This time I’ll talk about being a daughter — about daughterly duties.
So last Friday, I went with my nanay to an opthalmologist, to an OB,
to an IM, and back to the opthalmologist.
We arrived very early in velez for te OB. But since ob is not around,
we decided to take the chance to have her eye checked up by an
opthalmologist. So we drop by at ACES clinic, it’s an eye center, in
velez. After the routinary eye check up, the doctr advised us to go
their perpetual clinic to have my nanay undergo further eye tests.
To cut the Story short, after pap smear with OB, after a follow up/
monitoring check up with her IM, we went to perpetual for the eye
test. The eye doctor recommended:
1. Laser ‘operation’ (do you call it operation ba?) for my nanay’s
right eye because of glaucoma. according to him, there’s an early sign
of glaucoma but everything is fine, nothing serious o sthing. The
laser will be for prevention, to avoid glaucoma progress. Laser costs
P6800/eye.
2. Cataract surgery – definitethat my nanay has an eye cataract.
According to the test, my nanay’s vision is 20/40. It’s supposed to be
20/20 – the perfect vision. Cataract surgery costs P32t/eye inlcuding
philhealth deductions. So it would be around P65t for both eyes.
As much as I tried to be cool or calm about it during the discussion
with doctor, I was actually muted, do-not-know-what-to-do. So it ended
up, I had not asked the proper questions or probe the doctor about
alternatives and such and such. I had not brought up my/our concerns
properly to him.
So now I’m thinking of:
1. Going back to the doctor to discuss my concerns or have a 2nd
opinion from another eye doctor. Owkei, I’m actually leaning to the
latter.
2. About glaucoma, when we were still in velez, he mentioned about eye
drops to cure glaucoma. So I wanted to ask him about the eye drops
because he no longer mentioned about ti when we were in perpetual.
Though, maybe laser is the best way, whcich brought me to my major
concern:
3. FINANCES. The P6800 laser cost is something we can handle. But the
P65t forthe cataract surgery is something like ‘hello world’!!! So
anyway, it’s not really something I am overly worried about for the
reason that worrying will not solve anything. =) I’m just thankful
that at least, it’s not really that very immediate. We can still find
time to look for resources.
4. This leads me to another question, how much time is available for
us to dilly-dally TO hunt for that much money? Unfortunately, no
installment basis for health care expenses. Though credit cards are
accepted (mmmm…) — hope it has 0% interest.
This makes me think that my nanay’s health care is something I should
have a budget on. And, for the rest of the relatives, I believe —
this is our culture. And, really health care is EXPENSIVE. And, I’m
really feeling it now with my mother turning 65 years old next month.
The arthritis — she has a P78/day meds for that. Her highblood —
thankfully the 50% off on expensive branded meds law was implemented
last august: lepitor from P90+ to P50+ now, micardis from P50 to P25
now (big big savings). Lately, all kinds of illness are just popping
out – the reason why we’re doctor hopping. So additional meds for
those and the doctor fees.
I’m not complaining. It’s just I want to jot down the reality of
ageing and health care. But I’m thankful that my nanay has a little
over enough to cover her meds. But one-time big surprise expenses like
surgery is something not easy for us.
I wish that we have a better health care system — I guesss it’s too
much to ask from our Philippine gov’t, right? With ondoy, it’s not a
good time to harrass our gov’t about some frivolous health care
system. I will not mention about senior citizen discounts, and the
delays/short of pensions by GSIS for this month.
So Maybe some easy financial system that will be a win-win situation
for both the patient and health care provider. What is that?!? I
really don’t know for now. Demmit, I’m going to hunt for that
solution. I’m definitely gonna be a first lady!!!
Oh, I just realized that mark works for the dutch’s health care
system. How ironic life can be!