Bangkok Hospital Experience

[Wellington]

Passing 70 earlier this year I decided to approach my local Hospital in Phuket to get a surgeon to

assess an abdominal Hernia which although harmless,was growing .

It had appeared post op. years ago when my gall bladder was removed.

It was ugly, and my shirts would not hang straight.

Tests were done, X rays and scans, and they discovered an aneurism over my heart .

My heart was enlarged and they refused to operate without further opinions .

So to a recommended private hospital in Bangkok from where I was passed to the heart department at The SIRIRAJ HOSPITAL.

The Siriraj is a Government Hospital/teaching hospital where His Majesty The King recently had surgery.......You do not see many Farangs in there.

I was seen by Dr. Worawong Slisatkorn and more tests,scans,x rays ensued over two exhausting days, resulting in the discovery of another large aneurism in my abdomen.

This was a shock.

He told us (my wife was with me throughout) that an operation was essential, to put "a glove"over the extended part of the blood vessel where the swelling was evident.

"Can you please see to my hernia at the same time "I asked.

"I'll try" he said.

So a few weeks later we went to Bangkok again and he could'nt operate as I caught a cold

on the plane and there was a danger of pneumonia developing after the surgery.

Not happy bunnies, we returned home and returned again two weeks later.

So, back toThe Siriraj on Sept 5th for the OP. on the 7th.

The Surgeon performed the operation....did both the aneurism and the hernia.....successfully

and I was taken into I.C.U. where I came round with tubes practically everywhere, and as apparently there had been some mucal residue after the cold I developed a lung infection and fever.

My wife was worried sick, but was supported by our elder son so was not alone, but went through a lot of distress.

The nursing care in The I.C.U. was amazing. I was constantly observed and cared for, but to clear the lung of mucus means extracting by sucking whenever I was able to cough; that jolly little exercise was the most painful experience you are ever likely to suffer.After six days I was allowed out and back to a normal recovery.

What amazed me more than anything else was that Dr Worawong seemed never to be off duty.

He saw patients from 7.00am and I was attended by him after 11.00 at night.

He is not only a brilliant surgeon but the most caring human being I have ever had the good fortune to encounter.

The moral of this story?

Have an annual checkup..........you cannot know what lurks unseen........If we had not discovered the abdominal aneurism it could have burst any time. EXIT.

and all this was caused by hypertension medicine, and the fact that I once smoked although I gave up 15 years ago.

And the cost (I am uninsurable).......about 200,000 baht.

A good deal less than a private hospital I'm told.

And we would recommend The SIRIRAJ unreservedly.

[Kwarium]

Ouch! That was a close call, especially with the lung infection!

Congratulations are in order! Thanks for sharing the success story as many of us are wondering where to go for good care!

I'm especially glad to hear that the 400,000 Bt health policy I have for my wife will cover even major problems should they arise. I'm not so sure with the company's group BUPA plan I have.

[jdinasia]

Great story <not that it happened but the results!> Thanks for sharing it !!