Popular Post webfact Posted December 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 11, 2019 Kitchener-Waterloo Canadian man to come home from Thailand for emergency brain surgery A doctor found a large tumour in Alex Witmer's brain while he and his wife were in Thailand Julianne Hazlewood · CBC News Alex and Jennifer Witmer were taking a six-week trip to Thailand when Alex was diagnosed with a brain tumour. (Source: Facebook) A Canadian couple travelling in Thailand has won a fight with their travel insurance company to return home for emergency surgery by air ambulance. Alex and Jennifer Witmer were on a six-week vacation in Thailand when a bad headache over several days took Alex to hospital. He was diagnosed with "a very large malignant brain tumour," his wife Jennifer Witmer said. The diagnosis came just last week, said Witmer, but in the last 12 hours her husband's condition has worsened. "He's in and out. You can see a difference today compared to yesterday," Jennifer Witmer told CBC News from the island of Koh Samui in Thailand. "He wants to see his family really badly." Doctors have said Alex needs a drain to relieve the pressure in his brain. An air ambulance, which costs $265,000, is needed to get him back home for the procedure, according to Jennifer. Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/kitchener-thailand-witmer-alex-jennifer-1.5390562 -- CBC 2019-12-11 Related story: Canadian man to come home from Thailand for emergency brain surgery https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1137939-canadian-diagnosed-with-brain-tumour-in-thailand-has-travel-insurance-declined-because-he-had-the-flu-a-month-ago/ 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Dmaxdan Posted December 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 11, 2019 Good news. Hope he makes a full recovery. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CelticBhoy Posted December 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 11, 2019 All the best to you. Shame you had to fight a huge company from your hospital bed. You've beaten them, now let's hope you beat the tumor too. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post darksidedog Posted December 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 11, 2019 I don't know if it is the publicity that has shamed the insurance company into paying, but good news regardless. He is not out of the woods by a long way, but I am sure this will be good for his morale facing up to the fight ahead. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin case Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 they cannot do the operation in thailand or fly business and have a drip / bag for his brain situation ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingstonkid Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 They can do the operation here but I think that they want to be home with family. Also Allianz will probably not pay for the med coverage but will reimburse them. Let's face it a lot can happen so being home with family is probably the best thing. Going business or on a commercail flight would be more dangerous as there is no way to look after them and no direct flights to Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post from the home of CC Posted December 11, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 11, 2019 without bad publicity against this insurance mafia this man would of died here, they calculated the quarter mill invaluable to save face, scum of the world.. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Triangle Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 That's very good news, I hope he pulls through okay, I had a friend back in the UK went to the Dr complaining of severe Migraine attacks, turns out she had a massive tumour in her brain as well, Long story short: Underwent extensive surgery / Chemotherapy etc, at one point was only given 3 weeks to live, 10 years later she's still alive and kicking, so there is hope, I have fingers crossed for him, it would be nice if we could have a follow up on this. Bar steward insurance companies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atyclb Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 (edited) excellent to hear insurance will cover it. just wondering if it would not be safer to place a drain in thailand before the flight because if he decompensates during the flight it would be a drain that would likely be needed urgently. something that could not be done on an air ambulance. if i were in his shoes would want a drain already in place prior to long flight. Edited December 11, 2019 by atyclb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 9 hours ago, darksidedog said: I don't know if it is the publicity that has shamed the insurance company into paying, but good news regardless. He is not out of the woods by a long way, but I am sure this will be good for his morale facing up to the fight ahead. I hope the bad publicity did something to shake the insurance company into doing the right thing.... good luck to the young man and couple... keep fighting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BestB Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 (edited) Was expected once he filed an appeal with the ombudsman hope he gets well soon and makes full recovery Edited December 11, 2019 by BestB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 1 hour ago, atyclb said: excellent to hear insurance will cover it. just wondering if it would not be safer to place a drain in thailand before the flight because if he decompensates during the flight it would be a drain that would likely be needed urgently. something that could not be done on an air ambulance. if i were in his shoes would want a drain already in place prior to long flight. I had the same thought. He's on Samui so capacities are limited but with all the MVAs they have there you'd think they could manage burr holes and a drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobinBKK Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 God's speed and good luck brother! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atyclb Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 56 minutes ago, Sheryl said: 2 hours ago, atyclb said: excellent to hear insurance will cover it. just wondering if it would not be safer to place a drain in thailand before the flight because if he decompensates during the flight it would be a drain that would likely be needed urgently. something that could not be done on an air ambulance. if i were in his shoes would want a drain already in place prior to long flight. I had the same thought. He's on Samui so capacities are limited but with all the MVAs they have there you'd think they could manage burr holes and a drain. yup. per bkk hospital samui webpage there are 2 neurosurgeons on staff. suratthani is a big city not far. https://www.neurosurgicalatlas.com/volumes/csf-diversion-procedures/external-ventricular-drain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grusa Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 I would have thought surgery here was a cheaper and safer option than flying him home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritsSikkink Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 On 12/11/2019 at 9:04 AM, darksidedog said: I don't know if it is the publicity that has shamed the insurance company into paying, but good news regardless. He is not out of the woods by a long way, but I am sure this will be good for his morale facing up to the fight ahead. I think it was, insurance companies play the numbers game, refuse see who makes a fuzz, when too much resistance pay. Most people don't start to fight the decision. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyFax Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 Canadian diagnosed with brain tumour in Thailand undergoes surgery, wife says he is suffering TORONTO -- The wife of a Canadian diagnosed with a brain tumour in Thailand said her husband has undergone surgery to have a drain inserted into his head in an effort to relieve some pressure before his hopeful return home despite his condition deteriorating. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/canadian-diagnosed-with-brain-tumour-in-thailand-undergoes-surgery-wife-says-he-is-suffering-1.4725188 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atyclb Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 some followup. looks like prudence and common sense prevailed and he had a drain placed in thailand prior to flight https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/canadian-diagnosed-with-brain-tumour-in-thailand-undergoes-surgery-wife-says-he-is-suffering-1.4725188 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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