Purple, Wavy Clouds!

Things have been a little whack-a-doodle these last couple of weeks. I haven’t been in a place physically or mentally to write anything of substance. One of the reasons is that Donna has had some medical problems that we needed to pay close attention to.

She told me she was seeing a thick line of purple, wavy clouds wherever she looked. Donna also expressed a feeling that she was inside a bubble. Whenever she moved her hands, they created distortions in the bubble with flashes of sparks. Needless to say, we were both concerned. There was no pain but it was definitely time to see a doctor.

We packed our bags that night for a two or three-day trip to Pakse, our nearest ‘big’ city. I arranged a boat, van transport, and a room at our favorite hotel for that next morning. The clinic would hopefully be able to help us understand what was going on.

Finding The Pakse Eye Clinic

The International Clinic had improved greatly over the years having been taken charge by the Vietnamese. We were sure they could find a solution to this problem. But they couldn’t. It was suggested that we go to the Pakse Regional Hospital, just next door. So, off we went. After registering for a new card we were directed from one window to the next and finally down a long hallway in search of the eye department. We passed through several departments asking for directions and were told to continue on. Eventually, we arrived at the point of exiting the hospital and into the back lot. Someone had indicated a new building to the left, but it was all beds full of patients.

Finally, a nurse pointed to a small ramshackle building off to the right behind the hospital. There was a plaque at the entrance that indicated that funds for the eye clinic were sponsored by the Rotary Club. We walked over to it and one of the ladies standing outside pointed to her eye. We nodded and went inside.

No Idea

A nurse greeted us and told us to have a seat on the wooden bench in the disheveled waiting room. One bare light bulb lit the room. It could not hide the fact that many long years had passed since a paintbrush had touched these walls. After we spent a short time examining our surroundings, the nurse called us into the examination room.

Donna began to tell them the problem as I did my best to translate into Laos. They ushered her to a chair and had her place her chin on the strap of a strange-looking machine. Her eye was in position for the doctor to inspect the troubled eye. Sweeping left and then right with a light focusing perfectly on her pupil, he quickly came to the conclusion… that he had no idea what was causing the symptoms. Perhaps it could be a detached retina. He suggested we go to Vientiane where they have more advanced equipment.

Back to Don Det

As we considered going to Vientiane for more advanced equipment we realized that Ubon, Thailand was closer and certainly more convenient. We needed some items from the house, like the credit card, back on Don Det. I convinced Donna she should stay in Pakse and rest while I made the trip back that next morning. I could catch the 8:30 van back to the island, arriving around 11:30, pack the other items, and catch the 4: pm van returning to Pakse. Then, she and I would take the bus to Ubon the next morning.

The ride was extra long since the van passed the turn to our port city to take someone all the way down to the Cambodian border. Darren, another expat on the island, and I were not pleased, as it added an additional half hour to the already lengthy trip. I called to arrange the 4 p.m. van. The boatman wanted extra money to drop me off at our house. I rushed around the house gathering items from the list Donna had given me. “Put the plants on the porch under the tree so they get water from the rain”, and a list of medications, clothes, etc. which I checked off methodically.

List Completed

After all that running around a shower was necessary and refreshing. I closed up the house again and went up to the corner bar under the big tree. I hoped to catch a ride up to the top of the island and the 4 pm ride back to Pakse. Some children were playing there. No adults, no ride. It was almost 4.

A young boy pulled up on his motorbike with an old lady to buy a small bottle of gas. I offered to buy a big bottle for his bike if he would take me to the top of the island. He talked with the older lady for a minute and then motioned for me to hop on. We rode up the ricefield road while I sat on the back carrying a large cooler and a heavy bag. As we arrived I offered him some money for the gas. He smiled and declined. Such kind people here, always willing to help.

Back to Pakse

I made it back to Pakse around “dark thirty,” exhausted and ready for a good meal to be followed by a good night’s sleep. Donna had called our friend Kalone in Ubon who researched a top-of-the-line eye clinic that had the necessary equipment to perform the eye tests or even laser surgery if needed. We would be able to see the doctor the day we arrived. Everything was falling into place.

