Good and bad

[Test Monsterone]

Man this trip is kicking my ass. Started off missing our first flight because of a storm. Got on the next flight the next day and had a 9 hour layover in Washington, followed by a 36 hour layover in Frankfurt. The one good thing is we got upgraded to business class on the long flight.


In Frankfurt we didn’t sleep at all, air conditioning existed but literally did nothing just pushed room temperature air back into the room.

We finally got to our destination and got to see a few cool places.
















Then I got COVID… and 4 days later I got another appendicitis. Ended up in a wonderful Eastern European state run hospital and got surgery last night. I said to myself before we left “watch my appendix starts giving me shit.” Of course.

[Test Monsterone]

[Test Monsterone]

[Test Monsterone]

Forgot to mention we were the only two on our flight that didn’t get their bags. We waited 10 days till we got our bags, so no TRT for me. Surprised myself on the 9th day that I still got horny. Haven’t gone that long without some test. My girl put one of those luggage trackers in her bag and when my bag came, it showed her bag at the destination airport. We go down there and tell them to look at the app that shows her bag is there, too, but they kept denying it. Then 2 days later they say it just got there.

[wango]

I bet breathing in the extra carbon dioxide from wearing that mask on the plane gave you the appendicitis. . . .

Heal up & enjoy your trip!

[Test Monsterone]

Man you won’t believe the conditions of this hospital. I’m in this tiny room with no air 90 degrees, this fat fuck snoring the past two days. I haven’t ate anything just water and juice. They don’t give you anything here. They asked if I wanted tea and said where’s your cup. I have to bring my own cup. No towels, not even in the bathroom to whipe my hands dry. No toilet paper on any of the stalls. Someone scrunched a bunch of tissue paper together and put in a crevice in one of the stalls. The nurses don’t wash their hands, don’t wear any gloves. Nobody has checked my bandages. I pray to god they didn’t fuck me up. I can barely move from the pain in my groin. Wish I didn’t even come at this point tbh.

[SampsonandDelilah]

Thoughts and prayers TMO, sorry this is happening to you, especially on a vacation. Sending good energy for your health and recovery. Glad you have your girl with you at least. Maybe she can go get you some sanitary supplies if you’re going to be there a few more days. Hang tough, try and stay positive. Easier sad than done, I’ve been there. You’ll get through this and be that much stronger in the end

[Test Monsterone]

Thoughts and prayers TMO, sorry this is happening to you, especially on a vacation. Sending good energy for your health and recovery. Glad you have your girl with you at least. Maybe she can go get you some sanitary supplies if you’re going to be there a few more days. Hang tough, try and stay positive. Easier sad than done, I’ve been there. You’ll get through this and be that much stronger in the end

Thanks, they just pulled this 6” tube from my stomach and said they’re sending me home. The relief is unreal. I don’t have health insurance here so I have to come back tomorrow to figure out the payment, but I would have paid almost anything to get out of here at this point.

I think the lack of sleep this whole trip has been wearing on me. Then I literally haven’t slept in 5 days except a few dozes here and there because of Covid fever/chills, and the appendicitis and room situation here. I’m gonna appreciate the little things we take for granted in the states so much more now.

[wango]

Thanks, they just pulled this 6” tube from my stomach and said they’re sending me home. The relief is unreal. I don’t have health insurance here so I have to come back tomorrow to figure out the payment, but I would have paid almost anything to get out of here at this point.

I think the lack of sleep this whole trip has been wearing on me. Then I literally haven’t slept in 5 days except a few dozes here and there because of Covid fever/chills, and the appendicitis and room situation here. I’m gonna appreciate the little things we take for granted in the states so much more now.

Hang in there buddy; glad to hear of your release. Hope the gf is handling it ok as well.

Oh hell yeah, we have it nice here & easily taken for granted.

Safe travels!

[Mooseman33]

jesus man, good luck.

that is a story. You have to tell us what the cost of this is. Im shocked they worked on you without any payment secured.

[JaneDoe]

I wish you well friend positive energies for you

[XnavyHMCS]

Man this trip is kicking my ass. Started off missing our first flight because of a storm. Got on the next flight the next day and had a 9 hour layover in Washington, followed by a 36 hour layover in Frankfurt. The one good thing is we got upgraded to business class on the long flight.


In Frankfurt we didn’t sleep at all, air conditioning existed but literally did nothing just pushed room temperature air back into the room.

We finally got to our destination and got to see a few cool places.
















Then I got COVID… and 4 days later I got another appendicitis. Ended up in a wonderful Eastern European state run hospital and got surgery last night. I said to myself before we left “watch my appendix starts giving me shit.” Of course.

Stunning pictures there, big guy...!!! Looks like, aside from all the drama, you were slated to experience a "trip of a lifetime"... Romania, if I am not mistaken? I hope that you were able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, there buddy...

In the first picture (masks and blocked facial features, on the plane); I am certain that small tatoo that you blocked-out; this has got to be a Trump tatoo... What say you, forum followers...? (No offence, bro... I am just busting balls a bit.)

Hey, hope you've had a great time, none the less...!!!

[XnavyHMCS]

Man you won’t believe the conditions of this hospital. I’m in this tiny room with no air 90 degrees, this fat fuck snoring the past two days. I haven’t ate anything just water and juice. They don’t give you anything here. They asked if I wanted tea and said where’s your cup. I have to bring my own cup. No towels, not even in the bathroom to whipe my hands dry. No toilet paper on any of the stalls. Someone scrunched a bunch of tissue paper together and put in a crevice in one of the stalls. The nurses don’t wash their hands, don’t wear any gloves. Nobody has checked my bandages. I pray to god they didn’t fuck me up. I can barely move from the pain in my groin. Wish I didn’t even come at this point tbh.

