Thread: Cancer Treatment in Thailand

Originally Posted by bowie

yes, correct - really you can overdose on just about anything - you can overdose on booze - in the US we don't call it an overdose, we call it "alcohol poisoning" had a brother pass away of that at the ripe old age of 52. Drank too much and basically, his body forgot to breath enough, three days later with no brain activity, we pulled the plug - and, by the way, pulling the plug does not result in instantaneous "death" I believe it was about 18 hours after pulling the plug that he was pronounced dead. A very sad vigil for the family.

In the USA we have an epidemic of deaths from fentanyl - a cheap and most powerful synthetic that is being used to cut heroin. It has resulted in many, many accidental overdoses. Including a second brother of mine.

Fentanyl Abuse: Top 11 Facts About This Potent and Deadly ...
www.drugs.com/illicit/fentanyl.html
2019 Report: CDC: Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Are Soaring Fentanyl is a legal prescription drug used for pain control during surgery and for chronic or breakthrough cancer pain. It's also being manufactured illegally and sold for its euphoric effects.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending upon your line of thought, fentanyl laced heroin is available in every major city in the USA.

That fentanyl is heavy shit, insurance refused to cover my brother for a long term condition within 24 hours of learning that's what he was on; took an expensive 4-6 months before he was weaned off and back into the financial safety of insurance.

This goes off on another tangent concerning death. I'm American, my wife is Thai, we have assets in both countries, we have families in both countries, so, from or for a legal standpoint, as laws are country specific, you need to have formal legal documentation in both counter to protect yourself. We recently, in the past five years relocated to Thailand for our golden retirement years.

During our relocation, due to, financial, real estate and family transitional issues (including the death of one of our Attorneys) we did do full blown updates on all our legal documentation packages (Thai and USA). Now we have a Thai Legal Team that speak English and an American Legal Team (no they don't speak Thai) but, both teams are fully aware of our wishes, have copies of both the Thai and English versions of our legal documents. So we have taken the steps required to "minimize" the impact of our demise on our families should we die in an untimely event, accident, massive heart attack, etc. An unexpected "early" death. So, we have basically "Death Files" drawn up and legally recorded.

One interesting note - our "new" USA medical directives and much more iron clad on the DNR (do not resuscitate) clause. Now, the only way a hospital, doctor or EMT, medical crew, can take any steps to prolong our lives is with our signature in writing. Apparently, in the USA, some family members have been able to bypass a persons DNR medical directive. Our new medial directives have a stipulation that contains three options, the strictest requiring "written permission with a signature" to resuscitate. Expect in another five years or so we'll re-renew our legal stuff and find out more legal challenges to overcome.

The USA is a most litigious country - too damn many lawyers, not enough doctors and a most ridiculous medical system. Keep you alive until we've sucked every damn penny out of you and your families bank accounts. Then, and only then, will we allow you to die.

Off on another tangent, if, in the UK or Australia, as far as I know, and this was some 6-7 years ago, if you admit to a Medical Practitioner that you have seriously considered suicide and/or have made plans as such you can be immediately sectioned under the mental health acts and banged up in a luny bin, limiting, somewhat your options. This might have changed and I for one will be pleased.

Fortunately my limited assets here in LOS are all in her name and my brother in the UK has full power of attorney so he should be able to see to things there.
Aussie assets are simply cash in the banks that she can withdraw at will.

So, I hope it will be reasonably straightforward.

Funeral costs are covered by the village fund which they've kindly let me become a contributing partner to.

Originally Posted by crackerjack101

Aussie assets are simply cash in the banks that she can withdraw at will.

In the event of your death, I am not sure that is true.

Originally Posted by Barty

In the event of your death, I am not sure that is true.

Joint accounts and a few days warning should see it OK.

In both our Thai and USA Last Will and Testaments is the statement that in the event of our demise the spouse has full access to all financial accounts, passwords, and has signatory control of all financial instruments. In addition to some additional legalese wording about having full control of ALL financial "stuff". Our brokerage firm also has copies of our legal documents and knows our wishes and intent.

My only concern is for my wife - I can handle all the legal shit myself, for her safety and well being - I have the Thai legal team to handle the legal "stuff" for her. I specifically had instructed the Thai Attorney and his assistants in this. My wife is "comfortable" in the arrangement and says she's gonna die first anyway. Yup, I had to force her into the Attorneys offices, she is not a happy camper in facing such life issues.

Ha, Yes, it seems to be a common trait, Bless 'em.