simon43

[quote] ...Harry is becoming a Pariah and it's his own doing,... [/quote] Apologies for just quoting this short part of your comment. IMHO, I think that because Harry is a dim-witted, weak fool, most of the blame for his current situation can be firmly laid at the feet of his neurotic, mentally-disturbed, woke wife.

I've been with them about 3 years, and then with other insurance companies before that. Luckily, I have my health check-up documents from 2017 and 2018 which indicate a stable and lowish (for someone with BPH) PSA value, with no comment from the doctor. I've emailed these details to April. If April were to deny my claim on some baseless and false grounds, (such as BPH causes prostate cancer), then I would be well and truly f**ked....

Update: April International have requested full details of my PSA and BPH history going back 11 years!! I'm not sure what their reasons are, but BPH is nothing to do with prostate cancer. My PSA stayed stable for all PSA checks that I had in 2014, 2017 and 2018, but had risen when I had a check-up after returning from Laos/Myanmar. I hope that they are not trying to deny coverage for my prostate cancer, on the basis that I have had BPH for several years. I have sent them scans of my health check ups from these years. At no time was any further investigations or medication advised by the doctors on seeing my PSA value. Worried.....

To Rattanakosin island?

Huh? Speak for yourself. I have never done anything like this when drunk. The worst that I did was to throw up on the manicured lawn of a little old lady while she stared aghast at me.....

It's a fliperty-flop!

I think this school has a good reputation: http://aksornpattaya.aksorn.ac.th/ About 10,000 THB per term for KG/primary grade students. It employs native speaking teachers (NES) for English classes and the teacher qualifications/background checks etc are at a high standard. But check for yourself ????

Honest darling - I was born a girl!!

I live on Koh Phangan (for now!). There seem to be more Russians here than Thais....

[quote] But traders on Phangan had told him there were more people than they expected. And there would be more still if there were more flights. [/quote] I must pop down to Koh Phangan airport to see all these arrivals ????

Good in Chuwit, but I think he has a death wish....

[quote] Sounds like massive miscommunication. [/quote] Yes indeed. Luckily, I have never had to make any insurance claim before, so I made the error of assuming that the insurance broker was handling the claim, since they insisted on receiving all the original medical reports and forwarding them to April. As I said, April denied my claim for the MRI, but IMHO they should not have denied it YET, because there is still the 30-day window. Unfortunately, because of the time wasted over Xmas and NY, it is highly unlikely that April will approve the biopsy day surgery within the 30 day window, and so my MRI cost claim is null and void.... Bumrungrad can do the biopsy early next week and within the 30 day window, but understandably, they will not proceed without the go ahead from April. I cannot pay and claim back because the cost is 180,000 baht, which is beyond my immediate financial reach ???? Ho hum, live and learn...

He's visiting a poultry farm....

I teach science online via iTalki platform, who manage all bookings, calendar, payments etc for 15% of my tuition fee, which is $26 per hour. But that rate is only for teaching KG and primary/middle grade students. Most of my students are in China, some in Russia, Japan etc, and almost none in Thailand. I don't advertise - I get new students on iTalki via word of mouth/recommendation. I have about 250 one-to-one students and (I just checked), 1,590 future lessons already booked and already paid to iTalki. (I get the money after the lesson). You can see my profile here: Learn English online with Scientist Simon on italki (not to book, just to show you an example of an iTalki profile!).

That all sounds fine, considering his criminal background. Only his mum and criminal partners will grieve.

[quote] If you have not contacted them, how can they even know about, let alone help resolve, the problem? [/quote] I have communicated with them about 10 times today, after finding out that April International had received no request from the hospital for the biopsy. Apparently when the broker insisted that I send them all my original invoices (for the MRI), and the original of the medical report from Bumrungrad where the biopsy was stated as the next requirement, and that the broker would then forward all these to April in France, they omitted to tell me that all of this administration was nothing to do with actually getting April in France to give the go ahead for the biopsy! That required completion of a form by the hospital that I only received yesterday after April France sent it to the broker who then forwarded it to me. Why was I only sent the form 20 days after the MRI, and so with only 10 days left to make a claim AND with only 10 days to actually have the biopsy surgery so that can be claimed from the insurer? It sure stinks to me of bad practice.

