On Family's Health Concern

My father had a mild stroke five years ago.
He was confined in a hospital for more than a week ( 3 days in ICU & 5 days in recovery room). We rushed him to the hospital @ 9pm in the evening though it was as early as 5am that my father felt some symptoms but since my father thinks its just a waste of time & he had no money to go to the doctor he ignores it, thinking that the pain & numbness he felt will pass away.
When I arrived that night my mother told me " Anak, kumbinsihin mo na dade mo na magpadala sa hospital, di na nagsasalita puro iling na lang ang sagot nya." He cannot speak already that time, he just nod when I told him, "De, may pera ako dito (kahit wala), pa check-up na tayo." Though I have no money, we rushed him @ San Juan de Dios Hospital with the help of some of our neighbors (binuhat na lang siya, di na kasi makagalaw & buti na lang may nagmagandang loob na may-ari ng sasakyan at naghatid sa hospital). He was admitted immediately because he had a Maxicare card that time. Afterwards my mother was also admitted there that day also because her bp went up @ 180/120. My father's hospital bill went up @ P 55,000.00 after he was released & because of the Maxicare & Philhealth it went down to P 15,000.00.

Now, imagine if that scenario happens again today & I have no money, will my father be admitted immediately at the hospital? They have no healthcards now since my brother got married last year. And that's the reason why I am being paranoid about this matter. I can't find a healthcard, healthcare plans, & even just an emergency card that will accept their age & condition & my budget, too. They are both 67 years & with pre existing illness already.

Last week I saw these MDR forms from Philhealth.
"Wow Ma, may Philhealth na kayo." 
She answered, "Oo libre na sa senior, pakitabi mo na lang yang mga forms."
Thats a big relief to me knowing that they already have a Philhealth, "mawalan man ako ng trabaho kampante ako kahit papaano." .

Two weeks ago, my father told me.
"Nak', naglalakad at dumadaan ako lagi sa healthcenter at nagpapacheck up, magpapa-urinalysis at blood chem ako sunod na linggo." I answered, "Okay yan 'de (short for Dade), maganda yan. Lagi kayo magpa-check up at magpa-bp dyan para kahit papano namo-monitor kayo." My father jogs or  walks around our area everyday & the barangay health center is just a few blocks from us. After a week, he went back & the result of his labtest are all normal (thank God) & the doctor just gave him Vitamin B complex aside from his usual maintenance medicine (clopidogrel, amlodepine & simvastatine).

Now, I am convincing my mother to go to that healthcenter also, atleast she can have a check up for free once in a while & some labtest are cheaper than the private hospitals. I also told here, I set aside P 1,000.00 in my cabinet in case of emergencies (also planned additional 1k for my father).


But still she insists that they must have a proper check up on their specialists.
So I also plan to bring them in San Juan de Dios hospital when I had money so they can have a proper check up atleast once a year in neurologist, nephrologist & cardiologist & to update also their prescriptions. I'll be saving some for it & will also be asking my brothers help for this. My mother's been complaining a lot lately on her back hips ,one of her kidney is getting smaller already (barado daw yung ugat sa left kidney nya & the nephro says it needs 500k for the operation but he doesn't advise it because of my mother's age).My mother also has a systolic hypertension & that's an added factor why her kidneys are weakening. So I keep telling her, always drink a blended carrots & apple fruits daily but she keeps on saying "wala akong time minsan, pagod ako pag-aalaga kay baby kenji :(".

When I think about my family's health concern, I sometimes felt weaker & helpless that I cannot help them financially & allocate more time to take care of them since I'm working daily mostly on overtime schedule . I got a lot of "If only's" in my head today - if only I finished the SSS voluntary contribution of my mother, she would also be receiving her pension today, if only I have gotten a healthplans for them earlier, & if only I have read those financial & inspirational blogs earlier I would have change my mindset & would have saved more in the past but I cannot go back in the past now to revise my life, just need to be prepared now, do what it's needed & just pray to God to take care of my family's health.


Just sharing again!
Have a blessed day everyone!