“Living as a temporary local” for 9 days in the surgical wing of a Budapest public hospital

Leia, I am happy to hear that you are better. I am a US resident of Hungary and after nearly 20 years of receiving Healthcare here as a tourist, I felt confident enough in the medical profession here, despite my somewhat advanced age, to choose to make Hungary my home.

But it us a very different system and that and language can certainly add to the stress. Please share all you feel comfortable sharing, bad and good. I am on a wait list for a somewhat invasive procedure and it will be interesting and helpful to hear.

If you are still here, and if I can assist, do not hesitate to call.

I suspect you might already be home having had time to process. But if not, I am here also for today (Wednesday) and then back in town on Monday and Tuesday, if you are still here and need a visit or errands!

My husband and I started our trip in Vienna - 6 fantastic nights. On Saturday, September 30 we took a 3-hour train to Budapest, bought a 15 day travel pass at Keleti station, got on the metro to Opera station, and then a 2-minute walk to our lodging - Casati Budapest Hotel.

A little over an hour later we were at our first tour - 1-hour at the Hungarian State Opera House. WOW! Absolutely gorgeous, we had a great guide, and the best part was the 10 minute mini opera performance at the conclusion of the tour. This tourist hour definitely made it to my top 5 list.

Late afternoon we were hungry so looked at our list of recommended placed by Mister É and headed to Porc & Prezli. Pork knuckle, beef cheeks on this amazing vegetable purée, elderberry lemonade, all really tasty and the service so friendly.

Next, back to the hotel…and I started coughing. My first thought was that I caught my husband’s cold (he took a Covid test 4 days prior - negative). Saturday night was uncomfortable - lots of coughing so I didn’t sleep well. This was a shame because our room was so nice. Large space, big, comfortable bed, mini fridge, shower large enough to clean a family of 4, and all overlooking a beautiful courtyard filled with plants.

Sunday morning, October 1 I took a Covid test (negative) we had breakfast at the hotel (included) and then set off at 9am for a 4-hour private tour with Viki Azari. Not only did Viki give us an incredible tour but she was INCREDIBLY helpful when it came to dealing with everything that happened next.

I was in quite a bit of pain by the time our tour ended. About halfway through the right side of my back started aching horribly so we went back to the hotel so I could take a nap. Dinner on Sunday was at Val Varju. Excellent duck breast and pork tenderloin entrees. Highly recommend! Sunday night was horrible. Coughing, back pain, and difficulty breathing.

Monday morning we made an appointment at FirstMed. This is an English speaking clinic that looks like a typical clinic in the U.S. Within an hour’s time I had seen the doctor, had blood drawn and a chest x-ray. I was really impressed! This would have taken 3+hours in Iowa. And then the doctor came to talk to us and said “There is a problem with your lung that needs hospital care. We’ve called a cab and it will take you to the hospital.”

OMG. Let the freaking out begin.

@TravelTexasMom. I wish I was home, but I was just discharged from the hospital yesterday (Oct 10), and….I will be in Budapest until the end of the month.

@Leia...I am up reading this because I am on a bus in Estonia. I cannot believe this but I am so glad you are okay enough that you are posting the story.

Leia - I am so sorry that you needed emergency medical care, but so happy to learn already that you received excellent care and are doing better !!!

TexasTravelmom is in Budapest.

Leia, I live about 250 feet from your hotel if you need me. FIRSTMED, where i go. Top notch.

I sent you my phone number in a PM

And if you need food or groceries or just about anything imaginable, open a Wolt account, it can be delivered.

On the way to the hospital I sent a message to Viki A. “I’m being sent to - - hospital”. “Is this FirstMed being overly cautious?” “What do you know about this hospital?” Viki sends back a quick reply that she worked at FirstMed during Covid lockdown and they are excellent, but she will call her contacts there and find our why I am being sent to a PUBLIC hospital.

We entered at the emergency room. How many of you are old enough to remember the tv show ER? Comparable, yet about 10 years old than that. Forms in Hungarian, and I have no clue what is being asked of me so the desk clerk makes a call on his cell and hands me his phone. (In English) “Hello, my name is - -. This man is my husband and he wants me to tell you that the first form…”. Sent back to medical area of ER for an IV and and EKG done with jumper cables around my ankles and wrists. Next, upstairs for a second x-ray. Then into a patient room on the surgical floor.

I check my messages to see if Viki has any information. Her contacts at FirstMed tell her that my condition is very serious and they were very relieved that - - Hospital agreed to admit me as the public hospital is where the best surgeons are. Viki recommended that after I was in my room, my husband should go to get everything I will need from the hotel, and store (?) and bring it to the hospital.

I didn’t understand the “store” part until I arrived in my room. Public hospitals in Budapest do not supply the patient with anything extra. This includes, toilet paper, Kleenex, food beyond what is necessary to keep you alive (ex. dinner that night was a slice of bread and a small container of meat spread), soap, towels, clothing, spoons & forks, bottled water (or a cup for tap water).

My room had three beds and a sink. No privacy curtains. A shared bathroom for about 4 rooms was in the hall. I never could get past the smell of the bathroom…I just closed my eyes and pretended I was camping. One of my roommates had medication running through her IV. The IV stand was stationary, white paint over rusted metal, and the medication was in a glass bottles. Patient charts were on 12.x18 paper.

About 2 hours after I arrived a surgeon came to see me. He told me (finally!) what the problem was - pneumothorax- my right lung had collapsed. He explained that he would be back later to insert a chest tube and inflate my lung. He didn’t return until about 11:00pm and instead of taking me to a procedure room he decided to put in the chest tube in my room. I will never be able to watch an American medical tv show again that shows a chest tube being put in. Brutally painful. A few days later my husband told me it was a good thing he was sitting down in a waiting area a few rooms away because he felt lightheaded hearing me scream.

Ouch!

Again, call if you need anything. My time us myown.

Oh goodness! I also just sent contact info via PM! And I am very close to your hotel also!

Oh Leia, I am so sorry. Goodness.

What a blessing that Mister E and TexasTravelMom are both there and hoping to help.

This is riveting for me and very scary for you and your husband, I am sure. I am sorry this has happened but it sounds as if you have done all the “right” things and are where you should be. Oh, our forum members are so terrific. How fortunate both Mr.E and TexasTravelmom are nearby. I know they absolutely mean their offers of help with whatever you and your husband might need or they wouldn’t have posted those replies. Please contact them if necessary. I hope you’re feeling better and soon on the road to a full recovery.

Leia, what a difficult experience to go through anywhere, let alone in a different country. I am glad that you are on the mend.

For the future, even though I hope that something like this would never happen again, you may want to consider one of the medical evacuation insurance programs such as Medjet.

