Arrested By The Thai Police?!?!?!

And at 7pm the heavens opened at it began to pour down....I was convinced it was an omen of things to come...This visit was to expose the implants ready for placement.

You may recall last time I went to Dr Sunils I was peaking. I was crying I was hyperventilating, I looked like a Vietnam Vet having a flash back....this time I fell asleep in the car on the way....I don't understand where the calm came from, I had taken no drugs just a few Bacardi  Breezers...

Now if you have been to Bangkok you know what the traffic is like, for those  of you who haven't Id call it a "shit fight", anyway, when it rains its even worse. Dr Sunils surgery is about 10 mins drive in normal traffic, tonight it took almost 2 hours. That was plenty of time to work myself up into a complete mental breakdown but I didnt I SLEPT, I still don't understand that but anyway, I finally arrived.

I was still all good when I walked into the dentist. My shoes were removed and the Dr Sunil slippers were placed on my feet and then I was handed THE DRUGS.....

WHOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Thailand Xanax is wickedly good. They gave me 4 to start with and a blanket. They put on a Kylie Minogue Concert video, word to the wise NOT ALL AUSSIES LIKE KYLIE...she sounds like a dying cat to me but anyway once the drugs started to kick I I liked it then I must have passed out because the next thing I knew Miss Wendy, the receptionist, woke me and said "Miss Susie Madam", as an aside I love being called that, The Doctor will see you now. I got up to try and walk but that wasn't happening I had to be helped. I was off my dial and it was good.... it was real real good.....

So onto the scary chair, ok not so scary chair after hearing Kylie sing for 45 minutes and being drugged like Ive never been drugged before, its even better than Ecstasy and LSD all rolled into one. Even with the drugs I was a little scared and told the dentist to cover my eyes so I cant see anything that is happening, they so very kindly obliged...and so it began........

Back In Australia they tell you they are going to use some numbing agent before they put the needle in but it does nothing. Dr Sunil's cream made my entire mouth numb and THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR THAT!
I had 6 needles to begin with then the work began.

They cut open my gums to expose the implants and then started to scrape back the skin from all around...it hurt, it hurt alot, so I asked for more needles....Sure they say then jab me with 6 more needles.

Everything from this point gets really hazy...I remember there was no more pain just a weird feeling of things being unscrewed and screwed.

I remember Dr Sunil saying that we needed to discuss the colour for the permanent ceramic teeth. I asked him for Hot Pink, he suggested they might not really work with my skin tone, so I said purple....he said we can talk about that later.....

I remember nothing else, not a thing until I arrive back to my room, but I have been told the story...

Dr Sunil sent 2 men back to the hotel with me because I was passing out and just well, drug fucked. I apparently called April, my wonderful GHT nurse in the car telling her I was on my way back but I didn't have a key.  So we must have arrived and the men carried me into the lobby to wait for April...the cheeky men donned Thai Police Jackets and waited for April to get downstairs.

I hadn't told GHT that I was going back to Dr Sunil's after my earlier appointment so when April found me spread-eagled passed out in the lobby holding a piece of paper with 2 "Thai Policemen" she freaked out and was thought that I had ditched The Drill and gone out gotten hammered, been arrested by the Thai police and brought back to the hotel. After the initial panic they explained to April what had actually happened and I was frogmarched to my room.

I remember entering the apartment and seeing The Drill look at me shocked I made some type of face and then passed out again.....

I woke up the next morning looking like "Jaws" from the old Bond movie Moonraker. The was no swelling, no pain just a mouth full of metal stumps.....I have to wait 2 days before they give me my teeth......

NOT LONG NOW!!!!!!!

Tooth Fairy Does Thailand Act 2..... This Time She's Bringing "The Drill"

So posting about waiting for this to happen got boring so I stopped, until now

I wasn't going through anywhere near the emotional turmoil I did last time, probably because I knew where I was going and I knew The GHT team and Dr Sunil. Last time al I did was cry and freak out this time I could barely contain my excitement. My fear level was at 2 on a scale of 1 - 10 last time it was at about 25.....somewhat reflective of the number of extractions I had to get.

My last day in Brisbane was cool, It was fun saying "See you when I have teeth" to everyone nd the encouragement and support I have gotten from people all over the world let alone those in my daily life has really steeled me for the terror of the dental chair again.....

This time I flew Thai Airways, if you want to come to Bangkok fly with them. The flight was smooth the hostesses were lovely and they just kept on coming with the Bacardi and Coke so who could complain? The fact I did not have a stopover in purgatory i.e Kuala Lumpur made it even better.

I think what has also made this alot less scary is the fact I have a sidekick this time, we will call her "The Drill".  The Drill came, not only as support for me, but also to get a bit of medical treatment done here to. A bit of laser skin treatment and some dental work too.

Now, I can understand why people run drugs internationally. The Drill and I alighted from the plane got our passport stamped and walked out of the airport. The bag checking people were all just standing around laughing and chatting and did not x ray or search ONE bag that came off that plane. I wasnt happy about that and a little confused, it took me 2 hours to get through customs in Australia here it took 2 seconds. SCARY.

Airport pick up went smoothly, Thank you Dr Sunil, and we arrived at our apartment...WOW! Global Health Travel have wonderful accommodation. They have two apartment buildings they use and they are both great. I could not be happier.

Our first day here was basically medical day, The Drill went and had a laser skin treatment at Bumrungrad Hospital, it would have cost her over $2000 to get it back in Oz here, $240, and she saw the Dr and had it done straight away, she was back at the apartment within 2 hours!!!!

At 2 pm Dr Sunils car arrived to take us to the Clinic...I have to admit I was a little scared but mostly excited. I was so looking forward to walking in there again looking healthier and not like a sobbing lunatic. Dr Sunil has had some renovations and the surgery is even more ostentatious than before, gold things, chandilers...fancy shit!

I had had no drugs at all not even a sneaky bourbon when I walked into the room and guess what the chair did not freak me out I was excited. So excited I hoped everything was perfect and it was!

My implants have bonded nicely they are perfectly straight and we are ready to go he says. They took an impression of my mouth and the Dr Sunil said, we will start tonight at 8pm. You can wait here til then I will make you dinner then the surgeon will be here.....

OH MY GOD! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY SURGEON????? WHY?????

He explained to me Id need anaesthetic because they were going to expose my implants unscrew the abutments and put in the posts....Ummmmmmm..........WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!! So I said you mean go to sleep type anaesthetic, he said no, Local........this is when I started to freak out.....

