John Speed

Passing 70 earlier this year I decided to approach my local Hospital in Phuket to get a surgeon to
assess an abdominal Hernia which although harmless,was growing .
It had appeared post op. years ago when my gall bladder was removed.
It was ugly, and my shirts would not hang straight.

Tests were done, X rays and scans, and they discovered an aneurism over my heart .
My heart was enlarged and they refused to operate without further opinions .

So to a recommended private hospital in Bangkok from where I was passed to the heart department at The SIRIRAJ HOSPITAL.
The Siriraj is a Government Hospital/teaching hospital where His Majesty The King recently had surgery.......You do not see many Farangs in there.

I was seen by Dr. Worawong Slisatkorn and more tests,scans,x rays ensued over two exhausting days, resulting in the discovery of another large aneurism in my abdomen.

This was a shock.

He told us (my wife was with me throughout) that an operation was essential, to put "a glove"over the extended part of the blood vessel where the swelling was evident.

"Can you please see to my hernia at the same time "I asked.
"I'll try" he said.

So a few weeks later we went to Bangkok again and he could'nt operate as I caught a cold
on the plane and there was a danger of pneumonia developing after the surgery.
Not happy bunnies, we returned home and returned again two weeks later.

So, back toThe Siriraj on Sept 5th for the OP. on the 7th.
The Surgeon performed the operation....did both the aneurism and the hernia.....successfully
and I was taken into I.C.U. where I came round with tubes practically everywhere, and as apparently there had been some mucal residue after the cold I developed a lung infection and fever.

My wife was worried sick, but was supported by our elder son so was not alone, but went through a lot of distress.
The nursing care in The I.C.U. was amazing. I was constantly observed and cared for, but to clear the lung of mucus means extracting by sucking whenever I was able to cough; that jolly little exercise was the most painful experience you are ever likely to suffer.After six days I was allowed out and back to a normal recovery.

What amazed me more than anything else was that Dr Worawong seemed never to be off duty.
He saw patients from 7.00am and I was attended by him after 11.00 at night.
He is not only a brilliant surgeon but the most caring human being I have ever had the good fortune to encounter.

The moral of this story?
Have an annual checkup..........you cannot know what lurks unseen........If we had not discovered the abdominal aneurism it could have burst any time. EXIT.
and all this was caused by hypertension medicine, and the fact that I once smoked although I gave up 15 years ago.
And the cost (I am uninsurable).......about 200,000 baht.
A good deal less than a private hospital I'm told.
And we would recommend The SIRIRAJ unreservedly.

Jockstar

Its always good to hear a positive story regarding hospitals in LOS. Hope you are feeling better and on the mend. All the best for New Year. BTW have you posted this on TV?

John Speed

I'm not sure what you mean about TV ?
And thanks, I'm recovering well, albeit still a bit tired, to be expected, but an hour in the pool doing acquasize every day is getting the body back to normal.

Miss Naughty

My father lives in bangkok and has just had a knee operation, he also has said this is the best care he has ever had.
He also said they are very helpful and friendly and are always on call.
He says the doctors and nurses are always smiling and chatty and will do whatever they can to make you feel at ease.
He also said they dont make you feel at all as if you are just a job like some hospitals he has been to before in other part's of the world. Also very clean.
I am glad you have made a full recovery and best wishes for 2007.

John Speed

What hospital, what cost.
I have had a hip in Surrey but Thai climate helps keep arthur right tit away,
but for how long

Jockstar

Thaivisa.

John Speed

Silly Me!
Yes, I put it in there some time ago

aldo

Good to hear about Siriraj. A lot of hi-so Thais use that hospital as well as Vichayut on Rama 6. I see a chest doctor at the latter - Dr Manoon. He's excellent and was a resident doctor at several hospitals in New York City for many years before returning to Bangkok for family reasons (didn't want kids to grow up in the US - and I don't blame him).

The thing I've learned about the Thai hospital system is that if you can find out where the Royal Family and other hi-so Thais go, you should follow. And where they don't seem to go is Bumrungrad and BNH - ironically the two palces where most of the foreigners go.

After several years of going to Bumrungrad I now try to avoid it. The reason is that I always feel they are trying to send you from one doctor to the next to the next and always making sure you buy over-priced meds from them. I would bet my last dollar that the doctors are getting commission for that.

I feel I get more personal and frankly more professional and candid care at the other hospitals that the hi-so Thais go to - and not the Western marketed ones.

John Speed

Bumrungrad attracts Farangs because most of them like the comfort and ambience, more like a 5 star hotel, and they pay accordingly.......but they have insurance
When I came to Thailand I was already over 60, no-one would cover me, so I have to pay
Certainly Siriraj was relatively inexpensive........
But be warned
Only the surgeon spoke good English; almost all the staff struggle but do try, so you feel a bit alone at times.