We are just having our annual medical check-ups. <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n This is something we have to have for our health and life Insurance in Thailand.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n It is different from our lives in Australia, there are some age-related health screening programs (for breast and bowel cancer for example), but mostly our doctors will largely advise health care screening, only when issues of concern arise.<\/p>\n Going to Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok is like arriving at a posh hotel. There is staff everywhere, and even someone to push the right lift button for you. <\/span><\/p>\n You’re half expecting a welcome drink\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>until you remember you are supposed to be fasting for your bloods.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It is so multicultural. They are very well set up to help in a myriad of languages.<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed on arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi\u00a0airport, you will also find the major hospitals have a presence to meet and greet, their stands can be found close to the Tourist Information Centre. <\/span><\/p>\n Medical tourism is big business in Thailand.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Our annual medical checkups are part of my husband\u2019s work package here in Thailand.\u00a0Before we were offered\u00a0<\/span>Thai healthcare and life insurance cover, we underwent a massive medical in\u00a0 Australia less than 12 months ago. So we breezed down to our medicals, pretty confident with a hop, skip and a jump into our snazzy beige gowns.<\/span><\/p>\n We should have guessed that with a combined age of over 110 years <\/i><\/b><\/span>and a country that makes millions on medical tourism\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/span>that they were going to find something that required further investigation\u2026<\/i><\/b> <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Bumrungrad is extremely well organised, and although you are on a massive human conveyer belt for each test, one out, one in, they managed to treat each of us as individuals. <\/span><\/p>\n After the initial check-in where we filled out a medical questionnaire, we are taken through a succession of areas, starting with meeting a nurse who checks our blood pressure, height, weight and takes our blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We then change into our gowns for the chest x-ray, and each woman is given a scarf to wear. Being an individual I dig out my favourite scarf to wear! We give in our urine and stool samples and head off for me the mammogram and both of us for the abdominal ultrasound.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019d had concerns about having a chest x-ray, given that I\u2019d had a chest x-ray, a mammogram and a breast ultrasound as part of my previous medical 12 months ago and I prefer to keep my radiation levels as low as possible in this beautiful, but toxic city! <\/span><\/p>\n We sit in the waiting room, reading how Bangkok\u2019s pollution level is at an extreme health warning level and is currently worst than Beijing. <\/span><\/p>\n However talking to a long-term friend suggests that I have every test included in my Executive Medical in the first year, then try and get back into the schedule as recommended in Australia, once the hospital had the base levels of test results.<\/span><\/p>\n It was great advice, the packages on offer are on a take it or leave it basis, there is no reduction for not having different tests. I was happy to do this provided that they used a thyroid guard during my chest x-ray, which was duly produced but with the warning that it would obscure a total picture. <\/span><\/p>\n Of course, there was an issue, the thyroid guard was obscuring clear vision, I was offered the opportunity for a retake of the x-ray, but as my notes state the patient declined!<\/span><\/p>\n I was about to get stroppy when I pass Mr Wren in the corridor, they\u2019ve found something on my kidney he says, they\u2019ve got something in my chest I reply!<\/span><\/p>\n We meet again in a bigger waiting room, where breakfast provided by the Marriot hotel is on offer. It’s not quite an all you can eat breakfast buffet, but it’s not bad. In between coffee and cake we head off to see the optometrist.<\/p>\n Once all the Executive medical tests are complete, we could have also chosen a whole load of add-ons screenings (bone density, hormone markers etc) we head to see the Doctor for the results.<\/p>\n I thought it was slightly weird that we were given our results together, although it was useful for us both to hear eachothers problems!<\/p>\n At the end of the medical, we will be sent a full report, both in written and e-mail version with a memory stick of all our results. I’m thinking my Doctor in Australia is either going to be so impressed by this, or worried!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.littlewanderingwren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bumrungrad-1024x878.jpg?resize=700%2C600&ssl=1\")
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