A Behind the Scenes Look at My Fall, Last Fall.

One year ago, yesterday,  I slipped and shattered my ankle.  I really haven’t felt much like talking about it, but it’s a part of this project’s history, so here goes:

ครบปีแล้วที่ลื่นล้มข้อเท้าหลุด เลยอยากเล่าสู่กันฟังในวันนี้

Temple with Sun Halo.

We were on the road early as usual, this time heading for a cave in Trang, when I saw the temple above and ordered a van turn-around.  The green and gold nagas that surrounded the temple had caught my eye, and now there was a large halo around the sun.  “Great Omen,” I told my wife.  “This will be an auspicious day!”  While I was walking around finding the right angle, angry dogs started to advance.  Angry dogs at temples is a normal thing here, and I had learned that screaming at the dog and acting crazy, usually sent them running, or at least brought out some monks to help.  The dogs did back away, but stood and blocked the way to the van.  As I got closer, the driver helped distract the dogs, and I saw that they were protecting a large brood of tiny puppies.

Puppies! Just Minutes Before the Fall.

I spent a long time trying to photograph them using my small camera, but they were too fast for a digital point-and-shoot camera.  “Wow!  First a sun halo, now puppies,  Is this a great day or what?!”  With that exclamation, we headed for the Le Khao Kop Cave in Trang.  We were a bit off schedule now and I ran to the restroom.  Now during the rainy season in Thailand, algae or moss begins to cover everything, and as I ran down a small handicapped ramp, I slipped, fell, heard a loud pop, and now my foot appeared to be attached side-ways.  An ambulance was called and as I was being attended to, a woman at the ticket counter said that I shouldn’t feel embarrassed, as people slip and hurt themselves on that ramp, “All the time.”  (Well.  why the @#$%^&* don’t they FIX THAT @#$%^&* ramp???????!!!!!)  It was a short ambulance ride to a local government hospital, and the morphine was starting to work by the time we arrived.

เราพยายามถ่ายรูปครอบครัวสุนัขแต่เจ้าลูกหมาตัวน้อยวิ่งไปวิ่งมาไปทั่วบริเวณ  เหลือแค่แม่และลูกอีก 3-4 ตัวในภาพที่เห็น   จากนั้นเราก็มุ่งหน้าสู่ที่หมายของเราในวันนี้คือ ถ้ำเลเขากอบ  ได้ยินว่าวันนี้จะมีทัวร์กลุ่มใหญ่มา  เราก็เลยรีบเตรียมจะเข้าไปก่อนคณะทัวร์ .. แต่ขอไปเข้าห้องน้ำก่อนนะ   พอเสร็จกิจก็เดินลงทางลาดที่อยู่หน้าห้องน้ำ  — ลื่นหงายหลัง ณ ตรงนั้น —  พร้อมได้ยินเสียงอะไรซักอย่างหักแต่กลับพบว่าเท้าข้างขวาของตัวเองมันบิดๆ เบี้ยวๆ ไปซะแล้ว   มีคนโทรเรียกรถพยาบาลให้ ตามมาด้วยไทยมุง   คนขับรถตู้ของเราก็ช่วยกันพวกไทยมุงให้อยู่ห่างๆ  ส่วนภรรยาก็นำน้ำแข็งมาประคบให้    มีผู้หญิงท่านหนึ่งตรงโต๊ะขายบัตรบอกว่าตรงนี้คนลื่นล้มกันตลอดเลย   .. อ้าว! แล้วทำไมไม่@#$%^&*ปรับปรุงแก้ไขไอ้ทางลาดอันนี้กันล่ะ???????!!!!!   สักพักรถหน่วยฉุกเฉินที่ดูเหมือนรถมูลนิธิหนึ่งก็มาปฐมพยาบาลและพาไปโรงพยาบาลห้วยยอดซึ่งอยู่ใกล้ที่สุด  ทางโรงพยาบาลดูอาการแล้วช่วยฉีดยาบรรเทาความปวดให้  จากนั้นก็ตามรถพยาบาลของโรงพยาบาลตรังมารับไป (เพราะอาการหนักเกิน)