Next, we needed to transfer some dollars from our bank in the States to our friends to exchange into Thai baht. We figured we would try to use Moneygram. Donna was not convinced. Tao, of the Lankham family who owned the hotel, advised us that we did have an expert nearby who had used it often with her for that purpose. So, I went to Adam for help. He walked me through the process and soon the money was there and exchanged! We were ready!

A tuk-tuk took us to the bus station and it began to rain. The bus that would normally pull right into the station, didn’t. So, I, and everyone else, had to carry our bags through the rain. Donna was the only person with an umbrella. Clever girl. It stopped raining by the time we arrived at the border.

Borders

Up the steps of the new border control building, past the escalator ramps that have never worked, and into the line for stamping our passports to leave Laos. The agent was pleasant. Then down the steps of the new border control building, past the other escalator ramps that have never worked, and the long walk to the Thai border control. The steps are a little rough on Donna’s knees. We were thankful it wasn’t raining.

The customs officer on the Thai side was quite jolly with big smiles welcoming us to Thailand. The lady agents waiting to potentially search through people’s bags to avoid smuggling contraband waved us through. We walked out the door, down a slope of a dirt path to our waiting bus, and took our seats.

The morning bus from Laos to Thailand is an older bus. It is beautifully decorated with curtains and upholstery that probably came with the bus as a second (or third) hand bus from China. I had bought a new phone chip from a salesboy on the bus. He now helped me get it connected and all situated for the internet. I put the Laos chip in the back of the case so I wouldn’t lose it.

Into Thailand

The trip is long. After a few times of already seeing the countryside, the solar collector field, the huge satellite receiver, the dam, and the little villages, you find a bit of sleep. “Have we passed the first turn yet?” Donna asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” I said sleepily.

Soon we make the turn and know it’s just another hour or so before the other turn. Then it’s only a short time before we are at the bus station. There have been changes to the road. New construction. When we arrived at the place that was a landmark to us, it had changed. Soon we were passing the bus station on the right. But we had to continue on almost another kilometer to turn around to get back to it. Thai road design can be pretty crazy.

When we pull in and stop, everybody jumps up ready to get off the bus at the same time. Tuk-tuk and private taxi drivers vai for customers while blocking the door. We offer them a polite “No thank you,” and continue to the metered taxi stand. Off we go to the hotel!

We seldom book a room, this hotel is seldom full. It’s cheap, for good reason, but perfectly located for the night market and cheap transport around the city. The nearby park is wonderful! We check in and have a few moments to organize ourselves before heading to the eye clinic.

Eye Clinic

The taxi driver has no idea where it is, but we have Google Maps! We use it a lot with the taxis to get the best route. As we pull up we notice that this place looks very modern. A little out of place from the surrounding storefronts. Like stepping out of the forest to see OZ. The security guard opens the taxi door and helps Donna out as I pay.

Inside is nice if not regal with tall ceilings and a golden glow. The receptionist/nursing aid asked if she could help us. We tell her of the problem with the purple wavey clouds. “Have a seat.”

The doctor decided tests were needed, so the nurse asked Donna permission to dilate her eyes. The nurse handed her a couple of cotton balls for any overflow. “Tilt your head back.” A couple of drops in each eye. Blip, blip.

“Ow! These sting!” Donna exclaimed.

After a few minutes, the nurse came back to check on her shining a flashlight into her eyes to check the dialation. Two more drops. Donna lay down on the waiting room chairs. Soon she was called into the examination room where we finally met the doctor.

The Exam

He was a tall, thin Asian man in blue scrubs, a hairnet, and a facemask. Directing Donna to sit down, the nurse guided her to place her chin on a machine much like the one in Pakse to look into her eyes. This machine was much more advanced.

