A personal report on using Irish medical care. Woke up the other night
with immense abdomen pain! Finally decided I needed a medical facility
visit. Luckily we were in a decent sized town, Bantry. Reported to the
hospital, desk guard called medical staff, put me in the Medical Assessment
Unit. Doctor, not Irish, and I do not think very good, looked at me.
Field abdomen, figured either appendicitis or kidney stones. Leaning
toward stones. Blood test and urine test and an EKG were total tests,
unlike most US emergency rooms. Most people brought their own PJ's or
gown for the visit. I was never issued one. Morning doctor, Irish,
ordered a CT scan. Couple hours later, I got the scan. They send the
results to Cork as no radiologist on duty. Local doctor said, he thinks he
saw a stone. Hours later results from Cork. Yes kidney stone. Never had
one before, hope to never have another. Took my insurance info. My
Medicare supplemental covers out of country costs. Sent me with a
prescription to the local pharmacy. Good care, nice atmosphere, bare bones
facilities. So single payer will work, but you will wait on most
procedures, and the E1.30 a liter for gas, pays for a lot of that care.
Diesel is E1.18 liter.

On Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 1:49:04 PM UTC-4, Bill wrote:
A personal report on using Irish medical care. Woke up the other night
with immense abdomen pain! Finally decided I needed a medical facility
visit. Luckily we were in a decent sized town, Bantry. Reported to the
hospital, desk guard called medical staff, put me in the Medical Assessment
Unit. Doctor, not Irish, and I do not think very good, looked at me.
Field abdomen, figured either appendicitis or kidney stones. Leaning
toward stones. Blood test and urine test and an EKG were total tests,
unlike most US emergency rooms. Most people brought their own PJ's or
gown for the visit. I was never issued one. Morning doctor, Irish,
ordered a CT scan. Couple hours later, I got the scan. They send the
results to Cork as no radiologist on duty. Local doctor said, he thinks he
saw a stone. Hours later results from Cork. Yes kidney stone. Never had
one before, hope to never have another. Took my insurance info. My
Medicare supplemental covers out of country costs. Sent me with a
prescription to the local pharmacy. Good care, nice atmosphere, bare bones
facilities. So single payer will work, but you will wait on most
procedures, and the E1.30 a liter for gas, pays for a lot of that care.
Diesel is E1.18 liter.

That does not sound like a fun thing to have happen on a vacation trip. Hope you're feeling better. Here is a bit of humor to keep in mind while in Ireland:

A man was sitting on a blanket at the beach.

He had no arms and no legs.

Three women (from England, Wales , and Ireland ) were walking past and
felt sorry for the poor man.

The English woman said, ‘Have you ever had a hug?’ The man said, ‘No,’
so she gave him a hug and walked on.

The Welsh woman said, ‘Have you ever had a kiss?’ The man said, ‘No,’ so
she gave him a kiss and walked on.

The Irish woman came to him and said,’ave ya ever been fooked, Laddie?’
The man broke into a big smile and said,`no´.

She said, ‘Aye – Well, laddie, you will surely be so when the tide comes in.