Abby Went Under the Knife

Maybe I should say, "Under the Laser." Saturday she had Lasik eye surgery. You're probably thinking...There??? Yeap, she walked a few blocks over to the hospital. A friend picked her up in a car and when arrived back at the flat she could see. She waltzed into our flat looking like Ray Charles b/c of her glasses. To greet her were three smelly plumbers that were pounding away at the drain in my bathroom. They left shortly after she arrived, but their stench remained in my room. Thanks to those who have sent candles.

I don't know if you've ever heard of "medical tourism." Medical tourism is when people travel across borders to receive cheap medical treatment. A study done by the University of Delaware found this:

"The cost of surgery in India, Thailand or South Africa can be one-tenth of what it is in the United States or Western Europe, and sometimes even less. A heart-valve replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the US, for example, goes for $10,000 in India--and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package. Similarly, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the US costs $500 in India, a knee replacement in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of what it would in the States, and Lasik eye surgery worth $3,700 in the US is available in many other countries for only $730. Cosmetic surgery savings are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $20,000 in the US runs about $1,250 in South Africa."

It seems to be the cost effective thing to do. However, I cannot imagine going to Thailand to have a hip replacement. The beach wouldn't be the same if you had to be wheeled out to it. My stereotypes of other countries would cause so much fear that I don't think I could do it. Not that I'm planning to, but if I wanted a facelift, South Africa wouldn't be first on my list to check out.. The thing is that most of the doctors in South Asia, South Africa, etc. were educated in the U.S. or U.K. They've been taught in the same schools and in the same techniques and procedures as our doctors in the U.S. It would still worry me. I'm going to stick w/ trying to avoid surgery all together.

P.S. Abby's eyes are doing great. She has a ton of drops to put in them so that's annoying, but she's not wearing her glasses anymore so that's good.