So I checked in Bangkok Pattaya Hospital on the 11th. All sorts of tests to see if I would probably survive surgery ... EKG, chest x-ray, blood tests, etc.

Taken into the operating room, given a general anesthetic and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room with a plastic tube draining off a bit of blood. A little sore, but nothing to write home about. The worst thing was that I felt nauseous for about 6 hours. Nurses checked my blood pressure and added a hypodermic load or two into the IV line every few hours throughout the night. My friend was there to lever me out of the bed for a couple of trips to the loo ... where everything worked without a problem.

By midday on Wednesday, a bit more than 24 hours after the surgery I was dressed and ready to go home, which is where I am now. No hematomas or bruising aside from the incision site. No swelling. Everything seems to be functioning normally. Minimal pain and I have pain killers that seem to control the little there is without making me feel drugged.

Total cost was Baht 96,500 plus whatever I may have to pay for follow-up appointments to remove the staples, etc. Was given a waterproof dressing so I can shower without a problem until the dressing is removed.

I know there are cheaper places to have it done and I was looking forward to getting it done in Sattahip, but from what I can tell this was a great outcome. My friend and I were treated well. The food wasn't all that great, the tv was cable not satellite and the wifi connection was pretty weak ... but the surgery went very well and the nursing care was excellent. Compared to some of the horror stories I've read on other Thailand related message boards, this was a great outcome. Sitting here at the computer I feel no pain and can walk about with no pain.

Certainly hope I don't need anything like this again, but if I did I'd want to do it at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital even if I could save a few baht elsewhere.