Vietnam Health Care, The Squid, the Garlic Clove and the foreign piece episode.
So,
I travelled to Da Nang with Thanh for some Beach R&R. I must say, this area from Da Nang to Hoi An is spectacular and my favourite part of Vietnam so far.
But here is what happened to me.
We went out for dinner on Friday night, seafood and the trimmings. One dish was a pickled Vietnamese mini pumpkins and garlic. As I mentioned to my dinner partner, in order to not smell of garlic to much, I will swallow the whole clove instead what I did. So far so good.
I then proceeded to eat a squid, took the bone out and started chewing and swallow, oh no, hell broke loose. I chocked and was gasping for air, threw up black (Ink) squid and struggled to breath. I knew something was blocking my stomach entry, I tried to force it down but it just sat there.
So my dinner came to a quick end and we left with a lot of take out.
I consulted Dr Google and there was the option to force it down with water, if that didn't work "Go to Hospital Immediately.
I tried the water, It filled up my wind pipe and came out my nose, so right then and there, off to Da Nang General Hospital at 11:30 pm on Friday night. (My fear to arrive to a packed emergency room like in Canada was great)
As we get there, Than was my translator and helper to get around. I must say, they are very efficient, Triage was right away, admission took 5 min, wait for Doctor say 10 min, all that in a fairly busy emergency room with I say 30 people lying on beds waiting. The doctor came over and ordered Xray and Ultra scan for me with a smile as I explained prior there is either a squid or a clove of garlic stuck in my sophicus.
So I got the Xray done wright away and got the pictures as well, then over to Ultra sound with was very efficient as the patients got lined up on beds on wheels and rotated into the room. It took 10 min between X-ray and Ultra sound, wow.... I got the picture as well and put it in my large envelope to have it on me.
Waiting time.... well, I was expecting a long wait to see the doctor as it got busier in there. I don't think I got special treatment being a foreigner and that made me feel good.
around 30 min waiting I got the diagnose and they said they want to keep me for 2 days observation since there is a foreign particle in there. Wow, I mentioned its either Squid or Garlic, they actually got a bit mad at me saying, no, a foreign plastic like piece wright at my entrance to the stomach from my sophicus.
Wow, I was looking at the Xray and the pointed out the object, it almost looked like wire, ore a clip. As I did not want to stay for 2 days we agreed on me signing a release form to go home for 2 days but return to the hospital and if the object did not move surgery was the next step. Shocking and scary but I signed out and returned to the Hotel.
On my way to the hotel, I tried to figure out were I could have picked up that object, Street food, embedded in seafood because of fish eat plastic, crazy thoughts...... Then, how about my gastric surgery I had done in Australia 30 years back, it was a reflux clip, could that be the piece???
I looked at the X-ray agin, Google pictures and oh behold, Bingo, what a relief but also, did it become undone??? The next 2 days was liquid diet and pain in my sophicus ( The part closing the pipe to to stomach)
Monday arrives, we go to the the Hospital and see the doctor right away, (How Shocking is that)......I explained the clip could be or most likely is the foreign piece, he agreed and ordered a endoscopy for me. I knew this will push whatever is blocking into my stomach and relief the constant pain.
Booked for Tuesday morning 7:30 am. I was ready to be relieved and a bit nervous but hey, things we do to get better......
So I found out, they book all procedures for the morning, the room has 1 patient they work on, a curtain and 3 chairs were the "NEXT" WAITS and so for. The monitor is in our sight and we are watching/seeing some stranger inside, hilarious....
My turn ( 8:30 am) Its traumatic and that's all I can say. I felt the push and hoped it cleared the blockage.
5 min and I had pictures and a report in hand and got sent out to see me doctor, wow, efficient alright.
The doctor saw me at 9:15 and the diagnose was somewhat surprising but in hindsight not. I have an Ulcer right at the entrance and the swelling is blocking 1/3 of my pipe. Now thinking about it, my swallowing was a bit off, some discomfort but usual washed id off with a beer :)
So, No surgery, yes there is a whole piece of Garlic in my stomach (it was stuck and got pushed) The Gastro clip is just fine, the Ulcer does not need surgery and I am on Meds for it for 2 weeks, no Booze or Coffee for the 2 weeks as well. End of story...........
Oh no, just like a horror movie, there is that end end........ After leaving the Hospital, I had a Mango smoothie and red bull and water to re hydrate (No food for the last 4 days) Later in the afternoon I had another Smoothy, Beet, carrot and watermelon, oh know, all hell broke loose with my first sip, I could not swallow, it chocked me and I threw up........ I could NOT BELIEVE my eyes, I threw up the garlic clove, shining bright white whole intact amongst the red fluid, what a shocker, what a relief, what a stupid thing of me to do, swallow a whole garlic clove.
Since yesterday, I am almost normal, still little pain from the endoscopy but on meds and garlic free.
A piece of advice, Chew your food, especially GARLIC :)
I want to thank all the Wonderfull staff at Da Nang General Hospital, Than my friend and Translator and Vietnam Health care who does NOT profiteer on sick people. My addmissinon was initially $8 for X-ray and ultra sound, my endoscopy was included in my admission, wow, meds $13 parking 60 cents
Thank you Thanh for being there and battle it out with me.
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