just for those who lost track of what happened after mummy was discharged 2 week ago...
1 week after mum was discharged from Puteri Specialist
we went back to the hospital for her follow up with the urologist
Nothing much we were expecting from the surgeon
except to set the date for her upcoming surgery to remove the stone in her ureter
We were told about the cost of RM8k++ for the hospitalization & the procedure
before she was discharged 2 weeks back
Until we met the urologist & the conversations below took place...
(conversations in mandarin & i tried to translate it to its finest)
Dr: So you & your mum already aware of how the surgery should be done right?
Me: Yes, after you have explained to us 1 week before
Dr: Ok so we shall arrange the surgery for your mum on 26/11 is it ok for you?
Me: Yea it should be fine, we will make appropriate arrangement from our side
(...& just when I thought everything was settled...)
Dr: Oh yeah I am supposed to let you know this, as I said the surgery is gonna take about 8k++ earlier on...
(trust me, my instinct by then already told me something is going to be hay-wired)
Dr: as we saw in the CT scan, the stone was not quite big but I am worried about the possibility of it having difficulty of coming out smoothly, so instead of just inserting the endoscope to suck the stone out, we would need to have ANOTHER laser machine to be inserted together with the scope so that if the stone was really too big to be taken out smoothly, we could use the laser to break the stone into smaller pieces and get them out easier!
Me: so doctor... it means...
Dr: you know... the laser machine is quite expensive so our hospital doesn't keep it... in fact NONE of the hospitals in Malaysia is keeping it, every hospital which needs the laser machine would need to rent it from this particular company... the company practically rents the machine to the whole Malaysia .. so you will need to pay RM7k-8k for the rental...
Me: *eyes opened wide* WHAT?? you mean the op RM8k++ plus this machine 7-8k++ meaning we will have to pay RM16k++ for the whole thing? (i really raised my voice!)
Dr: erm... do you think the cost is an issue now?
Me: (hell ya! u made it sound like RM16 instead!) yes that is 1 major thing which i need to discuss with my father first... but dr, is it possible if we just don't want to use the laser machine? what is the risk of not using it?
Dr: erm if the stone is not too big then it's OK.... if it is too big... and we don't use the laser... meaning we will have to use some ALTERNATE ways to get it out...
Me: *fed up* dr would you mind explain further about the Alternatives you are talking about now?
Dr: ermmmm we will use some CONVENTIONAL ways to get it out & its gonna take longer time...
Me: so what would be the risk for my mum if no laser machine used?
Dr: ermmmmm (i swear, he really made me feel like he has no idea of what he is gonna say next) the risk would be.... the surgery time will be longer and... your mum will feel more pain...
Me: *being so kindhearted to remind the dr* so is unexpected bleeding one of the risks?
Dr: ohhhhh yessssssss that is the risk, she might encounter unexpected bleeding if we wanna DRAG the stone out BY FORCE...
Me: So dr that's the alternate way of getting the stone out..??
Dr: erm somehow we will try our best to get the stone out.... but it would be more difficult if the stone is big...
(and now he is pusing around the same points again & again & i'm really pissed by now,
he should know the layman yet precise words to explain to the patients who have no professional backgrounds!)
Dr: (after observing my face) erm u know she might not need to use the machine, but we are just renting it in case we need it, so lets say IF she is not using the laser, u can actually get a discount of RM3k!
GOSH he made it sound like
"SUCH A GREAT DEAL GRAB IT WHILE IT LAST!"
and pals, please do your maths,
meaning if my mum actually doesn't need the machine
she is paying RM4-5k for NOTHING!!
At the right-EST time my dad called up
instead of walking out from the room to pick up
like what i always did out of courtesy
i picked up the phone and said
"pa, dr said we have to pay another RM8k for the surgery"
without fail, my dad screamed loud enough for the dr to hear
"WHY THE DR SIMPLY CHANGE HIS WORDS?!
LAST TIME SAID 8K CAN SETTLE
NOW HAVE TO ADD ANOTHER 8K
TOTAL 16K ARE U FUCKING KIDDING ME?
THE DR THOUGHT WE ARE GOLDMINERS ISSIT?
SIMPLY DIG ALSO CAN GET GOLD TO STUFF HIS ASS ISSIT?"
pretty sure the dr should get my dad's anger (and mine!) by now
even if he doesn't understand teochew
again the dr asked...
Dr: So the expenses is the main issue?
Me: yes dr, as i said I need to discuss with my dad first before I can make final decision, please give me some time I will call up your clinic to confirm the surgery date & whether we are renting the laser machine..
Dr: gotta be fast you know, 'cause they rent it to the whole Malaysia, if we inform them late we might not get the machine (again the same SIAPA CEPAT SIAPA DAPAT tone!)
Right after I stepped out from the clinic
I called up dad & said
"pa this dr really TAK BOLEH PAKAI!
we need to get 2nd opinion"
& coincidentally,
dad's friend had similar kidney stone problem few months back
& he has recovered well
He recommended the dr from Subang Sime Darby Medical Center
saying that the dr is very professional and bullshit-less
and he was quite happy to receive treatment over there
without further hesitations,
I called up the SDMC and made appointment for my mum to see that particular doctor
it was set on 19/11 & thus we went all the way up to subang on my birthday itself
seen dr & did all tests & scans on 19/11,
reports reviewing on 20/11
after considering my mum's complicated medical illness history
(hypertension diabetes stomach ulcer)
dr decided to do the procedure for her on friday 23/11
of course I did not forget to ask about the price..
the dr assured me that everything should not exceed 8.5k
including hospitalization & etc
Not to mention that the op procedure described here INCLUDED the laser (if necessary)
not like what I was told, scope 1 thing laser Another thing
& I can't forget the way the dr teased at our tensed tone
"i was worried about the stone from the way you told me what the other dr told you,
i saw all the xray CT-scan and it is just a small tiny fellow in the ureter,
its gonna be minor op so don't be so terrified by what OTHERS told you!"
Procedure completed at around 12noon,
the stone they showed me was, rather small in size for me
and my mum was kept for several more hours to prevent spiking high fever after surgery
before we could leave for home at around 6++pm
At last 1 thing settled in the mean time of treating her stomach ulcer,
but again peeps,
this incident taught me how important it is to seek for 2nd professional opinion
probably the same treatment outcomes to be expected
but not at much higher cost!
and last but not least,
for you guys who are in the same generation as myself,
its really time to spend more time with your parents
and observe them more attentively
you just can't imagine how fast they are aging, before you actually realized!