@ CarolNowRetired. We contacted our travel insurance provider within 2 hours of hospital admission. One of the first things they asked about was whether I needed or was requesting medical evacuation (we have this coverage). Unfortunately flying in any shape or form was very dangerous due to air pressure changes and the effect it would have on a collapsed lung. Thus, the necessity of staying in Budapest until the end of October.

Leia, I understand why that wouldn’t have worked in your case. This gave me pause as I have always assumed I could be evacuated “no matter what.” This is good to know for future planning for myself.

I hope you can get feeling well enough to enjoy some of your remaining stay.

That first night was terrible. I did get some pain meds through the IV after the chest tube was placed, but 4 hours later I was in a lot of pain again. By this time, 3am, my husband had been kicked out of the hospital, and I was attached to the wall with the tube connected to a vacuum. And, my nurse call button didn’t work. At some point nurse P did come into the room and I pointed to my IV and asked for pain medication in English, but he just shrugged his shoulders and walked out. So I spent that night in pain and wide awake. Not a good start.

The hospital is a teaching hospital so a huge number of residents and doctors enter the room every morning around 7am. On Tuesday morning I met my doctor, Dr. V and he asked about my pain level. He was not happy to learn that I was not given pain medication, so that problem was solved quickly.

Dr. V explained the course of action. Pneumothorax temporarily relieved by a chest tube, but no indication as to why it happened. The chest tube was to remain in place until Thursday morning (Oct 5), then it would be clamped, and after about 4 hrs another chest X-ray. If the X-ray showed improvement then we go one direction, if no improvement then I would need surgery.

So, I’m definitely in a life “that throws you lemons” situation and the choice is lemonade or go thirsty. I choose lemonade and the first step is to get to know my roommates. E is in her 40s, Roma, and only speaks Hungarian. Like me she has a chest tube and is waiting to find out if she needs surgery. When I totally lost it after being checked into my room on Monday, snot running down my face and realizing there was no Kleenex or tp she gave me a few of hers. Paper is precious in this place, so this was a true sacrifice. A is 72. She had surgery on Monday for colon cancer. She is divorced, no children, Hungarian, but lived in Capri, Italy for many years and speaks fluent Italian and some English. Upon hearing this I feel like I have won the lottery!

Oh my Leia, what a travel story! I admire your attitude and fortitude. Thank you for sharing. And thank you Mister E and TexasTravelMom for being on standby. Your offers of assistance are a wonderful testament to human kindness. We need alot of that these days. Best wishes for a speedy recovery Leia.

Leia! My word, what a travel story! It sounds like Dr V spoke some English?

And yea to connecting with your roommates.

I'm with Carol, I would have presumed I could be evac'd no matter what. I do know there are spontaneous pneumothoraxes but hadn't thought about that happening on vacation and what might be done about it.

And yes, I guess we all need to know how to say "pain" in a foreign language.

Leia, what a story! I do hope you have contacted TexasTravelMom and Mister E for help, or just some company. Wishing you the best.

Lela, I’m so sorry. My medical knowledge is nonexistent so had to look up “pneumothorax” on WebMD. Happy to hear you are no longer in the hospital. Wishing you a speedy recovery. I hope you and your husband accepted Mister E’s kind offer to help.

Your experience remind us that anything can happen at anytime. And the importance of having travel insurance. Let us know how trip interruption insurance helped you.

Yikes.
I sincerely hope you are on the mend now, and that your travel insurance honours all your claims at the end of the day.
It’s so cheering to hear that two other Forum members on the spot nearby offered instant help to you.
Did you get to meet them?

Perhaps we should all let the Forum know if we need unexpected urgent help while in a foreign country……there will always be someone nearby, I’m sure!

I’ll start: I’m in BC Canada..…if anyone is ever in a pickle here, please shout out for assistance!

I’m so sorry this has happened to you, but what a story you have. I wish you a speedy recovery and do please keep us updated.

Perhaps we should all let the Forum know if we need unexpected urgent help while in a foreign country……there will always be someone nearby, I’m sure! I’ll start: I’m in BC Canada..…if anyone is ever in a pickle here, please shout out for assistance!

Maybe someone should get the webmaster to set up a thread for that.

I'm sure people realise it, but if you were in the English Lake District then I would give you such assistance. In such a medical situation as described here you would at best have been taken out of the Lake District to either Barrow (Furness General Hospital) or Carlisle (Cumberland Infirmary), more likely out of county.

Oct 3-4. It has finally sunk in that I’m going to be here for awhile. The pharmacist comes to my room because I will eventually run out of medicine from home so it is best to find out the Hungarian equivalents now and start giving them to me at the hospital. I handed her a laminated card with the prescription medications I take (generic names), dose amount, and how often / when I take them.

My husband is fielding all sorts of calls - our three sons (29-36yrs) who are absolutely losing their minds back home, the travel insurance company needs info on more forms and e-signatures, his employer needs to know that he won’t be back on Oct. 9 as planned, our hotel - Casati - is working on finding lodging for my husband/us after Oct 7 because they are fully booked during the month of October, our band needs to know that our ATM cards must stay active in Hungary past Oct 7, etc., etc.

Meanwhile, back in room #8, I’m bonding with my roommates. A(72) acts as interpreter so E(40) and I can communicate. E(40) is scared because she has to have surgery on Oct. 5. A(72) knows the ins and outs of the hospital, and has insider info on every nurse because she has been here so many times. She tells me that Nurse P is no good and lazy. Nurse T seems stern but her heart is good, she is an army general. Nurse V is very smart and fiercely protects her patients. Nurse Z is sweet and nurturing. Nurse E does her job well but lacks emotion. I told A(72) that I was so appreciative of her willingness to translate for me and to make me feel safe. I acknowledged that I was asking a lot of her. She responded by telling me that having me as her roommate was a great gift. She has only met American tourists in Capri, where she worked in a restaurant, and has never had an American friend. She is happy to have the chance to practice her English, which she hasn’t used in a long time..

Nurse E is on duty Wed (Oct 4). When Dr. V (who speaks English) is in to check on me I ask him to translate a message to Nurse E and the nursing assistant - which is “I know it must be unusual to have an American tourist on your surgical floor. But please know that I am very grateful for the good care and kindness you have shown me.” A reminder that appreciation and kind words go a long way. After that Nurse E gave me reassuring hand squeezes, shoulder hugs, made sure to have her phone with her so she could use her translation app, and shared pictures of her granddaughter with me.

Oct 5. The day starts early with E(40) being prepped for surgery. She is beyond scared. A(72) and I are both hooked up to devices in the wall so we can’t go over and comfort her. She is completely naked and shaking like a leaf under her blanket. Personal privacy is not the norm over here. My husband has tried to leave the room whenever he suspects A(72) or E(40) will be exposed but he has just a moderate success rate with that. I’ve been trying to lose my modesty since the first chest X-ray at the hospital, when naked from the waist up was the requirement, and three people were present (one of them being an orderly).

