Friday 29 March 2013

30th March 2013

The last few days has been busy eco wise..

A couple of days ago, we repopulated the nurseries we have at Twins.. It took 12 people doing 4 dives in a short space of time to complete the project. As well as that, I was doing some "cropping" at our "Crystal Wreck" as a disease had appeared... so I was trimming back the affected coral to prevent any further spread of disease.

Then we went diving with Sophie... Jenny's friend from the UK... she had lots of fun!!

We spent Sophie's last night at a restaurant in Sairee called Fizz... all of us staying much later that we thought, and all of us waking with headaches the next morning.



Yesterday was a organising day for me... for today, which is Beach & Dive Site Clean Up....

I also manage to squeeze in a short movie, of some of the new structures in Junkyard...... click below.

Junkyard Structures


xx



Tuesday 26 March 2013

26th March 2013

For the first time in a few months, I had time to take out my camera yesterday...

It was sooooo nice to be filming again... I felt like a new diver again!

I took some videos of Twins for a updated version of "The Crystal Wreck" and also some footage of the Sea Hares at Junkyard who have suddenly reappeared... You gotta love those guys!

https://vimeo.com/62676966


x

SD


Saturday 23 March 2013

24th March 2013

I received my blood test results on my birthday!

Thankfully it was good news and my liver function has returned to normal, so apart from a few bouts of tiredness I am back to full health.

My birthday was fairly uneventful throughout the day. I was on an instructor course, sitting in class for most of the day, while Jen was working with an Open Water course of 8 people.  In the evening however, a few friends joined us for dinner at the local pizza place called Porto Bello.

I left a little inebriated, and we hopped into a taxi home, whereupon we both slept like logs!

The next day it was back to work for both of us, and Jen is still continuing to dive with the same students conducting Advanced Open Water.

Last night, one of Jenny's friends (Sophie) arrived on the island... we went to dinner at Whitening (Thai / Western food) and Sophie is going to take a Discover Scuba Dive today. Jenny has refused to conduct it as they won't stop laughing... Hopefully she enjoys it and maybe wants to do an actual course... either way, I think the next week that Sophie is here is going to be full of a few late nights!

Day off today for me! My plan is to wrap up some UK work, and then hit the bar for the Formula 1 this afternoon.... SWEET!

x

SD

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Birthday wishes!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR CHRIS, CHLOE, SIMONE & IONA
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!

Hope you all had, have a wonderful day full of birthday surprises!!!!

Thinking of you all

Lots of hugs

Jenny & Simon

X x X x X x

Sunday 17 March 2013

Saturday 16 March 2013

16th March 2013

Well.... so far so good.

I had blood tests 4 days ago to check my levels, and it seems that the Dengue has finally abated.!

However, due to the large dosage of paracetamol that I have been prescribed over the last 10 days... my liver is working overtime.

Since my Dengue, they sent in a team of fumigators to kill all the bad boys! The mosquito population has virtually dissapeared overnight, which is great news and hopefully will reduce any further Dengue sufferers.

So, this week is a journey of detox... eating healthy, no alcohol, and definately no painkillers.

Blood tests in a few more days, and an update then!

x

SD

Sunday 10 March 2013

11th March 2013

The internet is back!!

I must have jinxed it...

The morning of the 8th, the doctor came to see me... the latest blood test showed no decline although my liver levels had rockets (coping with the Dengue aftermath). He said I was well enough to head back to Koh Tao and rest. I was quite pleased as I had felt like I was in prison... plus the food was horrendous, even though I had no appetite..

Jen had already left that morning, without knowing that I was being discharged. I caught the afternoon ferry, sleeping most of the way, and then made my way back to the apartment. After that I don't remember very much.... I was so exhausted just from the journey.. I slept almost non stop for another 24 hours!

The last couple of days I have just been a couch potato... Watching movies like Life of Pi, The Hunger Games, Taken 2... Some were good, some not so... But I am still getting bored. Especially as the internet decided to break.. One swift call to the landlord yesterday seems to have done the trick as it came back this morning.!

