Posting a little later in the day as I have been to the doctors all day. For weeks I have not been right, feeling lethargic loss of appetite but carrying a lot of weight.
Then to top it off I started having nosebleeds for a few weeks. I am noticing now also that I cannot stand cold temperatures and my fingers don't actually work when its so cold. So typing on the computer is a bit of a mission.
Can I just give a massive credit, to all the doctors and nurses who work in Bulgaria. Their wage is no where near as high as other parts of Europe yes their level of care is incomparable.
I went to the doctor worried that I was making a mountain out of a molehill. I told her this she said.... "I am the doctor, you are the patient, let me be the judge of that."
After checking my blood pressure she was immediately concerned because it was 158/87.
I asked if it was bad, she said "well its not good." So I was given medication to help to bring it down, it should be 138/74 so I am not allowed to get stressed.
Easier said than done, when you got three dogs who bark at anything and a Husband who speaks no Bulgarian and needs things doing.
So I was told to go for blood test, and to see the specialist but they were unavailable. So on Monday, I will be seeing them. I guess it must be a leave work early on Friday thing, I don't think an endocrinologist will be in as much of a demand as a GP would.
How much I paid for today.
Just to give you an idea of what healthcare costs here I will convert it to british pounds for you and you can do your own conversion.
- Bulgarian Health Insurance £7 a month.
- Doctor examination £1
- Prescription £5
- Blood Work £0.095
- Endocrinologist £1
So for today my treatment came to £7.95 now I wanted to compare this to the UK. Because yes treatment is free in the uk, but a referral to see a specialist would take weeks the waiting lists are long and the NHS is stretched.
I mean I don't want to go on a rant here, but it pisses me off when I hear about people in the UK who get a cold and a cough, next thing their diagnosing themselves as having a chest infection. Then they go off to the doctors for a prescription for antibiotics which will not cure them, and the government just paid the bill for the medicine.
Can I also just say if you're unemployed in England you get free prescriptions, you don't if you work, you have to pay for medicines and each prescription is almost £9 per item. This is why the NHS is so stretched because the amount of people who take advantage of the system instead of using it for what it's actually for.
Ludicrous!!
Sometimes I think it is better to pay out of your own pocket for treatment, if you get seen quicker because then you are using a service that is not taken for granted.
For my US friends, I know what you have to pay and I heartily feel sorry for you guys, I honestly could not afford your healthcare and I know your insurance is extreme.
On a lighter note.
Spring has sprung at last, today has been absolutely beautiful its actually colder in the house than what it is outside, so I am glad I have been outside most of the day. But now the sun is reaching its time of setting and I am looking at the fire wondering do I or don't I light it or will I get away with a blanket I am not sure.
To be honest right now the tiredness is setting in again and all I want it to eat hot dogs, curl up and watch a documentary about something.
Right now I am in with Alien Documentaries after discovering the Ancient Alien series.
Also Africa Only on VOTU told me about a series called Mind Field, which I found really interesting.
The first episode was about how we as humans need to engage with objects and people, and that it was in fact dangerous that after 48 hours we were damaging our brains. I would suggest if you are able to access it then watch it. I happened to type into google to see if I could get it free and I managed to find it... now there is a hint for you.
Ok guys thats everything from me, the cold is setting in a little now and I need to get things done.
So I will say have a wonderful Friday and a blessed weekend.
