Wednesday, July 9, 2008

The Rest of the Story (Read Below First)

Okay, Folks. Here is a little Q & A in regards to the left out details of my accident. Unfortunately, this is my second try at typing it out and posting it, so I know I'm forgetting some of the details I was going to include. Hopefully it answers some of your questions, though. :-) Enjoy!

Q: Who was the man who helped you?
A: He was a really friendly Thai gentleman who spoke a decent amount of English. It was nice, because he helped get things straightened out about what happened, where I was from, whom I could contact, and translating things between me and the doctor and nurses. He even let me use his cell phone.

Q: How long did it take Jackie and Summer to find you?
A: Not too long. They had stopped to let me catch up because they were running out of gas. They wanted to let me know, and when I didn't show up, they turned around and came looking.

Q: Were you wearing any other protective clothing besides your helmet?
A: Nope. Not leathers anyway. I was wearing a light jacket that I had bought here, and that protected my right forearm enough that I only had some light road rash on it.

Q: What other injuries did you have?
A: I had a small bruise at the bottom of my sternum (hardly anything), and I had another small bruise on my right nipple... that actually still hurts a little. Other than that, it was just my left palm and right forearm.

Q: Did you ever find your ring?
A: Actually I did, and since it is made of titanium, it didn't have a scratch on it! :-)

Q: What happened to your bike?
A: It wasn't too pretty to look at to begin with, but it actually came away with a few scratches that are hardly noticeable. However, the clutch/gear shift by the left peg was bent into the body of the bike. The guy who took me to the hospital had a friend who took the bike to a bike shop, and they bent the clutch out enough for it to work again. So, now it works. They then drove it to the hospital for me.

**These next 3 questions are passive commentaries on my previous blog's title**

Q: Were you treated well at the hospital?
A: Yes! Not only do they practice good modern medicine, but they are quick, efficient, and have sterile facilities and equipment. I felt just as safe in that hospital as I would in one in America

Q: Was the whole process easy?
A: Well, getting hurt wasn't easy, but after that, I was in the emergency room and seen to immediately... And I didn't have to fill out any forms before they would see me.

Q: What else can you tell me about your Thailand hospital experience?
A: I was admitted, my wound was cleaned, my wound was sterilized, I was given an anesthetic, I was given three stitches, my wound was wrapped, I was given a tetanus shot, I got some pain killers and some antibiotics, and I was discharged all within an hour and with a total cost of 300 Baht (that's $10 for those who don't have a conversion table). That's it! Well, I guess it will cost me a little more to send the man who helped me a thank you note and gift, but....

Q: What happened after the hospital?
A: We called David Bell, and he rounded up a truck and came up to Chiang Dao to pick us up. We loaded both bikes in, which was nice to be able to do. Then, we drove home-- Oh! And on the way, we picked up some Fai Dok (fireworks!) for our Independance Day celebration. Good times!

So, that is the rest of the story. And I am 5 minutes late for my class. Must run! We love you all. Thanks for tuning in. Pictures are coming next!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
SO Thankful you are OK Michael!!!!!
Please continue to wear the helmet no matter what! We love you and your brain!