Shortly after E(40) was taken to surgery, crying and breaking my heart, the doctor comes in to clamp my chest tube and says I will go for another x-ray in the afternoon to see how my lung is responding. Freedom from the wall!! I head to the concrete corner of the shared bathroom to take a shower, including washing my hair, as the staff at Casati loaned my husband a portable blow dryer. Huge mood booster!

Late morning one of the nurses comes in and starts to put E(40)s items in a bag. A(72) and I panic! The nurse explains to A(72) that E(40) is okay but her surgery was not able to be accomplished laparoscopically and a large incision was needed to repair the damage so she was moved to Intensive (ICU)

As the day progresses I can tell that I am going downhill. Breathing is becoming more difficult. An early afternoon X-ray confirms my lung is deflating. Additionally I have developed subcutaneous edema on my right side. The area from above my right collarbone down to mid-chest and under my right arm is swollen with fluid. It feels like a lead weight on my already heavy chest. The doctor says I need surgery to repair the hole in my lung. My boys are frantic. They want me to travel to Munich (7 hrs on a train, station to station) to get a second opinion. We try to explain that I am too sick. I give Dr. V the go-ahead and surgery is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 6.

I mentioned to a local friend the toilet paper issue, He Said he has to provide the paper for the kids to use at school too. LOL

A hotel will get expensive. Look for an AirBnb. Very cheap. Let me know if you need help picking a place.

Leia - your grace and calm are extraordinary (not to mention your writing ability). I can't believe the blessing that you and your roommate found in each other.

Your poor sons worrying back home !

This is the most compelling thing I have read in a long time. Thank you for sharing your experience of being a foreigner in a very serious medical situation receiving Hungarian health care.

Leia - I am riveted. Happy to know that the outcome was good, but eager to hear the rest of your story.
Should you choose to travel internationally again, you'll be able to with the confidence you can handle any mishap that comes your way.

Following your story with rapt attention and totally impressed by your attitude. Sooooo happy this has had a good outcome but I await the next installments…

Leia, I've been following this and have to admire your bravery and optimism. I'm sure things will get better. FWIW, 2 of my grandchildren spent time in the ICU because they were born with a pneumothorax. The holes in their lungs were tiny and probably caused when my daughter, who is 5'2" and a size 4 delivered a 9 lb. baby and several years later a 10 lb. baby. For the last one, the docs talked her into C-section and no pneumothorax. :)

But whatever the circumstances, it sounds like you are in good hands (albeit the lack of conveniences).

I have chills reading this. Thank you for sharing this with us. I think many of us take for granted that if we do have a medical episode internationally it will be something relatively minor.

Oct 6. Surgery Day. Early in the morning a tall resident entered by room and introduced himself as Dr. E….in flawless English! He is a Hungarian American, grew up in Brooklyn, NY, Budapest and Dubai and is doing a residency at the hospital and he will be assisting on my surgery. My husband looked like he was going to kiss the guy, he was SO happy! Next, strip to the birthday suit and IV#2 out and IV#3 in on my left side. Anesthesia doctor comes in next to review my surgical / medical history. I have all of this on a Google Doc which I’m able to bring up on my phone (but not my iPad) and I show it to him. Next he asks for weight and height and I reply in pounds and inches. Note to self: In the future travel with the medical history printed out, and weight and height in kg and cm, and laminate. Shortly after I’m being pushed to surgery, and I’m trying to stay calm, but I’m truly terrified. My husband is fighting a losing battle with tears. A quick goodbye kiss from my husband and I’m pushed through the surgery doors and my orderly helps me to scoot from the bed to the operating table (in the hall, outside the operating room). He straps me down, covers me up again, puts my hair in the cap, and then, because I have tears just running down my face, starts stroking my cheek and does his best to comfort me with soothing words in Hungarian.

Folks, this is why we travel. Of course we have a list of sights we want to see, foods we want to eat, activities we want to experience, but in the end, for us, it’s the people we meet who make every trip special. I could add up all of the meaningful minutes we’ve spent with the people we’ve met on previous trips (since 2013) and then add the meaningful Hungarian minutes, and it will be no contest - Hungary wins.

Next, I am wheeled into the operating room and see that Dr. E is already there, there are two anesthesiologists, one of whom is verifying my personal information. When he asks birthdate, and I reply, he does the math, takes off his glasses, and says “My god, you look so young for 63!” Keep in mind that I am buck-naked on the table, my modesty blanket had already left the room, and I am speechless…Thanks? Just got to go with the flow. A mask goes over my face, and the next thing I know, I’m back in Room #8.

The rest of the day is a blur.

I’m so glad you are on the other side of this ordeal. Thank you for relaying to all of us the horrifying and comforting experiences you had. Amazing!

OMG, your ordeal goes on and on. After yesterday’s installment, I hoped you would not need surgery. How terrifying for you. The kindness of the Hungarian staff is so reassuring.

Thank you for sharing your experience. For those of us who travel solo, the possibility of being sick or injuries can be worrisome. Although my travel insurance will pay for transport to bedside (for friend or relative), it is after 48 hours and assumes that someone can be contacted. I know I need to make better contingency plans. Thinking that travel insurance and Medjet evacuation are enough aren’t when not able to communicate.

Hope you are improving quickly. Can’t wait to read more about your ordeal. Your calm and good attitude are truly amazing.

This makes me think, no matter how well one prepares, sometimes in an emergency, it really does come down to the kindness of strangers.

As a retired nurse, it seems that the mix of types of nurses is the same everywhere.
I’m glad to hear you have some great ones.
I was tearing up a bit reading about the orderly comforting you.
I hope for no more surgery for you and a good recovery from this one.

Please tell your room mates we are all rooting for them too!
Thank you for keeping us all updated.
I hope your husband is managing well too.

Adding my ‘sorry this happened to you’ and admire how you are handling the situation. Yes, or course you’re scared, who wouldn’t be, be thank goodness for the kindness of everyone you have come into contact with. Of course, you read like a very caring person yourself - connecting with your roommates. I’m praying for your fast recovery and safe return home.

Oh, Leia, I can so sympathize with you. My mother broke her kneecap and had to have surgery in Belgium many years ago. It was before I became more proficient in French and before making good friends there, so like you, we felt very much alone and adrift in a strange sea.

The Belgian hospital was blessed with much better funding and facilities than you describe in Hungary. Despite this, we still experienced the initial absolute terror of a serious medical emergency abroad that you have so eloquently described. We also found that while the doctors spoke English, the other staff often did not. And like you, we relied on the kindness of my mother's roommates for 3 way translation. We ended up with a successful surgery, great support from our travel insurance, and a profound respect for the medical care in Belgium.

Lessons learned? Never skimp on travel insurance, and if you find yourself in hospital, be sure to take the 4 bed room!
Wishing you all the best in your continued recovery.

The Real GDP per capita in Belgium is about $51,000; in Hungary it is about $33,000. Hence ........

