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oldlady
Banned
Posts: 1714
Registered: 10-31-2005
Location: BCS
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What the hay...I'll throw my 2 cents in (maybe a dollars worth).
There's a risk to leaving the medical care of one's home base. If you do that for an extended period of time, it only makes sense to be aware of that
difference, decide whether or not you can accept it, and or be aware of what is and isn't available and try to act accordingly.
In Roaming's case, and in the case of my spouse very recently, both were emergency situations in the true sense of the word. Death was highly
possible and transporting to home country or even Guadalajara by any means increased that possibilty. Decisions had to be made quickly.
Roamingthroughbaja is by no means the dullest knife in the drawer and is very knowledgeable about her community. She had to make a very fast
decision, she did it based on others' advice and her own personal experience and she relayed the facts of her experience for the benefit of others in
this forum community. Take her advice or not. Your choice.
I have "pimped" medical care in Mexico on this board. I did so because it was a major concern for me when I moved here. Unfortunately we've had to
use it a few times and in each case it exceeded my expectations. Some of my concerns were unfounded and I chose to share that. The facilities and
capabilities in La Paz are not equal to most areas of the United States. When time is not of the essence, when complex diagnostics a nd skills are
needed....north of border, Guadalajara or DF would be my choice.
But when that is not possible, the experiences and recommendations of others may be all you have to fall back on. Those of us who share our
experiences do so for that reason.
Be well, everybody.
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k-rico
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 2079
Registered: 7-10-2008
Location: Playas de Tijuana
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Interesting info - I've been web surfing reading about magnetic resonance angiograms of the brain and found out that in San Diego, prices range from
$2,175 to $6,000, that's quite a spread.
prices
I wonder what they cost in Mexico.
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oldlady
Banned
Posts: 1714
Registered: 10-31-2005
Location: BCS
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Less, but also a big spread.
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roamingthroughbaja
Nomad

Posts: 143
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Paz, BCS
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I'll let you know in 3 weeks.
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josie
Nomad

Posts: 119
Registered: 2-15-2010
Location: Bay Area / Erendira
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I will keep your husband in my prayers and hope he makes a complete recovery.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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My experience exactly
Quote: | Originally posted by oldlady
Unfortunately we've had to use it a few times and in each case it exceeded my expectations. |
But only because I'm a world class pessimist.
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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Health care is a science practiced by artists. Unfortunately the science depends on equipment that fails sometimes and the artists are human beings
who make mistakes as well on occasion. It happens in Mexico and it happens north of the border. I lost a 14 year old daughter almost 6 years ago
thanks to a misdiagnosis from a Kaiser Permanente physician in California.
Overall I have been very happy with the health care provided to me here in Mexico. Never had a doc in the US make a house call or give me his home and
cell number to call him if I needed him. Life is a roll of the dice but like LongLegs, I will take my chances down here based on my personal
experience and history.
roamingthroughbaja - how is your husband doing today?
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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My wife had a tumor removed from her ovaries and during the operation the pathologist decided a complete hysterectomy was in order. Chances of the
tumor turning cancerous too great. This was done in the Salvatierra hospital and while the facilities and equipment leave a lot to be desired by our
NB standards, the care given by ALL personal was nothing short of outstanding. Total cost below $2000.00 This included all the preliminary work, 3
days hospital, surgeon and all the other folks needed to make such operation successful.
BTW, the surgeon, (whose name escapes me at the moment), owns a major clinic a few blocks from the cathedral, and did a 9 year stint at the Mayo
clinic in Rochester, Minn.
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
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Mood: mellow
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Now we're talking about money, we better start collecting now just to get him out of the Hospital(Fidepaz) Thats if they don't find something else to
keep him there longer. And yes I've been there!! Hope he recovers soon and gets out of there.
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Bill Collector
Nomad

Posts: 374
Registered: 1-13-2004
Location: Buena Vista, BCS
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Fidepaz Hospital
We just had a good friend fall and break her hip in 5 places Sunday night here in Buena Vista. She was taken to Fidepaz Hospital. She had surgery on
Monday morning, they needed to do a total hip replacement. She's getting very good care, at 78 years old, she came through this very well. . She's to
be released on Friday. They told her the cost would be roughly $12,000. US dollars. we are all happy with the care she's been given.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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For Better or Worse
Quote: | Originally posted by josie
Quote: | Originally posted by arrowhead
World Health Care rankings:
US - 37
Mexico - 61
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America is only rated 37th? I couldn't believe that was true so I googled it and you are right! Doesn't make me feel that good about health care in
the USA though. According to the World Health Care ratings you quote even countries like Andorra, Malta, Oman, Portugal, Iceland, Luxembourg,
Switzerland, Belgium, Colombia, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Finland, Chile, Dominica and Costa Rica have a better health
care system than America does.
I don't think I would be waving the flag of victory too high if I were you. I mean come on, Colombia? Morocco? Chile? Costa Rica???
I just hope roamingthroughbaja's husband is OK. I lost a cousin to a bad doctor who misdiagnosed her in an ER in San Antonio a couple of years ago. It
happens and it is tragic, no matter where it happens I guess. |
There's more to the WHO rankings than has been mentioned in this thread. For instance, the cost per capita of healthcare was factored in to get the
final rankings. So, the US actually finished 15th in the standings by performance measures used in the study, but since it spends more on healthcare
than any other country, it was adjusted down to 37. Similarly, some of the banana republics and desert kingdoms that rank higher than the US in the
final standings, did not attain their rank by the performance measurements. They merely got kick up the rankings because so little money is directed
to their healthcare industry.
Not that Americans should be dancing on the table ranking 15th and bearing the burden of the most expensive healthcare system in the world.
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roamingthroughbaja
Nomad

