I Got Stitches in Paradise

Because I slipped on the tropical cliffs

Things that happen when you’re active. When you do all kinds of sports and don’t say no to the next adventure. It’s part of life. To hurt yourself, to get injured, and get a cut here or there.

Of course, nobody plans on them. But it still happens. It’s called an accident for a reason. I didn’t plan on it. I was walking over the steep cliffs and slipped on the rock. I fell and put my right hand down. Since the rocks were covered in sharp mussels I was bleeding right away.

About an hour later I watched the nurse right next to me feeding five, not one, stitches through my skin. When she first looked at my hand she said it wasn’t dramatic. But I knew these guys see worse accidents and deeper wounds. I didn’t know it still meant I’d need stitches. I don’t remember ever having had stitches before in fact. Despite all my activeness.

But let’s rewind and start from the beginning.

Enjoying life on a tropical island

For my birthday I wanted to go to an island and spend time in the water and on the beach. That was all I wanted. And that was all I got. I didn’t unwrap a single gift yesterday. And I’m happy about it.

I don’t value materialistic items. I have very few belongings with me here in Thailand. And I’m satisfied with it. That way I have more time to use those items. I have few distractions (aside from my tablet) and just spend more quality time together with my husband.

In the afternoon of the 26th of December, we took a ferry to Koh Samet. My birthday on the next day I spent doing all the fun stuff in life. I played a lot in and on the water, explored the island by scooter, and watched a fire show while eating freshly caught, grilled fish.

The next day

Yes, I did have a few drinks on my birthday but we also drank lots of water. Therefore there was no hangover to be expected.

But when we wanted to go in the water with my paddleboard and my husband’s kayak we realized his floor had a big hole that needed to get fixed. We had all the tools to fix the kayak but now it had to dry for 12 hours. Therefore I went alone into the ocean.

We had breakfast overlooking our tiny bay and embraced a fresh breeze off the ocean while sipping on some freshly squeezed fruit juices. We planned what else we were in for the day while finishing up our meal.

Driving to the cliffs

One of our things to do out here was going snorkeling on the backside of the island. We’ve been there before and loved the fish and the reef.

With the scooter, we drove up and down the hilly slopes of Koh Samet looking out for that specific spot. At first, we drove past it. When we ended up at the end of the island, we knew we were too far and turned around. Eventually, we found the cliffs and parked the scooter on the side of the road.

The only problem about going snorkeling at this spot is the steep rocks. Walking down towards the water is still okay as long as you walk carefully over the boulders and steep rocks.

But getting into the water is another challenge. The rocks are slippery and covered in spiky mussels. My husband walked in with his slippers to protect his feet from the sharp rock. I walked in a few centimeters and then decided to let myself fall into the water. Not the smartest idea since I bend my knees and touched the rocks with them.

Two cuts on each knee. I quickly examined it in the water plus a cut on my toe but decided it was harmless and we went on with the snorkeling.

Snorkeling all alone

The beauty about snorkeling out here is that you are alone. No crowded boats are stopping here and no tourists get by. Or barely any. There was one diver in the water but I didn’t see him once we went in. The ocean is big.

The water was flat like a lake and no waves to be felt. It was so smooth to float in the water and watch all the fish below. I enjoy snorkeling a lot and loved being out there.

After probably about an hour in the water we decided to go out for a moment to rest and drink some water.

The moment I slipped

You can't even say I wasn’t paying attention or was just not careful enough. Just after a short break, we went back in the water and since I cut my knees the first time going in I was even more careful this time.

But it didn’t help. Just as I had my feet in the water I slipped and immediately felt I had cut my hand. Sitting in the water now I looked at a deeper cut with lots of blood pouring out. I also felt I had scratched my back. But that wasn’t my worry now.

I slowly went out of the water sat down and looked at my hand. I poured again some saltwater over it to wash off the blood but quickly realized I had to stop the bleeding. I took off my second skin (thin wetsuit shirt) and wrapped it around my wrist to cover the deep cut.

My husband had gotten out of the water as well now worrying about me. While packing up all our stuff we started discussing what to do next. Just go to the bungalow and clean it myself? I do have a good first aid kit with all I need to clean and protect wounds (especially after my accident with a firework rocket).

But I wasn’t sure if I didn’t need stitches. I wouldn’t open my wrapped-up shirt because just more blood would pour out. As we got back on the scooter driving towards our resort we decided to just get it checked out in the hospital on the island.

I knew it wasn’t a big one or really deserved the name of a hospital. But I also knew my injury wasn’t that bad that we’d have to go to the mainland.

The visit to the hospital

Coming from the water I had no clothes with me except for my bikini on. But once again, a sarong is a great multi-purpose item. Wrapping it quickly around my body I covered enough just as I would be wearing a dress.

We obviously had no masks on us but I was sure they’d have masks. The waiting room was outside but there were no people around. A nurse came towards us as soon as we looked into the clinic and handed us two face masks right away.

She asked me what happened and showed me to lie down on a bed outside in a tent type of emergency room. I guess they built it for the pandemic not to bring patients into the actual hospital building.

My husband wasn’t allowed to enter but could look through the open door. The nurse though asked him to sit down on the chairs just a few meters back.

I unwrapped my wrist and the nurse quickly handed my blood-covered shirt to my husband. She had a quick look at the wound and said “it’s not dramatic”. Which at first relieved me and let me believe I wouldn’t need stitches and she would just clean it but after a few moments I remembered where I was and what kind of injuries and accidents these nurses here would get to see and treat.

She didn’t say anything else to me but then came with a long needle saying it was for relieving the pain. I first thought to say I don’t have pain but then realized this was for numbing my hand (which I can tell you didn’t work).

It hurt like hell and it seemed like she didn’t stop pushing that needle into my wound. My husband says I’m quite resistant against pain but this one seriously brought me to tears.

Now I was telling him that I think I’m getting stitches.

The nurse was covering up her hair, putting gloves on, and preparing a few things all while my hand was lying on a grid type of thing dripping with blood. She eventually put a green cover with a hole on it which remembered me on all the surgeries seen in movies.

Guess I’ll be watching now what’s happening next. And I sure did. I first looked away when she put the needle through my skin but then watched her make one stitch after the other one. And no, the anesthesia she put in my hand wasn’t working. I could feel every time she poked my skin.

She wasn’t talking to me which is why I didn’t know I was getting stitches and then thought maybe she’ll do one or two.

Five stitches later…

My hand was all stitched up now. She cleaned all the blood of my hand and also cleaned all the other 17 cuts she found all across my body.

And there I was out again. The whole process took not even half an hour. I must say I was impressed at how quickly I was helped after she was first talking on her cellphone while asking me what I need. I did not need to show any ID or pay any money before she started with the treatment of my wounds.

The next day

Well, and all of a sudden I was kind of handicapped. At least that much restricted I couldn’t do anything I loved most. Swimming, paddling, playing in the water — it was all out for me.

But hey, nothing bad happened. I just have my hand wrapped up and need to get the stitches removed in 7 days. So, let's head down to the beach and have a drink at the bar.

One day later we left the island as planned and I got home, showered, opened up the bandage, and looked at the state of my hand. My husband, who has more experience than me in getting stitches and having large cuts, said, I wouldn’t have needed them. Other hospitals might have just glued the wound.

But hey, we made the decision to go there and not treat it ourselves. I would not have gotten off the island for such a cut just to find a private hospital. The wound looks neat and closed. No bleeding anymore. No infection. So, happy days.

For the next week, I’ll be opening and cleaning it daily. And then all that will be left is a permanent scar reminding me of a great trip to a tropical island and how I watched a nurse put five stitches in my hand.

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