Jenny was supposed to work yesterday, but by mid day her student had not showed up so she went fun diving with friends. I was itching to get out, so went to meet her after the dives. An hour or so out and I got an almighty headache (getting a lot of those at the mo.).. So it was time to head home, and more sleep..

Blood test in 2 days will hopefully show good recovery, the tiredness and other symptoms are just going to take time...

Oh, and HAPPY MUMMYS DAY for yesterday... !

xx

SD


Wednesday 6 March 2013

6th March - Samui

With my Open Water course finished, I managed to get one of the last ferry tickets over to Samui.  Check in was at 5.30am and I finally arrived at the Bangkok Samui Hospital around 9.30am after haggling with taxi drivers who wanted 800 baht instead of the 150 baht it should have been.

Anyway, I found Si's room and entered to find him hobbling back from the toilet to his bed.   Oh bless, he looked very sweaty and uncomfortable  ...his drip was threaded his tshirt and down to his waist which seemed very odd.   As I was there, he decided to have a shower and change into the hospital pj's which for some odd reason have hundreds of ties on  ...very strange.

With blood pressure, temperature and blood test being taken on a regular basis, he's being looked after but I'm finding it strange that when they take his temperature and they say 'you have fever' that they don't give any paracetomol to him there and then.  Si has to ring a few minutes later to ask for them.  Even when his drip was nearly empty, we had to call, someone came in, looked, left and then someone else appeared to change the bag  ...doesnt seem to be very organised at all.

So, with blood pressure, temperature pretty steady, his platelets are dropping and only we've been advised that only when they're above 150 (now 104) that he can leave  ...as you can imagine, Simon is estatic!

The hospital food looks ok but for Si, it must be very boring, pasta & tofu.  I did order pizza delivery last night of which Si picked at the garlic bread, at least it was something.

There's not much happening here.   Si's watched a bit of TV,  tiny bits of UK work when he's feeling up to it and trying to sleep, which is a struggle because as soon as he tries, someone comes in to do his blood pressure and temperature  ....so he's not the happiest of bunnies.

This morning I went out to Tesco Lotus  ...to buy a few bits for him.  Mints for his breath, as he's not allowed to brush his teeth, just in case of a bleed and cartons of pineapple & orange juice, as that's all he fancied.

Jen
xx


Monday 4 March 2013

5th March 2013 - Dengue Fever!

Well,

Its official... the blood test came back positive. The clinic wanted to keep me in overnight with a drip, but I refused as a weekend night at the clinic would not be very peaceful.. So, Jen and I went home to rest, and I informed the insurance company of the situation.

The next morning, Jenny left to finish her Open Water course, while I gingerly rode to the clinic feeling quite dizzy... As soon as I arrived they jabbed me with a glucose injection and stuck an IV drip into me.. Then it was transportation to Koh Samui..

The journey took about 3 hours, standard ferry trip and then ambulance from the port to the Bangkok Samui hospital. Once into the ER room, I had a gaggle of nurses poking and prodding, taking blood adding a new IV line (missing twice)... and then a ton of documents to sign to acknowledge all costs (so far about £2,000 !).

The easiest way to monitor Dengue Fever and make sure it doesn't turn into the bad type is to count the platelets in the blood.. The last 3 days they have been 164,000 , 143,000, and today 120,000... So still dropping and probably will for a few more days. With this count, my levels are still pretty healthy although below what they should be..  we shall see what happens.

Body temperature has been up and down like a yoyo... Fever for a couple of hours, and then fine for a couple of hours... highest temp was 39.7C !!

Anyway, I am glad to say that Jenny came over this morning to keep me company for a day or 2... Here is a picture of me in my hospital glad rags.


Sunday 3 March 2013

3rd March 2013

Quick update.

Last night I started getting pain in my back and knees... then on came a whopping fever, dizziness and headache.

Today, it continued, so I have wasted no time in getting a blood test for Dengue Fever. If this turns up positive, then I am heading to Samui in the morning... Just phoned the insurance company to let them know etc....

Fingers crossed its just a basic fever... I shall update you when I can... and please don't worry!

x

SD