MOUTH NEEDLES WHILE IM AWAKE, that's way scarier than birds, but I also knew that a little needle is nothing compared to what I've been through. I told him Ok but I wasn't staying there that long, I was going home having a bourbon or 28 then coming back....he agreed. Dr Sunil is so cool. Id kiss and hug him if it was appropriate. I went back to the waiting area, crying a little but The Drill was there and calmed me down.

Then she was called in.

The Drill was expecting just to have to get a crown and maybe get some laser tooth whitening .....mwahahahaha......... little did she know what Dr Sunil had to tell her.....The Drill has a fracture in her root and needs an implant! But she is so tough and so brave and just a really cool chicky AND SHE IS NOT GOING TO GO UNDER SHE IS GOING TO DO IT AWAKE!!!! The Drill is my HERO!!!! She also had a deep clean and polish, while she described the experience as harrowing her teeth look amazing and apparently feel wonderful and smooth. For all of the Drills work it cost around $2800! Half the price of in Australia!

So we leave and get back to our apartment and I throw down as much alcohol as I an and at 7pm, I go, back, alone, to Dr Sunil........

Tooth Fairy Does A Naked Happy Dance!!!!!!!!

This morning I woke up and did a naked happy dance.....

Why?

No, it wasn't a Fathers Day present for my husband..... Happy Fathers Day Davey xxoo

Its 30 days til I go back to Thailand and 31 til I see Dr Sunil!

That's right only 30 days til I'm relaxing on a "smooth as silk" Thai Airways flight....it better be smooth as silk, I freak out at turbulence. Ill also NEVER sit in seat 7C, thanks Air Crash Investigations.....

On that, my self imposed ban on said show as well as any other plane crash related news, docos or movies begins today....My husband had me watch Con Air last night as a farewell to feeding my plane anxiety.

Last trip I went with Air Asia, it was really cheap hence that choice. If you have been reading my blog you may recall my horror at Malaysia and how I said if it was humanly possible to avoid EVER having to have a lay over there DO IT!!!!!! This was my main motivation to go with Thai Airways, and they leave from Brisbane rather than the Gold Coast and that's just easier.

Last time I was freaking out about just going to Thailand, let alone the dentistry  I was so worried about what Id experience and let me tell you, it was confronting, but by the end I really really loved it there, I mean to the point I've told my hubby retiring there would be awesome. Just like his Dad, who, has actually just welcomed a new baby son with his "younger than me" Thai bride. Yes that's right my father in has a new Thai wife, she is 32, and just had a baby so I have a brother in law 36 years my junior. My cousins were also born in Thailand to a Thai mother, well they are cousins by marriage but they have been in my life for over 20 years and I love them, Id LOVE to go over with them next year for my check up, fingers crossed it all works out! Im totally pumped about going back it seems that Thailand and I have been in each others destiny forever....

I'm cool with the train's, the taxi's, the ferries and the tuk tuk's.

My eyes have been opened to the scamming beggars and the sex trade is there but from what I witnessed it wasn't the hookers I felt sorry for it was the pathetic lonely drunk old men and social rejects whom bought a few hours of happiness....

There were kid prostitutes, that is something I will never ever accept, something I still cant get out of my head, it makes my heart hurt, it was gross, it is something that really bothers me, but I'm prepared for it now, I also know what street NOT to walk down so I can remain oblivious.

I'm looking forward to bargaining again...I get it now and I say.......... MBK will be my bitch.....BRING IT ON!!!!!!!

Ok so I am more than a little nervous about the whole dentist bit but I do know the drugs they give you are A1 and well, Im not adverse to a mind altering substance or two, so the idea of getting trippy with Dr Sunil is enough to balance out the hesitation I have about that....

But the coolest thing about this trip is I'm bring a sidekick....I've been debating about what to call my companion to protect her identity, I've tossed up a few name, I have finally decided on "Drill". Drill and I already have a fantastic scam worked out to try and obtain a free upgrade to first class on the plane. 

We are staying in a 5 star 2 bedroom apartment in Bangkok and then after the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and WHEN I HAVE MY NEW TEETH, we will be spending 4 nights in Koh Samui in a 4 Star Resort Spa....so we kind of NEED First Class passage to ensure the trip perfectly 5 Star....we wont tell them that's why we need first class, no, we are far more manipulative and smart for that we are gonna use guilt and play on their empathy.....I cant say too much about our cunning plan but if it works Ill be sure NOT to tell you so we can keep on using it.....oh, of course I will tell, I love to brag about a bargain. (The Tooth Fairy is Breaking Bad...lol....oh man, how good is that show!!!!!!). Its a great plan but you will probably need to qualify for disabled parking to try and copy us...mwahahahahahaha....

So 30 days, 4 weeks and two days until the final stage of this quest......

I've walked through Mordor and scaled Mount Doom now I just have to get passed Gollum to throw the ring in the fire...then my world will be perfect.

Im not sure how much Ill sleep between now and then.......

Yeah Thailand Is Dangerous......If You Are A Dick.....

I've seen a few stories in the media lately about how more Aussies die in Thailand each year than in any other country. In fact I think the statistic is 1 in 8 Australians who die overseas die in Thailand.

Well durr....but its not Thailand that's the problem its the idiot Aussie with more apparent wealth than apparent brains.

Lets just take a step back and have a look at the stuff Aussies get up to in Thailand.

The number one thing Australians do in Thailand is drink, and I don't mean water. It seems that that's what most tourists do in Thailand and its not discouraged. There was beer for sale at the Floating Markets and at Safari World....pretty much everywhere you go you can get a beer for $0.60.

A drunk person is a stupid person.

You fall over balconies when you are drunk, you also get in scooter accidents. But mind you, if I got in an accident anywhere Id want to be at a Thai hospital in preference to an Aussie one any day...

Drunk pedestrians are also easy targets for the Grim Reaper. When you factor in the insanity of night time Bangkok, even walking back to your hotel drunk without being run over is a death defying feat. Oh and you will be drunk because who can knock back a beer for less than a dollar or a $3 cocktail???? Did you know that even in the United States you are more likely to die as a drunk pedestrian than as a result of drink driving?

If you only purchase bottled drinks with the lid on and never leave it alone you cant be drugged. If you are not an idiot you don't buy drugs in Thailand and you wont open yourself up to the criminal element, blackmail or death.

If you get robbed, don't be a hero, let go of your bag and chalk it up to an "experience".

I have to say that I felt safer on my own wandering around Bangkok at 3am than Ive ever felt in Australia.

