Miracle after Aussie mum's cosmetic tourism trip to Vietnam goes horribly wrong - after seeking Kylie Jenner-style nose
- Chloe Mowday remains in ICU
- READ MORE: Aussie mum set to fly home after horror Bali crash
An Aussie mother who spent two weeks on life support after a botched cosmetic procedure in Vietnam while on a family holiday has now returned home to continue her recovery in hospital.
Plans to continue their adventure across South East Asia came to an abrupt end in November after she underwent rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty procedures on her nose and eyelids.
She spent the night at the unnamed clinic in the beachside city of Da Nang and was discharged the next morning.
Ms Mowday returned to her hotel, and her husband Josh found her unresponsive a few hours later as her organs began shutting down.
She was resuscitated en route to hospital, where she spent two weeks in a coma and underwent further surgery to remove a spreading infection. Pneumonia and sepsis resulted in further setbacks.
Language barriers, mounting medical costs, and uncertainty surrounding her care added to the stress on her family.
Ms Mowday was airlifted back to Australia in time for Christmas after doctors advised that returning home was her best chance of survival.
A family holiday across Asia turned into a nightmare after Chloe Mowday was left fighting for her life following cosmetic surgery in Vietnam
The mum spent two weeks in a coma after suffering severe complications just hours after being discharged from a Da Nang clinic, before being airlifted home in a $125,000 medical evacuation
Her brother Rod took out bank loans to help pay the $125,000 bill for an air ambulance.
Ms Mowday is now awake and talking but still critically ill in intensive care.
'She is doing a little bit better, but she's still in intensive care and it's going to be a very long road to recovery,' her brother told PerthNow.
'She smiled and cried when I told Chloe "I'm here to take you home". She doesn't remember much and is overwhelmed, we have a long way to go.'
The family paid tribute to hospital staff in Vietnam who helped keep her alive.
They are also grateful for the overwhelming support from Australians, who donated more than $60,000 towards the medical evacuation and ongoing treatment.
'Thank you to the wonderful team at Family Medical Practice Vietnam for bringing Chloe home safely; you all went above and beyond to help us and the team at Da Nang hospital for keeping Chloe alive and safe,' a recent fundraiser update stated.
Now back in Australia, the mother-of-three is awake and recovering in intensive care
'Chloe has a very long road of recovery and rehabilitation. She is still in hospital, but she is in very good hands.
'It's a long road ahead, but having her back in Australia is a miracle.
'We will keep this page open if you would like to still help Chloe and her beautiful family.'
Photos posted online prior to the medical emergency showed Ms Mowday visiting Disneyland with her children in Hong Kong and enjoying the scenery from her accommodation in Vietnam and Bali.
The family had been planning to travel to China after the surgery.
Da Nang is known for its growing cosmetic surgery scene, where the cost of a rhinoplasty is $AU2,076.
The same procedure costs $9,200 in Australia, according to the Medical Tourism Corporation website.
A blepharoplasty - which removes excess fat, skin and puffiness in the eyelids - costs $2,025 which is less than a third of what patients would pay in Australia.
Ms Mowday used photos of Kylie Jenner as inspiration for her nose
She posted in a popular Australian cosmetic surgery support group in 2022
Ms Mowday had been unhappy with her nose shape since she was young and began researching surgery options overseas almost four years ago.
Posting in a popular Australian cosmetic surgery support group in 2022, Ms Mowday explained that she was looking for advice on destinations to consider.
'A little backstory - I live in Perth Western Australia. I've always wanted a nose job, aka rhinoplasty,' she explained.
'Ever since I was little I've just not been over-comfortable with my nose.'
Ms Mowday revealed she had been researching several clinics and said Turkey had been 'highly recommended' as a possibility, but she wanted advice to get started.
'Who do I contact and how much does it cost?' she asked.
She included two photos of Kylie Jenner and said she wanted similar results to the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star's reported nose job.
'Bangkok has quoted $4,500, but I heard that they don't do the nose I've attached below,' she wrote.
