Insurance Cautionary Tale

[Clipperkid]

Before I get to the tale, I’m a very slim active 77 yr old with LBBB, severe left ventricular failure with an implanted ICD, also numerous surgical interventions throughout my life.

I went on holiday with girl friends to Portugal Algarve one of which owns a villa, we’ve done this for a number of years- we arrived late on June 7 th on June by the 10 th June I felt decidedly ill with abdominal pain which became acute my girl friends send for an ambulance taking me to a public hospital

. Besides not speaking Portuguese I was transferred to a chair having an IVI put into my right arm, then having stressed that I’ve an ICD & severe intolerance to Morphine & derivatives unknown to me they started transfusing Tramadol this caused me to be violently sick after which they discharged me with TTOs my friends picked me up - I continued to vomit bile stained fluid all night - after going to public hospital Ugh ! I took a taxi to private hospital late on the 11 th They took bloods examined me hydrated me gave antiemetic & antibiotics- I did not vomit after this ! So discharged me at 0100 on the 12 th by this time I was exhausted slept for 5 hours on getting up started vomiting bile & feacal fluid copious amounts ,so after taking a taxi back to private hospital, my condition because very serious ! I’d given my son as next if kin as he is a medical consultant, so the battle began at midnight in the 11th June ( insurance wanted me in a taxi and taken to public hospital) by this time with my co morbidity the surgeon and my son were very frustrated with Stay Sure who wanted to wait until the morning to get agreement for me to go to surgery! I eventually got to theatre at 04.30 to discover I had a strangulated inquinal hernia , after which the insurance company could not have been more helpful, my family were fantastic my stay was 17 days after which I had a nurse escort back home

Obviously choose your insurance company carefully getting the very best cover you can. I had done this as I’d travelled to Thailand for Christmas with my daughter and her family

[jeanjeannie50]

Great advice re having a good insurance package.

I had the constant vomiting of bile like you and thought I knew what you were going to be diagnosed with, but no mine was an infected gallbladder.

Sorry to hear all you went through are you fully recovered now?

Jean

[Clipperkid in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Not quite Jean a wound infection but onward & upward !

[Plum53]

Hi , glad your on the mend now. Thank you for posting your experience. Can you tell me did you go in taxi back to public hospital and is that where you had your operation. I know when reading my insurance policy it states to go public not private hospital. Have you always travelled with Stay SureWishing you a speedy recovery .

[Clipperkid in reply to Plum53]

Morning Plum 53 According to my son who is a consultant in the Royal Navy most public hospitals throughout the world are fairly basic ! I did not go back to the public hospital after they failed to understand or acknowledge I had a severe adverse reaction to Morphine & derivatives (Tramadol) being high on the list ! So no I had my operation in the private hospital which stay sure we’re not happy about ! But my condition had deteriorated so much that putting me in a taxi to go to the public hospital would not have been at all advisable, nor safe.

No I’ve not always travelled with Stay Sure prior to them travelled on my Banks insurance

I hope that helps ?

[Plum53 in reply to Clipperkid]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply.

[Wooodsie]

A good outcome in the end clipperkid. Thanks fornthe post