Everywhere is dangerous and can be deadly if you don't use your brain.

Thailand is awesome, the people are friendly and the food is great.

But yeah Thailand is dangerous, if you are a dick, but so is Brisbane.

55 Days Bitches.....55 Days

OMG! OMG! OMG!

This time last year I was wondering how I was going to live the rest of my life a disgusting grot. I was an ugly, sad, embarrassed, shell of a human who had begun to steel themselves to accept that having a nice smile and feeling beautiful was forever lost.

I had just started on my dental journey 12 months ago, although my parents played a major role, I credit this to my beautiful friend Lady Lee, you are a reason, season and a lifetime, you crazy cat lady. The dentists had begun their bullshit profiteering but it was before my doctor had given me the OK to go ahead and get my teeth fixed, so I knew I was up for some dollars but I NEVER imagined exactly how much.

Ill never forget the day when I realised just how much this was going to cost and that I could NEVER in a million years afford to get the work done. My teeth were making me so sick, so much sicker than I should have been, I now know. I had begun to think I was going to die. Bad teeth kill people, that's not melodramatic, that's true. My teeth were going to go septic and I would have died, its inevitable, although maybe if I had got really sick they might have done something, who knows.....

That day I was sucked into a black hole, and the day I found Global Health Travel I was spat out the other side, into a world of hope and sparkles.

I have never been on such a ride, if you've been reading my blog you are fully aware of the ups and downs, the freak outs and the triumphs, the stitches and the temples.....it really has been mind blowing.

I have now been tooth free for about 7 months and to be honest I actually forget most of the time. I only really remember when I go to bite something and it doesn't work. Everyone I deal with on a daily basis knows what's going on, I have absolutely no self confidence issues at all. To me no teeth is far far better than the ugly meth addict looking teeth I had - FYI I enjoy my drug buzzes but Im NOT A METH USER/ADDICT, my teeth were just wannabe's.

So its 55 days bitches....just 55 days.......

Admittedly I didn't know 55 days before I was going to Bangkok that I was going but I am not freaking out at all yet like last time.....(stay tuned this will likely change next week).....I am even cool with no general anaesthetic. It might be because this time I know what to expect and I'm going to be seeing people I am familiar with, Loverly, Johnny, Dr Sunil and my Ruby.

I'm a bit sad about Ruby. I have successfully delivered her messages, right into her hand, asking her to contact me, but she hasn't. I'm not sure if its a cultural thing or if I just read the relationship wrong. I really thought we connected. We shared some pretty personal stuff. I want to keep her in my life. I suppose I was just another patient to her but to me she was the most amazing gift from the universe. She was everything I needed in a time of absolute fear and aloneness. I love that woman, I cry when I think about how much love and care she showed me.....RUBY YOU ARE AN ANGEL. I THANK YOU WITH ALL MY SOUL FOR BEING YOU AND BEING THERE!!!!!!

Ill  probably start to blog again a little more now that the end is nigh....This trip to Thailand is going to be very different I'm excited and I'm not one bit apprehensive.

And the best bit is this time the Tooth Fairy is bringing a side kick......look out BKK.......

79 Bottles Of Beer On The Wall, 79 Bottles of Beer.......I mean days of waiting....BONUS BEFORE PIC!!!!!!

Only 79 days to go, not that I'm counting or anything....

Look out for my story in the August Edition of Good Health magazine....Its on page 49, even if you don't buy it at least read the story in the line at Woolies or Coles....

Page 49 is awesome....

I am beginning to freak out a little bit about the next bit, the FINAL bit, but I also know that I am not taking a stupid risk and that my treatment so far has been world class. 

My mouth is fine, boringly so. While my eating may have been limited to soft and finely cut food I have managed to gain enough weight that I may have to start to consider weight control measures.... About 12kgs since January!!!! I have to admit I am loving my fleshed out sexy bod.... but I cant let it become too rotund.

I was re reading my posts today and I realised I am yet to post a picture of my teeth BEFORE any treatment....so I'm gonna do it.....

This is why I started this journey....

Ugly hey...........I bet you understand why being toothless is better than this......

My Year Of Living Toothlessly...

Long time no post, I know.

But there isn't much to say when you are just waiting.......

Its just over 4 months since I got home and its just under 4 until I go back and actually get my teeth!!!

Well, its 118 days to be exact....118 and counting.

I suppose no news is good news or its boring. And yes its good and hence boring......

Nothing at all has gone wrong except a slight freak out when an abutment screw fell out and I swallowed it. The freaking was short, like 6 hours or so, but intense. The screw loss was an expected possibilty. All was well by bedtime.

Once the stitches came out and I decided not to wear the yucky temporary dentures I've pretty much owned my gummy mouth. A mouth with no teeth is FAR less inhibiting than one with bad teeth. I seriously do not give a shit.  Granted, I am lucky it is not immediately obvious that I am without dentition and if people notice and wonder but are too embarrassed to ask me about it I don't care, I don't feel self conscious. I feel better about my appearance now than I did before and that's what counts, not what other people think.

So no "OVERSEAS SURGERY HORROR STORY" headlines here.

NOT ONE THING HAS GONE WRONG!!!!!!

There are certainly some limitations mostly abut food. I can eat lots of things, chicken, rice, pasta, mince, vegies. I have to cut EVERYTHING I eat into bite size pieces. If I can cut it and it is softish I can gum it. I still want a hamburger, BAD. Sure I can cut one up and give it a go with a knife and fork but its not the same and I am desperate to TAKE A BITE OF SOMETHING!!!!!!

In terms of my general health I am a different woman. I have been sick a couple of times. Thats right, a couple of times in 4 months! I used to be sick MULTPLE TIMES EVERY SINGLE DAY. My teeth were making me sooooooooooooooo much sicker than any other illness that I may have. I have gained almost 12kgs!!!!!!! I now weigh a little over 64kg! I was 51kg in December last year and about 53kg when I landed in Thailand. 

I am totally free of pain medication, anxiety pills and other such medication and I am HAPPY! Happier than I have been in years.

There really is nothing to say other than, 

Act One wowed the crowd, we are now in the extended intermission, full of anticipation for Act Two....

The Tooth Fairy Does Prime Time TV?!?!

I've done radio.

I've done a magazine.

Now I've done TV, yes that's right Ladies and Gents. TELEVISION!!!!! How cool is that?

Channel 9's A Current Affair contacted Global Health Travel, they wanted to do a story about travelling overseas for medical care, not cosmetic surgery, so now a couple of other patients and I have been interviewed on camera for a story airing tomorrow night!

