If you are an EU citizen I want you to stop reading this and go check if your EHIC is in date! (used to be called E111) For those of you not familiar with the scheme, the European Health Insurance Card allows for free (or reduced) healthcare in another EU country. The card is free and there’s no application charge.
And what has brought this on you ask?
Two weeks ago today, we went to Malaga as a group of 8 for a family celebration weekend. Of the 8 of us, 3 had no EHIC and another had a lapsed card. On the Sunday, hubby Tom was admitted to Malaga General Hospital with an unknown infection. Once he produced his card, there was no more question about payment… that was it. He had ECG’s and xrays, countless blood tests, antibiotics and other meds. He received fantastic medical and nursing care throughout his stay.
He remained in hospital for 10 days. After allowing a few days to recuperate and find his legs, we arrived home early this morning!
I could blog at length about his stay in hospital – about the medical staff who always arrived with an English speaker, about the nursing and auxiliary staff who were always so kind, about the familiar faces of patients and visitors you get to know on a hospital floor as every day becomes groundhog day, about the endless mini packets of Marietta biscuits that came with tea and stacked up on his locker…..
I could blog at length about luck… lucky that my brother was with us for a few days and could speak Spanish when it mattered most – I’ll never slag you about it again Des! Lucky that Tom’s brother and sister in law were staying close by at the time and took me under their wing – Barry and Teresa, I will never forget opening that bag and finding a change of nightwear and my meagre weekend wardrobe freshly laundered. Lucky that we’d a wonderful son with us in Malaga, who sorted everything in Dublin for the following 10 days once he came home – Ste it was great to have you at the end of the phone. Lucky that we had family and friends patiently awaiting updates and sending good wishes whenever I returned to WiFiLand!
The count down clock on my homepage tells me I’m going to Morocco in 6 hours. Doesn’t matter – there’ll be other trips. For now, we’re both glad to be home and well.
And you? Check that EHIC!!!!