That’s the way I was feeling last Saturday evening as I was packing up some last minute items to take back to Vietnam with me. I had just spent about 5 weeks traveling all over the US visiting family and friends as well as sprinkling in a little work to balance out my time. It was an enjoyable and fun-filled vacation that was going to be topped off by upgrading my international flight to Business Class. I had acquired enough miles to finally take in this luxury that I’d been saving up 3 years for.
All was good as I boarded the flight scheduled to depart at 1:30am. As the plane took off, I glanced at the time and was delighted to see it was only 1:41am…an on-time flight for the most part…things were looking good, time to go to sleep. About 3 hours later, I woke up to a sharp pain in my ankle. Unfortunately, it was something that I have been accustomed to lately…another gout attack. I had an attack about 2 weeks prior and they usually do not come that close in proximity together. This was not a good sign as I knew I had another 10 or so more hours before landing in Taipei. The swelling got increasingly worse and the pain likewise followed suit. By the time I landed I couldn’t walk any longer. I needed wheelchair assistance to my connecting flight… but it was still another 3 hours away. Luckily, with my Frequent Flyer membership I was able to relax in the Business Lounge…albeit still thriving in pain!
Ahhhhhh, if only the pain in my gouty ankle was the sole reason for my displeasure! My problems were only just beginning. You see, due to the immense pain I needed to take some medication to reduce the swelling and ease the pain. I am guessing my body temperature was a little high because I may have had a slight fever due to the gout attack. This would prove to be the most inopportune fever I’ve ever had.
Upon disembarking the plane in Saigon, all the passengers had to walk through a temperature machine to insure that no one was carrying a fever into Vietnam for fear of the H1N1 virus. You guessed it, I DIDN’T PASS!...and either did 7 other passengers on our flight. We were shuffled away to a not-so-remote location in the middle of the airport, pretty much in everyone’s plain site in the airport. We were looked upon as having some sort of bubonic plague. Our temperatures were taken and anyone who so much as had a temperature above 98.6 degrees F was set aside to be quarantined at a local hospital.
They initially said we would have throat cultures taken and the results would be available within 8-12 hours. They gathered the 8 of us together (me in a wheelchair) and drove us in an ambulance to the hospital while the ambulance sirens blared full-blast (see video below). They put 6 of us in a room together (at least there were 6 beds), one fan and no air conditioner. Now I’m not a genius but I am guessing quarantine means to isolate the individual so as not to spread a potential virus. The whole quarantine floor was essentially "open" with people having free access to enter and exit each other’s rooms. If only one of those people had the virus we all would have gotten it!
After a few hours, we were notified by other quarantined people that we would be here for a minimum of 24 hours. It was the longest 24 hours in my life as I lay there with my ankle thriving in pain…with no medical assistance from any doctors or nurses. We all eventually passed our throat cultures and were released 24 hours later. A shower, a home cooked meal, and sleep never felt so good! Enjoy the video and pics of the hospital room below:
Heading to hospital in the back of an ambulance:
Quarantined friends:
My release papers...Swine Flu free!
