Was up early this morning and ready and waiting for my driver and car to turn up, it was a hospital run, bugger would have to get a new Lao Visa, the rain was pouring down, it is monsoon, my room was leaking water so moved my bed away from that area and headed down stairs to wait. Did not have to wait long before the car showed up, ford bugger hope we are going to make it. It was a fairly new one so probably not..
Jumped in and off we went into the pouring rain and the traffic, the driver was good but he did not really speak much but I did get out that he lived on the border between Lao and Vietnam throughout the war and after wards he moved into Vientiane, he was born just before the war started.
We arrived at the Lao Thai border in good time and he pretty much did everything with getting me out of Lao and into Thailand, did not take long at all, then we were on the Thai highway, duel lane easy ride, 50km to travel and it took no time at all, we made such good time we stopped for breakfast, which was really good, I think the food is better in Thailand then Lao, it was street food but had so much flavor.
Breakfast over (it’s an important meal people) we headed to the hospital, It’s a weird setup but had to go to ED for a doctor to do a 30 second poke around and then say we need a chest x-ray and ultra-sound, dude it’s not my chest. Ok let’s just go along with this, so Chest x-ray, zap zap, then had to wait maybe 30 minutes for the ultra sound, Pregnant women had to go first. I though foreigners got preference, NO just kidding, read my book so was not bothered. Pregnant women you have nine months. (sorry Cherie) Pregnant women first alright. Gepers
Got called into the office, lay on the table, the doc asked a few questions about past surgeries etc etc, we all know how this works, then started scanning my neck making notes etc etc, marked out lymph nodes and a few more questions, ok thank you, you can wait outside.
Read my book for a bit, went out told my driver I still had to see the doctor he was waiting patiently for me in reception. Back into the book, then got called into the doctors, “it’s going to be alright”. Sat down, Doc “your lymph nodes are swollen”, Me “yes", Doc “and there is a small mass, left side”, Me “O fuck, tell me something I don’t know”, Doc “we are not sure what it is but you will have to go to Bangkok for more tests as we cannot do them here”, O Bugger well that will screw with the travel plans a bit.
I am on Holiday people I don’t need this, I can tell you now I know what they think it is, but I’m not convinced it’s always worse case scenario. After this headed off to pay and then got the driver, back to border and sent everything off to insurance, hhhmmmm wonder what they will say. O bollocks.
The ride back to the border was like a bit of a dream, I’m thinking all sorts, my mind starts jumping to conclusions that it just can’t handle. Worst case scenario type of things, now I should point out that I have had lumps come up before and after biopsy they have been negative, but every time you find something new your mind always thinks the worst well for a start anyway.
We got back through the borders no problem and I am now back in Vientiane, have put myself on a dose of antibiotics as have a ulcer at the back of my mouth and I think this has caused an infection, and hence the swollen lymph nodes. So I am trying not to get worked up, once they have done a needle biopsy or something like that and tell me what is going on then I can started thinking again.
I have now sent off all the paper work to the insurance and have called my parents and let them know what’s happening, could be home for winter, have to wait until Monday to hear from insurance and see what they want to do. This is what I think will happen, one: the antibiotics I am now taking will sort the infection out and the pain and lump will go away, two: the insurance will hopefully send me to Bangkok for more tests which will be cheaper for them instead of flying me home for test that will come back negative anyway, and third is: the Lao part of my trip will be over, I may stop in at the south to do a trip on the Mekong as I really want to do one, also the south sound’s really nice and not sure if I will ride there but probably will.
I think after this I will need a holiday, maybe some diving off Ko Chang Island, bugger will have to sort out Thailand Visa, might do that tomorrow O bugger it’s the weekend well Monday is not too far away. For now it’s just a waiting game, sitting around reading and trying not to cook in the 41 degree heat outside.
All the best Steve, Thinking of ya.
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