Phuket Heat Almost Claims Briton's Life

[webfact]

Phuket heat almost claims Briton's life
Jody Houton


Phuket heat almost claims Briton’s life

PHUKET: -- While for the island’s sunseekers this month’s blistering heat of around 40 degrees, and long days of uninterrupted sunshine were seen as a very welcome and unexpected surprise, for 71-year-old Briton Ian Foster, it most certainly ruined his holiday and almost cost him his life.

Speaking to The Phuket News from a private room at Bangkok Phuket Hospital, Ian’s wife Carol recalls the horror of finding her husband unconscious by the pool at the Patong Beach Hotel.

“We arrived in Phuket on April 2 and the first day was fine. On the next day I remember thinking how hot it was and how we couldn’t walk on the astroturf.

Ian is in a wheelchair owing to a stroke that he had more than 19 years ago, so Carol remembers very well how careful she was that her husband was cared for on that exceptionally hot day.

“We were enjoying our day by the pool and had given him lots of water and kept him covered by the pool, but when I went to get him ready for lunch at about 12.30pm I found he was unconscious.”

Carol called an ambulance and he was transferred to the Bangkok Phuket Hospital. He was unconscious for three days and after he regained consciousness, he stayed on at the hospital for the entire duration of his holiday.

Nurse Aree Maneemas said, “He had a very severe reaction to the sun and suffered from dehydration. His blood pressure was high which led to a loss of consciousness.”

Ms Aree added that the problem was exasperated because of Ian’s age and of his existing medical condition of Parkinson’s disease and having suffered a stroke.

“But he is stable now and fit to fly,” said Ms Aree on April 18. But despite being given the all clear by the doctor and nursing staff, Ian remains in hospital.

Carol shakes her head when she attempts to explain, “We were given the all-clear two days ago, but we’re just waiting for the insurance company to come through and arrange a return plane ticket.”

They hope they will be able to leave this Sunday, but are, as of yet, uncertain if that will be the case. One thing they do know is that they will not be returning to Phuket.

“This was to be our last big family holiday anyway,” says Carol. “Our son, who lives in Phuket, has just got married and had a daughter, so we came to see them. We also came with our daughter and her two sons.”

For the Fosters’, it will be a family holiday that they will all remember, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-heat-almost-claims-briton%E2%80%99s-life-38786.php


-- Phuket News 2013-04-19

[eezergood]

safe trip home

[Jimi007]

While for the island’s sunseekers this month’s blistering heat of around 40 degrees, and long days of uninterrupted sunshine were seen as a very welcome and unexpected surprise, for 71-year-old Briton Ian Foster, it most certainly ruined his holiday and almost cost him his life.

What is up with this newbie staff writer from PG. She certainly does't research anything before making wild claims. April is and has been the hottest month for decades here. Also I never saw a temperature in Phuket near 40º in the past two months. Maybe 36º. Other parts of Thailand did reach 40º however, that's another story...

Edited April 19, 2013 by Jimi007

[Gassit]

"the problem was exasperated" - sounds like the translator is suffering from exaggerated exacerbation?

[Gassit]

"the problem was exasperated" - sounds like the translator is suffering from exaggerated exacerbation?

Or did they mean Mr Foster was so frustrated and annoyed that no one was paying attention to his dehydration - that he lapsed into a coma as a result?

OK OK - I know, that's a cheap shot.

[Jimi007]

While for the island’s sunseekers this month’s blistering heat of around 40 degrees, and long days of uninterrupted sunshine were seen as a very welcome and unexpected surprise, for 71-year-old Briton Ian Foster, it most certainly ruined his holiday and almost cost him his life.

What is up with this newbie staff writer from PG. She certainly does't research anything before making wild claims. April is and has been the hottest month for decades here. Also I never saw a temperature in Phuket near 40º in the past two months. Maybe 36º. Other parts of Thailand did reach 40º however, that's another story...

Screen Shot 2013-04-19 at 4.40.03 PM.png

Sorry, PG it was the Phuket News... Same but different.

[thurien]

<For the Fosters’, it will be a family holiday that they will all remember, but not necessarily for the right reason>

and they will surely remember their holiday by the hospital bill ... why on earth you have to take some poppa with

that many health deficits paired with immobility to a place / a climate like Phuket? drowsing away his holiday in

the fresh breeze of the French Bourgund e.g. would suit him much better

[Jimi007]

<For the Fosters’, it will be a family holiday that they will all remember, but not necessarily for the right reason>

and they will surely remember their holiday by the hospital bill ... why on earth you have to take some poppa with

that many health deficits paired with immobility to a place / a climate like Phuket? drowsing away his holiday in

the fresh breeze of the French Bourgund e.g. would suit him much better

I guess you missed this part of the article: “This was to be our last big family holiday anyway,” says Carol. “Our son, who lives in Phuket, has just got married and had a daughter, so we came to see them. We also came with our daughter and her two sons.” He should have not been left in the sun by a pool unattended though...