Now remember people, I'm only half way through my treatment. I have NO TEETH, I've decided to not wear the denture, rather keep them as a souvenir. So agreeing to appear on a national prime time television broadcast is not an easy decision to make. I did it because I want people to know that its no more risky than having treatment in Australia and far more affordable. I also want the government to either subsidise dental care or regulate pricing in the dental industry so that desperate Australians don't feel they have no option but to travel to a foreign country to get help.

So all that being said, the experience of being interviewed on TV was AWESOME!!!!

I had agreed to meet the journalist and camera crew in the Botanical Gardens at 4.30pm but in typical Brisbane style it was raining, a single phone call has us a room at the Samford Plaza Hotel, the Samford is the best hotel in Brisbane....

I meet the journalist, Christina, and her team. Then we are shown to the room. Now when I say room, I mean "suite" and when I say "suite" I mean THE BEST FREAKING SUITE IN BRISBANE! It was called "The Samford Suite" people like Lady Gaga, Nicole Kidman, Robyn Willams, Cameron Diaz and Bono stayed in it....OH MY GOD!!!!!!! I couldn't stop thinking how cool it was that I was in a suite that SUPER STARS had been in....

The suite was HUGE, as big as a house! It had a massive terrace with a fireplace, full kitchen and bar, it even had A GRAND PIANO!!!!!

So, I did what any good non celebrity would do I lay on the bed and I checked out the bathroom. It was beautiful and the view from the sunken spa bath has to be one of the best my city has to offer, but you know what fascinated me....the toilet...of course.....

This toilet was a Crohns Diseased Soul's dream come true. It had some sensor that made the seat lid go up when you stood in front and when you sat down it, it was heated! When you had finished your business you decide - do you need a front wash or a back wash, or both, and warm warm cleans your bits THEN on comes the dryer to dry you off. Once you're done and stand up IT FLUSHES then closes the lid.....it was the coolest toilet ever. I can now say this journey has taken me from the worst of toilets,  in Malaysia, to the best, right down the road from my work.

Anyway.....

For the interview  they asked me a few questions then had me pretend to examine my mouth in the mirror, to read a magazine while relaxing and drink a cup of coffee....they wanted me to eat a biscuit with the coffee, I tried but I couldn't, even after dunking, so the cookie scene was scrapped....

I have also provided them with my before photo. It is BAD, REALLY REALLY BAD! But it helps to tell my story. That part of me is gone now so I don't ever have to worry about going back there. But if your going to be toothless on a TV show and talk about how something changed your life the audience needs context.

So tomorrow will see my 15 minutes of fame. I hope I have made the right choice in doing this.

If your interested in watching, I was told today, the interview will air March 22 on A Current Affair. I think its on at 6.30pm in most capital cities....

I can not believe I'm recommending people watch tabloid journalism....

To Be Fair.

In my previous blog "I'm Not Refusing Treatment! I'm Refusing Drugs" I spoke of my treatment at the Logan Hospital Emergency Department. I said that I would post their response to my complaint. Yesterday I received this letter in the mail. If you click on it you will be able to read it.

Click on me to read

I'm really unhappy about this letter, its a fob off, so Ive written back, and again to be fair I shall share my response

Dear Ms Dunn,

I have to say that the response to my complaint is almost as unimpressive as my treatment at the Logan Emergency Department on 3 February 2013.

While I appreciate the time it seems the hospital took undertaking the investigation in response to my complaint, you have failed in answering the direct questions I asked in relation to this incident. I am not looking for an apology, I am looking for answers.

If you are able to provide an adequate response to the questions I have I will not feel the need to take this complaint further.

It may be that I did not express myself well over the telephone as I was still very upset by the incident at the time so I will pose these questions directly.

1. Why did the nurse feel she had nursed me before?

2. Why did that nurse state "You were here last week asking for drugs. I treated you, it was about your teeth". I had NOT been at that hospital for my teeth EVER!!!! 

3. Why did the nurse feel that I was lying about my identity?

4. Why did the nurse state that I was refusing treatment when I refused pain killers?

5. Why was my identity more important than my life?

6. Why, when presenting for treatment in an ambulance, with swelling and chest pain after a long haul flight and major dental surgery, (I had 25 teeth removed and dental implants placed just over a week before calling an ambulance), did I spend an hour being questioned about who I was and no medical care, bar a heart monitor and the offer pain relief?

7. I was clearly distressed, they asked why I was so upset, I said I did not want to be there. Why was I asked "Then why did you call an ambulance"? Seriously? Because I had leg swelling and chest pain after a long flight and you are supposed to call an ambulance when that happens. Should I sit at home when I KNOW I need medical assessment but do nothing because I don't want to go to a hospital? I had called 13 HEALTH and was told to call an ambulance.

8. Why did the nurse argue with me and say that she treated me WHEN I WAS IN THAILAND!!!! 

9. Why when I showed my passport and boarding pass, to prove I was not there and how recently I travelled, did the male nurse roll his eyes?

10. Why was I responded to, in a most sarcastic manner, with "Why would you say that? No one said you were a drug addict" when I asked the male nurse why I was being treated like a drug addict based on what the female nurse had been saying to me?

11. Do drug seekers generally arrive in the hospital in the same manner with the same risk factors refusing all needles and drugs unless its an actual treatment in order to get the drugs they want?

12. Did you speak to the Paramedic, Hayden, whom heard what the nurses were saying and stated that he felt it was not appropriate? What did he say?

13. Why did no medical staff attempt to stop me as I walked out of emergency, very distressed, in obvious pain, having arrived by ambulance and with those risk factors?

14. Has any action been taken against these health care "professionals"? If so, what? If not, why?

15. I would like access to my records to see what has been recorded regarding the events that evening. Would you please advise me of any steps I need to take to view my file.

As I stated before, I do not want your apology, it is hollow and meaningless, I want an explanation. If these nurses are refuting any of my claims I would like to know their perspective. I will not be satisfied unless or until I have these questions answered and I receive a direct apology from the female nurse involved.

Regards

Susie Butterworth

Again, I will share their response.

Next It's The "Forever" Bit

So today is Monday and I was right, my stitches are all  gone....

I have to congratulate myself on my ability to block out reality and the obvious next step before me. I have it down to a fine art.

This is one of my biggest flaws. I have an inability to think past the next pressing "event". I need to fix this very very quickly.