Fuckin straight outta "Creature Feature" (gotta be old like me and Wango to recall that television show)...

It doesn't bode well for the systems of socialized medicine, now does it...

[almostgone]

Jeez, exactly what country were you in when you got admitted to this....excuse for a hospital? I'm guessing Romania? They spend little to nothing on healthcare

Edit: I have been following along to see how you were healing up. Just didn't want to ask about the healthcare and risk sidetracking the thread.

Really glad to hear you're better. Did they release you with any antibiotics. You shouldn't have any trouble picking up antibiotics, etc. if it is Romania.

I hate that trip went sour, but glad you had your girl with you.
.

[bullshark99]

Oh man, I remember creature feature!!!

TM, sorry, that’s why I just refuse to travel anymore.

[Test Monsterone]

Now I’m in Munich waiting for the connecting flight. About 5 hours. Feeling much better.

Thought the crazy shit would have ended, not so much. I get out of the hospital and go to my cousin's brand new house. We sleep the night, and the next day drive to my 89 year old grandmas house 45 min away. We left most of our luggage there because his house is closer to the airport and so that we don’t have to lug everything around. We stayed there two days, and last night we drove back to my cousin's place to sleep the last night as our flight was at 6 am. He left for Spain with his family a few days ago so the house was empty. Well, long story short, the house was flooded. Not terrible, but every room had water in it on the floors. So then we spent the next 3 hours cleaning up all the water. I’m moving furniture, all kinds of construction people are coming over. We didn’t start packing till 10:30.

We finally went to bed around 1 and got a couple of hours in.

[Test Monsterone]

Attachment 182038
Attachment 182039

[Test Monsterone]

Lol yeah the tat says “I love Trump.”


The surgery was $1,000 with no insurance. The conditions were deplorable at this hospital, but the surgery room was actually really modern. I had some good doctors and nurses operate. It’s the post op conditions that were terrible.

They have private hospitals here that are like the ones in the US. Everyone who lives in Romania has access to this crappy hospital system, but if you pay, you can belong to a modern hospital with hotel quality recovery rooms. My aunt had her thyroid removed last year at a private hospital and she got her own room/apartment to recover in.

Last time I had appendicitis in the Burgh, they didn’t even operate and my bill would have been $25,000 without insurance.

[bullshark99]

Well that’s the irony I suppose, your trip got turned into a disaster but at the end of the day you saved a fortune on the surgery, who would of figured????

[lovbyts]

Damn you mean Im not the only one who seems to have sh*ty luck on trips most of the time?

Hope you are doing OK now. Looks like part of the trip was good and all of it was remember-able.

9hr layover in Washington state or DC? Not much to do in Washington state at the airport. I just had a 9hr layover in Taiwan. They have a nice little hotel in the airport Ive used multiple times due to layover. Got a good 4 or 5 hr nap before the next flight. Korea is even better. At least before Covid it was. Any layover over 7 hrs they will shuttle you to a nice hotel, meal included free of charge. Ive had a couple 11+ hr layovers there. Not sure what they do now.

[lovbyts]

Forgot to mention we were the only two on our flight that didn’t get their bags. We waited 10 days till we got our bags, so no TRT for me. Surprised myself on the 9th day that I still got horny. Haven’t gone that long without some test. My girl put one of those luggage trackers in her bag and when my bag came, it showed her bag at the destination airport. We go down there and tell them to look at the app that shows her bag is there, too, but they kept denying it. Then 2 days later they say it just got there.

I usually skip taking my TRT with me on vacations that are less than 3 week and have never had an issue. If its over 3 weeks I bring enough for the trip. I try to remember to take a shot the day I leave even if its not time.

[lovbyts]

Man you won’t believe the conditions of this hospital. I’m in this tiny room with no air 90 degrees, this fat fuck snoring the past two days. I haven’t ate anything just water and juice. They don’t give you anything here. They asked if I wanted tea and said where’s your cup. I have to bring my own cup. No towels, not even in the bathroom to whipe my hands dry. No toilet paper on any of the stalls. Someone scrunched a bunch of tissue paper together and put in a crevice in one of the stalls. The nurses don’t wash their hands, don’t wear any gloves. Nobody has checked my bandages. I pray to god they didn’t fuck me up. I can barely move from the pain in my groin. Wish I didn’t even come at this point tbh.

Are you sure you arent in the Philippines? Welcome to Universal healthcare that everyone wants in the US. Yeah the Philippines has Universal healthcare or thats what they call it. If you actually need any type of medical care you have to pay in advance or you are put on the waiting list and the morgue registry.

Same conditions. Looks like a hospital out of 1940s, WWII era. Signs everywhere that say to wash your hands to stop the spread of germs but no soap, no paper towels, no hot water in 90% of the bathrooms at the hospitals. No TP unless you bring your own. Ive learned to bring tissue and wet wipes in my backpack everywhere. They do wear masks but if you watch them they have zero sanitary skills. They remove the mask every time they speak and if they do wear gloves never change them.

Same thing in most countries with Universal healthcare. If you can afford to buy supplemental insurance you can get good care. If not then its whatever it is. Thats why our healthcare is getting worse in the US and little clinics are popping up everywhere.

Best of luck to you and its probably best if you change your own bandages.

