| Only the most basic and simple medical care is available in Cambodia so all the Maryknollers have other tests and treatments done at the Bangkok Nursing Home (BNH) in Bangkok, Thailand. On this trip to the United States I stopped at BNH for an annual physical exam. This year I was scheduled for a colonoscopy so I had to visit the hospital on two days to have time for all the procedures. |
|
| Although it was the last procedure I would have, my first stop at the hospital was at the Gastro-Intestinal department to arrange for the colonoscopy the next day. Some tests had to be taken in order but other procedures like a hearing test and a stress test were scheduled when there were available openings. |
 |
| My major concern for this examination was a slight limp I have had in my right leg since last October. Various treatments have not helped so today I was scheduled to get a full examination. First I went to a neurologist who determined that my right foot is not responding to the nerve signals, and he ordered an x-ray of my spine. He already had an x-ray of my right ankle and leg. |
 |
| Dr. Irene, my primary doctor, showed me the spine x-rays in her office. The L4 vertebrae had a smaller-than-usual opening before the first S1 vertebrae but that didn't seem to be the problem. |
 |
| I was then sent to a spine doctor who confirmed that the vertebrae were not the problem but who then scheduled an MRI for the next day so that he could actually see the nerves and spinal cord which the x-rays don't show. The MRI seemed to show that everything is OK so there is still no conclusion about why I am having the problem. |
 |
On tuesday I came back for the colonoscopy to be followed by the MRI, but while I was preparing for the colonoscopy in the Surgery department, a nurse called and asked me to change plans and have the MRI first so I went downstairs for that and then went back for the colonoscopy which, for the first time, showed a small polyp which the doctor removed. The rest of Tuesday was spent talking to various doctors about what they had found. |
| I didn't get out of the hospital on Tuesday until 6:20 PM and it took an hour to get home by bus through Bangkok's traffic, and then I stopped and bought some fresh pineapple and an ear of corn from a street vendor and ate that with some instant noodles for the first food I had had for 43 hours. |
 |