Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

I have been away for a few days because the medicine they gave me for Lyme made me so sick that after 10 days I just had to stop taking it. Today I am feeling a little better. But I had a real surprise when I popped on line to see how you were all doing.

I have just finished reading all the post for the past few days and its been wonderful. Just like old times truly wonderful posts so insightful and thought provoking really make you think about what you are doing. Its no small thing to pack up your life and move back to a country that you have been away from for maybe more years that you lived there. Anyone that thinks its going to be easy are foolish there will be good and bad days. I may have mentioned before but I have been keeping a diary on my dally life and all the good and bad things about it. That way if and when I do get back home I will be able to look at it and see what I really felt like.

TAFFY DUCK..... I am so pleased that your house is sold and you are one your way home. I cant wait to hear your updates. :) Let us know were you settle.

JASPER123.....You wrote such great posts and I could feel your struggles and really understand how you must have felt and how you feel now. I think if nothing else being back with your children and the way you are establishing a relationship with them is the icing on the cake. It will take time for you to make friends you just have to get out and about. You are right about your Mum she is from a different age and I do think when they haven't travelled they do tend to live in a bubble. You just have to have patience with her.

BEEDUBYA......The trip sounded like it did you good and your starting to settle in much better than the last time you were home. You have tried so hard and I think its working . We just need to find you a nice rich chappy.:)

CHEERS......You take such trouble to try and walk people through their problems I like how you re-posted some of Jackies comments it does give pause for thought. Trying to understand how we got to the place we are.

DONTHETURNER.....Well I suppose I understand if you are working in the garden it can get really busy this time of the year. Please let us know how you are feeling about being home. I think from what I have read people who are going home to children seem to be fairing better than those leaving them behind, that to me is the one aspect of my leaving that pulls at my heart strings but Barb seems to be doing better with it this time that she did last time.

IDYINLY.....I am so sorry to hear your news only you know how you feel and you seem very determined to return to the US. I do hope you have given it enough time. You have been away for such along time it would take longer than a few months to get back into a UK way of life. Is it your daughter you are missing. Please let us know how things go. Remember even when you return it does not mean you have to stay. When Barb returned to Australia she kept us posted on how she was doing and then her decision to move back to the UK.

SALLY....You know exactly what you want and you have been really careful and are still taking small steps and I think thats good. When you wrote about not running away from things that was so true if only I had thought of that 30 years ago. That is exactly what I did. I was running away from what I thought was a boring life and from people who were making my life miserable. My OH made it easy for me as he wanted to return to the US but I should have really sat down and really considered what I was doing.

CELTICSPIRIT.....So sorry to hear your news hope everything goes well for you does that mean you might have to put off going home for a while.

ARIES......i think you are very brave but I think by reading the posts on here it will have given you an insight as to how its going to be. But if you really make plans and take it slowly you will do fine and so if it doesnt work out you have tried.

PISTOLPETE2......You really thought about it and made a decision thats good for you and I think thats what its all about whats right for each one of us. You will have the best of both worlds. You have considered all aspects of returning home and decided for the time being its not for you. But at least you are going home for a few months at a time. :)

CHARLYGIRL.......Sorry to hear you news but you have plans for the future and if it doesnt work out you can come back you have your US Citizenship so that really helps it was worth doing. I know its going to be hard leaving the young people behind but they are not children. It could well help them grow up. They might even want to join you. We must get together before you leave.

Can I say once again that I have really enjoyed every post for the past few days really interesting and I cannot tell you how some of them made me really think about what I am doing its quite frightening when you finally make the move. Thinking about it and planning it is important but once you get on that plane and make the move reality sets in as we have learnt from some of the posts. If I was to allow you all to read my diary:frown: you would see how boring my life is here I do my best to keep busy but I can honestly say I will not miss it one bit the drawback is my grownup children they are the one bright spot in my life. To be honest not so much my Grandchildren but my Children. My Grandchildren have their parents and plenty of relatives but I only have my 3 grown children and they are going to be hard to leave. I have been home many times and its always so easy for me, I fit in I feel comfortable I am not a fish out of water my biggest problem is going to be what part of the country to live in. But the house is still not sold so i keep my feet firmly on the ground and live each day to the fullest even if some days are boring but I try to keep very busy. i do not dwell on going home I know when the house sell its going to be months before we are able to return so that will give me plenty of time to think about what I am doing. Lastly boredom no matter which part of the world you live in can really make your life miserable so you have to fight it sitting in front of the tele is not good for you I get up and work in the garden or work on one of my hobbies and do plenty of reading.

