Weeks before the trip, I was contemplating on whether I would get a travel insurance or not. I have considered this idea since this will be the first time that I will be away from home in a different country for a long time. I will spend almost 20 days away and I want to make sure that emergencies, medical or any kind would be covered. See, since my travels around Asia mostly would just last for not more than 5 days, I usually just skip the travel insurance and proceed with the trip without it. But this time, something tells me that I really should get one. Was that an omen? Was my intuition spot on? Guess it is!
I researched online and found good travel insurance deals starting from just 500 Php for a 3 day trip. I got the Pioneer Insurance Asean Plus which is priced specially for Asean travels. I got the 22 to 31 days travel duration which costs me just around Php 1600 plus. It covers insurances for medical emergencies, trip cancellation, flight delays, damaged or loss lugguage among others. I thought it was not bad for the price, and it will provide me a feeling of comfort and security knowing that I have an insurance in case things go south.
So, second day in Bangkok:
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| Yay! A big breakfast to start my big day, but... |
I woke up feeling a little better than I was from the previous night, although still not in my 100%. I was starving like mad and went down to the hotel restaurant to have a huge breakfast since I was not able to eat well on my first day in Bangkok (dang it!). I ordered, sat down and prepared myself for a long day of walking and touring around the city, when I realized that I am back to feeling sick in the middle of my meal. I remember that day being extremely hot and humid. I suddenly felt like my chest is about to explode. Tightness in my chest, together with difficulty in breathing, palpitations, and nausea. I then thought, shit, this is it! Im going to die in another country, alone! I keep on thinking that this could be a heart attack. This could be bad! I need to get to a hospital, ASAP!
I called the manager and asked where the nearest hospital could be. He told me to go to a particular hospital that caters to foreigners and helped me book my ride going there. In a few minutes, my ride came and I was on my way to the hospital. It took me about 15 to 20 minutes to arrive and all the while I had a lot of thoughts in my head. Will I die here? Will the doctors tell me to go back to the Philippines and not push through with my trip? How much will this cost me? Do I have enough money? What the hell is wrong with me?! Was I scared? A little. I am really not worried about me being alone, what I am really worried about is the possibility of me not proceeding with my trip because the doctors could order me to go home. I was already in the process of planning my return to the Philippines, until finally, we arrived at Yanhee International Hospital (Later, I have found out that this is a famous cosmetic hospital in Bangkok where people get tummy tucks, breasts implants, and other cosmetic surgeries. Should have done liposuction. haha!) I went straight to the ER where Thai nurses first assisted me.
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Yanhee International Hospital
(Image from medigence.com) |
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| Being hospitalized in another country feels super weird |
It was first a struggle to communicate with the Thai nurses. They ended up sending a Filipino nurse working there to ask me questions as a part of the emergency room protocol. He asked me about what happened, the usual personal details, when did I arrive in Bangkok, where am I staying, and if I was alone. I was able to answer all of his questions to the point that I have already forgotten why am I even there in the first place. I guess I was just so overwhelmed with whats happening to me and the new environment that I am in.
After a few minutes, an English speaking lady and a male doctor approached me. The lady introduced herself as my assigned English translator throughout my stay in the hospital. She told me that the doctors will run tests such as EKG. I obliged as I also want to know whats happening to me and to ease my worry on getting a heart attack. Tests were ran, and I was left in the ER bed to wait for the results. While I do so, I contacted Pioneer Insurance in their hotline and asked how the insurance would work. They told me that I have to pay everything first and they would just refund me when I get back to the Philippines. All I have to do is to keep my receipts and ask for a medical certificate from the hospital upon discharge. I felt a little worried that time and I was hoping I brought enough cash with me to pay for the medical fees. From my experience here in the Philippines, going to the ER for a couple of hours will cost about 15 to 25 thousand Php (300 - 400 USD), depending on the tests and duration of stay in the ER. What worried me more is the possibility of me being admitted to the hospital for further observation.
