Things Get Moving When Miss Betty The Mom Goes to Bangkok - Endoscopy and Cat Scan ..the works and we didn't even have an appointment.

It's been a whirlwind last four days and even before that. I worked a few days at the drug study clinic then stayed up all night on Sat. wrapping presents for kids and grandkids who will be in Austin Texas for holidays with James, cleaning bedrooms, and finishing packing for the trip to Bangkok and tying up loose ends..then it was off to the airport where I learned that American Airlines now has a limit of 50 pounds per bag...less than United or N. W. Airlines so when the agent weighed the first suitcase and it was 35 pounds, james took off for the x-ray machine that then loads it on the conveyor belt...The agent weighed the second bag and it was 55 pounds. I had to yell like crazy accross the airport to get james to stop as he was at the x-ray machine ready to put the bag on...I stopped him at the last minute and made him bring the bag back and on the floor in front of the agent I repacked...This saved 25 dollars in over weight charges as it is a hard and fast rule of 50 per bag and not 100 total for two bags. One bag could weigh 5 pounds and if the other is 55 then it is an extra charge.

The trip took about 28 hours and was fairly uneventful except for not getting aisle seats. One leg of trip I sat next to a young man from Brazil who was going to soccer matches in Japan. I was second in from the aisle. When he fell sound asleep I crawled over 5 people to go to the bathroom. On the last leg of the trip I sat next to a very very old couple who coughed and sneezed their way from Tokyo to Bangkok. I had the window seat so had to crawl over both of them to go to the bathroom and not only over them but the woman had a suitcase on the floor...not under the seat but on the floor with her feet on it, so I did an imitation of a Russian Ballerina doing a cross between a lateral arabesque and a pirroette to sail accross two people and a suitcase.

When I got thru the long passport check and visa lines and down to baggage, it was past midnight in Bangkok. I was wondering around looking dazed when a Japanese Airlines Agent chased me down and asked me what flight i was on and said my luggage was not put on the plane. I filled out paper work for an hour and just as I finished, someone found my suitcase. It was good since I had two HEB cooked briskets in one suitcase. If lost for a week they might smell bad.

The taxi line was long as usual even though it was after midnight...(most flights get in at 11:30 pm.) I got to Mark's condo at 2:30 am. Word had been left at the outside security desk that the Farang (Foreigner) Madame (not Madam..it is all in the pronunciation) was to be expected and helped with luggage.

By 10 am Mark had decided he was feeling bad and wanted to see Dr. Theera but Dr T's was not in the clinic today and there were no patients there..I think it was a government holiday. The staff told him on the phone that the doctor had no clinic today, but Mark held in there and Dr. T. said he would see Mark if he came right away. Dr. Theera was very kind and acted as if he would give us all day if we needed it...He examined Mark and after a chat it was decided Mark would have endoscopy and a CAT scan. The doctor arranged the endoscopy to occur nearly immediately. At 2:30 PM Mark was having an endoscopy after an evaluation by the endoscopy doc...He was out of recovery at 6 pm and we headed home after taking a couple of pictures by one of the many decorated trees at the hospital.

Tomorrow at 8 am Mark has an appointment for a CAT scan and then he will see Dr. Theera again. I think Mark has been scared to schedule this endoscopy and CAT SCAN earlier and has been putting it off. He was a tad nervous before the endoscopy, but it happened so fast and was over fast so he had little opportunity to delay it.

By midnight today which is less than 24 hours after my arrival, Mark has had a visit to the doctor, seen a specialist, had endoscopy, eaten supper, arranged a dinner party, instructed me in various tasks, and is on his second load of clothes that he is personally washing. We will be at the hospital tomorrow at 8 am prompt.

The saga will continue and you will learn about the results of the CAT scan and the endoscopy.
Tune in again.