The Fugitive

Pleased to report excellent service at Srinagarind. Gamma Bone Scan completed with printed report and images interpreted by a doctor immediately afterwards and handed to us.

Certainly a lack of preventative medicine. Breast cancer screening is apparently shortly to be offered by Thai National Health Service. However, it will be limited to women aged between 40 and 59 who also have immediate family history. My Thai wife wouldn't qualify. She has two friends with breast cancer. This prompted her to book a special promotional screening at Bangkok Hospital. They found invasive ductal carcinoma cancer stage between two and three. She's now had surgery, two sessions of chemo and CT scans of chest and abdomen. Tomorrow we're off for a bone scan to..........Srinagarind.

Just had a look. It says; 'Skype number no longer available'. Presumably existing customers such as yourself will continue to be able to use and renew your annual subscriptions to rent your geographical landline number?

The problem is Thai National Health Service (NHS) don't yet offer breast cancer screening. I have read they propose to do so, however, it will be limited to age 40-59 AND with immediate family history. Even when it's in place my wife wouldn't qualify. Agree, Bangkok Hospital would have treated my wife. The lady cancer doctor told her she also worked in NHS and suggested my wife could take the results/reports to a Government hospital for them to treat her. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy has/will be given at our Regional Government Hospital. Don't have much faith in alternative/traditional/herbal remedies myself. Two years ago my brother-in-law passed away at age 56 from kidney failure. Zero sympathy from family because he had long since refused to take prescription medication, preferring Chinese Herbal remedies. My wife has had three Covid jabs before refusing to have any more. Myself, five to date and seeking more. Her two friends I don't know about.

I was brought up to believe that you shouldn't 'trouble' a doctor and only seek treatment when ill and your condition is intolerable and/or worsening. Annual medicals unheard of. My mother attended for free routine health checks at our local GP's group practice. She was told she was very good for her age (mid eighties). Unfortunately, she was actually terminally ill with metastatic disease. A doctor later told me that such health checks don't include cancer. However, my Thai Mrs has two friends who have breast cancer. This prompted her to book a promotional screening at Bangkok Hospital priced at only 2,900 baht. They found stage 2-3 breast cancer for which she has undergone surgery and is now being treated with chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.

Stepson, 30, staying with us for a while. Brought with him a flashy desktop computer, large monitor and several mobile phones. He commandeered our dining room for his set up. I asked my Mrs what he does? She replied; ‘Online lottery, illegal but not serious’. She then wanted to know what I was laughing about? House, utilities and internet aren’t in my name although I pay the bills. Am I in the clear if we get a knock on the door?

The rule is 'lived in UK during the previous six months'. If returning to UK upon a 'permanent basis' you are entitled to NHS services immediately. However, the only time I have been asked that question was by the check-in machine when checking-in for an outpatients appointment at my local NHS hospital.

Very helpful thank you. The reason I asked about ; 'Restricted Items' was due to personal experience. My Thai Mrs told me she was going to post a Buddha statue. I advised her that Royal Thai Mail wouldn't accept it. She didn't believe me but soon returned from our Post Office with the parcel. 5davidhen1 obviously needs his medication and if this method works for him I believe he should continue. However, he probably already realises he needs to have a 'plan b' in case, one day, it doesn't.

I agree! What sort of yardstick are you using for your remaining months? For example, we know that in civilised countries the greatest numbers of people die around 85/86 years. However, official figures vary. Also, in my family, males have died almost exclusively between ages 67 and 73.

Unfortunately, our Regional Government Hospital appear to have screwed up. Can only assume they didn't read the Bangkok Hospital reports. Radiosurgery didn't happen. Instead lumpectomy and removal of underarm lymph nodes. Cancer Stage reassessed from one to between two and three. Tomorrow my Mrs commences eight sessions of chemotherapy each three weeks apart. Thereafter, fifteen daily sessions of radiotherapy.

Nail on the head! My nightmare is serious illness or accident rendering me immobile and thus unable to return to UK. However, if my condition was intractable it would depend upon how long I had left.

Understood thank you. Maybe this no longer applies? 'Under section 12 of the Drugs Act, B.E. 2510 (1967), no person shall manufacture, sell, import or order into the kingdom any modern drug unless such person receives a license from the licensing authority. Thus, bringing drugs or ordering drugs to be shipped into Thailand by post is not allowed'.

Do you have some sort of licence to import medicines?

Subscribed to SurfShark for two years. Never failed to connect or unblock geo-blocked websites. Perfect for streaming, never any buffering. Customer Service answered an email within one hour. Now use SmartDNSProxy (includes a VPN). Totally free trial (no credit card details required). Subscribed for three years which works out at just over one dollar per month. Never any issues.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/vpn/guides/vpn-smart-tv/

BBC iPlayer working perfectly using SmartDNS Proxy VPN (London 'Smart' server selected).

Never had my blood pressure checked in U.K. when going to the dentist, however they did ask if there had been any changes to my health since last visit? Since living in Thailand dental nurse has taken BP and pulse at each visit. Dentist also asks if everything was OK at my last annual medical? I answer 'yes' although I haven't ever had one.

Can confirm. Our local blood donation sessions previously used the 'whole arm' blood pressure machines. Every three months I was rejected. I purchased a basic Omron blood pressure monitor and found my BP was always normal. I went to the next blood donor session to find that they no longer use the whole arm machines and use small monitors similar to the one I'd bought. I now pass every time.

Anyone had a red light at exit autogate? Would you have to be on overstay or possibly flagged for something else?

That's no joke. I sympathise. Unless you have another reason to go there it's uneconomical to burn your petrol. However, public transport (especially railway) is cheap. Is it feasible for you to travel by rail etc. from where you live?

Agree. Totally 'portable' as it's cloud based. Enough functionality for the basic/average user IMHO.

That's assuming if it was a private hospital they would comply with UCEP (Universal Coverage for Emergency Patient), which came into force on 01st April 2017 and requires all hospitals, state or private, to treat emergency patients for free for the first 72 hours.

This morning, for the first time there was a patch of blood in my bed that had soaked through to the mattress. Mrs cleaned it up and suggested I see a doctor. However, I don't think that's necessary. Suspect it's only my piles that have started to leak.

Fair price for the quality. I paid about the same for Linea Roma with single vision distance lenses in Paraguay about 15 years ago. I also purchased a pair of Wrangler reading glasses from the same shop but can't remember the cost of those.

Thanks for this. It's all interesting! I can only state my own experience with a Vyke UK mobile number over the last three years. Calls and SMS including one time passcodes (OTP's) seem to have been received without any problem. I generally don't use a VPN on my two mobile phones. When I do it's either free Browsec or SmartDNSProxy (includes VPN). Prior to SmartDNSProxy I used SurfShark. Sometimes I look and notice that I've left a VPN unintentionally running. I know that USA financial institutions are very wary of sending OTP's via VOIP services so wouldn't recommend Vyke for US use. UK doesn't seem to be worried (as yet). What Australia does I'll admit I don't know.