With Love To The Indian Grandparents Visiting the US – Varalotti In The US 7

I've been living in Dubai for over 10yrs. now, and previously resided in Muscat , Oman for about 5 yrs. What is happening in Kuwait is EXACTLY how patients are treated here and in Oman too. Most of the ailments afflicting people here are chronic as the main reason is due to the 24hr. Airconditioning. At home, in supermarkets, taxis, malls, schools everywhere.... So apart from Nebulizer, antibiotics are the standard prescribed for all. It is an extremely frustrating time with the doctors / hospitals ; sometimes even pharmacies run out of medicines, because the same is being prescribed for everybody.
Till date I have not seen or known a child who has never had any respiratory or skin problem living in the Gulf -- My son included !!! Some unfortunate kids have both eczema and asthma ! Their immune system is terribly weakened and a simple change of weather or playing in the park at noon triggers another bout ...... poor poor things.
As sujathae has rightly said, the pvt. hospitals are worst ----- for a simple vaccination you have to wait for over 2 hrs. [ even with prior appointment ] , then you are coolly told the vaccine is not available, come tomorrow. NOT AN OUNCE OF CARING will be there. Esp. for kids better to have the same paediatrician who knows the immune system and history of the child ; and the few really caring good doctors who do not prescribe antibiotics, but either they leave the country for Western pastures or join the wagon to get more patients, more money etc. etc.

For a seasonal cough I was given a breath analysing test [ for what :confused: ??], chest CT scan - twice , an inhaler which costs a min. of about Indian rupees 4,000 + , the usual Actifed, Benadryl etc. etc...., plus the 'specialists' consultation fees ; after writing the prescription and while giving me advise on steam inhaling ,as an afterthought he took out his stethoscope [after a bit of searching mind you, as he couldn't find it] and placed it on my back to listen to 'chest congestion' -------- isn't this what he has to do FIRST ! It seems like a hilarious event now-- but that has put me off doctors here, completely no trust in any of them.

Best bet is to be fit / eat wisely and not to fall sick at all ---or if you do, better worship and pray to your family/favourite deity, take some chukku kaapi, kashayam , inhale Vicks, tell hubby /kid to eat KFC for one meal, have a cosy good sleep ---- instead of allowing the greedy medics to fool around with your system.

Dear Kurunji,

Your post was surely an eye-opener for me. I thought in a rich emirate like Dubai, things will be different. But from your post, I come to know it is not so.

From what you say, I will rather think that US is far better in that regard. If you are living in the US as a citizen or a green card holder, either your company takes care of medical insurance or you are in a position to pay for it. A family of four requires roughly 1000$ a month for a comprehensive coverage. But then you have to make co-payments. That is a part of the bill has to be borne by you. But that's okay. You get top-class medical treatment. No bungling up.

After reading your post I come to think of the sacrifices made by people like you living there in the Gulf. Unfortunately NRIs in the gulf are regarded as "mobile, free shopping malls" by their friends and relatives and India. They get long shopping lists from their Indian relatives.

I have a policy. When some one writes to me from a foreign land asking me if I want anything from there, I tell them, "enough, if you come here safely and happily. I want nothing more than that. But if you insist, just get me a chocolate bar as a token of your love."

Your post was quite informative, Kurunji.
regards,

Dear Sridhar,

I happened to land in this thread thru the link provided by you in Episode 6 of ALS. And boy.....I am so happy that I did !

I am yet to read all the othe parts of your visit to US, but just read this 7th part today.

I am amazed by the way you've listed down both the positive and negative aspects of life in US !! There is an absolute balance in the way you've penned down your thoughts without any bias ! Hats off to you for that !

Mostly I've seen people from India forming a negative opinion about US life. Probably because they had expected it to be a bed of roses and come here with such high expectations ! :)

Don’t miss any chance to go out, be it for the street-corner grocer or the downtown supermarket or your grand kids’ school, a few blocks away. You will learn a lot about American life in schools, malls, offices and shops than in Disney Land, Niagra Falls or in front of the Liberty Statue.

Very true Sridhar !

As I am closely observing the US life I am getting a better idea of my life over there in India.

They asked Armstrong about what was the great thing in going to Moon. He said that it is not that I am seeing Moon at close quarters, but that I am seeing our earth from a distance. A potent statement.


While knowing about the American way of life you will know more about our own way of living. Who knows, some day you will write a wonderful book on the subject.

These are exactly my thoughts and I am so delighted you've put it down in such lovely words !

Wish everyone could see it this way and develop a positive approach.

Will surely try to read all the parts !

Regards
Krithika

Dear, dear Krithika,
You have flattered me by posting a fb to a post written almost a year ago. I had known about the US companies and I have to confess I went to the US with some kind of a negative opinion. But I had an open mind and tried my best to live an American life when I was there. Or rather, an American-Indian life. Long hours of commuting, bean berrittos from Taco Bell for lunch, tissue paper in the toilet, relationship with my colleagues in the workspot- I did everything the American way before I ventured to write this article.
I also met a couple of disillusioned grand parents who were bored to death in the US.
People here in India think a la Dick Whittington that the streets of America are paved with gold and that our people living there are rolling in money. On the contrary our people go through the same kind of pain, suffering, dilemma, uncertainty that we Indians experience back home. That's one of the greatest lessons I learnt in this trip.
If only Indians back home can understand this... the lives of their relatives working in the US would be much easier.
thanks once again for the fb, Krithika.
regards,

Originally Posted by Jithiks

Dear Sridhar,

I happened to land in this thread thru the link provided by you in Episode 6 of ALS. And boy.....I am so happy that I did !

I am yet to read all the othe parts of your visit to US, but just read this 7th part today.

I am amazed by the way you've listed down both the positive and negative aspects of life in US !! There is an absolute balance in the way you've penned down your thoughts without any bias ! Hats off to you for that !

Mostly I've seen people from India forming a negative opinion about US life. Probably because they had expected it to be a bed of roses and come here with such high expectations ! :)



Very true Sridhar !



These are exactly my thoughts and I am so delighted you've put it down in such lovely words !

Wish everyone could see it this way and develop a positive approach.

Will surely try to read all the parts !

Regards
Krithika