Guaranteed Healthcare

I am a young, generally healthy 34 year old woman who achieved my dream of living overseas here in the Czech Republic. I was ready to move back home and be with my friends and family and get back to my world until I had a health scare. I started to experience vertigo for 2 months every time I laid my head down. The doctors are convinced that I may have MS, and another mentioned a possible tumor and they wanted to immediately put me in the hospital.

I panicked and naturally wanted to get back to the US to be with my family. I was uninsured and could not afford to go to the hospital, and of course since I am not employed in The States, I have no insurance back home. I, however, went to an excellent neurologist who is charging me one test at a time. We did research, and realized that no one in the States will treat me without cold hard cash, and will not of course insure me with pre-existing conditions.

I have been lucky to be here in Prague. The hospital only charged me $70 to get a cat-scan and $25 for each excellent doctors visit. I needed my boyfriend to interpret everything, but it was all doable. Luckily, I have no tumors and can sleep easy, but I would have been denied such an affordable test in the US. I also tested negative for nerve damage, but still need an MRI. An MRI is only going to cost me $300, and God knows how much they are in the States. See how a person who has absolutely no insurance in a Socialized nation can still afford health care? And my bosses are helping me with money out of their own pockets until I get my work permit. After that, I will have access to full medical insurance. If I test positive for MS or some disease, then I cannot return to my own country if I want to be treated.

I want to be back in the States and be with my family- but not possible. On the bright side, we believe that I may only have a neck injury from carrying my heavy book-bag and walking in high heels all over the Prague cobblestones. Either way, I am better off here. I miss my home and family, but I will be able to survive with these good Czechs taking care of me.

My Czech friends are shocked when I tell them that the States has no type of socialized health care, and I have been directing them to this site. There are things that I do not like about living in this country, but I have so much more advantages. It looks like I may have to keep this country as my adoptive home and get married and raise Czech children, which would not be so bad, but not my first choice. At least i will be able to visit my family often with the five weeks vacation time allotted here. I have to choose my health over living in my country.

I can only hope that things in America will change someday and I can return back to my homeland. God Bless the Czech Republic!!