British man to have leg amputated after being stung by scorpion
A British man launched a Just Giving page to raise funds for his father stuck in a Thai hospital after being stung by a scorpion. The father faces losing his leg.
Alan Stephenson, from Bilton in Warwickshire, was stung by what he suspects was a scorpion while he was exploring Thailand earlier this month. He felt a sharp pain but couldn’t see what it was that bit him.
The pain got worse and then his leg became infected. The 73 year old British man then started to develop a flesh-eating disease which stripped the skin from his leg between his foot and his knee. It looks like it will have to be amputated.
Stephenson’s son, Kristian, is trying to get his father home but faces an £18,000 bill (770,000 baht).
The 44 year old revealed he got a call from his father on Wednesday, November 9, saying he was in pain and in hospital so set out to find him. What he found wasn’t very nice.
The conditions at the hospital were substandard and he found and feared for his father’s life, the Mirror reported.
Kristian reported cockroaches on the ceiling of the hospital ward while stray cats tucked into food on trays destined for patients. Not only that, his father was delirious, in extreme, and could not remember where his visa was.
Kristian said…
“It was like something from Banged Up Abroad (a UK TV programme).
“The hospital was terrible and didn’t have the resources to do anything with his leg. I thought: he is going to die here.’
Kristian managed to get his dad to a cleaner hospital but now needs the money to pay for treatment for his father who also suffers from diabetes.
The British man believes his diabetes has contributed to the infection and the flesh-eating disease.
Doctors told him that the leg needs to be amputated.
“His leg looked horrendous, but because he wasn’t being turned over or helped out of bed, he had bed sores that were just as bad.
“As this was going on, the place he had been staying was demanding he went and take his belongings to cover the cost, and the hospital was charging an extortionate amount of medical bills in cash.”
The operation to remove Alan’s infected leg has been rescheduled several times meaning the cost of his stay in the hospital is rising. The family turned to the British Embassy but they ignored their requests.
Kristian’s Hull MP Karl Turner has stepped in to help
“The British Embassy has shown no interest in the case and we are often waiting on responses due to the time difference.
“We have been told that the UK government would not contribute to any costs towards flying my dad home to be saved.
“Karl Turner has been in touch with me almost every day with advice and assured me that he is speaking to people above him, but I know there’s only so much he can do.
“I was advised to get in touch with a medical repatriation team, who could fly my dad home because a normal airline would not be able to do it.
“As luck would have it, we have found a company that I immediately connected with because the guy who runs it is also from East Yorkshire.
“My dad has received a fit to fly certificate and he is starting to look better in himself, but now we face raising £18,000 to pay for the service, which is the lowest rate possible.”
Kristian has used his savings to cover medical bills so far but they’re running down fast.
Kristian and his wife had booked flights to come and see him next month for £3,000 before he got injured. The airline is refusing to refund them.
A Just Giving page was then set up and so far £4,607 has already been raised but it is way short of the £18,000 needed.
“The plan now is to get my dad back to Hull full time and save his life. We know he will most likely be disabled for the rest of his life, but we are hoping he can somewhat recover.”
The family’s MP, Karl Turner, is trying to get government help. He said…
“Since Kristian contacted my office regarding his dad’s situation I have been speaking with government ministers continuously to see if they can help with Alan’s repatriation to Britain.
“I am aware that Kristian is now with Alan but he is apparently struggling to get support from the British consular teams in Thailand.
‘I will continue to push government ministers
Last week a Thai man had his leg was amputated without his permission requested help from the Lawyers Council of Thailand on Wednesday after a failed lawsuit. Hopefully, the Stephenson family get a better outcome than this unfortunate Thai man.