Note to self: In the future travel with the medical history printed out, and weight and height in kg and cm, and laminate.

Leia, I have a dog tag around my neck with a VR code on it and a notice to scan in the event of an emergency. Every cell phone can scan it and open the file with everything you just mentioned and a bit more. See, I have a bum ticker, and when I need the help I may just be face down on the sidewalk and not able to hand them the information.

So glad you are faring better. I hope you have reached out to Mister E and Texas Travel Mom. They always have very useful info and seem very willing to offer assistance.

TexasTravelMom is among the sweetest and most generous people I have ever met.

I also teared up when you wrote about the orderly trying to calm you. I’m a retired RN who has dealt with many chest tube insertions and all that goes with your condition. I’m so glad you had great care despite the lack of necessities. This brings to mind the person traveling alone. How do they manage to get the needed toilet paper, etc? I could elaborate on this a bit but will refrain. The nurses on the forum will get it!
Take the offer of help by the forum members who are offering help if you need! Don’t be shy. Here is hoping for a speedy recovery without sequale.

Salus Gyógyászati Segédeszköz Szaküzlet
(06 1) 311 9066

https://g.co/kgs/TzDovy

Saturday, October 7. The hospital is near the airport and around 6am I hear an airplane overheard…must be the Air France flight to Paris that we were supposed to be on (sigh). The fog in my brain has cleared up and when my husband arrives at the hospital that morning I asked him if Dr. V found a reason for the hole in my lung. With great patience (because this is probably the 20th time I’ve asked the same question) he told me that the doctor found an area of weakness caused by bullous emphysema. The BE was removed, the lung was repaired, and everything looks good….and now I have a second tube protruding from the side of my chest.

The doctor visited me in the morning and said the plan going forward is chest tubes attached to wall vacuum Sat-Mon, supplemental oxygen, then Mon. night, if everything looks good, clamp off the chest tubes overnight, x-ray Tues morning to see how my lung responds. ….And so we wait.

In the meantime I am worried about my roommate A(72) who has taken a turn for the worse. On Sunday her doctors decide she will need another surgery, and on Monday morning she leaves to have the surgery. In a weeks time we have seen just one visitor, a man she calls The Professor. She has no family left besides one sister who lives in Capri. When she returns from her surgery she’s in a lot of pain and gestures for my husband to come over. She just wants him to hold her hand and thankfully it calms her.

Monday night Nurse V came in to clamp my tubes and I’m free from the wall!!! But now I have to figure out a comfortable sleeping position with two tubes and two clamps protruding from my chest. I didn’t sleep very well that night.

Tuesday, October 10. I woke up anxious about the chest x-ray. It’s the same test as the previous Thursday, but this time post-surgery so I have a better chance at passing. Nurse V comes in at 5:50am and hands me the order for the chest x-ray and instructs me to walk down to the radiology hall. So, I start a slow walk down the entire surgical floor, take a left and then a right and knock on the door I’ve always entered for the chest x-ray. Inhale, hold (click), exhale, hold (click), turn left, inhale, hold (click), done. Then the long walk back to my room. During the walk I think, this would never be allowed in the US, with attorneys screaming “Liability” at the tops of their lungs!

Shortly after rounds, my doctor returned to my room with a big smile on his face and told me the x-ray was “beautiful” and he felt confident enough to discharge me from the hospital that day!!!! He came back a short while later to pull the chest tubes. It was relatively quick but incredibly painful. While I rested with some pain meds, Doctor V took my husband to the building where he needed to pay my bill, in full, and pointed out the pharmacy buildings where he could fill the prescriptions for the medication I needed.

Days before, my husband was on the phone to our credit card companies to notify them of what was going on, verify the amount of credit we had available, and also notified our financial advisor that we would most likely need funds transferred to cover our stay. The billing clerk handed my husband a paper with the total in HUF and my husband asked if she could let him know what the conversion in euros would be…

1600 Euros….one thousand six hundred Euros, for nine days, multiple x-rays, medication for pain and to prevent thrombosis, a chest tube, and a major surgery. I’ve known this number for three days now and I’m still shaking my head in disbelief.

And so, I’m free to go. We say a tearful goodbye to A(72) but promise to visit when we return for an appointment on Friday. Fresh autumn air, an (unfortunately bumpy) 30 min taxi ride to the hotel, the best shower of my life, a delicious late lunch, and a comfortable bed. Exhausted, but happy.

@ Mister É Thanks for your research, exactly what I was looking for!

Well I knew the figure would be reasonable but holy cow!!!!!!

I’m glad this story has a happy ending. I have moved Budapest closer to the top of my travel list and now, even more so, will feel very comfortable traveling there!

What a wonderful outcome!

The procedure I am on the wait list for is $6000. In the US, well over $100,000 but no one will yell me exactly. I have insurance but I suspect my out of pocket will be $25,000 or more. My physicals here run a few hundred dollars including chest x-rays and blood work. In the states my out of pocket would be as much if not more. So the toilet paper is cheap.

Again, always here for you. I see your hotel every time I leave my flat. Don't forget Wolt if you need food or hygiene products. They deliver. And there is an ABC (convenience store) around the corner from you that stays open late. And most evenings I am about 300m away at Kadarka if husband needs a break. Just call.

Leia, I think you know we all want to come be by your side to comfort you. Your experience is .... well....I don't know. I'm not a crier but I've really teared up at what you've gone thru. Thank goodness for your hubby and for the kindness of everyone you met.

I'm deeply grateful you have shared your experience with us. It gives me a lot to think about as a solo traveler.

Leia, I'm so glad about your clean bill of health and that you get to leave the hospital. And what a nice surprise that bill must have been! It really shows how much of our health care dollars in the states go to profits instead of people. It's a real shame.

And kudos to you for thinking of your roommate and visiting her. That must be so hard for her with hardly anyone around.

Good luck with everything!

I told you Mister É knows all kinds of useful things! This is such an amazing story! I hope you will feel like a visit when I am back on Monday!

And yes, this forum often feels like a somewhat dysfunctional family that can pull together when there is a need.

Pam has very eloquently said what I've been feeling for the past couple of days- far more eloquently put than I could.

And, yes as a solo traveller with no next of kin it gives me food for thought.

I debated posting this because truly, this info is not going to
benefit anyone planning a trip to Budapest.

On the contrary, this is the type of info that can benefit anyone travelling anywhere on the importance of having insurance, a plan, emergency contacts, etc.

Wow, what a story. Thank you so much for sharing it, and I echo what the others have said wishing you a full and speedy recovery.
I just wanted to add that I don’t know what you do when you’re not traveling, but if you’re not already a writer by trade, you might want to consider becoming one. You had me crying on more than one occasion and laughing out loud at others. I have been checking back regularly awaiting each next installment, and actually read your entire story out loud to my wife yesterday evening.
If you see A again, please let her know there are complete strangers in the US who care about her and are sending healing energy her way.