Thanks Sheryl. It seems that while I relaxed over Xmas, safe in the knowledge that the hospital and my insurance broker were sorting out the pre-authorisation, I now find that this is not the case! I have to move quickly if I am to be able to claim the MRI cost. I have spoken and emailed the hospital about this and the need to specify 'day surgery' for the biopsy, and they will do their paperwork tomorrow. Regardless of any feedback from April, I need to have the biopsy before next Thursday to ensure that I can claim the cost of this, (since I can ensure that my RP is within 30 days of the biopsy). I'm not contacting AA Insurance Brokers, because IMHO, they are to blame for failing to emphasise that time is of the essence in order to meet the operation-wthin-30-days rule on my insurance policy. They are not adding anything of value to resolve this problem).

Update: April International has denied my claim to pay for the MRI scan, even though the medical report indicated that the lumps found in my prostate were 'level 5' (not Gleason), but meaning they were highly likely to be cancerous. April says they won't pay because an MRI is an outpatient treatment! (My policy does cover outpatient treatment for diagnosed illnesses, but since the cancer is not yet diagnosed, then basically tough!!). So that's 60,000 baht that I have paid out from my low salary.... Next the hospital has requested (3 weeks ago), to cover the cost of the biopsy. Well, I am now expecting April to have the same attitude >>> not yet diagnosed, so not yet covered.... So I may have to pay for the biopsy as well. I am rapidly losing confidence with April International.

Yes, it covers all inpatient costs, as well as outpatient costs for cancer/other serious illness investigations/treatment, such as MRI scans, biopsies, chemo, radiation etc. This is NOT April Insurance (Thailand), but April Insurance (France) - the 2 policies are very different.

I have lived full-time in Thailand since 2002. 2 years ago, I was able to pay voluntary NI contributions from 2006 up to the current year of contribution, paying at the cheapest rate (about 150 GBP per year). I can continue to pay for the next couple of years until my retirement date, at which point I will have paid 30 years of NI, which will give me a reasonable state pension. As others have said, you have until April of this year to back-pay your NI contributions from 2006!

Strictly speaking, the MRI can show lumps/tumours, but they could be benign, and a biopsy will confirm the status of those lumps. My recent MRI showed 2 growths inside my prostate which are 'grade 5' (ie very likely to be cancerous), but I'm waiting now to have a biopsy to confirm this. (I am actually waiting on April Insurance France to give the go-ahead, and they are somewhat slow in giving the OK, perhaps still drunk after Xmas/New Year parties...)

From extensive discussions with Dr Google, I understand that the 2 main side-effects are ED and incontinence, but that the severity depends on whether the cancer is wholly contained within the prostate, or also affects the nerves nearby. My lumps are wholly within my prostate, and I have had BPH and problems in peeing for many years. I finished with sexual relationships years ago and I live alone and teach online, within 3 metres of a toilet! For me, the urinary incontinence would be the bigger issue, but it seems that for most men, this problem all but stops after a few months, and with kegal exercises and a healthy body weight/fitness etc. If I went down the radiation route without an RP, it would apparently make surgery more difficult if the cancer were to return. I am realistic and expect my cancer to return at some time in the future after I've had the RP - perhaps 5, 10 or 15 years later (if I'm still alive). So, if that were the case, radiation/chemo treatment would still be an option. If you're in a sexual relationship, then the likely ED problems after an RP could indeed make it an unsatisfactory choice.

I lived in Phuket for about 10 years, and a total of a couple of years living in Pattaya. Remember that Phuket refers to the whole island, and that ranges from Patong through to quiet villages in north-east Phuket >> totally different from each other. I like Pattaya for the wide range of foods, shops and other facilities within walking or baht-bus distance. It has a nice promenade to walk and jog along. You can even sit (for a while) and have a coconut drink (!!). During all the time that I lived in Pattaya, I never once visited a gogo bar or propositioned a bar girl/boy. I had a very enjoyable time, and Pattaya is where I usually stay when I'm not teaching in Myanmar. (I am living in Phangan now, but that's another subject!). I liked living in Phuket, but wasn't so happy on a recent trip. Overpriced and overbuilt, even in previous rural areas. I don't plan to return.

In other news, ASSK was sentenced to 20 years in jail with hard labour for failing to use green colour bin bags for her lawn cuttings.... The military junta control only 17% of the area of Myanmar (according to expert analysis). When the junta falls (as it will), I hope that the military generals who are behind this sham junta are all taken out and shot, and their family assets confiscated.

Many (MANY!) Russians here in Kok Phangan. I note that rental properties are being rented by them and then (illegally) sublet at typically three times that rental price to their fellow Russians.