Arriving at the Hospital

The hospital emergency room was just what you might expect from a small provincial, government hospital in a developing country: crowded, hot, and scary.  It seemed like all of the other patients were much worse off than me, and during my two-hour visit, three people died.  There seemed to be only one doctor on duty, but he was very sharp and managed to calm most of the patients he visited.  When he looked at the x-ray that had been taken, he seemed very concerned.  I told him that I had to be in Nakhon Si Thammarat the next day to cover the “Tenth Lunar Month Festival” and in Phuket in five days to cover the Vegetarian Festival.  I explained further that I was working on a book and if I missed a festival, I’d have to wait a whole year before it happened again.  He raised his eyebrows noticeably and said my only chance was to go to the Wattanapat Hospital, which happened to have an excellent foot surgeon, named Dr. Samet.

A Before X-ray. It Looks Like My Foot is About to Fall Off!

Another short ambulance ride and we arrived at the hospital.  I told Dr. Samet, the same story about my book and schedule and he promised to do everything he could to get me back on my, ah, feet, as soon as he could.  Luckily, we had visited Nakhon Si Thammarat and taken some photos a few days before, so missing the rest of the festival was not the end of the world, but the Vegetarian Festival was a must!

Being the curious type, I had a spinal block shot, so I could stay awake for the surgery.  I didn’t feel any pain, but I wouldn’t suggest it to any of my friends.  The screws and the metal plate being installed proved to be most riveting (sorry), and listening the sound of the drill and screwdriver really rounded out an interesting day.  Below is an x-ray of the finished operation.

After

A few days later I was released and walking on crutches.  We checked into the Kantary Bay Hotel, in Phuket, where we were greeted by the friendliest, warmest, most caring staff, that I’ve ever seen.  I wouldn’t normally name a hotel in my blog, but these people were way over the top!  Early the next morning, with a loaned wheelchair and some help down a ramp we set off for the festival.  (Photo below shows me hamming it up as I enjoy the ride.)

สองวันถัดมา อาจารย์หมอเห็นว่าไม่มีอาการแทรกซ้อนใดๆ เลยให้ฝึกใช้ไม้เท้า 2 อันช่วยพยุงตัวเวลาเดิน แล้วก็ปล่อยตัวออกจากโรงพยาบาล    เราจึงเดินทางมุ่งหน้าไปภูเก็ต  ไปพักฟื้นต่อที่ Kantary Bay Hotel ซึ่งทางโรงแรมเตรียมรถเข็นวีลแชร์และให้การต้อนรับอย่างอบอุ่นมาก  เรามาพักที่นี่บ่อยครั้งเพราะบริการเป็นเลิศ    พอถึงวันงานเทศกาลถือศีลกินเจเรายืมรถเข็นวีลแชร์จากทางโรงแรมแล้วก็มีพนักงานมาช่วยเข็นลงจากทางลาด  เห็นทางลาดแล้วขยาดไปพักนึง  (ภาพด้านล่างนี้ดูสีหน้าท่าทางสนุกสนานกับการลงทางลาดนั้นมากเลย)

Now That’s Comedy!

Being in a wheelchair really sucked!  To use a fisheye lens and not get a lot of weird distortion means searching and finding just the right angle.  Although I was in pain, seeing the people around me with sharp objects sticking in their face, gave me courage, and I got up on my crutches and made my first photograph.

First Image After Breaking My Ankle

I became excited and I forgot that I was on crutches.  My left crutch fell out from under my left arm and I started to fall.  A hand grabbed me and held me until I could get my balance. I was shocked to see that the man that saved me from another fall, had a sword sticking through his face!  (Photo Below)

My Seond Photo.

After taking his picture, I got back into my chair and took the remaining photos of the festival from the wheelchair. -safer for everyone!

พอได้รูปตามที่ปรารถนาแล้วก็กลับมานั่งรถเข็นวีลแชร์ถ่ายภาพบรรยากาศในงานต่อ – น่าจะปลอดภัยกว่าสำหรับทุกท่าน!

Veiw of Island, Sea, and Pool from Our Balcony

I spent the next two days on the balcony, drinking beer and eating seafood.  The sea breeze and view kept me from feeling sorry for myself and allowed the healing to begin.  At that time we had visited 50 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, but still had more festivals to go to and many more sites to see.  I still hadn’t made a shot for the book’s cover yet, but all of that’s another story…

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