matters is that we have a wonderful young man who needs to return to the loving embrace of his family and the British National Health Service.

Many thanks to The Adventure Club and The Sportsbar in Phi Phi who helped in many ways, not least in raising over 75,000 Baht to cover some of Josh's medical expenses.

Thanks also to Kahnasutra Indian Restaurant in Phuket Town for organising a football tournament followed by a raffle of many kindly donated prizes.

If you're going for a drink next week, please go to O'Malley's Irish Pub in Phuket Town where the owner has promised 20% of all income to Josh, culminating in an evening of live music games and raffles on Saturday 7th March when all profits will go to helping our friend. Prizes for the raffle and auction gratefully accepted.

It's good to know that in this cynical world, with times so hard for so many, that the Expat community here are capable of such generosity.

If this had happened to someone else, Josh would have worked harder than anyone to help.

I spend over 30,000 bt a year of my hard earned money to pay for travel insurance. I certainly will not pay for someones medical bills , someone who wont spend his own money on insurance.