[lovbyts]

Now I’m in Munich waiting for the connecting flight. About 5 hours. Feeling much better.

Thought the crazy shit would have ended, not so much. I get out of the hospital and go to my cousin's brand new house. We sleep the night, and the next day drive to my 89 year old grandmas house 45 min away. We left most of our luggage there because his house is closer to the airport and so that we don’t have to lug everything around. We stayed there two days, and last night we drove back to my cousin's place to sleep the last night as our flight was at 6 am. He left for Spain with his family a few days ago so the house was empty. Well, long story short, the house was flooded. Not terrible, but every room had water in it on the floors. So then we spent the next 3 hours cleaning up all the water. I’m moving furniture, all kinds of construction people are coming over. We didn’t start packing till 10:30.

We finally went to bed around 1 and got a couple of hours in.

Just what you Shouldn't be doing, moving furniture after hernia surgery. You remind me of me. lol

So what was the deal, why was the house flooded? At least since you were gone they cant blame it on you and have you to thank for finding it. Imagine if you had not gone there. House could have been destroyed. Do they have wood or tile floors? Nice thing about other countries is most use tile floors so it takes a lot of water to damage them if they are done right. Ive also learned from experience I put a drain in the floor of every room that has water. Drain under every sink, washer, dish washer, bath tub etc.

[lovbyts]

Thanks, they just pulled this 6” tube from my stomach and said they’re sending me home. The relief is unreal. I don’t have health insurance here so I have to come back tomorrow to figure out the payment, but I would have paid almost anything to get out of here at this point.

I think the lack of sleep this whole trip has been wearing on me. Then I literally haven’t slept in 5 days except a few dozes here and there because of Covid fever/chills, and the appendicitis and room situation here. I’m gonna appreciate the little things we take for granted in the states so much more now.

Did you by chance opt for the insurance for the flight? It also covers medical emergencies and I would think this qualifies.

[< <Samson> >]

Sorry, I missed your thread

Dang, you got a beating

Glad to see you’re intact tho


I been busy af & don’t search the board much past “questions & answers”

But, these are the reasons why my travel days I figure are mostly behind me. I tend to stay within an hour’s reach of my brain hospital. Still go out of town a bit, but usually for short runs - like LA(ca), farthest I’ve gone is TX/LA border.

Dang dude, keep on keeping on - fuck

[JaneDoe]

From zero to ten what grade do you give to the hospital in Romania you were in? I suppose it was a free public health network, right?
Good that you managed to go to a better hospital, most of these public hospitals the treatment is very hostile and without compassion for the needy

[Test Monsterone]

Just what you Shouldn't be doing, moving furniture after hernia surgery. You remind me of me. lol

So what was the deal, why was the house flooded? At least since you were gone they cant blame it on you and have you to thank for finding it. Imagine if you had not gone there. House could have been destroyed. Do they have wood or tile floors? Nice thing about other countries is most use tile floors so it takes a lot of water to damage them if they are done right. Ive also learned from experience I put a drain in the floor of every room that has water. Drain under every sink, washer, dish washer, bath tub etc.

They just moved into this house a few days before we got there, and it's the last house that is finished on their street. The night before we discovered the flood there was a huge storm where neighbors were saying the water in the sewer was pushing the heavy metal lid up from the pressure. In the upstairs bathroom we were using I could see sand and construction particles around the toilet and the water in the toilet was very low. I think the water from the storm got pushed back up the drains into the house. At first they tried to say we must have left a window open. One of the guys that came to check the house said maybe water got through the window seals, but there was no water in the seals. It's just crazy this happened while everyone was away and since we were the last ones there, we get blamed for it... even though, like you said, thank God we got there to clean up all the water and alert them.

The Philippines' hospital conditions sound very similar to these conditions. One funny story is when they were going to take me to get the CT scan, they put me in this 1950's looking wheelchair, roll me over to another building... then I have to get up and walk up a flight of stairs and down a hallway to get to the room. What was the point of the wheel chair lol? Then, on the way back, they drop me off where I was supposed to wait for the results, but now all the places were taken so I just had to stand up in the hallway for 20 mins.

Before the surgery they told me to shave my entire abdomen. Luckily I brought my bathroom kit with me that had the razor, cause they weren't going to provide one. However, I only realized after shaving and showering that I had no towel or slippers. I called out to one of the ladies working there and they had to go find me a towel and slippers... someone else's I assume since they didn't look new. Even so, I walked barefoot in the beginning until they found them. I thought to myself "this can't be good before surgery."

I woke up from surgery drenched in sweat and hearing the people there yelling at me for taking off my bandages. Really what happened was the sweat made them slip off. I drenched my pillow the first night and had to use the towel to sleep on it. I'm extremely heat intolerant. I have never met anyone who sweats more than me if it's remotely hot or I have to move. So yeah, no AC was just the icing on the cake.

Regarding the bandages, I ended up taking them off the day after being released as they were still the same old bandages they originally put on me. I then used some bandaids that ended up falling off quickly. Two days ago I removed the stitches myself. I bought a brand new pair of sharp scissors and tweezers, and already had all the alcohol swabs and whatnot from my TRT. Wasn't too bad.

I didn't get any insurance for the flight. This reminds me, I should call my insurance to see if they would reimburse me anything... not expecting them to, but worth a shot. The amount I paid there is not even half of my deductible in the US. Now that it's all said and done, it could have been worse, but while I was there, it was really miserable. I guess you know a little about this crap with your surgeries. Next time I'm going to check into the private insurance options in these countries. You don't think this type of stuff will happen on a vacation, but it happens.

