Left on his own, a German citizen faces amputation in Pattaya

[webfact]

Left on his own, a German citizen faces amputation in Pattaya

 

 

PATTAYA: -- Mister Gas (Gerhard Lehn) has been diagnosed with diabetes. From a a simple cut in his feet and with nobody taking care of him, he ended by having some deep wounds leading to dead and rotten flesh all around his foot. He now faces amputation.

 

Rose is a police nurse who is taking care of him since January 2016. She says she tried to reach out with his friends and family but it appears Mr Gas is alone and has no relatives.

She provides the daily medicine and required equipment at her own cost which already reached 200,000 baht so far.

 

Mr Gas’s body is so weak he can’t travel back to Germany. The German embassy was contacted several times but nobody can help him out. Rose set up a fundraiser to get some support from the expat community.

Donate to support Mr Gas :

http://www.weeboon.com/en/campaigns/support-mr-gas

 

Join and keep in touch with the Weeboon’s community :

https://www.facebook.com/weeboonofficial

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

Rose is a police nurse who is taking care of him since January 2016. She says she tried to reach out with his friends and family but it appears Mr Gas is alone and has no relatives.

I have some doubts about that.

In 2013 under his name there is an inquiry to a legal "forum".

He wrote that 500 Euro per month were impounded by the youth welfare office for child support from his meager "pension".

The "post" contains the location of the office.

[guzzi850m2]

Well maybe they won't have anything to do with him KhunBENQ.

 

Poor soul, he is lucky that the nurse has a heart of gold.

[midas]

5 minutes ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Well maybe they won't have anything to do with him KhunBENQ.

 

Poor soul, he is lucky that the nurse has a heart of gold.

On what grounds are you suggesting they would be able to stop his pension payment?

[xdefax]

there is a german/thai clinic The Podology Center in Bangkok. They have to bring him quick there, they take care people with problems same this.

[NCC1701A]

note to self:

never hold a cigarette in a photo of yourself when appealing to the public about your health issues.

 

but lets hope he gets the help he needs.

Edited June 20, 2017 by NCC1701A

[tonray]

It's a sad tale of another expat who has left themselves no lifeline in Thailand. No resources, no family, and ill. Everyone should plan for old age and infirmity, it is not a question of if but of when it will happen to all of us. I hope he gets some help at least. I find it hard to believe the German embassy will not do anything, they take in everyone, my guess is he does not want to return to Germany and in that case there is nothing they can do.

[guzzi850m2]

1 hour ago, midas said:

On what grounds are you suggesting they would be able to stop his pension payment?

I am thinking about his relatives since they are taking 500EU's in child support, not his pension.

[norfolkandchance]

Have another tab mate. People will flock to donate

Sent from my JERRY using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[rosst]

There but for the grace of God go many,  it is difficult to judge and I certainly hope he gets some help. 

It is possible he has not been prudent and yes,  the ciggies are killers. 

[micmichd]

4 hours ago, tonray said:

It's a sad tale of another expat who has left themselves no lifeline in Thailand. No resources, no family, and ill. Everyone should plan for old age and infirmity, it is not a question of if but of when it will happen to all of us. I hope he gets some help at least. I find it hard to believe the German embassy will not do anything, they take in everyone, my guess is he does not want to return to Germany and in that case there is nothing they can do.

Why should he go back to Germany? 

It's cold there, the natives are not friendly, and they don't like people like him. Medical care in Thailand is at least as good as in Germany, and it's cheaper. 

Germany should change her laws so Germans in exile get social health care. 

[peterb17]

The trouble is - what do you believe? Is this a genuine call for help? Is this guy in real trouble. Is this Thai lady a real Saint ? 

 

The gofundme sites have exploded recently- can't afford to go to a full moon party and get off my face- fund me! 

My kid is not so well- give me money for some quack Doctor ( only wants a $ 2 million ) 

 

I will be probably be  shot down in flames- but every thing is of your own making- your decisions affect your life- I wish I had saved a bit more and not spent VAST amounts of money- it's OK - I'll survive.

