Back from Thailand....

So here he is - out of surgery.  Actually at this point we're back in China, no longer in Thailand, and he's been recovering for almost three weeks.

People tend to do some pretty funny things when they are coming off of anesthesia.  Aaron was his normal self, but instead the 28 year old Aaron, he was more like what I imagine 80 something year old Aaron will be like - falling asleep during conversations and when deciding what to watch on tv.  He still had his normal sense of humor, including one time when I turned my back on him for a second.  I turned back around and he looked like he had fallen asleep again, this time with his mouth slightly open (he never sleeps like that....though I frequent the open mouth breathing position while sleeping).  After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and said, "That was my best Stacy." He didn't even remember punking on me until I told him about it a few days later.


I know I have already mentioned the amazing hopsital we were at but here are some things from our hospital experience that I want to add:


A) We booked plane tickets, planning on staying in Thailand for 2 weeks so that we'd have plenty of time to get an MRI and then schedule the surgery - we didn't want to have to make two trips to Thailand for this.  Aaron walked into the hospital to meet with the doctor the DAY AFTER we got to Thailand.  The doctor said after your MRI we'll just go ahead and get you in surgery TONIGHT.  This was not an emergency procedure.  We found them to be super quick & efficient with everything.


2) I needed to know my blood type for something, but didn't want to schedule an unnecessary dr. appointment - so Aaron's Orthopedic surgeon's nurse practitioner had the doctor order blood work for me.  I never saw a doctor - just the lady who drew my blood & the nurse when she gave me the results. It cost me about 5 minutes of time and $18.  This would never happen in America.  In fact, in America I was told that insurance would never cover my blood type testing unless I had an emergency.  I was also told it would cost a lot out of pocket.  Only option - give blood (but not for me due to overseas travel).

D).  The food available there was amazing.  Aaron and I say that it's strange/embarrassing but the hospital has definitely moved up into the #3 spot of places we would go to eat in Bangkok.  It is that good.


And now pictures of the other things that make Thailand a joy to visit.  You'll probably notice they're pretty much all related to food....what fatties.:

fresh, sliced, cold fruit on every street.

Shwarma!  Middle Eastern food is easy to find right outside of the hospital.

Shwarma was the first meal we had when we left the hospital

Aaron had at least one slurpee a day from 7-11.
Here with his slurpee he's standing in front of another favorite - Thai food stands.

Our hosts - Jeff and Jessie Gordon.
It was great getting to spend a week or so with them and their family.

New Zealand all naturals ice cream - mint chocolate chip!

Schweppe's has a lime flavored soda that they sell in Thailand called Manao.
I am always so sad that they don't sell this anywhere else I've been.
We stocked up on the airport this time to take some back with us to China.

quality health care

So we're in Thailand. Last week we came to Thailand so that Aaron could have shoulder surgery (after a couple of recent dislocations). I'm sure I'll blog more about this and the awesomeness of Thailand (I've been taking a lot of pictures and video), but I have this to share first. Bumrungrad. This is the most amazing hospital I have ever been to, in fact most of the video I have been taking is trying to capture the efficiency and quality of the hospital.

But, I forgot to bring my camera cords with me so that I could blog while in Thailand (which is why there have not been any posts since being here).

So until I can show you just how nice this hospital is, I thought I'd let CBS's hit show 60 minutes tell you....

Scalping doughnuts.......

This is Krispy Kreme in Bangkok:

 
 It just opened a few months ago, and well, Krispy Kreme chose the perfect place to open...because this is the line to buy doughnuts at Krispy Kreme:

Yes, that is outside of the store.  They called people in shifts to enter and buy doughnuts.  Once inside you have to choose if you are the "original glazed only" type or the "assorted" type.  Once you decide, that is the kind you will get...it doesn't matter how appealing a NY cheesecake doughnut sounds after you are in the original glazed line.

This is my happy husband, after we stood in that crazy line:

While in the line we were approached by this guy:

(The guy on the right of the picture, with the shifty eyes......)

to buy a dozen doughnuts from him for a higher price, so we could skip out on the line.

He is just one of what seems to be a million people who are trying to make a baht or two off of the brilliance that is Krispy Kreme, by selling dozens of doughnuts to salivating people passing by.

Literally across the street from Krispy Kreme in Bangkok I passed FIVE different stands selling dozens of Krispy Kreme doughnuts for prices 50 - 150 baht more than at the store. What that means in US dollars: a dozen glazed is 249 baht or $8.30, people on the street are selling them for anywhere from 300 baht ($10) to 400 baht ($13.30) RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STORE!

Today I am proud to be a North Carolinian.