[Test Monsterone]

Sorry, I missed your thread

Dang, you got a beating

Glad to see you’re intact tho


I been busy af & don’t search the board much past “questions & answers”

But, these are the reasons why my travel days I figure are mostly behind me. I tend to stay within an hour’s reach of my brain hospital. Still go out of town a bit, but usually for short runs - like LA(ca), farthest I’ve gone is TX/LA border.

Dang dude, keep on keeping on - fuck

Thanks bro, I got through it. Hopefully no more surprises. I hear you on the not wanting to be too far from home thing. When I was having heart rhythm issues in 2012 and discovered I had a semi-bad valve I didn't leave my city for a couple of years. Eventually I got used to the skipped beats here and there. Never thought I would run a cycle back then, I thought my lifting days were over.

[Test Monsterone]

From zero to ten what grade do you give to the hospital in Romania you were in? I suppose it was a free public health network, right?
Good that you managed to go to a better hospital, most of these public hospitals the treatment is very hostile and without compassion for the needy

The surgery team and room was a 10/10 as far as I know. It looked like a space shuttle with all the monitors and equipment. Modern, nothing like the rest of the hospital.

The waiting rooms and recovery rooms were a 3/10. I'm sure there are worse conditions out there, but this is only from my experience coming from the US.

One of my mom's best friends and college roommate is a doctor at the hospital there and she recommended that team of surgeons to me. I guess I could have gotten in one of the private hospitals, but the surgeons there weren't as good apparently.

[Test Monsterone]

I have to say my first night back I slept from 8:30 to 9 the next day.

The first week I was there, like the other times I went, were like a honeymoon period. You notice things like how solid the construction is. Every house is brick and concrete... walls are thick, you don't hear your neighbors or people in the other rooms. The doors are heavy and thick, even the interior ones. Everything looks and feels like it could survive a nuclear blast. In the US houses seem like they're made out of cardboard by comparison.

But houses are not nearly as comfortable as in the US. Nobody has central air conditioning. Most modern houses have just one air conditioner that hangs on the wall in the central part of the house, but it hardly does anything.. and most of the time it's off. They have a weird superstition against air conditioners. They don't use them, even in a hot car. They think it causes colds, sinus infections, etc. Then, the toilets.. man. Wtf is up with their toilets? They don't flush in a spiral they way we are used to in the US. They just seem to toss water up in the air. Terrible design. Have to flush 5 times.

Fridges are tiny... no filtered water. No garbage disposal. Everything is miniature compared to the US. I'm sure most of the world is like this, the US and Canada being the exception.

Restaurants. Food is fresh, home cooked, amazing. Nothing processed, nothing from a bag. Romania is known for it's amazing soups, but there is so much more to it than that. Our group of 6 all had appetizers, main meals, deserts, alcohol, and bottled sparkling water for $75. You could eat out for every meal and it would be cheaper than buying groceries and cooking yourself in the US. Even the fast food is fresh and amazing. You get veggies that taste like they're supposed to. The fast food in Romania is like like most chain restaurant foods in the US as far as quality.

Life in general is more difficult. Almost everything is a hassle. Me having to pay for my surgery was a day-long process of wandering through the city, going to different buildings, trying to figure it out. They didn't accept card payments, and the ATM wouldn't dispense the amount I needed, so I had to call friends to come give me cash, that I later had to pay back. It's like this with a lot of things. Things that should be straight-forward are not. In the grocery store I bought some lemons, and at the checkout counter the lady asked me how much they weigh. In the US they weigh them at the checkout line, so I wasn't used to having to weigh them myself. You don't automatically get bags for groceries. Many people bring their own bags, so I had to buy bags for groceries.

Customer service is a mixed bag. In metropolitan places where there is a lot of foreign traffic, services are great. If you wonder in less touristy areas, you might get one of these cunts that treats you like you're making her life more difficult by simply ordering food or asking for a service. I had to get in an argument with the receptionist at a hotel in order to get extra towels. She also tried putting me and my cousin in separate buildings and acted like a complete bitch the whole time. We got to the restaurant there at 10 pm. They close at 10:30. For 10 mins nobody comes to our table. We ask one of the waiters walking around for service, and they give us the menu. 15 more minutes go by, nobody comes to take our order. Again, we ask another waiter walking around if they could take our order. The guy starts taking it, then halfway through says he can't take the order anymore because the kitchen closes at 10:30 and it was now 10:32. So we ask for the manager and she comes and starts arguing with us and then says "ok, fine I'll take your orders..." We didn't want the cooks to mess with our food so we ended up leaving hungry. Everything was closed so we had to find a 24/7 mart and ended up eating salami, yogurt, and bread for dinner that night, in the car. This isn't atypical in this part of the world.. it's gotten a lot better over the years, but some parts of the country are still like this. Years ago a waitress exclaimed "why did you call me over if you don't know what you want yet?!" when my cousin was trying to decide on what to order. I told that bitch to kick rocks and find us another waitress. But yeah, usual shit.