 

What do you believe  ? Sadly not much 

[micmichd]

5 minutes ago, peterb17 said:

The trouble is - what do you believe? Is this a genuine call for help? Is this guy in real trouble. Is this Thai lady a real Saint ? 

 

The gofundme sites have exploded recently- can't afford to go to a full moon party and get off my face- fund me! 

My kid is not so well- give me money for some quack Doctor ( only wants a $ 2 million ) 

 

I will be probably be  shot down in flames- but every thing is of your own making- your decisions affect your life- I wish I had saved a bit more and not spent VAST amounts of money- it's OK - I'll survive.

 

What do you believe  ? Sadly not much 

I believe in social security. About every German that works has a social health insurance, and they should pay the medical cost - whether the patient is in Germany or in Thailand. If the guy in question never had any health insurance, then he should be treated like any German at home: the welfare office should pay. 

[mrdome]

44 minutes ago, micmichd said:

Why should he go back to Germany? 

It's cold there, the natives are not friendly, and they don't like people like him. Medical care in Thailand is at least as good as in Germany, and it's cheaper. 

Germany should change her laws so Germans in exile get social health care. 

 

I'm not saying he should go back to Germany but if you don't have $$ to pay for your basics you generally have no business burdening the locals with it.

 

I sure hope I will always have enough should my health decline.

[mrdome]

4 minutes ago, micmichd said:

I believe in social security. About every German that works has a social health insurance, and they should pay the medical cost - whether the patient is in Germany or in Thailand. If the guy in question never had any health insurance, then he should be treated like any German at home: the welfare office should pay. 

This is the legal situation, if he doesn't have a pension. It appears unclear at this point if he has one or not. If he does not or it's not sufficient, then there is (only) welfare - "Sozial-Hilfe":

 

https://dejure.org/gesetze/SGB_XII/24.html

 

In general, Germans living abroad are not eligible for "Sozial-Hilfe". So, somebody would have to prove in a rather bureaucratic process that he is too sick to return to Germany.

 

It used to be the case that you were eligible but then this happened: A 64 year old nick- named "Florida Rolf" by the yellow press, unable to work due to sickness, lived in FL with the explicit approval of the German welfare office, received $ 1605 per month and word got around to the yellow press. You can imagine how they ran with that story of a social parasite. The government quickly acted and changed the law and since January 1st '04, this is the new rule.

Just to add some numbers to here, in 2002 exactly 0,025% of all welfare recipients lived abroad or exactly 959, among them many old NS survivors and incarcerated but many pensioners who had moved to Thailand.

So, they all had to come home when the law was changed, which cost a fortune in repatriating them plus many were now eligible for higher payments at home due to the higher cost of living index and the whole campaign ended up costing the government significantly more than if the law hadn't been changed and the whole issue simply let be. However, the yellow press had moved on by then thinking they had achieved the opposite.

 

http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/kultur/medien/bild-kampagne-gegen--florida-rolf--hinterhofwohnung-statt-miami-beach-3114432

 

 

[Enoon]

10 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

note to self:

never hold a cigarette in a photo of yourself when appealing to the public about your health issues.

 

but lets hope he gets the help he needs.

 

At least he kept the booze out of sight.

 

 

[williamgeorgeallen]

15 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

note to self:

never hold a cigarette in a photo of yourself when appealing to the public about your health issues.

 

but lets hope he gets the help he needs.

a good point, and dont wear a tshirt showing a brand of drink that causes the heath problem you are afflicted with.

[Grumpy Duck]

9 hours ago, micmichd said:

I believe in social security. About every German that works has a social health insurance, and they should pay the medical cost - whether the patient is in Germany or in Thailand. If the guy in question never had any health insurance, then he should be treated like any German at home: the welfare office should pay. 

I don't know about Germany. I do know that Medicare/Medicaid in the USA will not cover people outside the USA. I believe the AMA lobbied to have this included so medicare will not put $$$ in the pockets of foreign doctors/healthcare providers. 

[lvr181]

Sounds like that the German embassy doesn't want to help one of its own citizens? I wonder why? 

 

Hope he gets the assistance he needs, within Thailand.

