Fun with Bells Palsy

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I had an ear infection that was treated with antibiotics and I thought it was gone.  A week later the bone behind my ear started hurting and the next morning the right side of my face was partially paralyzed.  I noticed when I took a sip of water and ended up dribbling the whole thing out ha ha.  It was kind of like when your lip is messed up from the dentist shot (but it was not numb).  I could not move my eyebrow, cheek, lips, or close my eye all the way - all on the right side. Left side of face normal (but still ugly). So I thought this was not normal and maybe I should get it looked at.

We went to Qualimed, a new hospital here in Iloilo, supposed to be very good. The care was ok'ish? The cost was good.  I was in for 2 nights, for observation. No private rooms available (p2,800  a night). No semi-private rooms available (2 patient room p1,800 a night), so I had to go a ward (p1,400 a night). I expected a big open ward, but it was just 3 patient rooms. So not bad.  Biggest problem is they would wake me every 2 hours for something.  During the day they only took my blood pressure twice, but at night they wanted it constantly. Also I had some eye drops (not a prescription med, just basic drops like Visine). They would wake me every 4 hours for that.  The first night I got less than 2 hours sleep, and the 2nd night I might have lost my composure a bit and cussed the nurse out and said not to come back - I needed sleep.  It may have been rude, but it worked. I got 3 hours sleep in a row and felt much better ha ha. less than 5 hours sleep in 2 days - how do they expect people to get well?

Anyway the cost. I figured people might like to see prices.  I had no idea what anything was costing, other than the room.  I had an EKG, CT scan, chest x-ray, a general practitioner and an ENT specialist. 

All hospital charges can go on the credit card but the doctor fees have to be cash (you know they don't claim most on taxes, just like the lawyers).  

p2,800 2 night room charge.

p721 Other Fee (?)

p5,152 CT scan

p291 Chest x-ray (291 wow that is cheap?!)

p3,902 Blood lab

p1,634 meds

p718 Supplies (they did give me an electronic thermometer, a real nice big pillow, and a gallon of water, plus general bath supplies: soap, toothbrush, wash rag etc)

p15,514 Sub Total (cash or credit card)

p3,000 GP, I saw him 3 times for less than 10 minutes total

p1,500 ENT, I saw her twice for less than 5 minutes total.

p4,500 total Dr fee (cash only)

p20,314 Grand Total.

On the way home I had to get my 7 prescriptions and that was p3,800! Ouch. Cheap for US prices, pretty high for here.

Not too shabby for 2 days and lots of tests.  A friend paid for a CT scan in the US and it was $1,000 by itself.  My total was like $400 total. (USD)  Not the best care, but seemed ok.  My face is coming back some already. They said bells palsy takes a while to get completely over.  I can now move my eyebrow, a little. I can move my cheek, some. I can close my lower lip, which means I don't dribble... well... not more than normal ha ha.  I can move my upper lip a tiny bit, but my smile is still lopsided enough to scare kids.

It was real cheap, I thought.  I let my PhilHealth lapse because I was told here that if I paid the old fee I would have to pay up to date with the new cost to make a claim...but I know people who have used it and did not have to pay extra.  I should have paid it just in case - the old fee was crazy cheap.  I am not sure how much they would have covered, but anything would be nice. 

Qualimed is brand new and supposed to be a good hospital, but our toilet and bidet did not work. So we had to flush with a tabo. The shower worked but I did not bring a towel.  My IV hook was attached to the bed so you had to carry the bag to the CR.  I asked for a rolling stand and nurse immediately just asked "don't you have a helper".  He said very snottily and pissed me off so I may have responded stronger than I needed.... the filter here will probably not let me say it... but I will try. As soon as he smartassly asked if I had a helper I said. 'yes, but is my wife supposed to hold the f*ing bag while I pass stool?  godd<<n,  jesus f* christ that is the stupidest f*ing thing I ever heard. The key phrases for the 3 days was 'jesus f*ing christ' and 'cluster f*'. Two of my favorites. And I am always happy to teach them basic English. I like to be helpful.

The next morning a very nice nurse got me a rolling stand no problem. There was one helpful nurse out of like 15 there.  My IV kept back-flowing, and the tube would fill with blood (maybe I was full ha ha). I asked about it 3 times and they kind of half assed looked at it but did nothing. That nice nurse saw it and tried but could not get it to work so she pulled off the bag. I was ok with that. 

Overall it was ok. I hate hospitals, always have. I don't like staying there or even visiting. Maybe I did too much visiting as a kid and I am just done with it.  But for a hospital I guess it was ok. Just had the typical bad Filipino service, I am used to that.  Oh... hospital food is supposed to bad, and some Filipino food is bad, so the combination was the worst food ever. I got bistek for breakfast and the smell almost made me gag. The other breakfast was fish (I hate fish) but my wife would not even eat it ha ha.  We lived off chips, and snacks from Mercury drugs, and Jollibees.  I am sick of chicken... lunch & dinner day 1, breakfast, lunch, and dinner day 2! 

 

Edited March 28, 2018 by Tukaram (Tim)

[earthdome]

Glad to hear you are on the mend. Thank you for such a detailed report. You seem to be a very happy go lucky kind of guy. It must have been very poor service for you to get that angry with the staff.

[Old55]

I would not have been kinda ok with any of what you endured. I hope you make a full recovery.

[OnMyWay]

Hope you are recovering well!  Hospitals are never fun!

[Gerald Glatt]

Yes get well, must be terrible to dribble beer.

Dad always said stay away from hospitals.........full of sick people.