So, like the title, gotta take the good with the bad. Life would be very affordable here with an American salary. Women.. wow. Dimes a dozen. Everywhere you go you see hot, beautiful women. Hardly nobody is overweight. People dress well, women look like they came from a modeling shoot just walking in the town square for a coffee or icecream. Life feels more... alive, for lack of a better term. People interact, people are more direct. Also, have to love the fact that there is no racial bs going on. Everyone is basically white or tan, except for a few immigrants. I'm sorry to say, but I prefer living in places where people look like me. Yeah, diversity is great... except when it isn't. There is no ghetto or trashy type of people. There are poor people, but they still have pride and act respectfully. Romania has to be one of the few countries where you can go to and still feel like you are amongst your people and you don't have to constantly be aware of other cultures/races/religions. It's nice to just exist amongst your own... fuck it if I sound racist. They do have gypsies, but they mostly do their own thing and aren't a nuisance.

Trees... fruit trees everywhere. I ate plums, peaches, apples, grapes, and many more, right off the tree or the vine. Almost everyone there who owns a house has fruits and vegetables growing on their property. It's rare to find a home that doesn't have a few grape vines growing over a terrace, providing a nice shade underneath to sit and enjoy. The air is dry, and it gets cooler at night. None of this humidity we have over here in the eastern side of the US. Everyone has homemade liquors and wines. I brought home two 2-liter bottles of home made plum liquor (it's very strong and delicious) and brandy.

Property taxes are basically nonexistent. A few hundred dollars a year, that's it. Taxes in general are way less. When you own a home, you own a home. Where I live I have to pay 10 grand in property taxes and HOA.

Basically everyone gets a month of paid vacation a year. You don't have to work your way up to it, it's just how it is.

Again, like I said, life is still more challenging. At least the day to day stuff. I'm writing this out of my comfortable, air conditioned home in the US. Life is great here, can't complain. But, it's interesting to compare and contrast the different realities. People live everywhere and you find things you appreciate you would never even think of if you never travelled and got to see it. I can only imagine the things I would appreciate in countries in other continents, not just in Europe. Every place got it's perks and problems.

[< <Samson> >]

Good shit! You've made it back intact


When I was kid, we lived in Italy for year - that's the way I'd describe > "more alive"

No overweight slobs everywhere, everyone is more up beat & appear to not be on any form of schedule or clock - Problem is that there's no way to make money like there is here in the US. Never got to experience healthcare anywhere aside from here & in Russia when I was kid - but that was back in the late 80's. They were pretty intense - I ripped my ear off twice when I was 7 & 8(yes seriously) - they sewed that shit back on like nothing - I remember the OR, it looked nuts - like some old time scary movie shit

The US just feels like a machine. . . . I hated living in New York after living in Italy for a year. It reminded me of Russia, but even more grimy. Then my parents moved out to AZ - I was like, well - it's better. . . . Kinda. . . . I have been in quite a few places in my life, thankfully. If money wasn't an object I'd be back in Italy in a heart beat - and just hope for the best, as far as health goes

But, it is what it is - Living 20 minutes from Barrow Neurological to someone with my condition is more than a gift - so, it is what it is


I still go all over the place, but tend to call AZ home


Shit, I still haven't went for a flight with my new brain glue - but, held up better than the wife did on all the rides this summer at Disney Land


Good luck to us all - shit

[XnavyHMCS]

I worked on the medical side of the military house, along with moonlighting in civilian ERs when I was in country, and would like to believe that I have seen great - pretty decent healthcare. Hell, in my travels, I have seen some real butcher shops abroad.

But, as regards socialized medicine; I have seen some surprisingly good facilities and services. I can identify France (most likely lightyears ahead of Romanian HC) and Poland, as having pretty decent systems. Granted, to go on the taxpayer's dime; you gotta wait in line. But, you retain the option to go privately, but you cannot employ any of the tax money which you have paid into the system, to fund your service/s. These are solely reserved for the public domain... As an example; I had my nose fixed in Poland, had to wait for 15 months, but everything was paid by the system. Many critics of the universal HC systems often say that you cannot choose your own doctors... I have personally found that this is not the truth. Patients still retain control over their own HC.

One nice benefit of these systems is that, when you get ill / injured, your first thought is not, "how am I going to pay for this" or "how much is this going to cost me". Unlike for many in the states...

I don't believe that we Americans are ready for any form of UHC... Perhaps we value this idea of independence and freedom of choice, etc...

[XnavyHMCS]

I have to say my first night back I slept from 8:30 to 9 the next day.

The first week I was there, like the other times I went, were like a honeymoon period. You notice things like how solid the construction is. Every house is brick and concrete... walls are thick, you don't hear your neighbors or people in the other rooms. The doors are heavy and thick, even the interior ones. Everything looks and feels like it could survive a nuclear blast. In the US houses seem like they're made out of cardboard by comparison.

But houses are not nearly as comfortable as in the US. Nobody has central air conditioning. Most modern houses have just one air conditioner that hangs on the wall in the central part of the house, but it hardly does anything.. and most of the time it's off. They have a weird superstition against air conditioners. They don't use them, even in a hot car. They think it causes colds, sinus infections, etc. Then, the toilets.. man. Wtf is up with their toilets? They don't flush in a spiral they way we are used to in the US. They just seem to toss water up in the air. Terrible design. Have to flush 5 times.

Fridges are tiny... no filtered water. No garbage disposal. Everything is miniature compared to the US. I'm sure most of the world is like this, the US and Canada being the exception.

Restaurants. Food is fresh, home cooked, amazing. Nothing processed, nothing from a bag. Romania is known for it's amazing soups, but there is so much more to it than that. Our group of 6 all had appetizers, main meals, deserts, alcohol, and bottled sparkling water for $75. You could eat out for every meal and it would be cheaper than buying groceries and cooking yourself in the US. Even the fast food is fresh and amazing. You get veggies that taste like they're supposed to. The fast food in Romania is like like most chain restaurant foods in the US as far as quality.

