A British Expat who plunged from a balcony in Thailand has had metal rods inserted in her spine as she battles to recover in hospital. The 21 year old  has undergone major surgery after suffering fractures in her back and two punctured lungs and needs expat repatriation services. 

 Her family has been told by medics that she may never walk again after falling from the second floor of the apartment at a resort on the south-eastern island of Ko Pha-Ngan. 

 Her family have flown to Thailand to be by her side as she begins a second week in hospital, where she has needed drains to remove blood and fluid from her lungs. The surgery was the start of a long road to recovery, with the family facing a bill of up to £100,000 to bring the stricken holidaymaker back to the UK safely, Her family informed us that:

 “The surgery went well and when are all very positive that once she is back in the UK she will have the rehabilitation she needs. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be able to travel back within a fortnight once her condition has improved. Our daughter also has several fractured ribs, which doesn’t help her comfort, but every day she is better than the day before, which is amazing to see. She is doing everything she can to get herself back to normal and to go home. We know there are many obstacles along the way but with the massive outpouring of love and support we’ve had we know can get through this.”

 The Victim, had been in Thailand on a three-week trip with her partner, and had seen in new year on the island, which is famous for its full moon parties.  

 She fell from the balcony in the early hours of January 1st in circumstances which remain unclear, as she only remembers fragments of what happened. She started off in hospital on Ko Pha-Ngan before a three-hour boat journey and then an hour by road to another hospital on the mainland.  

 Her parents have launched a GoFundMe page after it transpired that their daughter does not have adequate travel insurance to cover a medical repatriation to the UK.  

 ‘She doesn’t remember anything but somersaulting through the air screaming. After the fall she was left on the floor helpless for 40 minutes until an ambulance finally arrived. 

 ‘Her next memory is being in the ambulance.’

 Her Mother flew to Thailand as soon as she heard about the fall and has been by her daughter’s side in hospital.

 ‘Her right lung is back to fully working and she has had the drain removed and the drain from her back operation has also been removed,’ she said.

 The family has been advised that the repatriation could cost up to £100,000, with the treatment costs mounting daily.

 The Family were absolutely devastated to learn that Maddi didn’t have the adequate travel insurance to cover repatriation. They have flown out to Thailand and met with the doctors and the British Embassy and have been advised that medical evacuation could cost up to 100k and treatment costs are mounting daily.  

SOURCE: metro.co.uk

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