A Long Trip Home, A Short Trip to Hospital, Thailand.

Well my short holiday is over, my trip to the seaside. We left Pattaya yesterday morning at around 8.30am and headed to Bangkok to the airport to drop my mate’s son and his wife off as they were heading back to England.

The trip to the airport went smooth, we then spent around and hour or so at the airport before hitting the road again heading to Ubon Ratchathani. The trip was again interrupted by a few stops for toilet and food, but these were the adults and not the little kids who were all great.

The trip back went really well, until we hit some terrible weather. It was blowing a gale and pouring rain. The van was drifting about the place and the driver didn’t seem to want to slow down too much but keep pressing and still hitting speeds of 130klms per hour when the weather was half decent. Sometimes the visibility was terrible and we were crawling along at 50 or 60klms per hour.

It was a long trip home, we arrived around 7pm and I felt like shit. I had hardly slept as the tiny seat I was on that just fit my large arse. I had Nong Ja sleep in my arms for two sessions of a few hours each time and did manage to drift off for a power nap here and there. I was so happy to hit the outskirts of Ubon. I will never travel by van again; it was a good trip but too much. I am happier to fly and have a taxi take us to Pattaya. It costs a little more but much easier on the body and mind.

We arrived home and Miss Noot, Joom and Nong Ja headed straight out to the village to see their mum and younger sister Ben. Their mum had made fermented bamboo in fermented fish sauce and the girls who hadn’t eaten real Isaan food for 5 or so days were drooling at the thought.

I stayed home and jumped online and caught up on the news and emails and then hit the sack. I was awoken around 9.30pm by the girls. So I got up and Nong Ja and I retired to the bedroom to watch a few cartoons on Boomerang. Ja was doing her usually laughing and yelling out loud at the cartoons.
Then we went onto the National Geographic Channel and they were doing a story on koalas that had been injured and being nursed back to health for release. Well this brought squeals, laughter and other noises I have no idea how to describe. She loves koalas as she has a toy one that mum and dad sent over a few years ago.
Miss Noot popped her head in to complain of a stomach ache and I told her that it served her right for eating putrid Isaan food after not having it for a few days. Nong Ja and I continued to watch about the koalas and some music videos that Ja danced to and was just having some fun.

I finally got Ja to lay down and was heading off to sleep, Niss Noot had popped in a few more times to tell me that the pain in her stomach was worse and she also had a headache. So after no sympathy from me, I told her to have a shower and take a few Panadol or Tylenol.

So I was lying in bed and Nong Ja was finally off to sleep. I was watching the Australia Network when I thought I heard my name called out. Thinking I was hearing things I ignored it. Then I heard my name called again. I opened the bedroom door and Miss Noot was making faint calls for me.

As I had jumped out of bed, Nong Ja had awoken, she started to cry asking where I was going. So I had Nong Ja crying and Miss Noot calling faintly. I scooped up Nong Ja and headed to the bathroom. Miss Noot looked terrible; she was hunched over in a heap of pain and a large pile of food that had been consumed through the day all over the floor.

So there I was, with a crying baby and a sick girl, trying to think what to do next. Noot couldn’t support herself. I got her to sit on the toilet and then headed to get a glass of water for her to wash her mouth out. I had managed to stop Ja from crying, maybe this was the sight of Noot. I put Ja down and again tears and screams came but some quick thinking I sent Ja on a mission to get me a towel and off she went.

I have been with Noot over 5 years and never has she been sick like this. She was ill, in a heap of pain and a little delirious. I washed all the vomit away and Ja returned. I left Noot, with Ja there to watch her as I quickly gathered a few things to take to the hospital. Some clothes for Noot and Ja and a few toiletries as I was pretty sure we were staying overnight.

I was thinking food poisoning, as I have had this before here in Ubon Ratchathani. I wrote about that experience and it was terrible. I thought I had had food poisoning before in Australia and Indonesia but after experiencing the real thing, I knew that wasn’t the case.

So I eventually managed to get the things and the girls into the car and off we went to the hospital around 11.30pm, about 800metres from my house, in a straight line the hospital is 300 metres away. I dropped Noot off at the door and they placed her in a wheelchair, I dropped the bags and Nong Ja with her as well, but Nong Ja screamed when I left to get back into the car. And she screamed when we hopped into the car without Noot. So I juggled Ja screaming and parked the car.

They jabbed Noot with a needle to stop the nausea and then she drifted off a little, blood was taken and the waiting game was to start. Ja was in no mood for sleeping now, thankfully I had brought a few toys along and we played with her ball in the foyer that was deserted. We went on walking trips about the place returning to check Noot every now and then.

I made a few attempts to get Ja to sleep but to no avail, and just after 1am the blood tests came back confirming food poisoning. It couldn’t have been the Isaan food that was way too quick. It had to have been one of the many things consumed on the bus during the trip home. We ate nearly everything the same except one dish that Noot bought. I am not saying this was the cause but no one else was ill.

So Miss Noot was checked in for the night. She was put on a drip and we headed off to her room. The private room is big and a couch for us (Ja and I) to sleep on as well and coffee making and a dining area. They gave Noot some pain killer and she soon drifted off to sleep. I made Ja a bottle (I had packed so much in little time I was proud of myself) and she too was soon off to sleep.

Ja had the couch, most of it. I was on the end with my legs on one of the chairs watching cable TV. I hate hospitals, and sleep was going to be hard to come by. Noot hardly moved as did Ja. I remember lying down around 4am after glancing at the clock. Sleep came in short spurts. Ja tossing and turning and the nurse entering to take Noot’s obs.

Noot rose early, just before 7.30am (early for her) as breakfast was delivered with medication. Ja slept a little longer before also stirring. We then struggled through the day (Me mostly being sleep deprived) and thankfully in the afternoon Ja’s mum and dad picked her up around 2pm for a few hours. I hit the sack quick smart and got some spasmodic sleep between nurses and visitors turning up.

I was sure we would be heading home today (Friday) but the doctor knocked that on the head after a review of Miss Noot’s problem bowels was assessed (won’t tell you who took the sample out of the toilet). So here I am on a Friday night sitting in a hospital room with Miss Noot, waiting for Ja to return and then an eventful evening will be had for sure.

Noot feels a lot better, but still not 100%. She cannot be too bad as she has demolished every meal delivered and even thought about having a go at my lunch which was grilled chicken, Somtam Thai and sticky rice. But I wouldn’t let her anywhere near it.

I have a few new dvd’s to watch through the night. Noot has Thai TV to keep her happy and when Ja returns it will be played by ear to see what she wants to do. I am looking forward to tomorrow and when Noot is sent home. Hopefully then I will have time to process all the other pictures from our holiday and blog about them as well.

The good thing of having full insurance is not worrying about the bill. She has had private coverage for 5 years and never used it, which is a good thing. This will be the first time and hopefully won’t be needed again for a long time. For 10,000 Baht a year it is a bargain if needed.

So that is about it from here in Isaan.

Brunty