Posts: 143
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Just got back from the hospital. (I can't stay there much because I caught a bug and don't want him to get it. Too little sleep, too much stress.)
The doctors were very positive this morning and figured that he could come home tomorrow, but he has to take it very easy. No stress, exercise,
coffee, alchohol. Oh dear. However, when I went back a couple of hours later he had spiked a fever and they have him on antibiotic drip. I gotta
get him outta there.
Re the cost? To date, $49,000 pesos, not including the cost of the doctors, the neurologist, the ambulance to and from the angiogram and the
angiogram itself. I figure that will double by the time we're out of the hospital and we still have to get to Guadalajara for an MR angiogram. Not
that I'm complaining. He's still with me and for that I am so grateful.
While I'm being grateful, until you are in this situation, you have no idea how much you need your friends. Dog walking and feeding, plant watering,
Oldlady and her husband drove all the way to Cabo to pick up my husband's daughter, our neighbour came in today and cleaned the house and did laundry,
friends who have more Spanish/English than I came to the hospital to translate, friends brought me food everyday, got money out of the cash machine
for me, started prayer chains...everyone rallied. Thank you all.
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
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Mood: mellow
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It is time for everyone to be thinking POSITIVE thoughts for his recovery......................
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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I Second That!
Quote: | Originally posted by comitan
It is time for everyone to be thinking POSITIVE thoughts for his recovery...................... |
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oladulce
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 1625
Registered: 5-30-2005
Location: bcs
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Roaming, I just read your story today and can't think of much else. Thank you for sharing your experience.
It upsets me to hear stories like your husband's (no matter what country they occur in) because the nurse in me wishes I could have been there to help
him on his first ER visit.
The poor guy sounds miserable still. It's important for them to explain more about his "reaction" to the angiogram contrast. You'll want to know if he
had an actual "allergic" reaction or are his current symptoms a result of the dye leaking from a vessel and irritating the brain tissue? The latter
would cause symptoms very similar to his initial complaints of severe headache and nausea because blood and the dye are both irritants to brain
tissue.
This is important information for you to know and to relay to future practitioners. If he had a true allergic reaction to the dye, they should
pre-medicate him with antihistamines before an future dye studies, observe him carefully during the procedure, and have emergency equipment at the
bedside. Or they may elect to do a Non-contrast study, if possible.
Your role as watchdog really is the best way you can help him while he's in the hospital, but I'm sure you're dog-tired. There is no excuse for them
ignoring his alarming monitors, get copies of all the tests they perform, and especially the angiogram films when you go to Guadalara. If you don't
understand the purpose of new medications or treatments, make them explain it to you until you're comfortable.
Positive thoughts are coming your way.
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bajabass
Super Nomad
  
Posts: 2016
Registered: 10-4-2006
Location: La Paz,BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Want to fish!!!
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I wish your husband and yourself as well, make full recovery very soon RTB! He might not be ready yet, but laughter has gotten me through a couple
rough medical problems with a better, brighter attitude!
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roamingthroughbaja
Nomad

Posts: 143
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Thanks for that advice, oladulce. I will try to find out. As far as I understand it was a reaction (which they said was not an allergy, as there
were no anaphalactic (sp) symptoms, just chills, dizzyness and disorientation) to the contrast media. They are assuring me that the contrast media
used for an MR angiogram is different, is not put in through the femoral artery, and will not cause another problem. I have decided to cross that
bridge later and right now focus on getting him out of the hospital. I here the hospital in Guadalajara is really excellent. K-rico has also
suggested Angeles Hospital in TJ. We are going to check out both options and I'll let you all know.
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
   
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
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Mood: Peacefull
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Reaction to the dye used is not unusual ... Many times it presents as a burning sensation all the way up to a full body reaction... not a pleasant
sensation at all.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
    
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Ron. I know that such a loss is almost impossible to fathom by those who have not had such an experience. You have now worked yourself into a position
where, while you will never want to forget that tragedy, there are still many loved ones who rely on you and from who you draw a great deal of
strength and joy. In some respects, I personally feel like you didn't need to respond to someone akin to if Hannibal Lechter was a zombie. Look
around. Who's winning?
[Edited on 2-18-2010 by Bajahowodd]
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roamingthroughbaja
Nomad

Posts: 143
Registered: 11-16-2007
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
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I'd really appreciate it if you guys took this elsewhere. If anyone has some experience, advice, names, numbers or direction on good and bad health
care in La Paz, I think there would be many people interested, including me. As it is, people will stop contributing to this thread if it continues
on like this, and I for one, need the advice and support right now. So please, start this up on another thread for those Nomads who want to get into
that kind of debate. Thanks
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