About two hours after I posted A Tale of Two Right Legs I got a call from Mike at the office. Our emergency evacuation medical insurance company had gotten involved. Given Mike’s history with this particular set of bugs, they wanted him to go to Bangkok.
It all happened very quickly after that. We made the decision that I would come with him, and the insurance company made the reservations for both of us on the 2:20 flight to Bangkok. We packed in less than an hour, got to the airport, finished paying for my ticket with a credit card forty minutes before scheduled take-off, and we were on our way.
The hospital here is, well, lovely. We have a private room, there’s a couch in here I can sleep on, and if it weren’t for the fact that neatly dressed nurses keep coming in every couple of hours to take Mike’s blood pressure or hook up another bag of antibiotics to his IV, I might forget we were in a hospital – this place looks more like a particularly sterile hotel.
It’ll take a couple of days to get last night’s test results back, but Mike’s already on a cocktail of IV antibiotics that the doctors seem fairly confident will kill the staph.
I’ve found the last couple of days a little bit overwhelming. Not overwhelming in a bad sense, thankfully. But I have been overwhelmed by all the reminders inherent in this whole experience of how much Mike and I have to be grateful for in this life – how ridiculously blessed we are. We were talking in the taxi to the hospital about Sommai. He had the same problem Mike does now. He did not, however, have our options. We are profoundly grateful for our options.
We are also thankful for good medical insurance, and for co-workers and supervisors who prioritized caring for staff and strongly recommended we come straight to Thailand. Emails and comments on facebook and comments on the blog have poured in from all over the world to remind us that people are thinking about us and praying for us. We feel cared for in more ways than one.
Thanks all, I’ll keep you posted when I can.
30 comments
great pjs!
its amazing to be in that position – to be able to access good and prompt medical care – even if it results in going to another country. hope and pray those drugs do their work!
Thanks Bec!
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends, and spirit–and you are keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that ‘work’ is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls–family, health, friends, and spirit– are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.” –Commencement address of Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises.
Doug – people have been picking up this quote and posting it on their facebook status, etc. I’ve had it come back to me three ways in the last 24 hours. Too funny.
Awesome to see Mike smiling and hear things are sounding largely positive. Been thinking of you lots and hoping for a speedy recovery. On an entirely selfish note, I would be very disappointed if so piddly little flesh-eating virus stopped you guys being at our wedding… 😉
Much love.
PS- Doug- AWESOME quote- I may have to find a way to recycle that…
Oh, you know Mike. He’s not going to let a few flesh eating bacteria keep him down for long (though he is periodically moaning out loud every so often at the moment at the thought that they have to change the IV site tomorrow). We’ll be at the wedding :).
Gosh, the joys of the tropics. Sorry to hear about your right legs but praying with you that the treatment works rapidly for Mike and yours is manageable.
Love and hugs to you both xo xo
Thanks Rel.
Hey Mikey, always smiling, even when attacked by the dreaded staff once more!? Nice to hear you’re enjoying the stay in BKK as much as I would and you haven’t even left the hospital???!!! Lisa, you’re a true champion, looking after Mike’s health and travel needs like this. Keep us all posted and we’ll be happy to know Mikey’s getting better each day.
Mel xxoxo
Oh, I don’t feel as if I’ve been looking after many needs. Mike laughed when the people who met us at the airport took my bag instead of his, but it has been good to be here together.
Wow! Glad Mike is getting good care. You are right, so many don’t have that option.
Thanks Brea.
Praying for you guys! I enjoy all of your adventures, but I hoped for the health risks to skip over you with how much good you’re doing. Not very fair, huh? Hang in there!
Thanks Heather.
Wow, Lisa! It’s just one adventure after another, isn’t it? I’m so glad that, like you said, you have such wonderful options. Many thoughts and prayers are being sent your way… Wish I could grab a crappy hospital coffee with you and catch up. Keep us posted! Hugs, Nicole
Thank Niki.
I love how in the midst of it all, he is still tied to Madame Toshiba. 🙂
Love and Prayers.
Yeah, I might be taking the opportunity for a bit of a break. But, no. He has many reports to edit and we’re pretty much sticking to a full day work schedule. But I’m glad he’s feeling well enough to manage that.
Really sorry guys to hear of your tough time – hope that Mike is feeling better very soon and that you can both have a good rest whilst you are there (if that is possible with all the nurses to-ing and fro-ing).
Take care, lots of love.
Wenz & Jon
Thanks Wenz! Hope all is going well for all of you guys in Tanzania, if that’s where you are at present.
so glad to see you smiling, Mike. And, yes, we all have sooo much to be thankful for! Glad you are being cared for and that you have each other.
love,
tanya and the weaverettes
Yeah, we’re glad to be here together. Hope you’re all well.
A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Glad to see that he looks happy and comfortable. Hope that you have been receiving good news on this staph rematch. Thinking about you guys! Hil
We still haven’t gotten the test results, but things are looking positive, so I’m pretty sure they’re all dying off.
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