When the medical tourism doesn't go so well, then what do you do?  We left Thailand and took what seemed to be the wheelchair express from BKK to Kuwait - flew Emirates via Dubai.  There were quite a few folks on the plane in wheelchairs, many of whom had flown to Thailand specifically for medical care.  Gwyne was supposed to locate an orthopedic surgeon in Kuwait to get her feet wrapped once a week for 4 more weeks.  We went to a local hospital, told them the story, and the Egyptian doctor asked what procedure she had done.  Hallus vargus, (buinionectomy) both feet.  He said, "Both feet?"  Gwyne said yes.  He cocked his head, spread his hands and said, "Why?"  It sounds much better with an Egyptian accent, I can assure you.  She told him she still had pain, he had her feet x-rayed, turns out the left foot hadn't healed - it was still broken, the screws had backed out.  He took the film to the head orthopedic surgeon, and he recommended surgery as soon as possible to repair the bone.  The bunionectomy was successful, this was just to fix a bone that wouldn't heal otherwise.  They both seemed very knowledgeable and competent.  Here we go again.  He said that no matter where you get any surgery done, things don't always go perfectly.  We couldn't go back to Bumrungrad, and when you have to get a broken bone fixed, well there aren't a lot of options.  There is definitely a huge cost difference - the entire operation, hospital stay, medicine,  everything cost about 10K (covered by insurance) for both feet.  Today, when we went to get a blood test prior to the operation, they wanted about $300.  For the blood test.   There is a delicate dance between hospitals and insurance companies - one wants to charge for a service provided, the other wants to pay only what is covered.  What do you do when the medical tourism doesn't go according to plan?   You change the plan.

While I was doing something the first day we were at the hospital in Kuwait, Gwyne was feeling a bit weepy.  A gentleman from somewhere in the Middle East sent his 5 year old daughter over to her with a candy and packet of tissues.  He then came over and asked if Gwyne if she was okay.  She said she was, she was just feeling sad.  Then he said to his daughter (and again, this sound soooooo much better with a Middle Eastern accent), "Go.  Give her hug."  What an incredible, genuine act of kindness.  My daughter is all grown up, so I can't send her over to strangers to give them a hug, but I'll try to find a way to reciprocate that kindness somewhere else.