Here’s to focusing on the positives.
We made the trek to Bangkok yesterday. We left around 2:30 or 3am and drove the 7 or 8 hours with a Karen family we are friends with through Partners. I must say they are really wonderful people and probably another highlight to the day.
It was a long drive. For an interstate, the road was awful. For Thailand and the roads we usually drive along the border, it was pretty amazing. And for having an ear infection, it was just so unfortunate. I did a lot of praying and a lot of wishing I was somewhere else.
We arrived a little after 10am and saw the doctor by 11 something. He did much the same thing as before, just with a little more care, compassion,equipment, and education. He sucked the life out of my ear, again, which wasn’t pleasant and made things even more hazy.
But, it turns out I have a double infection in my left ear: a bacterial infection on top of a fungal infection. A fungal infection? Yes. Gross.
Basically, we’re aware of how much things mold here during rainy season. We are very careful to stay ahead of the game with laundry, to not hang wet things up in dark rooms, to wash our towels constantly, etc. I have various areas in the house I watch for mold. I didn’t think to watch my ear. And as we have been swimming and showering and living in rain, it was never drying completely. And then we were adding ear drops as suggested for a bacterial infection. And a moldy-like fungus began growing in me.
Anyway, that’s repulsive, so we’ll move on. He cleaned out my ear, gave me strong painkillers, and I’m one one more antibiotic to knock the bacterial infection. And I’m supposed to go back to a legitimate doctor in one week to do a followup cleaning and evaluation. We’re looking at Chiang Mai since it’s a little closer and less costly than Bangkok, but we’ll see.
We then enjoyed the next few hours. After the light headedness cleared away, I had painkillers in me, and I could hear properly for the first time in a couple weeks. We then discovered the Au Bon Pain restaurant inside this very nice hospital, and we had lunch.
That was the highlight of the day. Really good bread and good cheese to make a toasted sandwich. And Stephen got a salad because he was so excited about that.
And this really was the highlight of the day.
There was a also little shops inside this very nice hospital, so while we waited for our pickup, we found wheat germ and whole grain oats that we don’t have in Mae Sot.
Shortly, we were back in the car again. We did have some good conversation with our friends, but it was uncomfortable. That was a long way to drive for a hospital and a long way to go in one day. There were also five of us in the cab of a truck, and a small cab, where the backseat is simply a small bench without seatbelts.
We arrived home around 11pm, and we were thankful. We felt we’d made the right decision. I was thankful to feel better and to have pain medicine.
Unfortunately, I woke up today back in the same excruciating pain. We haven’t gotten my ear wet, I’m taking the pain meds, and I’m not sure what to do now. I’m just sitting here trying to write this optimistically while I wait for Stephen to get back from his men’s breakfast this morning. And honestly, I’m just praying for a miracle. I’m not sure I can take another day of traveling; I’m not sure I can spend more money on doctors & medicine & driving; I’m not sure I can handle this pain much longer. I’m just praying for a break.
Thanks to all of you who have been encouraging and prayerful. Please, please keep the prayers up! Please pray that this will heal quickly and stop hurting. And say a special thanks for our wonderful lunch at Au Bon Pain.