Life in general is more difficult. Almost everything is a hassle. Me having to pay for my surgery was a day-long process of wandering through the city, going to different buildings, trying to figure it out. They didn't accept card payments, and the ATM wouldn't dispense the amount I needed, so I had to call friends to come give me cash, that I later had to pay back. It's like this with a lot of things. Things that should be straight-forward are not. In the grocery store I bought some lemons, and at the checkout counter the lady asked me how much they weigh. In the US they weigh them at the checkout line, so I wasn't used to having to weigh them myself. You don't automatically get bags for groceries. Many people bring their own bags, so I had to buy bags for groceries.

Customer service is a mixed bag. In metropolitan places where there is a lot of foreign traffic, services are great. If you wonder in less touristy areas, you might get one of these cunts that treats you like you're making her life more difficult by simply ordering food or asking for a service. I had to get in an argument with the receptionist at a hotel in order to get extra towels. She also tried putting me and my cousin in separate buildings and acted like a complete bitch the whole time. We got to the restaurant there at 10 pm. They close at 10:30. For 10 mins nobody comes to our table. We ask one of the waiters walking around for service, and they give us the menu. 15 more minutes go by, nobody comes to take our order. Again, we ask another waiter walking around if they could take our order. The guy starts taking it, then halfway through says he can't take the order anymore because the kitchen closes at 10:30 and it was now 10:32. So we ask for the manager and she comes and starts arguing with us and then says "ok, fine I'll take your orders..." We didn't want the cooks to mess with our food so we ended up leaving hungry. Everything was closed so we had to find a 24/7 mart and ended up eating salami, yogurt, and bread for dinner that night, in the car. This isn't atypical in this part of the world.. it's gotten a lot better over the years, but some parts of the country are still like this. Years ago a waitress exclaimed "why did you call me over if you don't know what you want yet?!" when my cousin was trying to decide on what to order. I told that bitch to kick rocks and find us another waitress. But yeah, usual shit.


So, like the title, gotta take the good with the bad. Life would be very affordable here with an American salary. Women.. wow. Dimes a dozen. Everywhere you go you see hot, beautiful women. Hardly nobody is overweight. People dress well, women look like they came from a modeling shoot just walking in the town square for a coffee or icecream. Life feels more... alive, for lack of a better term. People interact, people are more direct. Also, have to love the fact that there is no racial bs going on. Everyone is basically white or tan, except for a few immigrants. I'm sorry to say, but I prefer living in places where people look like me. Yeah, diversity is great... except when it isn't. There is no ghetto or trashy type of people. There are poor people, but they still have pride and act respectfully. Romania has to be one of the few countries where you can go to and still feel like you are amongst your people and you don't have to constantly be aware of other cultures/races/religions. It's nice to just exist amongst your own... fuck it if I sound racist. They do have gypsies, but they mostly do their own thing and aren't a nuisance.

Trees... fruit trees everywhere. I ate plums, peaches, apples, grapes, and many more, right off the tree or the vine. Almost everyone there who owns a house has fruits and vegetables growing on their property. It's rare to find a home that doesn't have a few grape vines growing over a terrace, providing a nice shade underneath to sit and enjoy. The air is dry, and it gets cooler at night. None of this humidity we have over here in the eastern side of the US. Everyone has homemade liquors and wines. I brought home two 2-liter bottles of home made plum liquor (it's very strong and delicious) and brandy.

Property taxes are basically nonexistent. A few hundred dollars a year, that's it. Taxes in general are way less. When you own a home, you own a home. Where I live I have to pay 10 grand in property taxes and HOA.

Basically everyone gets a month of paid vacation a year. You don't have to work your way up to it, it's just how it is.

Again, like I said, life is still more challenging. At least the day to day stuff. I'm writing this out of my comfortable, air conditioned home in the US. Life is great here, can't complain. But, it's interesting to compare and contrast the different realities. People live everywhere and you find things you appreciate you would never even think of if you never travelled and got to see it. I can only imagine the things I would appreciate in countries in other continents, not just in Europe. Every place got it's perks and problems.

Gospel shit here, gents.

My thoughts, experiences exactly.

Gotta second you on the race subject (as I dash to the closet to don my sheet and pointy hat), the proverbial Black Lives Matter bullshit (excuse me gents, my POV) doesn't gain any traction, the further into Central and Eastern Europe one travels... Leave your race card at home, it won't play very well in this neck of the woods. There is something to be said about living in a culture, a community where everyone looks the same.

And the chicks...!!! The fucking chicks...!!! And all of them do anal. Just check out some late 90's, 2000 gonzo genre porn, and you will be well versed on the ladies in east Europe.

Romania... The sole ex-communist nation that shed blood as they were simultaneously ridding themselves, shedding the Soviet system... Gotta put Dracula's home-turf on my travel list.

Geographically, the nation shares approx. 614 km of frontier with our beleaguered Ukrainian partners. Butting up to Moldavia, the nation is currently hosting quite a complement of NATO forces.

[wango]

Gospel shit here, gents.

My thoughts, experiences exactly.

Gotta second you on the race subject (as I dash to the closet to don my sheet and pointy hat).

Get them eye holes right . . . .

