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In our years of journey, we’ve hardly ever discovered ourselves pulling up Google trying to find native hospitals. However getting sick whereas touring does occur, and I can consider two significantly scary experiences we’ve had getting sick overseas.
Getting Sick Overseas
The primary time we discovered ourselves Googling for emergency rooms was throughout my first being pregnant.
Though we had been solely in Canada, the method to healthcare was vastly totally different—ahem, cheaper—than in America. As a result of we knew the explanation I used to be sick, we tried to search out an OB/GYN to ebook an appointment. We shortly realized that since we had been American, we needed to go to a public clinic. Specialty docs require a referral and as Individuals, that was out of attain.
We discovered a clinic on Google Maps, confirmed up and acquired added to an hours-long ready listing, and noticed a health care provider. Really, for the second physician go to I wanted, I used to be fairly severely unwell. I need to’ve regarded like demise as a result of I’ve by no means been whisked again to a room so shortly!
Our medical insurance truly coated these visits although we had been overseas. Plus, as a result of it was Canada, my prescription value about $80 for a three-month provide. (Later I refilled that prescription within the States…it value $400 for a two-week provide and I’m nonetheless bitter about it.)
There’s one thing about getting sick in Canada that isn’t too intimidating. We had been even in Vancouver—a fast drive again to the States if we would have liked to be.
However what about while you’re sick in a a lot much less acquainted nation?
Andorra—the tiny European nation nobody’s heard of
Tucked between Spain and France is the tiny mountain nation of Andorra. It takes about an hour to drive throughout your complete nation and it’s identified for snowboarding. (If you happen to’re considering of getting sick someplace, a ski space is a superb place to be. There’s at all times going to be a hospital close by!)
It was in Andorra that issues began getting unhealthy for Heath and me…
Heath shares all of the gory particulars within the video above, however I discovered myself trying to find hospitals close by at 1:00 AM.
Being in Andorra was truly extraordinarily fortunate! Due to the dimensions of the nation, we determined to go to and camp within the capital metropolis of Andorra la Vella. Our campsite was a five-minute drive from the hospital. Doable even when sick.
Even higher for us, everybody we met in Andorra spoke Spanish and French. Our French was restricted to your primary journey phrases, however Heath is aware of Spanish nicely sufficient to converse. If we had gotten sick in the future earlier, we’d’ve been camped in the midst of the Pyrenees mountains at the least an hour from a hospital and in a French-speaking nation. I’m unsure what we’d’ve completed!
Now you by no means actually know when you’re going to get sick, however when you’re beginning to really feel such as you could be sick, keep away from going into rural or distant areas.
Discovering Hospitals and Docs Overseas
We at all times use Google Maps when searching for emergency rooms and hospitals. Even when the hospital names are in several languages, Google can nonetheless observe them down when you search the phrase hospital.
For docs or specialists, we use Air Physician. I’ve the free app downloaded on my telephone to be used wherever we’re. When our son had a nasty fall and we had been apprehensive he might need a concussion, we began trying to find pediatric docs close to us.
You simply have to kind your location (or activate location companies) after which kind your want.
Our pal Peter truly used Air Physician to discover a dentist in Paris when he misplaced a crown throughout dinner.
Non-Pressing Care Choices
When Eli fell and we apprehensive he hit his head too arduous, we had been break up on what to do. It was 7:00 PM on a Saturday night time. No physician’s workplace was open, that means we must go to an emergency room. Moreover, it was previous Eli’s bedtime. Taking him to a hospital meant he wouldn’t get much-needed sleep for a number of hours and he was already fussy.
We known as our physician again residence and talked to the triage nurse. She walked us by means of concussion protocol, confirmed Eli was high-quality, and all of us slept soundly that night time.
Calling your house physician is at all times a superb choice and one we’ve exercised usually with our children. They’ve all of your affected person info and are normally fast to reply questions. For non pressing wants or something that wouldn’t require prescriptions, we wish to go this route first.
Emergency Assist
In Europe, the emergency quantity is 112. Understanding the emergency variety of the nation or area you’re visiting is essential. (Having the language of the nation you’re in downloaded in your telephone in Google Translate may even be important for emergencies!)
If you happen to do have to go to the hospital, convey your paperwork and journey insurance coverage with you. I take photographs or screenshots of all this info so it’s saved on my telephone. Then I make a Shared Photostream and share them with my husband. This fashion all our paperwork are accessible throughout all our gadgets simply in case.
Emergency assist hopefully isn’t mandatory, however is one thing you must take into consideration while you buy a vacation SIM to your time overseas. Calling isn’t at all times included as an choice, however could be very important.
Making ready to Journey Overseas
Earlier than we journey to any nation, I be certain to study phrases like assist and memorize the emergency telephone quantity. (In Japan the place we head subsequent, it’s 119. 911 backwards!)
However one of the vital issues to do is pack your personal first support equipment and primary medication and nutritional vitamins. As frequent as a few of these gadgets are in America, discovering one thing easy like vitamin C could be very troublesome overseas.
For a whole listing of all the pieces we pack after we journey overseas, obtain our household packing listing: