Death as an Expat

[Dave Hounddriver]

Just to put a face to the name.  This was Ken.  If you live around Dumaguete you may have seen him.  As one of the "live like a king on $1000 a month" folk he did not save enough for a proper funeral service but there will be one.  Let me know if anyone wants details and the hat will be passed to try and collect a bit to help with his final expenses.

[Gratefuled]

1 hour ago, robert k said:

For you ED, I would find a Yugo. Finding a functional one might not be very cheap or easy either!

Your money but are you willing to be my hood ornament?

[robert k]

17 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

Your money but are you willing to be my hood ornament?

Nope, it's your way to go. I want to be dragged through the drive sprocket of a tank.

[Gas]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Just to put a face to the name.  This was Ken.  If you live around Dumaguete you may have seen him.  As one of the "live like a king on $1000 a month" folk he did not save enough for a proper funeral service but there will be one.  Let me know if anyone wants details and the hat will be passed to try and collect a bit to help with his final expenses.

RIP Ken and it is nice to hear that you "loved it" here. It’s better to die trying not wondering.

[davewe]

Since I am in the demographic that Dave describes (60-something, recently retired, and about to move to the Philippines) I've had plenty of time to think about the possibilities. Here are a few random thoughts in no particular order:

1. The longevity statistics in the West are skewed by old people housed in homes and kept alive, despite the fact that they're barely alive. That's not for me. Let the disease or the heart attack kill me quickly while I'm happy and content. IOW if I lose a few years I'm OK with that.

2. The beauty or the curse of life is "you never know." My healthy and in shape mother died at 40; my 100 pounds overweight father is about to hit 88.

3. How do we weigh longevity vs. happiness? Me - I want the latter. I already know too many unhappy older people in the US who believe they have no happiness left in life; and many of them are still slaving at the job. My manager tried to convince me to work another year or 2 and his argument was how often people die shortly after retiring. He's a good guy and was not saying this to be mean spirited; but at 40 he's clueless about such things.

4. The standard refrain is "if you're not in good health, don't move here." And yet I know many expats (some on this forum) who have either had or still have major medical conditions and have made the decision to either come to or stay in the Philippines, despite the possible shortening of their lives.

5. One other thing that perplexes me. I know many older expats in the Philippines who do not have a regular primary doctor. Their philosophy seems to be "I'll wait till I get sick and go to the ER." Of course then they complain about the terrible care they got in the ER. Near the top of the list of things to do when I arrive in Dumaguete is to find a primary care physician I feel good about (I know that means seeing a few till I get one I like). Despite my good health, it makes no sense to me (particularly with how cheap doctor's appointments are) to not have annual physicals and regular care and potentially have someone who knows me and I can trust when and if a major issue arises. OK, lecture over...

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by davewe

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I needed to quit working, at 48, because of my health, but could not afford to stay in the US without working.  So... since I was planning on retiring over here eventually, I just came early.  I figured it was cool to come early, because if I live long enough to get my retirement money - I could always move back to the US.  Then I got over here, and got healthier ha ha

I know that out where I live, if there is a medical emergency I will be dead before I could get to a hospital. I am ok with that.  It is better to live a full life than a long life. 

I always tell people that the PIs ain't for everyone. Come over here and visit before selling your house.  It is best to stay long enough to get out of vacation mode during your visit. 

 

"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way."

~Alan Watts~

 

[Jake]

1 hour ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

It is better to live a full life than a long life. 

 

Leave it to my favorite tin can sailor who knows what he's talking about.  Besides the cold beer, having a warm companion is a no brainer.  Tender loving care does wonders to the heart.

Respectfully Jake

 

[stevewool]

2 hours ago, davewe said:

Since I am in the demographic that Dave describes (60-something, recently retired, and about to move to the Philippines) I've had plenty of time to think about the possibilities. Here are a few random thoughts in no particular order:

1. The longevity statistics in the West are skewed by old people housed in homes and kept alive, despite the fact that they're barely alive. That's not for me. Let the disease or the heart attack kill me quickly while I'm happy and content. IOW if I lose a few years I'm OK with that.

2. The beauty or the curse of life is "you never know." My healthy and in shape mother died at 40; my 100 pounds overweight father is about to hit 88.

3. How do we weigh longevity vs. happiness? Me - I want the latter. I already know too many unhappy older people in the US who believe they have no happiness left in life; and many of them are still slaving at the job. My manager tried to convince me to work another year or 2 and his argument was how often people die shortly after retiring. He's a good guy and was not saying this to be mean spirited; but at 40 he's clueless about such things.

4. The standard refrain is "if you're not in good health, don't move here." And yet I know many expats (some on this forum) who have either had or still have major medical conditions and have made the decision to either come to or stay in the Philippines, despite the possible shortening of their lives.

5. One other thing that perplexes me. I know many older expats in the Philippines who do not have a regular primary doctor. Their philosophy seems to be "I'll wait till I get sick and go to the ER." Of course then they complain about the terrible care they got in the ER. Near the top of the list of things to do when I arrive in Dumaguete is to find a primary care physician I feel good about (I know that means seeing a few till I get one I like). Despite my good health, it makes no sense to me (particularly with how cheap doctor's appointments are) to not have annual physicals and regular care and potentially have someone who knows me and I can trust when and if a major issue arises. OK, lecture over...

 

Well said that man.

[JJReyes]

21 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

In Philippines, expats die of pneumonia in their 60s and 70s quite frequently.  Or sometimes its complications like the heart gives out so they call it a heart attack but the real problem was the weakening of the body due to some bug.  Pneumonia is a huge killer in Philippines.

 

My wife and I got pneumonia shots at Walmart pharmacy. It is covered by our Medicare Part B insurance. I believe the pharmacy billed Medicare about $125 for each shot. The new vaccine is good for 10 years. I also recommend tetanus shots. Also good for 10 years.

[mogo51]

17 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

We can arrange that for a small fee. PM details of how you want to go and I can send an invoice. 

No need to pay JGF's inflated fees for 'getting knocked'.  Just go to Manila and start selling drugs - Police will attend to the matter free!!!