[sonjack2847]

8 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

I had an ear infection that was treated with antibiotics and I thought it was gone.  A week later the bone behind my ear started hurting and the next morning the right side of my face was partially paralyzed.  I noticed when I took a sip of water and ended up dribbling the whole thing out ha ha.  It was kind of like when your lip is messed up from the dentist shot (but it was not numb).  I could not move my eyebrow, cheek, lips, or close my eye all the way - all on the right side. Left side of face normal (but still ugly). So I thought this was not normal and maybe I should get it looked at.

We went to Qualimed, a new hospital here in Iloilo, supposed to be very good. The care was ok'ish? The cost was good.  I was in for 2 nights, for observation. No private rooms available (p2,800  a night). No semi-private rooms available (2 patient room p1,800 a night), so I had to go a ward (p1,400 a night). I expected a big open ward, but it was just 3 patient rooms. So not bad.  Biggest problem is they would wake me every 2 hours for something.  During the day they only took my blood pressure twice, but at night they wanted it constantly. Also I had some eye drops (not a prescription med, just basic drops like Visine). They would wake me every 4 hours for that.  The first night I got less than 2 hours sleep, and the 2nd night I might have lost my composure a bit and cussed the nurse out and said not to come back - I needed sleep.  It may have been rude, but it worked. I got 3 hours sleep in a row and felt much better ha ha. less than 5 hours sleep in 2 days - how do they expect people to get well?

Anyway the cost. I figured people might like to see prices.  I had no idea what anything was costing, other than the room.  I had an EKG, CT scan, chest x-ray, a general practitioner and an ENT specialist. 

All hospital charges can go on the credit card but the doctor fees have to be cash (you know they don't claim most on taxes, just like the lawyers).  

p2,800 2 night room charge.

p721 Other Fee (?)

p5,152 CT scan

p291 Chest x-ray (291 wow that is cheap?!)

p3,902 Blood lab

p1,634 meds

p718 Supplies (they did give me an electronic thermometer, a real nice big pillow, and a gallon of water, plus general bath supplies: soap, toothbrush, wash rag etc)

p15,514 Sub Total (cash or credit card)

p3,000 GP, I saw him 3 times for less than 10 minutes total

p1,500 ENT, I saw her twice for less than 5 minutes total.

p4,500 total Dr fee (cash only)

p20,314 Grand Total.

On the way home I had to get my 7 prescriptions and that was p3,800! Ouch. Cheap for US prices, pretty high for here.

Not too shabby for 2 days and lots of tests.  A friend paid for a CT scan in the US and it was $1,000 by itself.  My total was like $400 total. (USD)  Not the best care, but seemed ok.  My face is coming back some already. They said bells palsy takes a while to get completely over.  I can now move my eyebrow, a little. I can move my cheek, some. I can close my lower lip, which means I don't dribble... well... not more than normal ha ha.  I can move my upper lip a tiny bit, but my smile is still lopsided enough to scare kids.

It was real cheap, I thought.  I let my PhilHealth lapse because I was told here that if I paid the old fee I would have to pay up to date with the new cost to make a claim...but I know people who have used it and did not have to pay extra.  I should have paid it just in case - the old fee was crazy cheap.  I am not sure how much they would have covered, but anything would be nice. 

Qualimed is brand new and supposed to be a good hospital, but our toilet and bidet did not work. So we had to flush with a tabo. The shower worked but I did not bring a towel.  My IV hook was attached to the bed so you had to carry the bag to the CR.  I asked for a rolling stand and nurse immediately just asked "don't you have a helper".  He said very snottily and pissed me off so I may have responded stronger than I needed.... the filter here will probably not let me say it... but I will try. As soon as he smartassly asked if I had a helper I said. 'yes, but is my wife supposed to hold the f*ing bag while I pass stool?  godd<<n,  jesus f* christ that is the stupidest f*ing thing I ever heard. The key phrases for the 3 days was 'jesus f*ing christ' and 'cluster f*'. Two of my favorites. And I am always happy to teach them basic English. I like to be helpful.

The next morning a very nice nurse got me a rolling stand no problem. There was one helpful nurse out of like 15 there.  My IV kept back-flowing, and the tube would fill with blood (maybe I was full ha ha). I asked about it 3 times and they kind of half assed looked at it but did nothing. That nice nurse saw it and tried but could not get it to work so she pulled off the bag. I was ok with that. 

Overall it was ok. I hate hospitals, always have. I don't like staying there or even visiting. Maybe I did too much visiting as a kid and I am just done with it.  But for a hospital I guess it was ok. Just had the typical bad Filipino service, I am used to that.  Oh... hospital food is supposed to bad, and some Filipino food is bad, so the combination was the worst food ever. I got bistek for breakfast and the smell almost made me gag. The other breakfast was fish (I hate fish) but my wife would not even eat it ha ha.  We lived off chips, and snacks from Mercury drugs, and Jollibees.  I am sick of chicken... lunch & dinner day 1, breakfast, lunch, and dinner day 2! 

 

Seems like the normal service you get here.When my daughter was in hospital here we also couldn`t eat the hospital food which was room temperature and if the illness didn`t get you that surely would have.

We also got peed off with Jollybee and fast food.But somehow most of the time they seek to get the job done.I did get hit by a female nurse when she was bathing my daughter as I asked is it my turn next.Oh well guess she meant no.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Facial movement seems to be coming back quickly.  I can already move my right eyebrow, and lower lip. Cheek moves ok, and right side of mouth is beginning to move already.  The doc said it will heal over time... or it won't... he seemed to not care in the least one way or the other. At least in the US they are taught to pretend to care ha ha...  I slept for 11 hours and feel much better. 

The doc wrote directions for all the meds (there are too many!) but he missed one on the prescription form (or the nurse did... it is not signed so I don't know who actually filled out the scrip).  So my wife is going back to the city to ask if we need to get the other pill.  We could easily get it here in town, but she wants to make sure if it just got left off the scrip, or they changed their mind.  Probably a good idea.