I had been so keen for the stupid annoying stitches to go away that when I woke up today and my gums were healed I was pumped. But as the day wore I knew that I had to consider those dentures again.

Firstly I think they look dumb. Maybe its because I've sat and stared at them for hours. Maybe its because the first time I saw them in my mouth it really hurt. Most likely its because its been at least 5 years since I had perfect teeth and its just different, (I'm not sure I ever mentioned this but about 6 years ago I had my teeth fixed for the first time but it was nothing like this, so this is the second set of teeth I've bought). There is nothing wrong with the dentures they are perfect, its just me.

Secondly, they make me gag and kinda hurt a little. I've been told it can take months to feel comfortable wearing dentures. Its only 5 months until I go back. I wonder, is it really worth it?

Next, I'm scared of the denture adhesive. I'm worried about how well it will stick and of I'll be able to get them out  easily if they make me gag badly or if they make me look like Jim Carey in "The Mask". What about if I cant get them unstuck at bed time??????

I really am at peace with my oral condition right now. I am not worried about people noticing my lack of fangs but if I have those dentures in I know all my old self conscious feelings are going to come flooding back.

I know I gripe about food but I'm not going to starve, I'm just going to be tormented. I think I can eat softish food in tiny bits for a few months to save myself any more reason to stress and freak out.

I remember back to my first prosthodontist appointment and he told me Id be toothless for 6 months and how offended I was that he would even suggest I go that long without teeth. I was so mad at him and now I am thinking its a good option for me....

Dr Sunil told me I would hate them and he was right. He told be he wouldn't hurt me and he was right. He promised me Id be supported for the entire time I was in hospital and he was right. He told me to wear the dentures as little as possible and since he has such a great track record of being right I think Ill wear them as little as possible and to me that's NEVER!

But now I need to contemplate my reaction to the reality that teeth are going to be screwed into my head and after 6 years Ill wake up, along with more stitches I'm sure, and have them permanently attached to my being. I know Im going to think I look silly. What if I wake up with a "hollywood smile"?!?!?!  What if I look like a rabbit?!?!?!? What if I look like I have costume teeth in?!?!?!?!?

This is a whole different set of emotions coming to visit now.

I've done the scary painful bit, but next it's the "forever" bit.

So far so good but its all about the end result.

No Teeth Is WAY Better Than Bad Teeth!

I am now 6 weeks post surgery and yesterday was "event horizon" for the stitches in my mouth. On Thursday I had at least 30 left, and now less than 2 days later I have, maybe 8, I say maybe as I'm counting with my tongue because its hard to see in my mouth properly. By Monday I reckon they will ALL be gone!!!!!

In terms of my recovery from the surgery itself, I have experienced NO pain. Initially the facial swelling was very uncomfortable but my jaw never hurt. Eating was an issue, and still is but I can eat most things if I chop it up real small, sadly, I still cant live out my burger fantasy. The single most annoying thing has been the stitches. They rub, they get loose, they hang down and when they fall out they do it mid conversation and you have to excuse your self to go suture fishing...clearly you also swallow a bunch of them...

I like to write silly poems, I wrote one for my stitches, it pretty much sums up the way I was feeling for most of the last month...

Screw you stitches,

You really really suck,

You are so bloody itchy,

And annoying as all fuck. 

I want to get some scissors,

And cut you all away,

But patience is a virtue,

Ill be suture free, one day. 

I really want a burger,

Or a juicy lump of steak,

I'm over all the mushy food,

I've had all that I can take.

I have had no infections in my mouth. I could not be happier with the quality of the work. I cannot speak highly enough of the treatment or the facilities or the people. If you need dental work and it will cost more than $1000 here, just go to Thailand and see Dr Sunil. You will not regret it. If you're in Thailand you should go and see him even if its just for a professional clean and whiten.

But the best bit is I still have not been sick! Not once! When I say sick I mean the old symptoms that I had, the ones that were ruining my life. I did have bad post flight foot and leg swelling followed by a really bad cold but they are things normal people get. This is a true freedom. One I never thought I would realise. I've even stopped considering my proximity to a bathroom! Its truly like being freed from a mental prison. In fact people are noticing and commenting about how healthy I look, that I look younger, that I'm getting fatter, that my skin looks better, that the whole shape of my face has changed, and it has I think my jaw was swollen for years. I am sleeping so much better and when I wake up I'm looking forward to the day. AND I'm not on ANY drugs!!!!!!!

The only real issue now is the social issues of having no teeth, I'm not attempting the dentures until every stitch is gone, but even that's not really an issue. I am lucky - when you look at me, and my mouth is closed, you cannot tell. My lips have not gone in like an old lady, partly because I have fairly thick lips and party because the implants are in my jaw. Having no teeth is less noticeable when I speak than having bad teeth, I'm not sure why, it just is. To me I have a terrible lisp, but I am assured by those around me its not so bad. I'm also not embarrassed anymore. Anyone I have contact with on a regular basis knows what I have done and feels comfortable to talk to me about it. I used to be ashamed of having bad teeth, now I am happy to have no teeth and I do not feel like I have to hide, I have stopped worrying that someone might notice my mouth because its not my dirty secret anymore, its my badge of courage and Im happy to talk about it.

I'm not really sure I'm even going to use the dentures, unless they help me eat, I think they look weird, but I haven't really given them a chance so Ill reserve my judgement. But last night I did manage to eat Chicken Enchilladas, cut into teeny bits, sans teeth so......

Less than 5 months til I can go back and have all this be a memory rather than a reality and a dream...

The Idea Of Burger Juices Dripping Off My Hands Is Almost Pornographic.

So its been three weeks and one day since I had the surgery and I have to say that I WAS NOT PREPARED and I am an impatient whinger.

All I thought about BEFORE I had this surgery was being brave enough to get it done. I spent the entire time just preparing myself to have the balls to do this awake and all alone in a foreign land. I just didn't really think past the "event" properly, I didn't even consider the stitches, or really anything other than it might hurt for a few days and then Id have my temporary dentures and Id be looking normal. Everyone I spoke to indicated that they were eating and smiling THE SAME DAY, so I went with that, I didn't stop and say "Well hang on, NONE of these people are having 25 teeth extracted AND implants placed", everyone I spoke to had only had the implants after years of traditional denture wearing,  no extractions or a couple. I was not able to find ANY PERSON ON THE PLANET to speak to who had as many teeth out all at once. I was too "event" focused.