[lovbyts]

They just moved into this house a few days before we got there, and it's the last house that is finished on their street. The night before we discovered the flood there was a huge storm where neighbors were saying the water in the sewer was pushing the heavy metal lid up from the pressure. In the upstairs bathroom we were using I could see sand and construction particles around the toilet and the water in the toilet was very low. I think the water from the storm got pushed back up the drains into the house. At first they tried to say we must have left a window open. One of the guys that came to check the house said maybe water got through the window seals, but there was no water in the seals. It's just crazy this happened while everyone was away and since we were the last ones there, we get blamed for it... even though, like you said, thank God we got there to clean up all the water and alert them.

The Philippines' hospital conditions sound very similar to these conditions. One funny story is when they were going to take me to get the CT scan, they put me in this 1950's looking wheelchair, roll me over to another building... then I have to get up and walk up a flight of stairs and down a hallway to get to the room. What was the point of the wheel chair lol? Then, on the way back, they drop me off where I was supposed to wait for the results, but now all the places were taken so I just had to stand up in the hallway for 20 mins.

Before the surgery they told me to shave my entire abdomen. Luckily I brought my bathroom kit with me that had the razor, cause they weren't going to provide one. However, I only realized after shaving and showering that I had no towel or slippers. I called out to one of the ladies working there and they had to go find me a towel and slippers... someone else's I assume since they didn't look new. Even so, I walked barefoot in the beginning until they found them. I thought to myself "this can't be good before surgery."

I woke up from surgery drenched in sweat and hearing the people there yelling at me for taking off my bandages. Really what happened was the sweat made them slip off. I drenched my pillow the first night and had to use the towel to sleep on it. I'm extremely heat intolerant. I have never met anyone who sweats more than me if it's remotely hot or I have to move. So yeah, no AC was just the icing on the cake.

Regarding the bandages, I ended up taking them off the day after being released as they were still the same old bandages they originally put on me. I then used some bandaids that ended up falling off quickly. Two days ago I removed the stitches myself. I bought a brand new pair of sharp scissors and tweezers, and already had all the alcohol swabs and whatnot from my TRT. Wasn't too bad.

I didn't get any insurance for the flight. This reminds me, I should call my insurance to see if they would reimburse me anything... not expecting them to, but worth a shot. The amount I paid there is not even half of my deductible in the US. Now that it's all said and done, it could have been worse, but while I was there, it was really miserable. I guess you know a little about this crap with your surgeries. Next time I'm going to check into the private insurance options in these countries. You don't think this type of stuff will happen on a vacation, but it happens.

Plan for the worse, hope for the best. Travel insurance is usually pretty cheap. I dont mean from the airlines but to buy medical insurance for someone traveling to another country. Even in the US. When my wife first arrived I got her insurance and it was about 1/10 the price or less than mine and from what I read it had better coverage. We did use it for a dental checkup and a doctors visit, no out of pocket and only lost like $25 a month.

Sounds like it went about how I would have figured. Surprised you didnt have to do the surgery yourself or at least give the doctors some tips first. Glad to hear things are better.

[lovbyts]

The surgery team and room was a 10/10 as far as I know. It looked like a space shuttle with all the monitors and equipment. Modern, nothing like the rest of the hospital.

The waiting rooms and recovery rooms were a 3/10. I'm sure there are worse conditions out there, but this is only from my experience coming from the US.

One of my mom's best friends and college roommate is a doctor at the hospital there and she recommended that team of surgeons to me. I guess I could have gotten in one of the private hospitals, but the surgeons there weren't as good apparently.

You know you got the 1 Clean/New room because they knew you would be paying the bill and not the state. This pretty much explains how it works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YruT2ROEUc

[lovbyts]

I have to say my first night back I slept from 8:30 to 9 the next day.

The first week I was there, like the other times I went, were like a honeymoon period. You notice things like how solid the construction is. Every house is brick and concrete... walls are thick, you don't hear your neighbors or people in the other rooms. The doors are heavy and thick, even the interior ones. Everything looks and feels like it could survive a nuclear blast. In the US houses seem like they're made out of cardboard by comparison.

But houses are not nearly as comfortable as in the US. Nobody has central air conditioning. Most modern houses have just one air conditioner that hangs on the wall in the central part of the house, but it hardly does anything.. and most of the time it's off. They have a weird superstition against air conditioners. They don't use them, even in a hot car. They think it causes colds, sinus infections, etc. Then, the toilets.. man. Wtf is up with their toilets? They don't flush in a spiral they way we are used to in the US. They just seem to toss water up in the air. Terrible design. Have to flush 5 times.

Fridges are tiny... no filtered water. No garbage disposal. Everything is miniature compared to the US. I'm sure most of the world is like this, the US and Canada being the exception.

Restaurants. Food is fresh, home cooked, amazing. Nothing processed, nothing from a bag. Romania is known for it's amazing soups, but there is so much more to it than that. Our group of 6 all had appetizers, main meals, deserts, alcohol, and bottled sparkling water for $75. You could eat out for every meal and it would be cheaper than buying groceries and cooking yourself in the US. Even the fast food is fresh and amazing. You get veggies that taste like they're supposed to. The fast food in Romania is like like most chain restaurant foods in the US as far as quality.

Life in general is more difficult. Almost everything is a hassle. Me having to pay for my surgery was a day-long process of wandering through the city, going to different buildings, trying to figure it out. They didn't accept card payments, and the ATM wouldn't dispense the amount I needed, so I had to call friends to come give me cash, that I later had to pay back. It's like this with a lot of things. Things that should be straight-forward are not. In the grocery store I bought some lemons, and at the checkout counter the lady asked me how much they weigh. In the US they weigh them at the checkout line, so I wasn't used to having to weigh them myself. You don't automatically get bags for groceries. Many people bring their own bags, so I had to buy bags for groceries.

