Recovery continues
July 24, 2006His Majesty continues to recover nicely from his spinal surgery last Thursday. You will remember that the King was suffering from what was called lumber spinal stenosis — an abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the lower part of spinal canal, causing a weakness in the legs and extreme difficult in walking. The use of very precise microsurgery requiring a relatively small incision is clearly one of the reasons His Majesty is recovering so quickly.
precise – very exact; very accurate
microsurgery – a medical operation carried out with the help of a microscope
incision – a sharp cut
This story was, of course, covered in every Thai-language newspaper and on every television channel. All of them quoted a report from the Royal Household bureau. Here is a version from Matichon:
**แถลงพระอาการเจ็บแผลทุเลาลง
เวลา 16.00 น. สำนักพระราชวังออกแถลงการณ์ฉบับที่ 6 เรื่องการถวายการรักษาพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว มีใจความว่า วันนี้ (23 กรกฎาคม) คณะแพทย์ผู้ถวายการผ่าตัดและคณะแพทย์ผู้ถวายการตรวจรักษาร่วมกัน ได้รายงานว่า พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวเสวยพระกระยาหารได้มากขึ้น ผลการตรวจแผลผ่าตัด การตรวจพระวรกายและการตรวจพระโลหิตติดตามหลังการผ่าตัดเป็นที่พอใจของคณะแพทย์ โดยเฉพาะพระอาการเจ็บแผลทุเลาลงเป็นลำดับ
**ทรงยืนสลับพระดำเนิน6นาที
แถลงการณ์ระบุต่อไปว่า ในเวลา 10.36 น. ของวันที่ 23 กรกฎาคม ซึ่งเป็นระยะเวลาประมาณ 61 ชั่วโมงหลังการถวายการผ่าตัด คณะแพทย์ได้ขอพระราชทานให้ทรงเปลี่ยนพระราชอิริยาบถในท่า บรรทมตั้งแต่หลังการถวายผ่าตัด มาเป็นท่าประทับ (นั่ง) และทรงเปลี่ยนเป็นทรงยืน แล้วทรงพระดำเนินโดยใช้อุปกรณ์ช่วยพยุงพระองค์ (วอล์กเกอร์-Walker) หลังจากพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวทรงยืน และทรงพระดำเนินสลับกันเป็นเวลาประมาณ 6 นาที มีพระอาการทั่วไปเป็นปกติ จึงขอประกาศให้ทราบโดยทั่วกัน
Now look at the Bangkok Post story. Notice how it summarises the main points of the report and gives additional information as well. You can hear it by clicking on the headphone symbol.
King
walks 61 hours after surgery
Sixty-one hours after having surgery on his spine, His Majesty the King could stand and walk with a walking aid, showing that he is recovering from Thursday’s operation.
The King’s physicians requested that he change his position, from lying in a bed at Siriraj Hospital to sitting upright and then standing and walking with a walker, the Royal Household Bureau said yesterday.
‘‘After walking, His Majesty’s condition was normal,’’ it said.
The King’s surgeons and physicians were satisfied with his progress after examining the surgical incision and making a physical examination and blood tests.
‘‘The pain from the lumbar spinal stenosis surgery has been gradually decreasing,’’ the Royal Household Bureau said.
The King is still at Siriraj Hospital. Well-wishers continue to go there to sign books praying for his recovery.
Abdul Halim Hamad, representing the Sultan of Kelantan and his wife, presented flowers for the King on the royal couple’s behalf. They also sent a message wishing the King a speedy recovery.
The sultan of the northeastern Malaysian state was a frequent guest of Her Majesty the Queen when she visited the South and stayed at Taksin Ratchanivej Palace in Narathiwat, Mr Abdul said.
decreasing – becoming less
on the royal couple’s behalf – for the royal couple, i.e., representing them
Now here is a continuation of the story three days later.
Good news continues
July 27, 2006
His Majesty the King's recovery continues to go well, according the latest report from the Royal Household Bureau. The report is both encouraging and easy to read, so let's get started right away. For those of you interested in grammar, note the use of "while" to connect two events happening at the same time.
encouraging - giving hope and confidence
Click on the headphone symbol to hear the mp3 soundfile.
King now able to sit in
chair to eat
His Majesty the King was able to have a meal while seated in a chair for the first time since undergoing spine surgery last week, the Royal Household Bureau said yesterday. In a statement on His Majesty's condition, the bureau said surgeons agreed the overall condition of the King was satisfactory.
The surgical incision from the operation was healing normally.
For the first time since the operation, the King had been able to sit up for a meal, it said.
He exercised his leg muscles while lying on his bed and sitting.
He was also able to alternately sit, stand and walk more adeptly. After walking, he was able to sit for lengthy periods without experiencing any pain, the statement said.
spine – the row of small bones that are connected together down the middle of the back
surgery – a medical treatment in which someone’s body is cut open so that a doctor can repair, remove or replace a diseased or damaged part
overall - general, considering all aspects of something
incision – a sharp cut, particularly one made in a medical operation
healing – becoming healthy and normal again
alternately – following one after the other in a repeated way
adeptly – skillfully or easily