As I have said I used Global Health Travel for my trip, and pretty much I figure the bulk of the medical tourism industry is made up of women wanting boob jobs, but I did not consider this before. So you get on their site, you read the testimonials you see the posts and you kind of get sucked into the "This is good, cheap, quick and the recovery time is short" type mentality, but dental work is certainly NOT a boob job, they are not even in the same ball park let alone the same league....I had too much emotional effort going into doing it I don't know if it was deliberate or not but I didn't even really spare the recovery a thought.

First thing I learnt was DO NOT ATTEMPT ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON YOUR OWN! Yes I survived, yes it was clean and painless and done while under GA in the end, but the experience changed me and I'm not sure it was all good. When I recall the events of the first visit to Dr Sunil I panic. I get short of breath. The memory of that first ride from the hotel to the clinic is one I really would rather forget. Never in my life have I been so scared. NEVER EVER!!!! I had no one to hold my hand, no one to talk sense to me, no one to hug me and say they were there for me. I just had me and I am very unreliable....as far as I knew Id be having teeth ripped in less than an hour. I don't care if it sounds melodramatic but  that car ride really, for want of a better word, fucked me up, it was the most traumatic 30 minutes of my life and my life ain't been easy....a friend would have made it easier....Ill never recover from it. I am sure that fear will haunt me forever. It was intense.

So after it was done, I didn't die, I had my dentures, I wasn't in agonizing pain, I had no infections and I discovered Cream of Broccoli Soup I was on a high. The pain killers, antibiotics and anti swelling tablets may have contributed to my altered state of reality, but meh....it was fun while it lasted.

Then I came home, first the plane was crap, customs was crappier, the foot and leg swelling crappier still and the hospital well, OMG THE HOSPITAL (on that, an investigation has been initiated and I WILL let you know what happens), but worst of all guess who came to visit - REALITY. I really hate Reality, I wish it would curl up and die....painfully......

Anyway....

Second thing I learnt, the dentistry may be uber fast in Thailand but the recovery time is still the recovery time no matter what country you are in. My dreams of a beautiful smile are on hold pending dissolution of several  tens of stitches. I can't wear the dentures and so I cant eat real food unless I cut it into teeny tiny pieces. I cant talk properly, as you all now know my name is Susie i.e. worst name for someone with a dental surgery induced lisp and spends her working day on the telephone....The stitches are STILL THERE!!!! Yes, they are SLOWLY dissolving but its just not quick enough. They are fraying,  the knots that are left are twisting and digging into my gums, the strands of sutures are itching the shit out of me and until they go I cant wear the dentures....I AM GOING MAD!!!!!

Another driver for my insanity is HUNGER! Since I had my teeth out I have not vomited once, I haven't even felt like there was a remote possibility I might spew....this is a MIRACLE!!! As a result I am STARVING  I dream of a hamburger, a really juicy one with the lot, bacon, pineapple BBQ sauce BEETROOT....hmmmm, OMG I want a hamburger.....The idea of burger juices dripping off my hands is almost pornographic to me at the moment...For the last decade I haven't wanted to eat because Id throw it up, I had done everything to minimize the effects of Crohns and I was still unwell, it is clear to me now that I was so sick because of my teeth and now they are gone I will actually see the benefit of my efforts.

I need to remember that what I did was massive and I am only human and bodies take time to heal. Be patient and remember that doing the RIGHT thing and not smiting an immediate irritation is what I need to do.

This cost so much, it will get better.....stop being a whinger......

I now need to deal with a new type of humiliation but only for a few more weeks...I HOPE...

UPDATE

Today I met the burger in my fantasy. It wasn't mine to eat, I still cant eat anything like that, but it was mine to covet. The phallic pickle was just so symbolic. This burger is to a woman with no teeth as porn is to an impotent man.

I will return to masticate you one day, you naughty naughty burger......

Don't Get Too Excited. There Are No Before and After Shots Yet!

Im going to dedicate this post to photos, mainly because I haven't added any yet...

Don't get too excited there are no before and after shots yet, they will be saved until the permanent teeth are in...

Where to start?

This was the view from The Prime 11, where the Global Health Recovery Units are....

Not bad at all. Here are a couple of shots of the street its on, Sukhumvit, Soi 11....

Loved the Pop Up Bars!

Me being tough, holding snakes, cause that's just how I roll...

OK, so I was freaking out!

But I did it!

Wat Pho, I loved that place...

Wat Arun was cool, but you will see why I got sore legs! Such steep steps!

My Thai Boyfriend...I actually think he was a girl....well it was Thailand.....

The filthy river...

The housing....

I have lots more pictures but these are a snapshot of my time in Thailand...Thanks for following my journey! It seems I still have a fair way to go!

"I AM NOT REFUSING TREATMENT I AM REFUSING DRUGS!!!!"

And with the lights a flashing the ambulance arrives, very very quickly...well done Queensland Ambulance Service!

I explain to the paramedic, Hayden, that I had just got back from Thailand, I had swollen feet and legs and had developed a stabbing pain under my shoulder blade. I also explained to him I was prone to panic attacks and anxiety and that my husband had had a pulmonary embolism, so maybe I was freaking out, I also told him truthfully Id had a Jim Beam and Coke...

I said to him over and over I do not want to go to hospital, if you think I'm over reacting just say and Ill go to my GP. He said that my vital signs and risk factors meant that he felt I needed to go to hospital so I agreed.

Normally if someone offers me hospital grade, medical practitioner prescribed pain relief I'm in, but I have had enough needles, enough pain killers enough yucky jabs that I would rather the pain. I refused all offers of drugs by Hayden, I also refused a finger prick blood test to check my sugar level. I insisted NO NEEDLES, NO PAIN DRUGS.

We arrived at the hospital and this is where the insanity began.....

I must preface this by saying this is my side of the story, I have made a formal complaint for answers about the events at Logan Hospital in Brisbane Queensland last night, I will be sure to provide you with their explanation once I have received it......

"Bitch Nurse from Hell", who will hence forth be referred to as BNFH, came to me and asked me my name, so I told her, the ambulance must have called ahead and given my details as she then said, do you go by any other names, I have not changed my name with Medicare to my married name so I provided my maiden name details, along with my date of birth, address and phone number....BNFH left, only to return moments later and said, "What other names do you use?",

"None, that's my name, I'm sorry I don't have my Medicare card I haven't put all that stuff back in my wallet since returning from Thailand"..

They wheeled me out of a corridor and into a bay....

BNFH returns "Could you please tell me your real name"

"THAT IS MY REAL NAME!!! OMG!!! What are you talking about???"

