|
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
|
Getting a Mammogram
in Guatemala
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
Because of our
traveling lifestyle, and because we have no U.S. based health insurance, we take advantage of the local medical facilities whenever
we need care. It was time again for my mammogram, pap smear and blood work, and
I found myself in
Panajachel, Guatemala.
Fortunately for me,
there was a clinic, Pana Med, just a 5Quetzales ($0.60USD) tuk tuk ride from our
hotel. When I arrived at the clinic, I went upstairs to the receptionist there
and made an appointment for that same afternoon at 4pm.
Tropical downpour!
As fate would have
it, on my way to the clinic, I got caught in one of the tropical storms so
common during rainy season here in Guatemala. I was drenched in a matter of
minutes! Streets became rivers quickly and the wind was blowing the rain
sideways. Umbrellas were useless.
By this time, mud was
all over my feet and shoes, and my hair was just dripping. I was going to make a
great first impression on my gynecologist, Dra. Juarez.
I eventually found a
tuk tuk, hopped in and had him take me to my destination. We navigated large
moving patches of water and grated drains had become geysers. I was a bit
concerned that the tuk tuk would be overcome with the force of the water in the
street, but the driver found the clinic with no issues and dropped me off.
Inside Pana Med
Going upstairs to the
second floor, I waited for the doctor to call me in. I brought copies of my
previous mammogram and sonogram with me, so I was prepared.
In a matter of
minutes, the receptionist escorted me in to Dra. Juarez’ office and she took
down all my pertinent information. Then the doctor asked that I change into one
of the hospital gowns so that she could examine me.
Pana Med is on the 2nd
floor
A pap smear was
taken, a complete physical exam of my breasts was done and then, since I had my
clothes off, she did a quick sonogram on my uterus and ovaries. Then I put my
clothes back on and returned to the doctor’s desk.
Dra. Juarez, who
spoke perfect English, said she would send my specimen to
Xela, a town about 90
minutes away for them to do the testing and that the results would be done in a
week. She gave me a prescription for a mammogram and a sonogram of my breasts to
be done at Imessa clinic in
Solola, a town about a 10 minute bus ride up the
mountain from Panajachel.
The Adventurer's Guide to
Guatemala
Imessa
The next day I took a
3Quetzales bus ride up to Solola, then hopped into a taxi. The 5Quetzales taxi
ride took me directly to Imessa Clinic, where I registered at the reception desk
for my procedures. I paid ahead of time for these services, 200Quetzales
($25USD) each for the mammogram and for the sonogram. Unfortunately, it was
quite busy that day so I had to wait about an hour for my name to be called.
The mammogram was
done first, and then I went out into the waiting room for my name to be called
once again for the sonogram. Within 20 minutes I was called into another room
where a technician performed the sonogram and wrote up her opinion of the films.
All told, within a
couple of hours, I had my films with me and I called the taxi driver to pick me
up and take me to the bus stop, where I took a bus back down the mountain to
where I lived in Panajachel.
Returning to Pana
Med
The following week my
pap smear results were sent by email to Dra. Juarez and I met with her again in
the afternoon. For this appointment, she told me to prepare myself for a
complete sonogram of my female anatomy as well as my bladder, by drinking lots
of water before I arrived. I had done so, and the sonogram was performed. Then I
relieved my bladder and another sonogram was done of my bladder without the
liquid inside. This was the first time I had ever had a sonogram of my bladder.
Dra. Juarez basically said, “Since you are here I may as well check this out
too.”
When she was finished
with this sonogram, I dressed and then sat in a chair at her desk and had a
consultation about all of my results. Fortunately for me, everything was good,
and I had nothing to worry about.
La Asuncion Laboratoria Clinico
Biotolico
Blood tests are
next
Dra. Juarez suggested
that I have a blood panel workup done since it had been a year since my last
one, and she wrote me a prescription for this. She checked off what needed to be
done and instructed me to go to a lab here in Panajachel which she trusted, just
a stone’s throw from the
Maya Day Market. Of course, I was to fast the night
before.
The next day I took
another 5Quetzales tuk tuk ride to the La Asuncion Laboratoria Clinico Biotolico
and made an appointment at my convenience, 2 days later.
I arrived on the
appointed morning when the lab opened at 7:30 a.m. and I paid my 200Quetzales
for this blood work service. Within minutes of when I arrived, my blood was
taken. The technician told me I was to have my glucose checked pre and post
eating, so after I had my breakfast that morning, I was to return 2 hours later
to have another vial of blood taken. And I did just that.
I was able to pick up
the results of my blood work the following afternoon, with a printout sheet
letting me know how my blood stood up to normal levels.
The costs for all
procedures are as listed below for
Akaisha’s Mammogram,
Sonogram, and blood work:
150Q ($18.75USD) for
consult
125Q ($15.63USD) for
pap smear
400Q ($50USD) for
mammogram & sonogram (200 each)
150Q ($18.75USD) for
consultation and sonogram of uterus, ovaries and bladder
200Q ($25USD) for
blood work:
Complete blood work panel,
Glucose pre and post, Creatin, Total
cholesterol, HDL and LDL
Transportation 50Q
($6.25USD)
Total: 1,075
Quetzales ($135USD)
All of our books lead
to adventure. Don't miss out on yours!
Dr. Juarez,
Gynecologist, Pana Med Clinicas de
Especialidades, Calle Principal
Barrio Norte Kilometro 118, Frente a Qunta las
Penas 2nd Nivel, Panajachel, Solola, Tele: 4224. 2648.
Imessa,
15 Calle 4-10, Zona 1, Barrio el Carmen, Solola, Tele: 7762. 5413, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 6
p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. to Noon, Email:
info@imessa.com, Website:
www.imessa.com
La Asuncion Laboratoria Clinico
Biotolico, On the road to Godinez by the Maya Day Market, Licda. Kenia Maria
Caballeros Barragan, Calle Principal,
Callejon Maria Cruz local 6C, Telefax: 502. 7762.
6268, Website:
www.laasuncion.com.gt Email:
info@laasuncion.com.gt, SOLOLA: 7a Avenida
11-52 Zona 2, Tele: 502. 7762. 4869
Telefax: 502. 7762. 3303
For more stories, photos and information
about Antigua, click
here
For more stories and photos of Guatemala, click
here
For more on Retirement
Topics, click here and here
About the Authors
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are
recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on
topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of
information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com,
they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since
1991. They wrote the popular books, The
Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your
Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website
bookstore or
on Amazon.com.
Trending on Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
|
