6+ years to get to Pattaya

[sweetwillyp 0]

I have mentioned in passing about why I have taken so long to get to Thailand so here is the story.

 

 

In 2000, I had a great job as a Foreman for a Fiber-Optics Division of a major company, I was pulling down $100k a year and having fun. A friend of mine said to take a vacation and that I deserved one. I did research online and I came upon Pattaya. I knew that I wanted a beach,Pay for play girls and some place exotic compared with the USA. My plan was to go in late November 2001. As everyone knows, 911 hit and then I got nervous. December 2001, I booked my flight to Pattaya with Expedia, everything was ready to go. I had a flight, a hotel room in N. Pattaya at the Amari Orchid, and I had $4000 in travelers checks. I left my house early to get to the airport. At that time it was recommended that you arrive 2 hours early for International travel. I arrived 2.5 hours early and found that there was a huge line at the counter. I spent 4 hours in line, when I finally got to the counter the agent was helpfull but because of the limited flights they only had one leaving that day. I said "ok I will take it" They said ok instead of Seattle to Narida to Bangkok, it's going to be Seattle to London to Moscow to Bangkok with a travel time of 48 hours. As much as I wanted to go, I said no way and cancelled the trip and I went home.

 

I worked my ass off for the next year and a half,

 

In 2003 I was planning to goto Pattaya in the off season around August or September, but this time I was going to make it a last minute type of plan basically get the tickets 1 month ahead of time from a Travel agent friend of mine. In July of 2003, I was rushed to the hospital with what was thought to be a simple case of Gallstones. I had ignored my health for so long that I ended up with a ACUTE case of Pancreatitis. The Doctors Recommended that they let the Pancreatitis calm down before they operate for the gall stones. I waited three days and went into surgery. When I came out of surgery something didn't feel right and I told the Doctor and he said it was normal. About 5 hours after I went into shock from my temperature being some where above 105. When they had taken out my Gallblader it had fused to my Pancreas thus ripping a part my Pancreas out and causing my Digestive Fluids to go inside my body giving me third degree chemical burns inside my body.

 

I ended up Dying and being resusatated.

 

I wasn't getting any better and the Doctors couldn't find out what was going on " I was inside the hospital for a month and a half at this point" The doctors then sent me to a bigger hospital. I was in for a few days when they found that I had MRSA staff infection that I had caught from the other hospital and I was going down quickly

 

During this time was my second Experiance with Death.

 

I spent another month in the hospital until I was allowed home to Recuperate.

 

After a few more corrective surgerys I was left with $400K in medical bills Luckily paid mostly by my insurance and NO job

 

This was April 2004

 

In 2004 I got back to work and started paying off bills like a madman and in June 2007 I had finally gotten to the point where I was back in 2002 when this whole nightmare started.

 

As of right now I am planning to come to Pattaya in July 08 to spend two weeks

 

I desperatley need a vacation

[ginseng 0]

Dude awesome story! I'm glad you survived. I have had some near death experiences myself. What this has done is both make me cherish the time I am alive and also to be careful about leaping before I look. If you've seen my other posts I am planning a permanent move to Thailand around the time you'll be there. For me just a few months wait is painful though as of today it's been almost a year since I've been to Thailand.

[pattayachip 0]

hang in there bud, good thinks come to those who wait

[Long Tall Cowboy 1]

Holy shit man what a string of bad luck. Sounds like you pulled yourself out of it and that is great.

 

See you in LOS!

 

 

LTC

[rb 20]

may u should take the hint

seriously

hand in there and when I say health is everything I'm talking from experience

[bigmick 840]

when you do finally get here have a party in the flb for your self, you deserve it, naughty nurses are my fav,

[Odense 489]

I really deserve my vacations - but even I don´t deserve them as much as you deserve this vacation - I hope you have a blast

Edited February 18, 2008 by Odense

[sweetwillyp 0]

Knock on Wood,

 

I am very healthy as of right now and I am planning to stay that way.

 

as of right now.

 

I have found my airfare and I am going to be staying at the Globetrotter or Jasmine mansion.

 

Also I have a Budget for $150 or 4700baht per day for fun not including food.

 

So I am crossing my fingers and hoping nothing will happen between now and July

[arbiez 0]

swp

 

a couple of things come to mind immediately

 

1) I hope you sued based on the events at the 1st hospital. Certainly some malpractice there somewhere

2) I hope you go to LOS and have a BLAST ! ! ! (perferably with $$$ from item 1)

[Bob4you 0]

25 years ago I survived cancer and chemo (cancer was easy the chemo made me want to die). My last divorce left me with enough money to continue living comfortably in Hawaii, work 10 more years then retire. I came to Thailand for R&R and attitude readjustment from my 4th subdivision of equities and realized with what I had left I could retire in adult Disneyland now. 5 more trips in 18 months starting at 2 weeks and finally last one was 3 months. I liquidated everything and never looked back.

 

I greet each day with a big shit eating grin saying "Yes, I woke up again,lets enjoy life"

[Devman 0]

I really hope you make it to Pattaya this time, all the best.

[1234 0]

"Good things come to those who wait - Better things come to those who try & Best things come to those who believe. So make your trial with belief."

 

-i like the above words of comfort when in times of distress.

[thaiali 0]

well deserved for sure.

 

you don't know what youv'e been missing,might have made more effort before illness,had you known just how much fun it will be.

 

hope no problems and it comes off for you.

[slappfisk 0]

wow sad story , i still remember 911 that day i was home from work with a high fever and turning on the tv and seeing the planes crash into the twin towers it just turned my stomach seeing that thing on CNN.

anyways hope you have a good stay in LOS (land of smiles) and stay healthy