From appointment, to assesment, to treatment....6 weeks

15 years ago I suffered an injury at work, I now live with chronic pain in my neck, lower arm and fingers.

It doesn't prevent me from doing anything, it just hurts. I struggle with tin openers and writing and sitting for any length of time, esp driving, but I can manage it, it just hurts.

We moved to South Africa 19 months ago and almost overnight the pain stopped. I'm not working, I'm not doing 100s miles of driving weekly, I can't continue with my studies. The hot weather here also helped.

I was still experiencing pain if I did anything on a loop, but the pain stopped inbetween.

The last few months I've realised the pain is back. I know it sounds silly, but when you live with pain constantly it is possible not to notice it unless it gets worse. My threshold is probably higher than most.

More migraines, the feeling someone is putting pressure on the back of my neck, disturbed sleep and off I went to the Doctors a few months back. I was prescribed Gabapebtin. I refused to take it. In the past I'd suffered side effects. I was irritable, constipated, constantly searching for food and lost my sex drive. I started to exercise more and that helped.

The biggest trigger for my neck pain and migraines is stress. Couple with everyday tasks, writing, hoovering, cooking and baking (I have a guy who does my ironing) So back to the Doctors 5 weeks ago with a variety of issues (inc depression) and today I had my appointment with the pain clinic.

I went armed with a file of treatments and procedures. I accept my pain, I live with my pain, I just want a little help from time to time.

So I was booked in for day surgery, can't remeber what the procedure is called but it involves injection along my spine, from the base of my head to C8. I couldn't make the first appointment in 5 days time as hubby is away so it is rebooked for the following week on the 26th.

I'm so impressed, I know we are paying for it, via the med aid (waiting to find out if med aid will cover the cost) if not we'll have to dig deep. The only issue I had was completing the admissions forms as they wanted to know our car registration numbers...why? and a UK residential address and person to contact in an emergency.

Another hospital trip...you must be joking

We'd been in South Africa 8 days when we got a call to say Dan was on route to hospital after being hit in the neck with a cricket ball. You can read my version of it all here http://www.chickenruby.com/2011/02/this-is-how-day-started-trip-to.html

This is Dans version http://www.chickenruby.com/2011/02/guest-post-by-blakey108-my-16yo-son.html

the there was Alex's broken arm http://www.chickenruby.com/2011/08/so-youve-broken-your-armwhat-next.html

and last night it was the 'HEELY INCIDENT'

hanging on to a golf cart, down hill, stone wedged itself under the wheels, Alex goes arse over tit and we end up in A&E for a couple of hours, xxx amount of Rand lighter and another battle with Discovery to get our money back.

Bit of research coming up you can help with me if you wouldn't mind...

Does anyone know of a hospital in Centurion that covers the full amount and doesn't require us to pay up front?

By the way Ales is fine, xrays, tetnus, wouds cleaned and a smashing black eye to boot and accompanied by a Doctors note he's gone on his school trip to Durban.

Thinking of emigrating? Here’s my advice

Visit the country your company want you to move to and make sure your partner gets to go also.
Before you go get the company/agency to line up viewings for houses, within your budget and make appointments at several schools. Ask the rental agents what the deposits are and what kind of service you can expect from them in case of any faults when you move in. Check with the school their timescale for admittance, additional fees and hidden costs and ask for a contact person so you can pre order uniform and equipment (do they have a second hand shop) full costs etc all in advance of the children starting school. Visit the local supermarkets, to see how much things cost before deciding on what you are getting rid of or bringing with you. Find out about TV licences, car insurance, bank accounts, utility accounts and make sure there is a phone line up and running before you step on the plane.
Chose your removal firm carefully, ensure you have out of office number in case of emergency i.e. customs loose your container and then want to charge you additional fees to ‘find’ it for you. Find out who the contact person is in advance and get in touch with them via email to find out what they actually do and not what the UK side say they will do. Don’t pay the final balance until your furniture has arrived and is unpacked. They can’t ship your furniture till they have your visa, be warned, ours didn’t tell us that till 2 days before Christmas as they were emptying our house out and charging us additional storage.
Get involved more with your Visa, don’t assume that the agents/company are actually doing anything in your best interest, it will be in theirs, you can always get the visa, but you don’t have to travel the day it is issued, if you haven’t got tenants in your house yet, sort that out first, it’s very expensive having your house empty and trying to transfer money overseas to pay the mortgage.
When you arrive at your destination, demand you are given your medical aid details, a list of doctors and dentists, an appointment with the said med aid so you know how it works, a map of the nearest hospital (we had a visit to A&E within 10 days, it then took 4 months to sort all the payments out) Sim cards for each family member (get your phones unlocked before you leave the UK). All your paperwork, copies of contract, facilities to copy passport and visa, directions and info on nearest police station to get copies certified the initial apartment in your name so you have proof of residency or transfer it over as soon as you arrive.
Ask for email evidence of everything you have been offered/promised...’we’ll get your visa changed when you get here, no problem with your studies that can go on as normal’
I’m not being demanding/difficult or stroppy, I believed the professionals ‘Don’t worry Suzanne we’ll sort it all out for you when you get here’
All I had to do was worry about settling my kids into a new life at the bottom of the world, deal with a different culture, language, being on my own all day while hubby and kids still had the routine of work and school and people to talk to, without having to sort out everyone else’s bloody mess. Oh and don’t forget to add to the mix....we now live in one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

Has anyone seen the holiday rep?

This post was written 5 weeks ago, I just forgot to publish it.


We haven't really had time to relax and enjoy South Africa yet, we hit the ground running and if you've read previous blogs you'll see what's been keeping us so busy.

When you go on your holidays, you enter into a contract with the airline and the hotel etc, you purchase insurance (we forgot one year when we went to America)and if you miss your plane due to air traffic control or baggage handlers strike, there's some inconvenience, but it all gets sorted for you, eventually. Should you have any problems with your accommodation or you are taken ill, ring down to reception and they were either sort it out for you or let you when your holiday rep is in next. When you get home some 2-3 weeks later and a problem wasn't resolved and you have evidence you can make a claim. (in theory)

When you emigrate you don't get that help, and unlike being on holiday where you rest, read a book and explore, we had to open bank accounts, buy a car, get mobile phones, find somewhere to live, deal with a different way of doing things and try to understand this medical aid stuff by finding drs and dentists. We had to get the water and electric switched on and all in a country with some of the highest crime figures in the world, a two year visa which prevents you from getting a loan as you may be Nigerian and considered a flight risk, and requires you to pay 50% deposit up front and the rest within the 2 yrs.......

And not a bloody holiday rep in sight