Category: Thailand

Japan now says they will allow me to apply to get a letter letting me through immigration in Japan. I would need to test negative for Covid within 72 hours before the flight if I received “the letter”.  Friends in Japan are losing faith in their government for mishandling the Covid 19 virus. Infected people are increasing.  So now everyone is telling me not to return for safety reasons. 

Croatia was allowing tourists in under certain screening or quarantine. I was thinking as using that as my escape route into Europe. But the last few days England put restrictions on people coming in from Croatia since Covid cases are increasing.  So now will this cause problems for my escape?  Actually I have no problems being in Thailand. It is safe, medical services are good. Everything is fine. But I can’t stay here much longer, maybe not past September 26 when the Covid amnesty ends. Since things change from day to day I guess I will just have to see what the next month brings. 

I bet you expect this title to indicate I am going to yada, yada about “mask” issues. Ain’t gonna happen on this website. I save that for my egghead facebook page. Here you will find recent perspectives on Covid and political demonstrations in Thailand.

Thailand continues to have very few, not more than 15/day, positive Covid tests and still at zero daily deaths. Talk about “safety” and “freedom”, Thailand gives tourists a lot of those 2 so come to visit when possible. Now tourism is blocked. Even returning Thai nationals need to quarantine for 2 weeks in Bangkok at their expense. Diplomats and UN people need to quarantine if they are even allowed into the country, no entry permission is guaranteed.

The website at the Japanese Embassy indicates I can now apply for return to my country of residence. Not sure what that means since it does NOT indicate an automatic system for residents to return, those who aren’t “exceptions”. But I need to sit a while longer without travel in Thailand to recover from surgery. The hospital here says they will help with immigration if the stay goes past September 26, the last day of the visa amnesty granted to tourists who got “stuck” here due to Covid-19.

So, I make the best of things staying at my friend’s estate outside Bangkok. He has 2 free dogs, a swimming pool, large back yard for dog Frisbee games (not throwing dogs) and a coffee maker. So, life is now on autopilot until all things improve.

It seems an escape West might work through Croatia but that situation is changing as they accept US tourists and Covid positive people increase. Croatia’s acceptance rules keep changing. It is in the EU but not in Schengen so automatic entry to other Schengen countries is not possible. But as an EU country, showing a period of stay there, Covid negative, can be a positive to entering Schengen, other EU countries or other countries in the area, Scotland or England.

Oh, concerning Demonstrations, almost forgot, let me just say read the news. There are currently pro democracy demonstrations and you will read also about some complex political issues surrounding demonstrator demands. Most of the demonstrators are University students. Stay tuned.

So, musical food, failed catheter episodes and a real desire to escape from an uncomfortable hospital bed…. What is the result? Still going through recovery and trying to figure out what all is expected and what might be some unexpected symptoms or effects, I am (Yoda English). Going back to a great place to recover, comfortable bed, back yard, free dogs, pool (can’t yet go in) and many kinds of food, has all been something to look forward to.

Looking at the Japan Embassy site they seem to be so magnanimous by letting residents of Japan come back if they are accepted by special application. So, I say, “pick your nose!”. To go back now to doctors who will just complain about the surgery I had (typical arrogance), or have to find some place to recover…NO! Not interested. Japanese bureaucrats will just have to wait until I am ready to fill out papers they might want for me to completely dislodge myself from residence there.

And, so the unexpected travel itinerary continues to be a day by day jar of jelly, wiggling every morning with no substantial change in form.

Some Open countries are seeing more Covid 19 infections. Those countries will go back to more strict regulations for health concerns. Let’s just hope our friends and family stay safe and healthy.

At sometime the ether wears off. In my case it was about 2 am. People around me asking this, that and the other (a phrase my grandfather used). You can imagine what they were. One was whether or not I wanted to urinate, which I did. It was very painful and bloody. but after the second round, somewhat successful, a young (maybe 19) nurse’s assistant determined I needed a catheter. Not knowing when a catheter is necessary I was just the stupid recipient.