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| A hospital ID given to the patients |
I was handed a hospital ID given to all the patients in the hospital. The lady translator told me to wait for the results and she will be assisting me with anything I need. I was very much used to the slow and poor service in Philippine hospitals that I expected to wait for hours and hours to get the results but to my surprise, the doctor who ordered the tests returned to me after only about 15 to 20 minutes with the results! I was ready to be ordered to go home until he asks me questions that shocked me a little.
He started by telling me that the EKG and blood test results states that there is nothing wrong with me since all came back normal. I was totally relieved! It's not a heart attack! Yay! But what the hell is wrong with me then? He then started to asks me questions like, have I had a panic attack previously? Is there something that worries me a lot for the last couple of days? Have I been taking medication for anxiety? Have I ever been diagnosed with having panic or anxiety attacks and my answer to everything is NO! I am never the type who would get anxious or would have panic attacks. But as we talk about it, I realized that it could be that I am just in denial that I am not the type who will get that. Because in retrospect, days, or even weeks before the trip, I already started feeling nervous about random things. I always get that weird feeling that something wrong will happen but nothing wrong ever happens. He then referred me to an outpatient doctor and get me out of the ER. All I thought about that time is, Thank God, I am out of danger!
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| Outpatient Doctors Clinic |
I was escorted outside the emergency room on a wheelchair and brought to the outpatient area where the doctor's clinic is situated. The hospital was very efficient and the system seems to very organized. It took me almost about 45 minutes to an hour to wait for my turn with the doctor. Better than here in the Philippines where patients would wait for 2 to 3 hours to get checked by the doctor (UGH!). The lady doctor read the ER doctor's recommendations, asked me a few questions and then provided me with a prescription and asked me to take a few days rest. I wanted to make sure that this wont affect my Indochina trip so I asked if I can still push through with the trip. She agreed, as long as I take a few days rest before pushing forward. I was relieve, although I was also ready to go back home if she told me to. The medication she recommended will also be provided by the hospital, so I was asked to go to the pharmacy and wait for my medicines to de dispensed.
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| Iced teas and other refreshments available while I wait for my medicine. |
While I wait, I started to worry about my medical bill. I only have a couple of Baht with me a few hundred US dollars. Would this be enough, I said? Trying to make an estimate on how much everything would cost me, I assumed that I would have to shell out about 300 US dollars for everything. I was hoping it would not be more than that because I would need to get more money from the ATM. I was given my prescription, and was told to wait in the waiting area as they prepare the hospital bill for me.
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| I waited at the International Center where all the English translators are stationed. |
The moment of truth! My translator handed me my hospital bill and asked me to go to the cashier's office to pay. To my surprise, the total bill was totally less than what I was expecting! It only costs me 1115 Baht or 1800 Php, and I'm like, nooooooooo freaking way! No way that this would be my total bill if this happened to me in the Philippines! Thinking that this is also quite an expensive hospital in Bangkok. I then hurriedly went to the cashier to pay, and booked my ride back to the hotel.
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| Only 1115 Baht! (around 1800 PHP or 38 USD) |
As I wait for my ride, I realized how the service in this hospital was exeptional. It was the best hospital experience of my life. Everyone was polite and helpful, mainly because I know Thai people are like that and that they could also be paid well. I then realized that Philippines fucked me up that I expect poor medical service just because that is the standard here. I realized how poor the medical service here in our country is. I then more than ever realized how expensive it would be to be sick here in the Philippines. How come their country can provide inexpensive healthcare to people and we cannot?
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| Ride going back to the hotel feeling relieved that I am out of danger. |
As we drive along downtown Bangkok, I appreciate the idea that I can still push through with my trip. However, I needed to make sacrifices as the doctored ordered me to rest for a couple of days before moving forward with my trip. I arrived in the hotel, with the hotel manager and the hotel owner welcoming me and asking me how I was. I told them that I was ok and proceded to my room to rest.
Whew, what a day! I then decided to cancel all my Bangkok tours including a visit in Ayuthaya and the palaces and just rest in the hotel instead. Khao San road is just in the adjacent street, so I would probably just party like crazy the following days. I think the doctor didn't mention any restrictions on alcohol so...
Now did I party like crazy and got drunk in Khao San? Read Part 3!
Read my Bangkok Thailand Adventures here:
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