Dorothy

Yes, ALT is alanine aminotransferase which used to be called SGPT (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase).

It sounds like the two of you have had a lifetime supply of dramas. Here's hoping things settle down soon and the rest of 2019 brings better health and long awaited peace.

tropicofcancer

With regard to the gallbladder: stones are one problem. They show readily, on an ultrasound. However hardening, is not so easy to spot. I suffered from the latter, and it was diagnosed as such. After scans were looked at, by a very thorough consultant. Who noticed that cracking, was just beginning. Confirmed in a biopsy, after removal.
With the rabies: it is three jabs. Unless the dog involved dies, or has simply disappeared. Then it's four!
Consultants Fees: In Chong Hua these are clearly shown on the bill, together with the amount paid by PhilHealth. You pay the difference. However some fourteen years ago. A two year old niece, was in a government hospital. Her father asked me for help. I made the mistake of paying by UK Debit Card. After paying; they realised: that there were two fees of P2000 payable to two consultants. That had not been included. No receipt, for my cash payments, but the consultants, informed the cashier by phone, that they had been paid. Back to the cashiers, who have now discovered, further money needs to be paid. Cash Only! A receipt would be issued. After paying, the printer developed a fault, and was unable to print a receipt! However, they issued a blue, Discharge Slip.
These days, if we pay for a relative, in a government hospital, my Filipina wife, pays in cash, with her no nonsense elder sister as back up.

SushiFan

The list is getting longer and longer. It is spiralling downward until it reaches a stage where you can't handle everything any more. At that time you will either have a breakdown, or run away as far away as you possibly can. Running away before the breakdown occurs could be the best option.

mikek1

scrubbedexpat095

HI P11,
I really don't like to say this but the description of your wife's symptoms fits HCV (Hepatitis C) to a tee, :-( What you call SGPT is more commonly known as ALT. If your wife has high ALT and high AST and lower right abdominal pain then you should definitely have her tested specifically for HCV (otherwise known as Hep C or the Silent Killer) The test is more commonly known as the HCV Antibody test and will indicate if she has ever been exposed to HCV. If she has antibodies then the next test should be what is known as a Viral Load test to see is she still has HCV or has successfully fought off. Has she or does she ever suffer night sweats where she wakes up very wet from sweating. Oh and mood swings are also a symptom of HCV
The antibody test is a bit more expensive than the normal blood test and the Viral Load test is really expensive which is why they test for antibodies first. No antibodies then no infection ! I would hazard a guess that the tests you have had done are just the standard blood test. There are several genotypes of HCV the most difficult to treat being Genotype 1b One bright point is that women respond better than men do to treatment.
It's not quite the potential death sentence it used to be back in the 90''s (It was only discovered in 1989) as since a couple of years there is now a course of treatment with virtually 99% success rate (Mind you it is very very expensive ($94,000 in the states)) cheaper elsewhere though. BTW it would be a good idea to check this out pretty rapidly as HCV doesn't take any time off :-( The previous treatment involved a year or 18 months of chemo with Interferon 2 a or 2b and Rebetrol (the Interferon has to be a Pegylated ) Until 1989 HCV was commonly known as NON A and Non B Hepatitis. Normally everyone in the same household should be tested, its only spread by blood to blood contact but there are cases where the source has not been identified.

Stokkevn

Misunderstood, I thought you had only paid P7k for all the treatment.

I am very lucky in that I rarely have medical problems, only visited a doctor twice in 36 years ( despite having lived a relatively unhealthy lifestyle ), wife not so lucky. Wife has a relative who is a senior nurse and works in Manila ( seems to be in the profession to help people and not himself ) and I have an agreement with him that if I or 'her in doors' needs long term medical assistance I will pay him what he earns in Manila and he would move back and look after me or her.

Philosophical 11

Greetings...again,

Many thanks for your comments.

Updates on the rabies jab and the doctors fee.

Rabies.....I nipped (excuse pun) along to the "Animal Bite Centre" here which is at the medical centre yesterday morning armed with my medicine for the injection. After the injections (2) I was told to report to the Bite Nurse (my words) who then told me that what I had been given was in fact a tetanus jab and I had to now go forth and purchase the rabies vaccine. However, she told me it could not be bought here but in the "Big City" .....a 10 hr return journey by bus! I was very miffed about this and was seriously thinking about taking a chance and not bother. After all, it was a 2 month old puppy kept at home and was in very good health. She didn't realize this and assumed it was one of the many local strays that we have here
that did the deadly deed. She then informed me that if that was the case, I needn't bother with the jab but waited instead for the dog to develop symptoms of rabies....or died within the next 10 - 14 days. So that's how that hangs at the present moment. As a side note.....When I saw the sign "Animal Bite Centre" emblazoned at the Medical Centre, I assume that it was just a case of waltzing in.....fill out a form.....get a quick jab from the Bite Nurse and then be on my way. But I forgot....this is the Philippines.