This is an incredible story. Thank you for sharing it. I found it very helpful on many levels, and it was just so interesting. I’m so glad you got such good care. That it was at an amazing price is a bonus.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and prayers for you and your fellow patients. Also your family; how worried they must have been.

Like others here, I have been cheering for you and your roommates since I read this last night. I am so glad the outcome is as good as it was. And what a story!

You challenge all of us to find something positive in the things that go terribly wrong.

So happy you had a successful surgery and are on the road to full recovery. I will add my best wishes to those offering virtual support to "A" and thanks to Mr. E and TeasTravelMom for their in-person support.

"1600 Euros….one thousand six hundred Euros, for nine days, multiple x-rays, medication for pain and to prevent thrombosis, a chest tube, and a major surgery. I’ve known this number for three days now and I’m still shaking my head in disbelief."

Makes me wonder how much US hospitals are charging for toilet paper. :-)

Oh my goodness. What an ordeal. So glad you are on the mend, and thanks for sharing your experience. It is helpful to so many of us. In future I will make sure to travel with additional information I hadn’t considered previously.

TTM, i just called Renata, easy.

Leia, which hotel when the Casati is full? I'm here till 27 October then in the US for a few weeks, then back.

Leis- wow what an ordeal you and your husband has gone thru. So glad to are on the road to recovering.

Great forum members to be in Budapest when you are there. Thanks Mr E and Texastravelmom to help support you. I have met Mr E and such a wonder Person and such much knowledge.

Please take care and keep us informed of your progress. Prayers

What a story you have! I feel for you and am hoping you have a speedy recovery. Home will feel ever so good once you finally arrive there.

I cringe when you talk about how painful the insertion and removal of the chest tubes is. Makes me wonder if there is nothing to give you for the pain before this process or if they just don’t give it.

$1,600 Euros - unbelievably cheap!! I wonder what that bill would have been in a private hospital there.
Last May I had emergency hip surgery with a six day stay in Spain that cost just about $25,000. The public hospital where I was taken to the ER room said I had to go to a private hospital for treatment. Regardless, I am happy to hear that this part of your ordeal was nearly painless. What a big relief that must have been!

As so many others have said, thank you for sharing your story.

Leia, I'm so glad to hear you are out of the hospital and doing well.

@Mister É. We are at the Hotel Roombach. Casati could only accommodate my husband through Saturday, October 7 so they started looking for another place for him on October 5. He is WAY outside his comfort zone. I do all of the trip planning and even pack his suitcase :). His job on our trips is to make sure I stay out of the bike lane, and don’t get run over by a car while trying to take the perfectly composed photo.

The forum has given me a safe place to unload and decompress, but my husband is still pretty tightly wound. He has been talking to his best friend back home, but….? When we got back to the hotel on Tuesday I told that he could “be the boss of me” until further notice. This is new territory for him as I am the organized, go-getter, decision maker…okay the BOSSY one in our relationship. This is all been…just a lot.

What a story! I can't imagine how scary this all was in real time. Like others, I thought travel insurance would be like a "deus ex machina" and quickly and safely get you back to America.

I hope your roommates are okay - and glad that you are getting better!

Leia, Your story has been riveting to me so I can just imagine what it was like to actually live it. I was so happy to hear you were discharged. Like so many on this forum, I have been keeping you and your roommates in my prayers and sending you all positive, healing vibes.

With respect to how your husband is healing, I can relate. About five years ago my husband had a pulmonary embolism and I thought we had lost him on multiple occasions during his six months of treatment. It really affected me as the experience replayed scenes I watched on "Gray's Anatomy" so just have a lot of patience with him. Thinking you may lose your spouse really affects you even if the eventualy medical outcome is positive. So tell your husband to grab a margarita and taco at the Iguana Cafe and Bar near the American Embassy. I would be happy to venmo him as my treat!!

Thanks also to Mister E and Texastravelmom. This forum really is wonderful with so many generous and kind people.

Well what a denouement !

I was thinking of your roommate A asking for your husband to simply come hold her hand. It's a really beautiful thing that you all were able to provide her some comfort. I love that you plan to go see her again so she is not alone.

Like everyone else, I thank you (again) for sharing your story. It is heartening to read of such profoundly good people going through a medically very challenging time abroad and coming through it. I won't wish you any more trips to the hospital, but if I am ever in one I hope your angel twin is in the bed next to me !

Thank you too to the person who wrote about how difficult this is for your husband, even though your story has a happy ending. That was really thoughtful and thought-provoking.

On the contrary, this is the type of info that can benefit anyone travelling anywhere on the importance of having insurance, a plan, emergency contacts, etc.

This, Allan. I was feeling really proud that I have all the insurance imaginable, while knowing my implementation plan was weak. It just hadn’t struck me HOW weak….. Another really nice take-away for me personally is how wonderful all the comments have been. There are nice people here.

TTM, i just called Renata, easy.

Yes, easy to actually do - but you know Renata and lots of other people and know how to find out what needs finding out. And you are willing to make calls or run looks for towels or many other things behind the scenes.

And so far I have done nothing but hopefully provide a little moral support, and maybe a bit of information. I am firmly convinced Leia is amazing.

Mister E mentioned earlier his use of a "dog tag" to provide emergency information to first responders. My daughter has a Road ID, https://www.amazon.com/Road-ID-Official-Shoe-Tag/dp/B07H44ZXM4, which has her name, an emergency contact number and pertinent medical information (eg: allergies). It attaches to her shoe laces. The more I think about it the more I think I'm getting one for the rest of the family.

Wow! So happy you are on the mend. What an experience. And an inspiration that so many good and kind strangers helped in whatever ways they could. It's always nice to hear about the good in the world, despite what often seems to be evidence to the contrary.

Thank you for sharing!

I'm in awe at your ability to relate this to all of us so meaningfully, with details, color, feeling. I'm in awe at your ability to drink the lemonade and find the positive while also bringing out the positive in others. Thank you also for showing us that one can obtain good medical care in other countries, even if it doesn't have private rooms with HBO. Instead you get A(72) and E(40) and share a bathroom and toilet with many others, using your personal supply of toilet paper. Thank you for sharing this with us. I wish you continued happy healing with no more painful chest tubes.

What an incredible ordeal you have been through--I will be very glad to hear when you are given the all-clear and can get back home safely. As others have mentioned, you truly have a gift for writing and while no one would wish this experience on anyone, thank you for telling us all about it...sending positive thoughts for your recovery and hope your husband is doing well.

Lela, if you and, or, husband need help finding the place, just let me know.

I’ve been recovering at Hotel Roombach for 5 days now. Our days have taken on a routine. Wake-up, shower, shot to prevent thrombosis, breakfast, walk around for a few minutes outside, breathing exercises with my little lung toy that moves 1-3 balls up a tube, more walking in the room or up and down the hall, watching some Prime Video now that I can get a strong signal, more walking and breathing exercises, lunch in the room (finally some good Hungarian food!), FaceTime calls with my sons and granddaughters, more walking and breathing exercises but with less gusto as my energy is fading, and then a carton of yogurt for dinner and an 8pm bedtime.