Soon a large video screen on the wall beside her lit up with images of two orange globes, the inside of her eyes. Tiny veins converged to one spot on each globe like country roads leading to a city. The doctor scrolled his curser around to different points for more microscopic detailed analysis. An inset window appeared on the screen showing the width of the retina separation from the wall of the eye. Everything was looking good.

“Ah, Here is the problem!” The doctor exclaimed in a very thickly accented English. “Calcer.”

“WHAT! CANCER?” Donna and I blurted out in unison.

OMG!

“No, no, not cancer! Calcer. Calc.” He kept trying to get the word in English.

“Calcium?” I asked

“Yes! Sorry, sorry! There is a build-up of calcium in this vein here in her eye. The blood flow to the eye is not strong enough causing a blockage.” We all laughed with relief.

Donna and I remember when we went to Vientiane some years ago, she underwent extensive heart testing. A 35% blockage of an artery on the left side of her neck was discovered. They felt it was not a danger and only prescribed a small daily dose of aspirin. This blockage in the eye is also on the left side. The eye doctor ran another test and determined that we should go to the hospital to see a neurologist and a heart specialist. “Now! Go to the Emergency Room!” He was worried that this was a warning of an impending stroke.

What Next?

We paid the bill for the eye doctor, about $85, and messaged our friend, Kalone. We all agreed that at this late hour, the public hospital would merely check her into a room to see the neurologist or the heart specialist the next morning. Kalone said to come in around 8 am and he would set us up with the doctor appointments. We went back to the hotel and lay around quietly in the room.

The following morning we woke bright and early and went to the hospital. There have been many improvements to this wing of the hospital since our last visit. It looked very modern with big comfy sofas in the waiting area. We circled the large room looking for Kalone’s office, but being early decided to sit and wait on one of the sofas.

I recognized Kalone as he was hurrying by and called out to him. It had been some time since we had all seen each other so we did a quick catch-up. He said to wait here and he would check on everything for us. It wasn’t long before he returned with the news that we should come back the next morning as the neurologist and the heart specialist were fully booked today. He did give us a paper to bring back in the morning with an appointment with the neurologist. One more quiet night at the hotel.

Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital

The next morning we woke bright and early and went to the hospital. This time we checked in with her hospital card and were sent to the waiting area of the neurologist. We got Donna a wheelchair and orderly to navigate the hospital. An older part of the hospital, this was a very large, open area serving many departments. There must have been easily 300-plus people waiting for one service or another.

The orderly parked Donna amongst the other wheelchairs handed me a paper, pointed at a windowed room, and said, “Pay.” Being foreigners, we have to pay before anything happens. This is because so many have come, gotten services, and skipped out without paying. I went to the window where they took my papers and gave me a number. I waited. And waited.

Other people had papers and were paying. I had only a number. Standing in the crowded line to pay, I was ushered to the side to wait… and wait. What about my paying for services to be rendered? “Just a minute.” Many more people came and went. Eventually, the lady at the window called me over, and told me to pay, I did. It was about $10 for the consultation with the neurologist. She handed me the papers and told me to go to desk 27 to give the nurse the papers.

After doing so I waited with Donna in the wheelchair parking lot. The section of the room nearest the phlebotomists had nearly emptied out. The nurse at desk 27 called for us to come over. After a quick review of the vitals, blood pressure, temp, etc. we were asked to wait. It wasn’t too much longer we were wheeled into the hallway of the neurologist, to wait. We were closer!

The Neurologist

Once inside the neurologist’s office we were happy she spoke good English. After hearing everything and reading the documents we had, she determined that all that needed to happen was to take more blood thinners and some other meds, and everything would be fine. Come back and see her in two months.

I know this seems anti-climatic, but I certainly prefer this outcome to any of the darker versions we had been living within our minds! We finalized our hospital visit by purchasing the prescribed drugs from the hospital pharmacy, totaling around $18, and returned to the hotel. We dropped off the medicine at the reception desk and went to our favorite little coffee shop for a latte and blueberry cheesecake to celebrate.