Doctors fee....Whilst waiting at the Medical Centre, in walked the said doctor who treated my wife at the hospital. He seemed to think I was waiting specifically for him and I suspect knows that I have kicked up a fuss with the hospital. He wrote out a receipt for 7k in FULL payment of the fee and did not know that the hospital had charged 2250 for his services. But I still intend to take it up with the Dept of Health because I have been charged twice. I have since read that Philhealth pays for the first 2700 of the doctors fee for this particular type of treatment my wife had.

mfh......Many thanks for taking the time to explain about Hep C which I find very disturbing. No....she does not suffer from night sweats....but mood swings....oh yes! However, I am going to see how this treatment goes and go from there. As a separate issue....I find too much information can be misleading and allows the brain to run wild. As an example she is currently using Norethisterone to help treat her hormonal problem. Looking it up this morning, I noted that one of its functions is to replace one of the enzymes that is produced by the liver. A damaged liver cannot produce this enzyme. I will leave it at that....

All for now

mikek1

Philosophical 11

Greetings!

We appear to have some good news....at last.

My wife had to go to the "Big City" a few days ago to pick up a prescription for her hormonal problem which is a 10hr return bus journey. However whilst there, she decided to check into the hospital for yet another updated opinion. This time the Dr decided to do a D and C (ladies will know what that is) and found a small fibroid I think it was and was subsequently removed. She had to have an anti-biotic after the procedure and is going back today for a second and will stay there for a 3rd on Wednesday. Pity she had to go all that way again for an anti-biotic which appears to be quite expensive at about 850 php. Shame it wasn't picked up on one of her scans in the first place.

Anyway.....hopefully that will be the end of that worrying saga.

Will update on the burglary later today and the nightmare admission to hospital a week or so ago.

Regards

Philosophical 11

Greetings....

The Burglary.

Anything to do with money here always raises suspicion, warning flags and signals. However, only a small percentage of them justifies the suspicion. 2 + 2 didn't always = 4.

As previously mentioned, we made a rare visit to the bank in the "Big City" 5 hrs away and she took the opportunity to withdraw all our household and her personal allowance. About 40k I guess. She reasoned later that as it was just before Xmas, the ATM's would be very busy or not working at all. A reasonable....but unwise excuse. I never move around the "big city" with a lot of money and never keep more than 3k at home. About a day or so later, we went out to the beach in the afternoon/evening and came back 2 hrs later when it was dark. The security light at the back of the house was on and the dummy CCTV camera showed its presence with a blinking red light. She left the remainder of her money estimated at 33k in her purse which was in her handbag about an arms length away from an unlockable jallosy (sp) on the bed. The jallosy was open, purse removed but dropped outside the bedroom window and the 33k gone. However, her ATM card plus expired credit cards of mine were intact.....including some US dollars and Kuwait KD's. Police investigated and they were surprised on how it all came about.

Now, the first thing I found strange ....and I am no Sherlock Holmes.....was that the handbag was still an arms length away from the jallosy. I would have thought the thief would have pulled the handbag up to the jallosy and lifted the wallet. Well....that's what I would have done. Makes it easier and the handbag can be inspected for more goodies. Why was the wallet left behind? Normally I would have expected it to be snatched and discarded elsewhere. She is also the first in the bedroom getting changed on return home and never spotted the opened jallosy. Which knowing her eagle eyes was odd. I spotted it immediately a few minutes later. Now outside we have an old rotting bamboo bed against the wall which is falling apart and it looks as though someone put their feet through it. However, I cant be too sure about that. There was another reason to be suspicious but that was resolved this morning so I wont bore you with details but it did create great suspicion.

All for now.....hospital saga next.

Gazza-d

Sounds like an inside job, the wallet was thrown out from inside the room. Hence the bag not being moved.

scrubbedexpat142

Has the Wife's lost allowance been made good?

spouse of scouse

Philosophical, as usual you have all the information you need in order to join the dots.

Rete

By purse you mean wallet and not handbag. In the US a handbag is called a purse and a place for your cards and money is a wallet.

I will leave you with your thoughts and suspicions as random dot connections can be one of two things.

Glad the fibroid was discovered and removed. Will you be receiving an invoice for this or has herself already paid it? Antibiotics can be administered by drip or by mouth and I'm assuming she sits and waits while the drug is administered into her vein.

BEVS

Agree . It is a little confusing for me too and I use the words differently.

A man uses a wallet for his cash & cards.

A woman uses a handbag to keep assorted un-needed bits and bobs in
plus she has a purse to keep her cash and cards .

The purse lives in the dark confines of the handbag which remains with the woman through thick and thin, even when dancing.

The wallet lives in the man's trouser pocket.

The intrigue for me is what is a Jallosy?