How are you doing DDL and Easterndawn..... Hope all goes well with you.
Goodnight to you all....................

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

I would like some information on what benefits/rebates I will be eligible for when I return to the UK.

1) Free bus passes. What age are you eligible for these. If you have one are they able to be used throughout the UK ?
2) Persciptions. At what age are these free ?
3) Train /National Express 25% off at what age ?
4) Heating allowance. What age and what reduction ?
5) Poll tax ??? Rental accommodation do you pay it ? Owner occupier how much ?
6) TV licence. How much ?
7) Rates. Do you get a reduction ? What age?
8) Driving licence ?
9) Car rego ?
10) Water rates ?
11) Glasses ?
12) Telephone any reduction ?
13) Insurance . Which has the best rates ?

Can't think of anything else but please add if I've missed anything.

Thanks inadvance if anyone is kind enough to supply the information.
Helen

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

I just posted this to another thread on Health care in the UK, I have copied it and pasted it here before I forget, will check all posts on here tomorrow, but as you will see by the end of this post, I am off to bed now at 8.40pm to recuperate.



OK folks, quite unexpectedly I am here to answer this question with my experience yesterday of signing on at a doctor's surgery and being admitted to hospital.

On Saturday when out of the UK I found out I had big probs with my blood pressure which caused excruciating headaches, dizziness and nausea. These headaches were the worst I have had in my life.

I returned to the UK on Sunday morning and throughout the day had to take doses of paracetamol as I felt so ill, at 2am I woke up with the worst headache I have ever had in my life. So of course you just want the pain to go and don't think of what or how many painkillers you are taking.

On Monday morning I got online and found a doctors surgery locally, they said to come in, I saw the receptionist who got me to fill in some forms, no questions asked about residency.

I was advised to phone my local hospital by the triage nurse, which I did when I got home and they told me to come in and see them. I arrived in a taxi as I wasn't up to driving for 30 minutes or so, I was armed only with my handbag as I thought they would just do a blood test and send me on my way, however they admitted me again with no questions asked about residency.

I had an ECG, a CT scan and a lumbar puncture. Ouch!!

It turns out that in addition to my blood pressure sky rocketing I had also inadvertently overdosed on paracetamol as the head pain was excruciating, so I was also put on a drip for 20 hours to protect my liver.

When they discharged me I was given a prescription at no cost for blood pressure tablets and they arranged transportation home as I was feeling pretty stiff and sore after the lumbar puncture.

So here I sit tonight totally happy with the treatment I received from the NHS, unless I get a bill in the post LOL!!

BTW the dosage for paracetamol is 4g per day, I had taken 10g.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

All of these questions are searchable in the main MBTTUK site, I think there are too many questions here to be answered, lots of research needed.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

So glad you were able to get good care, Bee and that your experience was so positive. Hope you are now well.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Beedubya.....I am so sorry you felt so ill. Please be careful. My Dad suffered with high bloodpressure but he did nothing about it and had stoppped taking his bloodpressure pills. He was having terrible headaches. He ended up having a massive stroke so please make sure to watch those headaches. Buy yourself a bloodpressure cup so when you have a headache you can see if it's caused by high bloodpressure. Anyway the treatment you got sounds like the best and no bill:thumbsup: Hope they are doing follow ups on you.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Wow how scary, but I'm glad you got such great care and that you're OK now. Three cheers for the NHS :)

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Barb I have been home for a little less then 7 months now, after I was home for 2 weeks I went into my Mums doctors building and registered just by filling in a couple of pages on a form, no I.D was asked for, just my address, having my Mum with me I think helped as shes been a patient there for years,
Anyway right there and then I made an appointment with a Doctor to get my psoriasis on my feet taken care of, she got me in to see a Dermatologist the very next day, I am currently having UV light treatment on my feet at hospital, for last 5 months now twice a week, my feet are almost back to normal and they think that they will be able to keep it away :) 5 months ago I could hardly walk it was so painful,

I have had a full physical examination, or as they call here (MOT) they took all the blood tests, and they were all negative including the (psa) prostate :)

I have had a hearing test at the hospital --- they found I was 90% deaf in one ear ---- never knew that all these years :ohmy: now Im waiting for another appointment for a bunch more tests and Im told that they will probably implant a hearing aid ---- they say thats very succsessfull,