[Canceraid]

He should have tried the Pattaya Balcony Treatment Protocol. It really works well for expats who are stupid enough not to plan for their old age or in case of emergencies.

[silent]

8 hours ago, mrdome said:

This is the legal situation, if he doesn't have a pension. It appears unclear at this point if he has one or not. If he does not or it's not sufficient, then there is (only) welfare - "Sozial-Hilfe":

 

https://dejure.org/gesetze/SGB_XII/24.html

 

In general, Germans living abroad are not eligible for "Sozial-Hilfe". So, somebody would have to prove in a rather bureaucratic process that he is too sick to return to Germany.

 

It used to be the case that you were eligible but then this happened: A 64 year old nick- named "Florida Rolf" by the yellow press, unable to work due to sickness, lived in FL with the explicit approval of the German welfare office, received $ 1605 per month and word got around to the yellow press. You can imagine how they ran with that story of a social parasite. The government quickly acted and changed the law and since January 1st '04, this is the new rule.

Just to add some numbers to here, in 2002 exactly 0,025% of all welfare recipients lived abroad or exactly 959, among them many old NS survivors and incarcerated but many pensioners who had moved to Thailand.

So, they all had to come home when the law was changed, which cost a fortune in repatriating them plus many were now eligible for higher payments at home due to the higher cost of living index and the whole campaign ended up costing the government significantly more than if the law hadn't been changed and the whole issue simply let be. However, the yellow press had moved on by then thinking they had achieved the opposite.

 

http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/kultur/medien/bild-kampagne-gegen--florida-rolf--hinterhofwohnung-statt-miami-beach-3114432

 

 

 Politics. All that matters are perceptions to the majority and whether or not the majority have enough sense to know when they're shooting themselves in the foot is insignificant.

[Johnnyngai]

12 hours ago, micmichd said:

Why should he go back to Germany? 

It's cold there, the natives are not friendly, and they don't like people like him. Medical care in Thailand is at least as good as in Germany, and it's cheaper. 

Germany should change her laws so Germans in exile get social health care. 

"Medical care in Thailand is at least as good as in Germany " ?  ?

An average citizen in Germany uses 5th generation antibiotic,  an average citizen in Thailand use ?? generation antibiotic. 

Four years ago in Shanghai , I got a case of  pharyngitis, I went to an average neiborhood clinic and received 2nd  generation antibiotic.

It didn't work at all after 4 days, so I went to a big hospital clinic and paid 5 times as much and received 4th  generation antibiotic. 

Fourth generation antibiotic started to work after just 24 hours. 

[madusa]

22 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I have some doubts about that.

In 2013 under his name there is an inquiry to a legal "forum".

He wrote that 500 Euro per month were impounded by the youth welfare office for child support from his meager "pension".

The "post" contains the location of the office.

Don't get what you mean. Could you be kind enough to explain in more details? You mean to say it's a con job or what?

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, madusa said:

Don't get what you mean. Could you be kind enough to explain in more details? You mean to say it's a con job or what?

No I don't say it's a con job. I believe that he is in that miserable situation.

Everyone is free to donate.

 

Just that there must be more behind the story.

 

E.g. that the family is totally uninterested to contact and that he likely had refused help in the past. Often people in such situation refuse to be repatriated until it's too late.

 

I am quite certain that the German consul in Pattaya had visited him (could have been the case that has been documented in a TV feature quite a while ago). He name was "beeped" and his face pixelated.

 

The text found on the net from 2013 uses his name and says "I live in Thailand",

He claims that he gets a 1200 Euro pension of which 500 Euro are impounded by a government office for child support.

A lawyer told him that the impounded sum is too high and he should seek lawyers help at his home place. The discussion ended there.

 

Now he can not be transported, too late. German embassy will surely not pay for health care cost in Thailand. Very sure that they would have paid for repatriation by lending the money.

So he is in a limbo.

 

In Germany every person is entitled for health care. Health care that is way better than public health care in Thailand.

As he seems to be on a welfare type of pension the state would have to pay for him anyway.

[madusa]

5 hours ago, Johnnyngai said:

"Medical care in Thailand is at least as good as in Germany " ?  ?