The anti-thrombosis shots are kind of funny. My husband’s face when the doctor told him that I needed a daily shot…wish I had my camera with me. The first morning he gave it to me, he washed his hands, had me pinch a fat roll on my stomach (note to self: lose 30 lbs), sprayed the area with antiseptic, and threw a hand towel over my head! “Why did you throw a towel over my head?” Him: “I don’t want you to watch me giving you the shot”. Hey, whatever works.

I’ve learned that pain in Hungary is not viewed as something that is supposed to be extinguished to zero, as it is in the US. I was discharged with two prescriptions: the anti-thrombosis shots, and a medication for phlegm (sort of like Mucinex). No pain meds. Four days after major surgery. My pain is tolerable. 24/7 feels like I am wearing the sports bra from hell that is 2 sizes too small. Every now and then, a gremlin that lives inside my chest turns on a blow torch, which causes me to pause and breathe through it. Prior to surgery, Dr. V told me to expect a 3-4 month recovery. Now I get it.

I’ve put TraveTexasMom and Mister É to work. Yesterday I felt brave enough to walk 8 s-l-o-w minutes to Oyshu, a store recommended by TTM where I could buy some soft camisole/tank tops to wear under my clothes. Wearing a regular bra is excruciatingly painful with the already “bra-from-hell-feeling”, plus I have 4 really sensitive incisions under my right arm. Got a couple tank tops, plus a super baggy sleep shirt and baggy long-sleeve shirt since it’s getting colder. Mister É found a place that sells compression socks nearby, because Dr. V is worried about thrombosis on the flight home. My husband will head there tomorrow.

Also on the agenda for Monday is getting my Hungarian medical records (we have paper copies) translated to English. In true, US red tape style, my primary care physician says she can’t get a referral to a pulmonologist until she has my medical records from Hungary. I get it, but I’m also having a little temper tantrum about it. It’s hard not to compare the “We’re here to taking good care of you” response I received in Hungary to the “We have to check all of these boxes first before we will take care of you” response in the US.

Later this week I have an appointment on Tuesday with Dr. V for another check. There was a Lindt chocolate shop a couple of doors down from the clothing store so we stopped in to fill a big bin with chocolates that we are going to give to the nurses. And we also hope to visit A(72) who, most likely, is still there. I know that she misses fresh air the most. We can’t take her outside, but are hoping some fresh flowers will cheer her up. If everything looks good on Tuesday, we are supposed to return on Friday, October 20 so Dr. V can remove the sutures, and then -hopefully- I will be cleared to fly home.

Leia, I am so sorry that you experienced this medical emergency. I also want to thank you for documenting this experience. Your writing is so compelling; I teared up at points as you told your story. I wondered how I would handle a situation like this as I usually travel solo. I hope that everything goes smoothly as you finish your stay and return home to complete your recovery.

If you feel up to it, one of my favorite restaurants is a 5 minute walk from where you are staying https://maps.app.goo.gl/PZRofPQ2xeywvcYg8 Hungarian with very nice atmosphere and white table cloths.

sorry about the gremlin with the blow torch. You want to stifle that guy.

I’m happy to hear you are making steady progress.
Not so happy to hear that pain is not an important thing to be managed!
I nearly spit out my tea when you wrote about husband throwing a towel over your head……😂
Keep up the good work with your walking and breathing exercises.

Thanks for the continued updates! Fingers crossed you continue to improve and are able to come home when cleared for travel. Be sure to ask your airline for wheelchair assistance even if you don't think you will need it by then.

Many thanks to forum folks TTM and James for helping you guys out with ideas. And yes to taking a thoughtful gift to the staff at the hospital!

Not so happy to hear that pain is not an important thing to be managed!

I don’t think the Hungarian philosophy is that pain isn’t important to be managed. Rather that it is to be managed to a certain degree, rather than completely eradicated.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop and I hope you continue to recover well.

And I don’t think this attitude about pain is just Hungarian either. I had an interesting conversation about this with a colleague from Vienna to this same point. Of course, these conversations are better when they are philosophical as opposed to your real life.

I don’t think the Hungarian philosophy is that pain isn’t important to
be managed. Rather that it is to be managed to a certain degree,
rather than completely eradicated.

They dont over prescribe. I have a condition for which I was prescribed a diacritic in the US. My doctor in Budapest said throw it away and drink more water ... same end result and cheaper.

Leia, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’ve been following and sending you many thoughts of good wishes and healing.

Although I have not met Mr E or TexasTravelMom in person, I have read many of their posts, and have felt that they are extrordinarily good people. I’m so glad they are there to help.

Continued wishes for healing and lessening pain for you, and special blessings for your wonderful husband.

Leia, I was so happy when I got to the end of your story and heard the outcome. My heart was breaking for you and your family as I read your posts. Mister E is wonderful. Hubby and I had a glass of wine with him when we were there in September. Thankful he was able to help you.

Take care.

Leia

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I'm very sorry you had to experience this medical emergency and am glad you are recovering. I have been following the installments of your report, checking a couple of times a day to see if there's another installment. You are an amazing writer and an amazingly adaptive and compassionate human being.

And in addition to all that, you had me laughing out loud at the "hand towel over the head" story.

Wishing you all the best.

And thank you also to TTM and Mr E for pitching right in.

It’s hard not to compare the “We’re here to taking good care of you” response I received in Hungary to the “We have to check all of these boxes first before we will take care of you” response in the US.

Yes, it's always about liability in the US. As a retired attorney, I understand it to a certain degree, but it is often carried too far. It's really a double-edged sword.

But regardless, I'm so glad everything is looking up for you and you have a projected date to fly home. Kudos to you, also, Leia, for thinking of the nurses and your hospital roommate. I'm sure that will mean a lot to them.

Leia, I hope you will keep us updated! ❤️

Wanted to let everyone who has been following my journey know, that I arrived back home late yesterday.

This week the priorities are getting over jet lag and setting up follow-up care in the U.S. Next week I'm going to start tackling reimbursement from the travel insurance policy. I'll start a new post on that in Destination Q & A / General Europe for anyone who is interested.

Thanks again for all of the support and prayers, it meant a lot to me. And a special thank you to TravelTexasMom and Mister É for giving me "boots on the ground" help.

Leia

Soooo glad to hear that you are home. Your after care in IA and family will surround you now but know we are all thinking about you too and wishing you and your family the best. Thank you for letting us know that you are home!

Leia, what a wonderful way to start a Monday by reading your good news. Thank you for the update and for sharing your story. Wishing you continued healing and best of luck with the travel insurance process.

