The last few days have been very difficult for me. Our young son has been sick and he needed to be taken into hospital. He developed a high fever three nights ago and due to this he had a seizure. I was away at the time as I needed to go to Burma for an extension to my Thai visa. I was unable to get back until the next day.
When I got back it was a huge shock to see how sick Timmy looked. He was in the middle of a high fever and his face was all puffy and he his eyes were open but he was so quite. It almost tore me apart to see him this way. The hospital was unable to find any reason for his symptoms. I was amazed to find that they hadn’t even taken any bloods yet. They wanted to wait and see it the fever would resolve itself.
Our local hospital is very basic. Timmy was born there seven months ago and they did a great job, but I wasn’t sure they were the best place for him this time. I wanted to move him to the city and to a private hospital. The problem was that it was two hours away by car and I was worried that he might have a seizure again while we were far away from a hospital. In the end we waited until his temperature was falling and moved him.
The local hospital wanted us to wait until the doctor arrived in the hospital, but they couldn’t tell us when this would be. I wasn’t prepared to wait around for a few more hours for a doctor’s letter that wouldn’t say much. I though it prudent that we move Timmy while he was having a break in his fever.
In the private hospital they immediately took bloods and performed other tests to try and find a cause for his symptoms. They still can’t find anything but at least they are looking. Timmy seems to be improving and was fever free for most of the night. It looks like he is on the mend.
The last few days have been hard, but I could cope. I think back to my drinking days and can see how it would have been a different story then. I would have been overwhelmed and turned to alcohol to escape to pain. Instead of being able to be there for my wife and son, I would have been an added burden. I would have made the situation worse. I am grateful that this is not the case today.
Monday 24 March 2008
Sunday 2 March 2008
New Beginnings
My life is now going through another period of change. I will be leaving the Thai village, where I have lived for over three and a half years, to move to a city 370 kilometers away. The move is necessary because I need to start back in full-time teaching, and there is nothing suitable in the local area - where we now live is very rural.
The city that we are moving to is called Lopburi. I actually passed through it on my way to Wat Thamkrabok. The city is close to the temple.
Lopburi is famous for the fact that the city has a large monkey population which are very visible in the old part of the city. If you like monkeys then Lopburi is heaven, but if you hate them then it would be hell on earth. Luckily I like them. I have spent a couple of days there and it does seem like a nice city. It will also be nice living close to Wat Thamkrabok.
I have got a job in a secondary school in the city which has an English Program. This means that they learn every subject in English - except of course for their Thai Language studies. I am not sure which subject I will be teaching, but there has been talk about health studies. The school itself seems well resourced, and I'm delighted to find that the classrooms are air-conditioned. I needed to give a demo lesson and the level of English among the students seems very good.
We plan to move to Lopburi next month. I will not be starting work until May 1st which is the start of the new school year. The students don't come until the 12th, but this gives the teachers a chance to prepare for the year.
This means that my nursing career has now been put on hold - at least for the moment anyway. Who knows? Maybe one day I will return to nursing or use my nursing skills in another way.
I feel both excited and sad about leaving the village. I have made a nice life here and now that it all going to change. As the Buddha pointed out, change is unavoidable and we suffer when we try and fight against it. I will have nice memories of my life here in the village, but I look forward to making new memories in Lopburi.
The city that we are moving to is called Lopburi. I actually passed through it on my way to Wat Thamkrabok. The city is close to the temple.
Lopburi is famous for the fact that the city has a large monkey population which are very visible in the old part of the city. If you like monkeys then Lopburi is heaven, but if you hate them then it would be hell on earth. Luckily I like them. I have spent a couple of days there and it does seem like a nice city. It will also be nice living close to Wat Thamkrabok.
I have got a job in a secondary school in the city which has an English Program. This means that they learn every subject in English - except of course for their Thai Language studies. I am not sure which subject I will be teaching, but there has been talk about health studies. The school itself seems well resourced, and I'm delighted to find that the classrooms are air-conditioned. I needed to give a demo lesson and the level of English among the students seems very good.
We plan to move to Lopburi next month. I will not be starting work until May 1st which is the start of the new school year. The students don't come until the 12th, but this gives the teachers a chance to prepare for the year.
This means that my nursing career has now been put on hold - at least for the moment anyway. Who knows? Maybe one day I will return to nursing or use my nursing skills in another way.
I feel both excited and sad about leaving the village. I have made a nice life here and now that it all going to change. As the Buddha pointed out, change is unavoidable and we suffer when we try and fight against it. I will have nice memories of my life here in the village, but I look forward to making new memories in Lopburi.
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