This is very helpful, thank you! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to walk someone from the U.S. through another country's medical system. Having so many bad experiences within the U.S. system makes me apprehensive about even attempting to navigate a health system in another country. Thanks again!
Hi (again) Jen, just thought I'd pop in and share an amusing Spanish medical story. This was way back in 2006 when I was living in San Sebastian. I had an excruciating pain in my foot, around the big toe. I went in to my usual doctor, who was gruff but efficient (I thought). I had an X-ray and to the naked, untrained medical eye, it looked broken. I could see a crack. But she insisted it wasn't and said tendonitis, sending me for physical therapy. My foot got worse and worse and a time came when I could barely walk. She insisted it wasn't broken and to keep at it.
Anyway, my job ended that summer and I went off to Latvia in the autumn. Foot pain persisted. Went to a doctor there, still had my old x-ray luckily and they did another. The doctor was outraged - 'of course it was broken!' he said. It slowly got better and just for shits and giggles I also gave the X-ray from Spain to my dad to show his American doctor who had a similar reaction - 'how could anyone not see this, there's clearly a crack in the metatarsal!'
This is very helpful, thank you! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to walk someone from the U.S. through another country's medical system. Having so many bad experiences within the U.S. system makes me apprehensive about even attempting to navigate a health system in another country. Thanks again!
You’re very welcome!
Hi (again) Jen, just thought I'd pop in and share an amusing Spanish medical story. This was way back in 2006 when I was living in San Sebastian. I had an excruciating pain in my foot, around the big toe. I went in to my usual doctor, who was gruff but efficient (I thought). I had an X-ray and to the naked, untrained medical eye, it looked broken. I could see a crack. But she insisted it wasn't and said tendonitis, sending me for physical therapy. My foot got worse and worse and a time came when I could barely walk. She insisted it wasn't broken and to keep at it.
Anyway, my job ended that summer and I went off to Latvia in the autumn. Foot pain persisted. Went to a doctor there, still had my old x-ray luckily and they did another. The doctor was outraged - 'of course it was broken!' he said. It slowly got better and just for shits and giggles I also gave the X-ray from Spain to my dad to show his American doctor who had a similar reaction - 'how could anyone not see this, there's clearly a crack in the metatarsal!'
Oh well, we live and learn, don't we? 😂
😱 Oh my! How on earth did they miss a fracture?! That sounds suspiciously like someone who didn’t want to do paperwork. 😬