Wonderful news! Thank you for letting us know.

I am very happy to hear you are home! Best wishes for your full recovery!

Leia, wonderful news. So glad you’re home! Don’t overdo while you continue to heal.
I’m curious how your travel insurance treats your claim. Keep us posted.

Glad you are home. At least now you know to come to Budapest if you are going to be ill...and to bring toilet paper!

Very pleased to hear that you are now home, thank you for coming back to tell us. Wishing you all the best in your recovery at home.

What a journey! So happy that your outcome was good and you are home safe.

It made me so happy to know you finally made it safely! So many of this group would have done whatever they could - I am glad I was able to meet you and your husband!

Looking forward to “the rest of the story”…. 🤣

I'm very glad that you were good enough to make the flight home.safely.

Congratulations.

I hope your former room mates are also doing well in the hospital.

Welcome back - waiting for the next report ...

I'm sure it's a great relief to be home and with your family! Thank you so much for sharing your compelling story. A happy ending to a very difficult situation - the kindness of strangers will long be remembered.

Thank you so much for circling back to let us know you got home safe and sound!

When you feel better we WILL want to know the "rest of the story", lol!!

Whew. Glad you are home, safe and sound.

Great news! So glad you are home.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It was an important and valuable Trip Report to share when things don't go well, and a reminder for all of us to have some sort of plan just in case it happens to us.

One of the most informative and compelling threads I've ever read here. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Glad you’re home and doing well.

I wear a Road ID bracelet, as does my husband. I’ve convinced my single senior sister to wear one as well. And especially for those traveling solo, if there is a person in your life who could fly to your location in an emergency, be sure that person has a current passport.

Yes, so happy to hear you are home and recovering. It gives us all something to think about and to have a plan if we ever get sick overseas. No one ever thinks they will need one, till they do.

I just stumbled on this post today, so I was able to read your story from beginning to end in one sitting. I must say that it was with bated breath that I waited to read the next installment to learn what happened next.. I was so riveted by your story. I was amazed by your fortitude in managing such a medical crisis with such grace and humor. Like everyone else, you had me both biting my nails with worry, while laughing at the same time. I also kept wondering how you were even able to document this medical journey given your medical state.

I thank you for posting this. It really has given me pause and made me contemplate if, in the past, I had insured myself sufficiently in the event of such an experience (Probably not).

I'm happy to hear you made it back to the US, and I wish you the best in your recovery.

Leia, obviously we don't know each other, and I am new here, but I stumbled across this post today and I had to chime in and say that I am so glad you are back home and on the mend!!!!! :-)

(Also, as a writer/communications manager by trade, I have to say that you are an incredibly talented prose stylist. Are you a writer? If not, you should be. You had me riveted from beginning to end. Your sensitive portrayal of your roomies was wonderful, and when you wrote about the orderly comforting you, I cried.)

What an amazing post.

I was wondering if you were going to post the cost. 1600 Euro. Approx $2000 for all of this care.

I was on a tour when a member fell, broke his arm. lacerations, dental issues--146 euro for xrays, first aid, and necessary treatment in Germany. That's when I realized that getting sick or injured in a foreign country wasn't going to break the bank.

Only in America is health care, education and housing considered a luxury.

Mo R, Healthcare in Hungary is paid for with a 27% sales tax. Nothing is free in life. Housing will set you back about $800 a month for 550 sf (The avg size for a family of four) Electricity is half again more than the US. And the minimum wage is about $700 a month.

Education here is no better than the US. I have close friends with kids in school and hear the stories. Same as tge US, you want a good school you need to live in a good neighborhood.

Part of my excuse for travel was to learn.

I’m so glad to hear you are home. Best of luck with your follow up care and insurance.

Sorry, Leia.

Come back soon.

Hi Leia -

I laughed about your tale with the anti coagulant shots. As someone prone to DVTs, when I had my first one I was given a box of syringes on discharge from hospital. The conversation went a bit like this:

“What are these?”

“They’re your anti coagulant injections - you need one a day”

“So someone comes round and does them do they?”

“No, you do them yourself”.

“Well, that’s not happening…..”

But in the end after a couple of days it did, because I just wanted my life back as it took so long to traipse elsewhere to get somebody else to administer them. And, as I too discovered, I had an enviably large target area!

I travel in compression socks too because of my predisposition (although medicated against). The first time on a long haul flight after my first DVT (it’s booked, I’m going) I had to wear full length compression socks, or rather stockings. I still shudder when recalling my trying to don them in the gents toilets at Dubai airport. It was quiet, deserted even, so after falling about uncomfortably in a cubicle I exited to finish the job. Cue entry of Arab in traditional dress with young son, who encountered filthy English infidel, trouserless and apparently donning women’s undergarments. He whisked his son out of there and a few moments later, now dressed, I was running through the airport to my gate praying that the guy and his son were going in the opposite direction.

So glad to hear you survived the trip home, and are on the mend. I’m sure it will take a little while, but you’ll get there.

Ian

Hi, Leia. I'm new here, but I've been lurking for months on the forum as my husband and I are set to begin our international travels next year. Because of the places we're interested in visiting, I've come across many of your posts and comments.

And so when I saw this one, back when you very first began it, I bookmarked it to come back to. I admittedly then got swept up in my own research and travel planning, and so I only came back to read it today. And I then read it in full in one sitting (and was so relieved to eventually read that you are back home).

As an introvert and a very private person, I am struck with admiration of, and inspiration by, how you've shown up here to share your experience. You've done so with such authenticity, honesty, vulnerability, and humor. With such humanity.

Your story is absolutely riveting and compelling, and yet it's also your lived experience ... It's not just a story at all; you're a person who has lived this, and who has chosen to share it.

To write this at all, much less the way you have -- with such kindness, gratitude, warmth, humor, and generosity of spirit -- especially when doing so in nearly real time, is a real triumph of humanity.

You may have initially begun writing it for your own benefit, to process this experience for yourself, and I so hope it's been helpful for you in that way; but you've absolutely offered a real gift to us by sharing this with us the way you have. It's going to stick with me a long time.

I just found this story and I thank you Leia so much for sharing. I am happy you are back home and hope that you get a chance to continue your travels real soon. I am headed to Europe Fall of 2024 for 3 months and my brother is headed there in April for a 5 month bike trip by himself. This post has brought up several important points all regarding health:
I have an annual Med Jet policy and I do know that you must be medically stable in order for travel or transfer to occur.
Have your medical records handy; including height/weight in Centimeters and inches and pounds and kilograms. Have names of all medications, allergies, past surgeries, past and current medical history.
If you are traveling alone make sure there are a few emergency contacts (names and numbers).
Always have medical insurance of some sort. This is not the same as evacuation (Med Jet,.etc.) insurance.
Consider wearing a device that has this medical information on it. I will look into that as well as the paper copy I always travel with.