A couple of weeks ago I developed a Hernia in my right groin, NHS gave me a free Truss or hernia belt on prescription, they even measure you for it here and you get it tailer made for you --- can you imagine that :) I am currently just waiting for my operation ---- they say I should be hearing from them in a month, but in the meantime with the truss at least I can walk around pain free,

Well Barb and everyone I can honestly say with no WORD OF A LIE whatsoever that I am definitely having the best health care treatment that I have ever had IN MY WHOLE LIFE, ----- All I can say is thank goodness this hernia came on while I was here in England, I dont know what I would have done in U.S. with no health care coverage :eeg:

What I really like about the NHS is there very simple repeat prescription system, Its absolutely fantastic, you just pick up a bunch of these little refill tickets at the doctors and take them home, ---- and when ever you needed a repeat of A PRESCRIPTION you just write down clearly in capitals the drug or drugs that you want a refill of --- just fill the ticket out at home with your full name and address and just pop it into the Docs office next time your around the neighborhood ---- and thats absolutely it!!!! the reception passes it on to the Doc to write a prescription and sighn it then you pick them up 48 hours later, there always ready on time, and there always free :)

What a refreshing change that is from the dreadful experiences I always had in U.S. whenever I had to get a repeat prescription --- sometimes the Doc would write in the original prescription say more then one refill like say three, but sometimes no refills were allowed --- so then you had to make another appointment with the Doc and (if you had insurance) you paid your $30 or whatever for your copay just to see the Doc again (what a racket that is) --- they charge your health care provider another couple of hundred dollars just for that unneeded docs office visit, and if the doc wished to give you another prescription then you got it ---- or not!!!!
Take care Barb and Im happy that they sorted you out, yes that paracetamol is very strong, Im glad that Im allergic to them, I can only take aspirin for pain,
Rodney.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Rod, It sounds like you are in hogs heaven!

I'm hearing all this talk about cutbacks. What does that mean???

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Did you read about the bank robber who only wanted to rob a dollar so he could get much needed health care in prison.

GASTON COUNTY, NC. -- A North Carolina man admits he robbed a bank of one-dollar and then sat down and waited for police to arrive.
James Verone allegedly walked into the RBC Bank on New Hope Road hoping to get arrested. Verone said it was not for monetary reasons but to get medical insurance. Verone has a growth on his chest, two ruptured disks and a problem with his left foot.
Verone is a 59-year-old man with no job and no money, he says he thought jail would be the best place to get medical care. He says he is getting good medical care now, but the jail doctor accused him of manipulating the system. Because he only demanded one dollar, the police charged him with larceny from a person, not bank robbery. Verone might not get as much time in jail as he hoped.


Read more: http://www.cbs12.com/articles/dollar...#ixzz1PxeZkbJ9

The jail doctor, who is treating him, told him he was manipulating the system:)

See Rod we have free healthcare here if you know how to get it!

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Bloody sad when some has to go to jail to get medical care. I'm told that occasionally nurses in the ER will tell someone to go and commit a petty crime so they get locked up long enough for care :frown:

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Oh barb, thats really scary but I am very happy you got such good care. I also had to see the Doc when i was home before Christmas, I twisted my knee, I registered with the doc ( I offered to pay the 45 quid to see him) but the receptionist just asked me if I was still a Brit, I said yes and that was it, and by registering I got a full mot also, my SIL also told me I received an apt for a mammogram, which she cancelled for me. But i was very impressed and the lady at the chemist was really apologetic because it cost 7.50 for an anti-inflammatory.

Trotty sorry to read you have not been well. And yes we will get together soon.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Unfortunately she didn't pass. She got 3 minors which was OK but she got 1 major at a y junction so that did it, you are not allowed any majors so its back to the drawing boards. Go Denise!

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

Cheers can you pass this on to Denise/DDL and tell her how sad I am that she didn't pass the test, and each time she has to pay big quids to hire the car and take another test, I think its so demeaning that we have to pass ANOTHER TEST after all the decades that we have been driving,
Rodney.

Re: OVER 50's+ MOVING BACK TO THE UK - Part II
 

I can sympathise with the excruciating pain etc, I also suffer from very high blood pressure when I'm stressed (if 240/110 is considered high), so please take care and buy a monitor to check if your headaches reflect high pressure. My face also becomes flushed when my BP is high, so I'm easily aware of what is happening.

At least you were checked and treated well which is a blessing.