This last week has been a rough one for me. In the week before, I was scrambling around trying to catch up from the trip to Australia and starting to prepare for the next research trip (more details on that later) when I was forced to take a painful bed-ridden mini-holiday.
When I clocked out of work on Tuesday at 5:00 PM, I felt a little tired, but I figured it was just because I had a grueling two and a half hour class where I taught binary and hexadecimal math. Ouch. But within five minutes of getting home I was in bed with a terrible fever.
It got worse and worse for the next few hours, until my entire body was blazing hot. But around midnight, the advil and paracetamol started to kick in and I got better and better through the night.
I went back to school the next day because I had to teach class. It wasn't a very pleasant experience for me. My students probably didn't enjoy it much either, since it was more binary math!
Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse later that night, and I decided I had to go to the doctor. I won't give details about why I had to go, but let's just say that the sight of fresh blood appearing where it shouldn't is Reason #1 to get myself to the hospital.
I was afraid that this might be something serious, so I decided to go to Bumrungrad Hospital -- the hi-so, "international" hospital. It is supposedly the best hospital in Thailand. It's definitely the swankiest and the most expensive.
And actually, it did turn out to be quite nice. I was in a lot of pain at the time, but I appreciated the efficiency of the staff with my paperwork and the fact that I got to see an English-speaking specialist doctor in the emergency room instead of the usual "guy who sews people up" who is there late at night. I also admired the huge flat panel LCD monitors on the doctor's desk.
The final bill for seeing two doctors in the emergency room at 9 PM and receiving medication came out to 1,600 baht (or US$43 on my credit card). Even though that's expensive compared to other Thai hospitals, it was worth it, as the meds seem to be working. It's Friday now and I am feeling a lot better; let's hope it continues. I have work to do!
Update: I just found out that Bumrungrad Hospital was featured on CBS' 60 Minutes. An article from Thailand's Nation newspaper covers the 60 Minutes coverage. According to 2bangkok.com, the actual video is available on CBS' website.
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Get well quick laddy. Hope you're back on deck real soon.
Future reference, you can almost cut the costs of those visits by half if u don't fill the prescription at the hospital. Go to an outside pharmacy to get your meds.
Also once you find a doctor you like, find out his schedule at the other Thai hospitals he practices, Visit him at the other facilitites instead of Bumrum will probably cut 2/3 off of your bill, especially if they are government hospitals.
What in the world was wrong with you????? I'm glad you are better, but my word SG .... that doesn't sound good at all!!!! :-(
yucko!! ...... poor little you ......
;-)
Love you!!
Glad you're feeling better!
Anon, thanks for the recommendation. I did notice that the medication was the most expensive part of the bill, and it was definitely more than it would have been at a local pharmacy. I think next time I will take your advice and fill the prescription outside.
I am glad your feeling better. Does anyone know anyone who has had cosmetic surgery and dental porcelen veneer work at bumrungrad? Your advice for finding a surgeon, then going to see him at a different hospital, to cut costs, would deffinately sound like it makes scence to me. I can't find any blogs or forums for bumrungrad patients, or females who have had any surgery at all in thailand, I could really use some advice.
I want to have a tummy tuck, lipo, breast augmentation and implants and my chin and neck done. Do you know of anyone who went through this that would be willing to post their story?...
Also, tell me alittle about the other hospitals these bumrungrad hospital surgeons work at?? Are they as clean and sanitary, with quality care as bumrungrad? what hospitals are they? Is one of them Pattaya Hospital? (say an advertisment on the web) just curious. I would like to stay in thailand in total for about l month. I would like to spend post-op recovery time at a five star hotel that has a great reputation for pampering international tourists, but also an extremely rediculously low daily rate for a beach front bungalo..If I am going to travel 20 hours across the world, and go through that kind of surgery, I would like the 'red carpet treatment" without sending a fortune.
Can you help?? anyone???waiting your advise...china