An average citizen in Germany uses 5th generation antibiotic,  an average citizen in Thailand use ?? generation antibiotic. 

Four years ago in Shanghai , I got a case of  pharyngitis, I went to an average neiborhood clinic and received 2nd  generation antibiotic.

It didn't work at all after 4 days, so I went to a big hospital clinic and paid 5 times as much and received 4th  generation antibiotic. 

Fourth generation antibiotic started to work after just 24 hours. 

4th generation antibiotic-  does it means older and more concentrate form of anti-biotic?

Never heard of this generation term for anti-biotic. Please give us a clue.

[bbi1]

38 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

The text found on the net from 2013 uses his name and says "I live in Thailand",

He claims that he gets a 1200 Euro pension of which 500 Euro are impounded by a government office for child support.

This guy looks like he's in his 70's, maybe even 80 years old. Why would he be paying child support? Paying it to a 40 year old "child"? Doesn't make any sense really.

Edited June 21, 2017 by bbi1

[Bastos60]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

This guy looks like he's in his 70's, maybe even 80 years old. Why would he be paying child support? Paying it to a 40 year old "child"? Doesn't make any sense really.

Ah, life eludes you.

 

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, bbi1 said:

This guy looks like he's in his 70's, maybe even 80 years old. Why would he be paying child support? Paying it to a 40 year old "child"? Doesn't make any sense really.

Please don't expect me to completely translate the German text.

In 2013 he states that the daughter is 12 yr old.

It seems that much of the child support was overdue/dated back. This would explain the big amount of 500 Euro. Quite exceptional for a person in his circumstances.

 

1) I can't tell how old he is. But a person that sick can look much older than he is.

2) You never heard of men becoming fathers in their 50s and up?

 

And don't forget:

it's about the nurse who claims that she can not burden to pay for his treatment anymore.

[Bill Miller]

Can't help thinking about the US system. Medicare dollars would go so much further in almost any other country, certainly in Thailand.

 

[Johnnyngai]

19 hours ago, madusa said:

4th generation antibiotic-  does it means older and more concentrate form of anti-biotic?

Never heard of this generation term for anti-biotic. Please give us a clue.

I copied the below from allnurses.com     

  

This is what my pharmacology textbook says about penicillins. It includes the cephalosporins with the penicillins (I'm paraphrasing):

First-Generation

penicillin G and penicillin V

have a narrow spectrum of clinical use (this means there are only a few organisms that they are able to successfully treat with this class of penicillin)

good for common gram-positive bacteria that cause ear and throat infections, venereal diseases of gonorrhea and syphilis, and staph infections due to Staphylococcus aureus that cause abscesses, endocarditis and pneumonia

a very high number of the drugs in this group are resistant to organisms that produce penicillinase [Penicillinase is an enzyme that some bacteria are capable of producing. This enzyme is also called a beta-lactamase and it inactivates some of the penicillins.]

 

Second-Generation

ampicillin, amoxicillin

have an extended or broad spectrum of clinical use

work equally as well as penicillin G class plus effective against Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Haemophilus influenzae which are associated with urinary, respiratory and ear infections

all drugs in this class can be taken orally as they are well-absorbed from the GI tract. Patients will get higher plasma levels of amoxicillin than with ampicillin, so amoxicillin is more frequently ordered

ampicillin can also be given IM or IV

not very effective against penicillinase-producing organisms

 

Third-Generation

carbenicillin and ticarcillin

carbenicillin can be given orally; ticarcillin is given IM or IV

broader spectrum of use than the second-generation penicillins

used in the treatment of serious urinary, respiratory and bacteremic infections due to gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris

not resistant to penicillinase-producing organisms

 

Fourth-Generation

mezlocillin sodium, piperacillin

more potent than the other three classes

given IM or IV

have less sodium salt in them than the other penicillins so if a patient has congestive heart failure and needs restricted sodium intake this may be a reason for the doctor choosing one of these penicillins for them

used for serious infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacteroides fragilis in combination with other antibiotics

not resistant to penicillinase-producing organisms.