The Last Roundup

[Nephi]

It looks like the medical risks and needs page has had it's fair share of use and activity. However, having just been released from the hospital two days ago I thought it might be due for an update of sorts.

Many of us come here to live and enjoy our retirement years with our Filipina wives and husbands. Many have pre-existing health condition while others are in good health. We tend to think we will live forever and give little thought to serious/emergency health events or even dying for that matter. Fact is, we, by living here have put ourselves at much greater risk than we sometimes realize.

A case in point. I spent 4 days in hospital with a lung (COPD) infection and came home. Twenty days after that I went to the ER unable to pee and had a serious bladder infection. This is due to an enlarged prostate that I'm dealing with and am hoping is getting better.

Well, the antibiotic needed to kill the bladder infection can be administered by IV drip or push only. That usually necessitates staying in the hospital for the full 7 days the antibiotic is being given. Hospitals and doctors etc are expensive and add up quickly so getting out of there is the name of the game. Luckily for me, my 12yr old daughter is going to be a doctor and is by nature very capable in most all medical areas.

Made it a good deal as my three doctors agreed to discharge me and send me home in her care till my next appointment. So at this point she is taking care of my catheter to drain urine and giving me the IV antibiotics every 6 hours around the clock.

Having these things go wrong is something I was not planning naturally. Point is I guess is that we need to be prepared for health issues and even emergencies before they happen. I'm grateful to my daughter for her ability and her never ending willingness to step in these many times to take care of me. May we learn from others experience. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. The life you save may very-well be your own.

Recovering In Central Luzon

Nephi

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Nephi

[jpbago]

46 minutes ago, Nephi said:

Many of us come here to live and enjoy our retirement years with our Filipina wives and husbands. Many have pre-existing health condition while others are in good health. We tend to think we will live forever and give little thought to serious/emergency health events or even dying for that matter. Fact is, we, by living here have put ourselves at much greater risk than we sometimes realize.

I agree as this is not a place known for longevity. Kudos to your daughter.

[Queenie O.]

Wow Nephi--you're lucky to have such a smart, capable and patient young lady as your daughter helping you at home! My husband is finally recovering from his recent motorcycle accident that kept him in the hospital for five days. (I was his caregiver for the most part.) I think he now has a better respect for his body and trying to stay out of harms way if possible. It is often  a different ball game here with healthcare and hospital stays. We all hope that we'll not get sick or hurt, and require these challenges, but we should all be prepared just in case. As much as it was a painful experience for us in many ways, but it was also another positive learning curve, and although not welcome, it taught us both about what we will do if any issues ever arrive in the future. 

I hope you have a good recovery, and that these challenges will be behind you.

Queenie

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Queenie O.

[Nephi]

4 minutes ago, jpbago said:

I agree as this is not a place known for longevity. Kudos to your daughter.

Thanks. All is going well and I think she will be a force to be rekoned with when grown and living in the states hopefully.

[Nephi]

4 minutes ago, Queenie O. said:

Wow Nephi--you're lucky to have such a smart, capable and patient young lady as your daughter helping you at home! My husband is finally recovering from his recent motorcycle accident that kept him in the hospital for five days. (I was his caregiver for the most part.) I think he now has a better respect for his body and trying to stay out of harms way if possible. It is often  a different ball game here with healthcare and hospital stays. We all hope that we'll not get sick or hurt, and require these challenges, but we should all be prepared just in case. As much as it was a painful experience for us in many ways, but it was also another positive learning curve, and although not welcome, it taught us both about what we will do if any issues ever arrive in the future. 

I hope you have a good recovery, and that these challenges will be behind you.

Queenie

 

Hi Queenie and thank you. I didn't know about your husbands accident. Riding motors either here or in our home countries is extremely dangerous. Hope he recovers fully and gets back to enjoying life. Seems life is always full of surprises and some aren't much fun. Yea, my little girl will be a good doctor someday I think. Medicine is something she really enjoys and she even assisted in my cataract surgery when she was just 9yrs old! Hahaha.

 

Nephi

[robert k]

I'm glad to hear you are on the mend. Kudos to your doctors who let you go home under your daughters care. I can hardly see how someone can recover IN a hospital where at best you are uncomfortable and exposed to all the illnesses that everyone who needs a hospital brings with them.

[Nephi]

7 minutes ago, robert k said:

I'm glad to hear you are on the mend. Kudos to your doctors who let you go home under your daughters care. I can hardly see how someone can recover IN a hospital where at best you are uncomfortable and exposed to all the illnesses that everyone who needs a hospital brings with them.

Thanks Robert. Really is impossible to recover in a hospital and especially here with the difference in care and service compared to home. That and no decent cable TV. I can take only about 5 minutes of these local TV shows.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Nephi said:

Luckily for me, my 12yr old daughter is going to be a doctor and is by nature very capable in most all medical areas.

My partner says you may also be dyslexic as she is sure the girl in the pic is 20+ so I am guessing 21 :-)  Just funning with you but it sure looks like you mistyped the age of your daughter.

[Nephi]

37 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

My partner says you may also be dyslexic as she is sure the girl in the pic is 20+ so I am guessing 21 :-)  Just funning with you but it sure looks like you mistyped the age of your daughter.

Hi Dave, No the age is correct. She will turn 13 the end of October this year. She's a good girl that just loves medicine and anything related. I'd like to live long enough to see her as a doctor somewhere as I think she will do a great job..

[OnMyWay]

Glad to hear you are recovering and have such a strong family support group!