GBA77

Evening all.

Just received news from Diggers daughter that Digger has suffered a bad stroke. It sounds like one side of his body is paralyzed and that he has a blood clot on the brain.

My understanding is that Digger is currently in the "Fejér Megyei Szent György Egyetemi Oktató Kórház II. Járóbeteg szakrendelő" hospital Székesfehérvár, Hunyadi u. 2, 8000 Hungary.

Beside the above I dont have any other information. Maybe someone fluent in Hungarian can give the hospital a call and get some first hand info and let us know more?

I have offered the family whatever assistance I can give. As it happens workmen are on site at my place at 8 am to lay gravel for the driveway and car park area, otherwise I would go up there. If they finish the gravel trap early then I may just go up anyway.

GBA

jetsam1

Best wishes to him. Hope he can make a good recovery from it.

BEVS

I am very very sorry to read this. Have always liked to follow how Digger47 is doing and enjoyed his character.

GBA77

I went to see Digger yesterday.

As to be expected he is not looking great. Its the right side which is paralized. He seems to have good movement on the left side. Seems to understand somethings and is aware of people.

His wife has to leave him shortly however his daughter is with him and arranging things. It would seem that they want to repatriate him back to the UK however he, like most of us, does not have travel/ medical insurance so I am unsure how they are going to arrange things.

Apparently the hospital say he is serious but stable and fit enough to travel!. I would beg to differ but them I am not a doctor. I think the hospital simple want to get him out of there.

This is the second time I have been into a Hungarian hospital, first as a patient and that frighted the bejeasus out of me, the second as a visitor. The level of medical care is WAY different to what we are used to.

The above is something which has certainly opened my eyes a lot wider than they were before and my advice, even if you have a Hungarian wife/spouse/partner or not, this medical situation especially as one grows older, REALLY needs very serious consideration before any decision is made to live here permanently or not.

In fact, I would say that anyone contemplating moving here permanently should take a visit to their local hospital and spend a few hours wondering around which seems easy to do, and see things for yourself.

If and when I receive any news on Diggers condition, I will post it.

scrubbedexpat142

Very sorry to hear about Digger, please give him our best if you see him again.

wolfi

Best wishes for Digger from me too!
Life is cruel sometimes, let's hope for his recovery. I've had several friends with one side paralyzed more or less - there's always hope with this condition!

scrubbedexpat142

My Mother had a stroke a few years ago that initially left her paralysed down one side but which improved considerably, almost disappearing over time.

Let's hope Digger's condition goes the same way.

Jerseygirl

Very sorry to learn about Digger’s condition.

I think all expats as they grow older...should weigh up the options of healthcare in their adopted country vs the NHS.

Hope you make a speedy recovery Digger.

Peter_in_Hungary

+1
Stroke recovery is time, patience and a bit of determination.

For travel back to the UK - there is a difference between being medically capable of the journey (the hospitals view) and the ability to get insurance for the journey or the airline willing to take you on. However airlines - even the cheapo ones will take wheelchair passengers.

As for "expats as they grow older...should weigh up the options of healthcare in their adopted country vs the NHS."
good advice but my experience of the Hungarian NHS has been good with good treatment and none of the waiting times experienced in the UK. (OK once I had an appointment for a specialist 2 months out, but I saw the same Dr. privately for 6000HUF the following week - try that in the UK)

Oh and residential homes (outside of Budapest) cost just a bit more than the UK state pension and nursing homes or those that will take dementia patients a bit more, but you do have the language problem.

Back to the plot of this thread - get well soon Digger

scrubbedexpat142

From our limited experience here we can echo your comments Peter.

Again - all the best Digger!

GBA77

I only met the man once. That was very recently for 2 1/2 days while we sorted the plumbing stuff out at that new place of his. Top class bloke. Clearly been around the block a good few times and can tell stories that can make you weep and P at the same time.

Have to admit that many a time I had to read his posts a good few times before I got the gist of some of them. That was with his good right hand. I can only imagine what will be with his left hand.

GBA77

Peter. NO airline will take a patient 3/4 days after suffering a stroke. There is no way he can sit in a wheelchair. Unless you do like where he is at the mo, which is strap your arms to the bed to stop you moving around etc. Patient comfort Hungarian style.

The clot is still in his head. He had a scan on the first day and nothing after because he is showing signs of improvement! NOTHING I saw filled me with any sort confidence re the Hungarian medical system and or treatments.

The hospital may very well think someone in that condition is medically capable but if they had to action it, they could be culpable. Even if its Hungary.

spouse of scouse

Sorry to hear about Digger. If anyone here is close to him and would like to get more information about Digger's possible repatriation to the UK for treatment/care, a thread on the UK forum would attract the eye of some very knowledgeable people.

I'm pretty sure that Digger would have to pay all travel costs himself. Whether or not he's eligible to receive free NHS in-patient hospital treatment immediately on his arrival into the UK would very much depend on his residency status, ie is he habitually resident in Hungary or the UK.

Peter_in_Hungary

As I said there is a difference between being medically capable of travel and actually getting an airline to do it.

And with regards to care in Hungary - look up Liverpool Care Pathway in the UK!

Across Europe each NHS has the same problems - the bucket of money is not big enough (nor will it ever be!!), eastern Europe perhaps suffers more than the west.

And yes patients arms are tied to beds - not strapped as far as I have ever seen but with bandages to stop patients pulling out drips and alike when they are not all together with it. A practical solution to nursing shortages - which the UK also suffers from despite having a lot of nurses from eastern Europe.

Meanwhile is there anything that we can do to help Digger?

Jerseygirl

My mum was put in the Liverpool Pathway. It has since ceased to be but doctors use similar for end of life patients. My MIL is going through this now.