Then I could NOT believe my ears....

"Stop lying to me, I nursed you here 3 or 4 days ago, you were asking for pain medication?", proclaimed BNFH.....

"I beg your PARDON????" I was yelling, "I WAS IN THAILAND THEN! I GOT OFF A PLANE YESTERDAY MORNING AT 8AM!!!!! YOU HAVE NEVER NURSED ME! I WAS IN THAILAND LOOK AT MY MOUTH!!!!

The horrid cow rolled her eyes at me , and sent in another nurse, a male one and again I was questioned about my identity - I had seen and heard BNFH talking to him...

I had luckily not removed my passport or boarding pass from the handbag I had, I showed the new nurse that...he said nothing...but did tell me I had been admitted to the hospital in December, which I HAD NOT, and that made me even more crazy!!!! I even called my husband to check I wasn't deluded, no I had not been admitted to Logan Hospital in December! The male nurse rolled his eyes!!!

I said why are you treating me like a drug addict? He responded with "No one said that, why would you get that idea?" my response "Because you are treating me like one, I have swollen feet a pain in my chest and I just got through 11 hours flying, I NEED AN XRAY AND A DR!"

BNFH then returns with needles and the such and I say to her, "No pain medication  no needles, I do not want medical intervention unless I NEED it" The stupid woman walks away and tells someone at the nurses station I am REFUSING TREATMENT!!!! I SCREAM AS LOUD AS I CAN "I AM NOT REFUSING TREATMENT I AM REFUSING DRUGS!!!!" WHY ARE YOU TREATING ME LIKE THIS? WHY ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY IDENTITY? WHEN WILL SOMEONE ACTUALLY LOOK AT MY SYMPTOMS!!!!!"

They just ignored me...Hayden the paramedic appeared, I asked him, have you heard what they are saying to me, he said he had and that he had already told them he felt it was inappropriate.

I told him to go and tell them I was leaving, to give me back my clothes and Ill go to a different hospital.....

He took too long, the sounds of the machines screaming when I disconnected myself drew one nurses attention, she found my clothes, I dressed and walked out, got a taxi and came home.....

I was brought to the hospital IN AN AMBULANCE, presenting with all the signs of DVT and a potential blood clot, I sat there for over an hour being questioned about my identity, being told I was there when I was in another country, having offensive insinuations thrown at me and I did not even have  a stethoscope put to my chest, let alone an x-ray, a blood test, or see a doctor, then they let me get up and walk out.....they didn't even try to stop me....

By the time I got home I was wild....The government wont help me with my dental and they sure as shit wont help me when I'm taken to a hospital in an emergency services vehicle....because that's how all druggo's get to hospital not people in a potentially life threatening situations....far out....I mean if I was seeking drugs they should have applauded me for the realistic immigration stamps and fake boarding pass in someone else's name with matching passport!!!....

Anyway.....

I was stubborn, but educated in by stubbornness  My husband had had a blood clot in his lung, in fact he has had three. The nature of the pain was NOT the same and no where near as bad. I went to my GP...it was a trapped nerve....so nothing to panic about....

BUT! That does not excuse for one millisecond the treatment I received at the hands of the Queensland Health as a result of the employees at Logan Hospital Emergency Department.

Hopefully you have been reading my blog and you would have read about the wonderful medical services I experienced in Bangkok. Now, people love to talk about how crappy and dirty and whatever they think it is like over there, but those people are wrong. The medical treatment I had over there was world class, not bullshit bogan class, wait like a cow to the slaughter and if you don't die before we believe who you are, its your lucky day so go buy a lottery ticket...

I am hurt, I am angry, I have lost all confidence in health care in this country.

It either costs so much it is an impossible dream ie dentistry, or so utterly crap if you are actually sick you will die in a corridor before they even take your temperature ie an emergency department.

In all fairness I will share their response to me when the investigation is complete.

In the mean time, watch out for me in the media....if I wasn't compelled to share my VERY positive experience with overseas medical treatment before I am now.

Ever Danced With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight?

My last night in Bangkok was a bit of a blur...

I think that maybe I started to feel a little too comfortable and possibly let my drink vigilance slide.

I had one Long Island Iced Tea and was feeling very happy, so I ordered another one, about a third of the way through I spotted a guy selling pretty light toys and tops, I HAD to have one so I asked the Aussie Dude Id been chatting to to watch my drink while I went and bought some.

Came back and drank a little bit more....then the weirdness started, first I dropped my bag, then I could barely see to pick up the contents, so I sat back down and drank a little more, then I saw stars...shooting stars with lots of pretty colours, I looked at my drink it was only half gone. Now I am an avid drinker and one and a half drinks does NOT make me drunk, even if they are Long Island Iced Teas, the room was spinning a little and when I realise I was singing along to a One Direction song, I knew something was up..

I decided to make a very swifty exit, I left my half finished drink and attempted to walk back to my hotel. The further I walked the harder it became, I was weaving and stumbling, but I was not thinking drunk just my body was all weirded out....then I fell....YAY!! Looking like a good Aussie Tourist....Two Thai men came running up to me and helped me get back up and even found some clean tissues to wipe up the blood. I was a few metres from my hotel so they made sure I got to the concierge and then left. I made it to my room and that was it, I woke up to my alarm the next morning  I'm so glad I remembered to set that alarm lest Id have missed my plane!

I'm not so sure what happened to me that night but it was odd, I'm thinking I may have had my drink messed with but it may just have been something else. Who knows. I survived and was not interfered with by anyone so if they did spike my drink it was an epic fail. I didn't even lose my lighter!

As per the always magnificent service, Dr Sunil's lovely driver was waiting for me at 9.30am to take me to the airport and so my journey home began.

My first flight, from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, was uneventful, short and sweet.

Kuala Lumpur Airport is nothing short of a shit hole. If you are lucky to find a western style toilet you are doing well and if its clean, doesn't have fluid on the floor, an over flowing bin and a strange smell consider yourself one in a million type lucky...the seats in the waiting area are so uncomfortable, the food choice are appalling, and that's being generous, oh and if you smoke, no need to light a cigarette just go into the non ventilated windowless smoking room, even a 2 pack a day Winfield Red Smoker's lungs would hurt upon entering! Just looking at it will probably give you lung cancer. It sucked.. My tip is avoid layovers in Malaysia if humanly possible.

The next thing you need to avoid are overnight flights...now that alone is a torture beyond hell unless you are sitting next to an Evangelical Christian returning from his latest "mission" who wants to "witness" to you and make sure you hear "the gospel as its meant to be heard", then you realise hell must get pretty deep.