Well, it was one of the most painful experiences of my life. As I tried to muffle the screams she kept the progress up as blood kept bloodying (not that much). A more senior (30 or so) nurse came in and assisted. Again, torture and foreboding! Would this just be a small sample of the painful immediate future? They finally gave up and pulled out the catheter. Thirty minutes later the doctor came in and asked them why they were using a catheter when fluids were coming out. Well, my Thai isn’t good enough to understand the medical conversation so I just egged on the doctor, hoping he would nix the inquisition and punishment. He explained the catheter was not necessary and let me go on living. Later on the explanation was some prostate issue. To make a long story not as long, the urologist was consulted and medications were put in my daily diet. That took care of everything.

My friend Bob, who, with Chris, forced me to wear just a bottle of Johnny Walker Red on the way back from the Cornell Dorm showers on my birthday (18th) while lining up girls to view the live exhibit walking back to his room (me). Oops, no main verb there. Ok, well, anyway, Bob asked I explain what food was provided. Actually I was originally given the pale face food, tasty scrambled eggs, potatoes and something. Since my mother cured me from eating greasy eggs I just ate the potatoes. It was ok, I was not really hungry, getting used to my restricted intake in my diet routine. I requested the Thai meal after which was a variety of stuff with a bowl of rice, very filling and a little too much for me but much more palatable than eggs. The food was not bad. But then I was not being regular (all you old fogies will know what I mean) and was having some slight pains so the doctor recommended the fruit and salad courses. That was ok except the salad was served with a “dressing” with the English and Thai label “EGG”. I dipped my spoon in expecting the usual way too sweet dressing and, as expected, it tasted like half sugar and half other stuff. Since it would have made me feel unwell I just ate the vegetables without any dressing, healthy and OK but not particularly tasty but that didn’t really bother me since I am used to eating most anything.

The doctor came in later and asked me about the new diet, along with other more pressing questions, and I explained fruit alone would be nice and that is what came for the next meal.

Ok, now I get to coffee but I will let that wait for Part 3.

As the world turns and we all are stuck in unexpected situations and environments a few of us have had to use hospital facilities, myself included.

While in Khanom, southern Thailand, my 64 year old hernia surgery broke open. It was not that the lower abdomen bulge was too worry-some at first but digestive problems and pains forced me to seek medical attention in Bangkok. Fortunately I have a good friend from Norway who founded our Bubbles Dive Training Center with me in the early 90’s living in Bangkok in a very large “spread” complete with big yard, swimming pool, large house, maid, gardener and cook and free dogs, one a Pincer and the other a Jack Russel Terrier (the one who attacks my face with her tongue several times a day). The living situation could have turned out worse.

As soon as I could I made an appointment to get the hernia checked out and a week later I met with the surgeon and decided to go ahead with the repair that evening. There were several reasons for the rush. Digestive issues accompanied increasing pains, laparoscopic surgery could again be banned if Covid in Thailand took a bad turn (gas coming from the process, entering a Covid positive patient and then being let out in the operating room could infect operating room personnel). Also, there was no reason to wait. I guess I could have checked out more hospitals and surgeons but waiting might make the physical problems worse and I very much believe in luck. No matter how much care you take on an issue things could turn out very different from the plan.

The surgeon was to do the operation at 9 pm so at 5 pm, after consultation, I changed into hospital garb, lay down on the slab and prepared to just let whatever———- happen, totally out of my control anyway.

The young (20 or so) assistant stuck a needle between my finger tendons (the preferred spot) for the semi-permanent tube for medications, etc. It was very painful and she never found the vein. An older nurse came by and showed her the alternate spot, just behind the thumb knuckle. That vein was good. I didn’t sign up for torture but soon found that was not the only torture I was to endure. My painful winces didn’t stop the young attendant from casing more pain with that damn needle. Don’t people know that needles hurt?!

As I was wheeled around the facilities on the slab I had this strange feeling of helplessness and fate. It was a little embarrassing laying down while being wheeled around when I could have made it on my own two feet. But hospitals have their procedures so it was up to me to just shut up and chill out!

After a few hours sleeping in my private room they came to put me back on the slab for transport to the operating room. Once there people went in and out, fixing a tube of electrolytes to the semi-permanent hole in my thumb. After about 20 minutes the anesthetist stood behind me and with no explanation put a mask on my face and said “oxygen”. Tasted fresh! After 20 seconds the taste changed to a slightly dirtier, rougher flavor. That taste increased and in 3 seconds I saw one trillion pin holes in the ceiling. LIGHTS OUT!