If this post is still active I have a question. What insurance did you have and did you get reimbursed? Thank you and I wish you a happy and healthy 2024.

Leia, I missed your original post since I’m usually looking at country-specific posts. Wow! Our dinner was late tonight because I couldn’t stop reading - concerned about your outcome & your hospital roommates.What an ordeal filled with pain but also lots of kindness.

I certainly will be praying that you continue to fully heal and that this experience has surely brought your husband & you even closer together. Much thanks for being willing to share it with us!

Maybe your next adventure will be a nice hotel in downtown Des Moines. : )

Regina, as I understand it the national health care system took her in, and the bill was a few thousand forints ( 1000 forints = $2.85)

regina, you have made some very valuable suggestions that most travelers may not have considered. My goal before my next trip is to improve my own plan exponentially.

I will say that Leia herself was one of the most prepared travelers I have ever encountered. It is good to make a plan to be as prepared for emergencies as we can - but it is also wise to realize (ahead of time) that even if we do, things can happen.

Regina everything you mentioned plus who to notify and where the Will is located in a cloud folder. I made a QR code for the file location and had it etched on a dogtag. So if someone finds me face down on an Albanian sidewalk and spots the dog tag that says scan in an emergency they will know where to ship the corpse.

In the event I still have breath I do have fairly comprehensive European medical insurance policy and MedJet. Those cards are scanned and in the same file.

Regina, thanks for the reminder. My medical emergency assistance person can no longer travel, my husband refuses to and doesn’t have a passport. I need to arrange a “what if” with a friend. I travel solo so need to cover all bases.

Hello Friends! I’ve been home almost 13 weeks now and thought I would be posting an insurance update by now. Unfortunately I’m still waiting to be reimbursed, and it may take a really long time for that to happen because of something that was revealed a few days after I returned. So the story continues…..

Three days after arriving home my husband and I went to an appointment with a pulmonologist. At the appointment he looked at a chest x-ray (taken that morning), reviewed my Hungarian medical records, reviewed my Iowa records, ordered a CT scan and a blood test to rule out a genetic disorder that can cause emphysema not caused by smoking or toxin exposure (results: CT good, and no genetic disorder). We talked briefly about a slight, constant burning pain that I had just started to feel and was told to use SalonPas patches to help.

Three days later I was in the emergency room with 8/10 pain. The doctor told me it was nerve pain caused by the intercostal nerves that were disrupted / damaged during chest tube insertion and / or thoracic surgery to repair my lung. After this ER visit I was referred to a pain management clinic and have been receiving treatment for Post Thoracic Pain Syndrome, which is common following cardio-thoracic surgery. At a minimum, it takes 6 months for the nerves to calm down / heal. Big sigh while I’m sipping more lemonade.

In mid-November I had a phone interview with a representative from Tin Leg Travel Insurance. I answered a few questions and then the rep talked me through the process of filing my claim. It took me about a week to gather all of my documents (pain med haze!) and then I mailed them to Tin Leg shortly before Thanksgiving. The documents included:

Government issued photo identification
Travel insurance claim form
Itinerary: Original and updated travel provider eTicket
Emails and statement from Air France
Medical expense statements
Medical records from Hungary
Hotel statement
Food receipts
Taxi expenses to and from hospital

*Medical records. We paid $400 to have the medical records translated from Hungarian to English so that my doctors in Iowa would have a medical record they could understand. Tin Leg would have accepted just the Hungarian copy, but since we did have an English copy that was also submitted.

*Food receipts. We were able to submit any food receipt with a total over $20. The first 5 days after I was discharged from the hospital I really didn’t feel up to leaving the hotel so my husband brought food back to the room. Food in Budapest is SO reasonably priced that most of our receipts were under $20.

*Taxi expenses. The rep that I talked to in the phone interview wasn’t sure if this expense was going to be covered even though the rep my husband talked to while I was in the hospital told him that it would be covered.

Oh, ugh, Leia! I am so sad that the saga continues! You have been through so much! Raising a glass to hopes that the nerves calm themselves quickly and the pain gradually subsides!

And also, the stupid insurance companies need to just pay up. Since supposedly that is their function.

Sorry to hear it's not over. G-d Bless

After Tin Leg received my documents they had to scan them and send them to claim representative who was assigned to me as most of their employees work remotely. Kelly, my rep, has done an excellent job of keeping me informed as to where I am in the process.

The second week of December I received an email from Tin Leg with an attachment. It was a short form that needed to be filled out by my primary care physician. December 27 I received an email from Tin Leg stating that they had not received the form from my PCP. I called my doctor’s office and talked to one of the nurses who confirmed that they still had the form. They were hung up on a question that asked for medical records during a 60-day period of time prior to the purchase of the insurance. I asked her to check my records because I didn’t have any medical appointments during this time so in the space that asks why no medical records are attached wouldn’t they simply write -Patient was not seen in the clinic during this time-? This “seemed” to clear up the confusion.

I wanted to make sure the rest of the form had been filled out so I asked the nurse to read to me the answers on the form…and then she dropped the bomb.

Question: Is the diagnosis related to any medical condition the patient had prior to (date insurance was purchased). Checked box Yes. WHAT???????????????

🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

In May 2021 I had an annual physical which included an EKG. The EKG looked a little weird to the doctor so she wanted me to see a cardiologist. I saw the cardiologist who ordered three tests. Had the tests done and followed up with the cardiologist who said that my heart was fine.

During the appointment with the pulmonologist, right after we returned home, the doctor briefly pulled up a CT scan, which was one of the tests from that cardiology referral. The heart was in the center of the scan, but he pointed to a shaded area on the edge of the image which showed the emphysema in the upper right part of my lung and said “this is the place where the pneumothorax occurred.” At the time it went right over my head and my husband’s head that I had a scan from two and a half years ago that showed a problem with my lung…

…and nobody told me.

That phone call took place three weeks ago. Since that time I received calls from my PCP’s office to let me know that they had finished filling out the form, that they added a statement that said I was unaware of the problem (although I didn’t see the completed form, and maybe it’s a moot point anyway), that they faxed the form to Tin Leg, and an email from Tin Leg to let me know they received the completed form.

So I’m waiting. Will Tin Leg cover the claim? Will I have to take a legal route? Chugging lemonade at this point.

oh dear... so sorry to hear that. Good luck with it, It seams a bit harsh if they say that you should have declared something you didn't know about.

I am so sorry to hear this latest information. Sure hope it can be resolved. Please keep us posted.

Leia, that stinks to high heaven! I'm so sorry that you're having to go through all this after your traumatic trip. But it sounds like your medical professionals are working with you to help, and hopefully Tin Leg will sign off on the reimbursement and end your saga!

Thank you also for keeping us posted!

Oh, Leia, I am so sorry to hear of this. Talk about adding insult to injury!

Have you thought about reaching out to a local tv station or newspaper to give Tin Leg a but of unwanted publicity?