The medical system in Mexico and quick and efficient.
Are rumors of horrible health care in foreign countries holding you back from heading out as a family and roadschooling your children? Take heart - most of those rumors are unfounded. I recently read 5 Myths About Health Care Around the World by T. R. Reid and started thinking about our experiences with health care in the four corners of the globe - including the United States of America.
In Ethiopia, my husband's heart went into arythmia and he was admitted into ICU at the local hospital. Within minutes of arriving at the hospital, he had a team of doctors on his case and received the best care possible in the country. As it turned out, the Ethiopian doctors knew exactly what needed to be done, but they were not prepared to equip my husband with a pacemaker should it be required - so they arranged to have him evacuated to Israel.
In Israel, top-notch doctors treated him with the most current, innovative methods and did a massive barrage of tests to ascertain exactly what was going on. In the end, they managed to get his heart converted and he went home to Ethiopia a healthy man once again.
In Taiwan, my hip suddenly began to hurt. The very next day I had an appointment with a hip specialist who sent me for an MRI - in two hours! After dealing with the US system of waiting weeks to get an MRI approved and scheduled, I was pleasantly surprised.
In Mexico, doctors took care of my son's badly sprained wrist and I got to see a knee specialist about my bum knee.
In Panama and Colombia, both my son and I have had ingrown toenails surgically removed.
Yes, I've dealt with the medical system in the USA and it is slow and cumbersome compared to the health care you will get at a much lower cost in most other countries. Doctors around the globe are highly trained and professional, good facilities can be found in nearly every country, and health care is generally much more affordable than in the USA.
If you are thinking of globetrotting around the world, medical issues should certainly not stop you!
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You may be interested in these other articles about traveling with children:
Roadschooling: Which method fits you?
50 tips for a long distance family bike ride
Family travel: A life changing event
Extended family travel in tough economic times
How to afford an extended family vacation
And interviews with these families who have chosen a life on two wheels:
The Williams family is on a open-ended tour on a triple bike with their 9-year-old son.
Rebekka and Florian traveled the Pan American Highway to Tierra del Fuego with their small son in a trailer.
The Verhage family with sons aged 11 & 13 have cycled south from LA. They are now in Peru.
My family is currently cycling the Pan American Highway - we've cycled 16,000 km from Alaska to Colombia so far. You can find us at Family on Bikes.
Contact me via email at familyonbikes@gmail.com
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Comments
Just be sure to get access to the top tier of care. In some countries there is top level care, and that for the rest of the people who can't afford better. Excellent care was available in South Africa. In French Polynesia, elephantisis (forget the official name) prevention meds were available to all who asked. Sometimes, local doctors know more about the illnesses than the US counterparts who haven't seen it much. Enjoy your travels!
Good point Pauline. We've found people generally direct us to the top level care without us having to ask. But there have been times...
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