All Stitched Up

I am a particularly careful guy. Always have been. I have, thus far in my life, never had a broken bone, or so much as a cavity (though I could use a trip to the dentist to confirm this – it’s been a little too long). But at 35 years, my luck can only hold out for so much longer – especially since becoming a world traveler. My next story illustrates why a guy as careful as I am might want to consider purchasing a travel insurance policy.

About a year ago, I gashed my chin open, requiring my first ever stitches. The result of a bad moto driving decision on my part. I thought it would be a good idea to pass by someone on the right. She happened to decide to turn right at the same time. I barely felt anything as we headed to the ground – thankfully for everyone buy myself, I cushioned the impact for my wife and – brace yourselves – my infant son, who had been riding with us as well. Thankfully we all had our helmets on. I recall standing straight up (My wife had also, apparently bounced to a standing position) and immediately began attending to Cole, who had been sleeping, and showed no signs of being anything other than royally pissed off that we had woken him up in such an abrupt, insane manner.

It took about 30 seconds for an Englishman to come up saying “You’re cut pretty bad there, mate.” and found me a towel to place on my chin. With my nerves frazzled and being in no position to drive, we made it into a Tuk Tuk and headed back towards our apartment which was conveniently right by a Hospital.

Three stitches and 40 bucks later, and I walked out of the hospital, thanking the heavens that no one was hurt more badly (the driver of the other moto was untouched), and also that we were in South East Asia, where healthcare can be incredibly cheap, and in Thailand in particular, very high quality. Healthcare throughout much of the world is prohibitively expensive, and with our lifestyle, we still plan to see much, much more of it. It might be time to consider getting annual multi-trip travel insurance.

Even careful worriers like yours truly can’t avoid the occasional health scare. It is part of what comes with living as full and active a life as we dare to live. As I get older I dare more, and therefore risk more.

Except on a moto. I definitely am no longer taking more than the absolutely necessary risks on one of those things. My family’s safety means too much to me for that.

 

photo: crash by vtsr