Customer service is a mixed bag. In metropolitan places where there is a lot of foreign traffic, services are great. If you wonder in less touristy areas, you might get one of these cunts that treats you like you're making her life more difficult by simply ordering food or asking for a service. I had to get in an argument with the receptionist at a hotel in order to get extra towels. She also tried putting me and my cousin in separate buildings and acted like a complete bitch the whole time. We got to the restaurant there at 10 pm. They close at 10:30. For 10 mins nobody comes to our table. We ask one of the waiters walking around for service, and they give us the menu. 15 more minutes go by, nobody comes to take our order. Again, we ask another waiter walking around if they could take our order. The guy starts taking it, then halfway through says he can't take the order anymore because the kitchen closes at 10:30 and it was now 10:32. So we ask for the manager and she comes and starts arguing with us and then says "ok, fine I'll take your orders..." We didn't want the cooks to mess with our food so we ended up leaving hungry. Everything was closed so we had to find a 24/7 mart and ended up eating salami, yogurt, and bread for dinner that night, in the car. This isn't atypical in this part of the world.. it's gotten a lot better over the years, but some parts of the country are still like this. Years ago a waitress exclaimed "why did you call me over if you don't know what you want yet?!" when my cousin was trying to decide on what to order. I told that bitch to kick rocks and find us another waitress. But yeah, usual shit.


So, like the title, gotta take the good with the bad. Life would be very affordable here with an American salary. Women.. wow. Dimes a dozen. Everywhere you go you see hot, beautiful women. Hardly nobody is overweight. People dress well, women look like they came from a modeling shoot just walking in the town square for a coffee or icecream. Life feels more... alive, for lack of a better term. People interact, people are more direct. Also, have to love the fact that there is no racial bs going on. Everyone is basically white or tan, except for a few immigrants. I'm sorry to say, but I prefer living in places where people look like me. Yeah, diversity is great... except when it isn't. There is no ghetto or trashy type of people. There are poor people, but they still have pride and act respectfully. Romania has to be one of the few countries where you can go to and still feel like you are amongst your people and you don't have to constantly be aware of other cultures/races/religions. It's nice to just exist amongst your own... fuck it if I sound racist. They do have gypsies, but they mostly do their own thing and aren't a nuisance.

Trees... fruit trees everywhere. I ate plums, peaches, apples, grapes, and many more, right off the tree or the vine. Almost everyone there who owns a house has fruits and vegetables growing on their property. It's rare to find a home that doesn't have a few grape vines growing over a terrace, providing a nice shade underneath to sit and enjoy. The air is dry, and it gets cooler at night. None of this humidity we have over here in the eastern side of the US. Everyone has homemade liquors and wines. I brought home two 2-liter bottles of home made plum liquor (it's very strong and delicious) and brandy.

Property taxes are basically nonexistent. A few hundred dollars a year, that's it. Taxes in general are way less. When you own a home, you own a home. Where I live I have to pay 10 grand in property taxes and HOA.

Basically everyone gets a month of paid vacation a year. You don't have to work your way up to it, it's just how it is.

Again, like I said, life is still more challenging. At least the day to day stuff. I'm writing this out of my comfortable, air conditioned home in the US. Life is great here, can't complain. But, it's interesting to compare and contrast the different realities. People live everywhere and you find things you appreciate you would never even think of if you never travelled and got to see it. I can only imagine the things I would appreciate in countries in other continents, not just in Europe. Every place got it's perks and problems.

Again, sounds familiar. Yeah what we consider day to day events seem to take all day in other countries and everyone is fine with it. Love how far $$ goes in other countries at restaurants for the most part although 90% of the time I seem to be buying for 6+ lol.

Same with fruit trees and more everywhere ripe for the picking for the most part. Got to love fresh fruit and its not what they call fresh fruit from here that has been flash frozen at some point.

Also agree, in most of the other countries I have visited even the very poor dont have a slum area or crime/theft ridden area you have to worry about. If anything you are treated like a visiting celebrity.

One little trick I learned and even had to use on my last trip is dont rely on the ATMs. We have ran into a lot of places where they are out of cash for 2 or 3 days or offline. Use a Western Union type service but not Western Union. I use Xoom & Remitly. You can send money to whoever you want directly from your bank account and pick it up within less than a minute of sending. If you use a credit card it will take 48 hrs the 1st time. I'm not sure after that. Its only $3.99 or $4.99 to send up to $10,000? and it gives you a good exchange rate. ATM is still the best exchange rate though.

In the Philippines you wont have a problem with a restaurant closing or not taking your order even if they are 5 minutes from closing unless its inside one of the higher end hotels. Typically food outside of them is better anyways and a lot cheaper.

[< <Samson> >]

I’m working daily on retaining ahcccs - by trying to knock up the wife again

[Razvan]

Sorry you had to go through that. I don' know why you they made you pay for surgery because if it's an emergency it's free, along with 3 days of spitalization even without insurance. Not all hospitals are bad ( in the big cityes) But we prefer to go to private hospitals.... If i knew you where here with no test, i would have provided We have goods and bads( from people to state side bussines...) Prices are huge compared to salaries... Rent is huge, gas is expensive as fuck... And the best part is that you can get everything you want from a farmacy exept roids, we only have nebido...

[< <Samson> >]

I’m working daily on retaining ahcccs - by trying to knock up the wife again

It’s not looking so good tho

Well over a decade of juicing really seems to keep my chances quite close to zero