I'm sure he would not have spoken to me had he not seen the book I was reading "The Last Testament of the Holy Bible" by James Frey....has saw the book and must have read a small bit over my shoulder an asked me if I was a Christian,  now I suggest you either google that book or read it, its great, its a fantastic atheist book....I told him the premise of the story and we discussed our views on religion, I was blunt and frank and he tried to convince me of idiotic things like the "Young Earth Theory" and "Noah's Ark" , I have to give him credit he knew the bible very very well and when I quoted a verse he always knew the book chapter and verse number, it was an interesting conversation with a very learned person. But he would not shut up, he kept on trying to convince me to come to his church, after about 3 hours I told him I had enjoyed the chat but it was sleep time....

And so we enter further into the bowels of hell....

I ask to purchase a pillow, it was "Air Asia - where nothing is included", they had none...WTF? No pillows, this was going to be fun. So after fitful micro-sleeps for about 4 hours on come the lights and then the pain sets in, There was no longer a comfortable way for me to sit in the seat...my whole body was hurting, my mouth was killing me, I was starving, I was so tired....I WANTED OFF.....but still had at least 3 hours to go....

There was also a guy who had the most disgusting hacking cough, he sounded like he was dying. Please people, if you have a cold and you are on a plane wear a face mask, PLEASE. It was gross and it makes others freak out about superbugs. There were people on that plane from Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Vietnam, China, Russia, UAE, India they could have anything!!!! In fact I suggest you wear a mask anyway.

To my great pleasure we arrived 35 minutes early and that first lungful of Australian air was sweet.

To my great displeasure, I was "The One" in customs, I did have Blue and Red Pills, both keep reality at bay, anyway, I had my bags searched, they were x rayed twice, I was sniffer dogged  it took almost 2 hours for me to get through, and I DECLARED I had drugs...WTF? They must have thought I was some type of really really stupid drug courier....even dumber than those idiots who stash pot in their boogie board covers and go to Bali!!!

Seeing my husband and kids again was fantastic, I missed them so badly and it was great to be back in their arms, even if I did look like a swamp monster....

And finally back to my house, and that was glorious, oh how I missed my home, my bed, my shower, MY DOG!!! The cat, yeah, well, not so much.....

Unpack, presents, photos, hugs and kisses - then the real pain hit me, my legs and feet were very very swollen, to the point that walking was too painful. I decided to elevate them and see what happened, naturally I goggled it and was reassured that this type of swelling is normal but to call an ambulance if I experience any chest pain. I felt no pain and fell asleep.

The next day I was still swollen and sore but not anywhere near as bad until about 5.30pm when I got a sharp stabbing pain under my shoulder blade, so I called the ambulance...

My vitals were such that I had to go to the hospital and I can barely believe what happened to me there...

I was about to discover there are even deeper caverns of hell and I was about to visit....

"Monkey Boxing", that's right, "Monkey Boxing"......

So now I had 3 more days to just enjoy Bangkok, maybe enjoy is not the right word, experience Bangkok may be a more appropriate term, not that I didn't love it there, I did, very very much..

I haven't really talked about the other amazing things I did and saw apart from the Floating Markets and The Lady Boys, but this was part medical treatment part holiday, and some of the things I saw blew my mind.

I also had the chance to go to Safari World, well, that place is one where you need to leave your Australian idea of animal ethics outside and accept that Thai people are different....

Firstly we saw "Monkey Boxing",that's right, "Monkey Boxing"......

They had Orangutans, my absolute favorite animal, dressed up, playing musical instruments  one was pretending to be a pole dancer !?!?!? and then having a boxing match...as much as I hate to admit it, it was entertaining, but I felt really bad watching it...That line from "Seinfeld" is very apt, Gross but strangely compelling.

We saw a seal show and an elephant show, I saw my first ever walrus, we feed some giraffes, I got chosen out of the crowd to kiss a dolphin, I got a kiss and a cuddle from an orangutan, I patted an elephant, and I held a baby tiger.

But the toughest thing I did was....I touched a BIRD!!!! Yes I did....it was too fast for a photo but I have witnesses to this event....I did this before my surgery, just to prove to myself I COULD DO ANYTHING!

I also visited Wat Pho, The Temple of the Reclining Buddha  and I found that place to be the most magical place I have ever been. The huge gold Buddha is a sight to behold, but the serenity and peace that is found in the secluded quiet gardens is beyond words, it was the most beautiful place I had ever sat, the surrounds and the energy were intoxicating. I visited there the day before my surgery and I dropped coins in the temple bowls and I was blessed by monks, it was so powerful I returned the morning of 29 January to say thank you.

I also visited Wat Arun, and got very sore legs as a result, but you must visit that place it so cool and old and I really liked it, you could feel the history. Nothing like Wat Pho, but still worth the sore legs and 50 baht.

I fell for the beggar bullshit pretty hard in the first few days then I decided to "Beggar Watch' instead of "People Watch", those people are making packets and they all seem to run to a dude every so often and give them loads of cash. Scammers. Dont get sucked in like me...thank you to a great Aussie Girl for helping me formulate a "Beggar Payment Plan", it saved me heaps!

The sex trade there is blatant and gross. I kind of thought I would feel that it was demeaning to the women but you know what, its not, its demeaning to the men. The dirty old western men. I don't really want to talk about it, it made me ashamed to be an Australian. It really did. And yes there were many many men with CHILDREN I do not believe were theirs... I did go and see  Ping Pong Show...and that is all Ill say...YUCK....but more disturbing were the offers of budgie and goldfish shows....I DON'T KNOW! DON'T ASK ME???? EEEEEWWWWWWW.....

Then of course there is the shopping, everything is cheap, and bargaining is fun, you will get lost and you will spend hours upon hours wandering the endless stalls...You can shop all day and get everything you want and still only spend a couple of hundred bucks, I'm talking 8 hours straight shopping!

Then there is the street food, the street stalls, the traffic, the tuk tuks, the scooters...its just an amazing place.

Not to mention the massages  I became a bit of a massage whore, but oh man, they were soooooo good and soooooo cheap...

There is also horrid poverty, disgusting pollution, stray dogs and cats by the thousands, not to mention the sex for sale and pickpockets.

My time in Bangkok has really changed me. It was confronting and scary but I triumphed and had an awesome time.

I got a tattoo to mark this adventure, it says "courage" in Thai....

I am so proud of myself.