Fwd: Good health news

----- Original Message -----
To: "Alastair Whitelaw" <awhitelaw@xtra.co.nz>
Subject: Good health news
Date: 04 Nov 2013 13:18:38 -0000
From: zmq5985

We have been mightily relieved today to find that Jean's hip problems (which remain very painful and debilitating) are not associated with her hip joints. After a visit today to an Orthopaedic Surgeon at the KPJ Specialist Hospital here in Johor this was the finding and she also had a bone density scan as well as a CT scan and chest X-Ray. All clear except that she needs to find someone (Emmet Therapy or good Osteopath) who can straighten out her twisted ligaments.
The other issue was her breathing difficulty which turns out to have been caused by the growth of many polyps in her nasal passages including those behind and above her eyes. One lung is almost totally non functional due to the blockages caused by the polyps. It now seems apparent that this condition has been getting worse since leaving NZ in 2011 (in spite of having seen a chest/ENT specialist before leaving NZ) and it is a testament to her fortitude that she has coped with often very trying conditions for many weeks and 7,500 miles since the Bay of Islands 28 months ago. In the middle of all that of course she returned to NZ for 6 weeks to nurse her sick sister in 2012. She is a trooper absolutely without question and hopefully will be her old self once the necessary nasal surgery is completed.
So, today we had 3 specialist visits (ENT & Orthopaedic) as well as the tests described above and she is scheduled for surgery on Thursday the 7th. November to remove the said polyps. The system here is so efficient and blows the NZ system out of the water. We have had 4 specialist visits since last Friday, all tests with results notified immediately and organised surgery for Thursday all during today. All within 2 floors of the same hospital - KPJ Specialist Private Hospital. And the costs -
visits to specialists (ENT & Orthopaedic) including all scans and tests as above - 1100 Ringgits
2 nights in a private room - 500 Ringgits
Surgery estimated at - 6700 Ringgits
Total - 8300 Ringgits = NZD3,200
The standard of the hospital would equal the best private (Southern Cross) hospitals in NZ and would be well in excess of our public hospitals in terms of efficiency, caring and cleanliness.
This would simply not happen in NZ or Australia and is totally mind blowing. It puts our countries to shame and is why so many health refugees from Aust and NZ are travelling to SE Asia for various treatments. Here in Malaysia it is referred to as "health tourism".
Malaysia is certainly NOT 3rd. World - by comparison NZ is, or is bordering on it.
We are not sure now whether to continue north on the boat once Jean has recovered (about the 15th.) or to leave the boat here until we return from NZ towards the end of January and then head north. We'll make this decision in the next few days and will let you know.
In the meantime we'll continue to prepare the boat for an extensive 2 month lay-over, whether here or in Pangkor.
Keep watching this space.............
Lotsaluv from us,
Jim and Jean
www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com
----- End of Original Message -----

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