This whole horror started for me when i was having a nice holiday with my family over at Railay Beach near Krabi and our good friend Jah, came to our room holding her stomach and crying saying she needed to go to the hospital. Now Railay is like an island in that you need to go or arrive by boat as there are no roads. So, since i drove the truck, i volunteered and off we went in the dark and the rain. About 2 hours later, we got to the hospital which was a huge, old, not too clean, and very full hospital. She got checked out, got some medicine and just as it was time to get the truck and head back, the torrent started and it was raining so hard you could barely see. So, i told Jah to wait and went off to find the truck myself.
The hospital was really a maze of hallways, buildings, clinics and dorm rooms. Most were full including the hallways with people’s (patients) beds in the hallways too. Many eyes followed me as i was trying to figure out how to get to the parking lot without going into the rain. Finally, i got to where i had to go out in it but only for about 40 yards and there was my truck. I hit the tile walking very fast and immedietly my feet went out from under me and i went down hard. It was like a skating rink in both how slippery it was and how hard the fall was. I fell in about 4 inches of oozing brown mud and it hurt. I was mad. I lost my temper, i started screaming: “This is a frickin hospital” “How can they be so stupid”. Many Thai places don’t seem to care and use the slippery, smooth tile outside where the weather can make them like this, but usually not a hospital! Anyway, i figured my shoulder was broken.
I couldn’t see myself yet but got in my truck and drove around to the front to tell Jah. When i got out, she looked at me in horror. Now that i could see myself, i was totally covered (including some of my hair) in this brown mud. I told her i think i broke my shoulder and she said i had to go clean up first in the bathroom. I didn’t have any clothes with me so used my shirt to clean up the rest. Then i went through the process of getting registered. People were coming around to take a look at me as the word must’ve been spreading about the stupid farang who was covered in mud.
They sent me to an examination room where a young doctor (seemed like he was in his teens?) proceeded to put my x-ray up on the lit up reader “upside down”. The nurses started laughing and went over and turned it around.
He then said i didn’t have any broken bones and put me in a sling which yanked my shoulder into a position that really hurt.
Anyway, drove back to Phuket with my brother shifting for me. A lesson to remember: Try not to get hurt over near Krabi town as the hospital is in dire need of an addition and some doctors.