[Nobelcat]

My whole question is about this return flight that they're waiting on the insurance company for. They're just sitting in the hospital, racking up a large bill, while waiting for the insurance company to buy him a special seat? I thought they had return tickets, but I guess that would be too much for them to travel to Phuket to catch their flight. I'll be surprised in the end if insurance actually pays based on the previous health conditions.

[Locationthailand]

Why would anyone in their right frame of mind sit outside in 30+ degree heat? Sorry - this is sheer stupidity.

[DRONGOH]

A quick look at the pic is telling me that he may not be alive after all.

[Baerboxer]

A quick look at the pic is telling me that he may not be alive after all.

Tasteless remark.

[grumpyoldman]

A quick look at the pic is telling me that he may not be alive after all.

Tasteless remark.

Agreed, BUT, considering all the preconditions this guy has it's a wonder he is travelling at all. The picture does say a lot.

[Guest]

A quick look at the pic is telling me that he may not be alive after all.

Tasteless remark.

Agreed, BUT, considering all the preconditions this guy has it's a wonder he is travelling at all. The picture does say a lot.

I think the story gave an answer for that

“This was to be our last big family holiday anyway,” says Carol. “Our son, who lives in Phuket, has just got married and had a daughter, so we came to see them. We also came with our daughter and her two sons.”

Anyway I think it's cool when people who do things and experience life on their old ages, even if there is a risk of dying. Age is just an number.

[grumpyoldman]

I agree with you too Oilinki, I guess my point was/is, it's not surprising that this happened due to his condition.

[Guest]

For the family it was an surprise. If taken better note of his condition, it could have been avoided as well. Mistakes happen and lesson learned.

It's good that there are this kind of reporting so that the rest of us can learn from the mistakes which others do.

[NamKangMan]

@ oilinki

I agree, but you would think his family would pay more attention to him, given the risk he has taken to come and see them.

Carol, his wife, obviously could do with a break from looking after him for a couple of weeks.

You would think the son and his wife would help out.

[Guest]

@NKM

I would think they were paying attention to him, but failed to see the notice the difference between old man being tired and being dehydrated.

On this forum we have many people who have done their first aid courses due diving certifications. The knowledge is there in theory, but how many in practice would see the difference when they first time see an older person who is dehydrated?

I think the knowledge and how to react to the issues is similar to tsunami. Most of us had learned about tsunamis in the primary school, but when the big one happened, how many were able to connect the dots between water going down and tsunami? After the event everybody could do that and we still can.

Therefore I think that this case was an simple mistake to read the signs. Not an case of negligence of loved one. It's also good that it's reported so that next time the people who read or hear the story, will have the lesson in their active memory.

[HarryMilton]

<For the Fosters’, it will be a family holiday that they will all remember, but not necessarily for the right reason>

and they will surely remember their holiday by the hospital bill ... why on earth you have to take some poppa with

that many health deficits paired with immobility to a place / a climate like Phuket? drowsing away his holiday in

the fresh breeze of the French Bourgund e.g. would suit him much better

Why not let him decide what would suit him better?

[HarryMilton]

@ oilinki

I agree, but you would think his family would pay more attention to him, given the risk he has taken to come and see them.

Carol, his wife, obviously could do with a break from looking after him for a couple of weeks.

You would think the son and his wife would help out.

How do you know they're not helping?

[billd766]

While for the island’s sunseekers this month’s blistering heat of around 40 degrees, and long days of uninterrupted sunshine were seen as a very welcome and unexpected surprise, for 71-year-old Briton Ian Foster, it most certainly ruined his holiday and almost cost him his life.

What is up with this newbie staff writer from PG. She certainly does't research anything before making wild claims. April is and has been the hottest month for decades here. Also I never saw a temperature in Phuket near 40º in the past two months. Maybe 36º. Other parts of Thailand did reach 40º however, that's another story...

Screen Shot 2013-04-19 at 4.40.03 PM.png

Other parts of Thailand definitely DO get hotter. I live in Khampaeng Phet next to the Mae Wong national park and at 6.30 this morning it was 28 and now at 1.20 pm it is 41.

I am 69 next month and reasonably fit but if I go out anywhere around the land I wear a floppy hat and a towel across my shoulders both of which I have dumped into cool water. I may look stupid but I am a bit cooler.

A couple of years ago I was heading to BKK on my motorbike in hot weather like this, stopped about 40 km down the road to cool of and drink a large coke for the cold and the sugar boost, then decided to go back home. I got about 5 km from home and stopped as I couldn't see very well and felt in danger of falling off my bike.

I was by a restaurant and somebody helped off and made me lie down in the shade and offered me water but it was icy cold and the best thing would have been ordinary water. What I should have done is taken all my valuables away from me and had them pour water all over me, clothes and all. After about 10 minutes I called my wife and she collected me, took me home, gave me water from the cooler with sport drink powder and juice in it and put me on the bed with the a/c on. A couple of hours later I felt a lot better.

I have been living in Thailand on and offshore since 1993 and rermanently living here since 2009. That was the hottest I had seen it until now.

This poor guy was out from the UK where in April it may be as hot as 15 or so and wasn't acclimatised but he was VERY lucky.