Thread: I have to return to the UK...

All I can say is good luck with your diagnoses and I hope things work out for you.

You have always presented yourself as a positive person here and to remain positive is a key.

Originally Posted by Simon43

Unless someone has a property anywhere in the UK that is available for a cheap rent ...

The cheapest accommodation in the UK are house shares, a horrible task searching for somewhere to live here.
Hull might be cheaper option.
Have you no ex wives,friends or family who will put you up temporally?

^ how is that shed Chitty.

Simon all the best and hope it all works out

Originally Posted by Joe 90

The cheapest accommodation in the UK are house shares, a horrible task searching for somewhere to live here.
Hull might be cheaper option.
Have you no ex wives,friends or family who will put you up temporally?

Lol, my British ex-wife and my kids haven't replied to my emails and birthday/xmas wishes in yonks! TBH, I'm not going to be on the street. 500 quid a month for an apartment is OK and I've already emailed about a nice apartment in Hove (by the sea). Of course, I have zero credit history and references, which might be an issue. Assuming I rent an apartment, then I have that address to enable me to register at the local doctor and to request a referral etc.

On AN forum, one suggestion was that I simply ignore the cancer, because it doesn't show any outward symptoms yet and one can live for years with prostate cancer. But knowing my luck, I will have some dastardly aggressive form, and so it's better to whip out my prostate sharpish!

Sucks. Not old, in great shape yet this.

I canceled my insurance a year ago. Better to have cash in case of catastrophic event instead of lying in hospital bed arguing with insurance, losing and feeling like a mug.

@simon43 - good luck in your life journey. I wish you all the best. When you have spare time, maybe you can write your memoirs/ book. It certainly seems to be a very unconventional life path, with lits of twists & turns. I mean that in a good way - you have a gift for prose. I liked the stories that you wrote about your ex-wives & the hotel ventures.

My great uncle-in-law (?) - husband of the sister of my grandma - I called also called him Grandpa - had prostate problems some years ago. He had surgery to fix it, was cured and was able to live for a few more years.

Unfortunately, after 5 or 10 years (?) (can't remember exactly), the problem recurred and it caused his demise. However, they lived in a rural area in PH and he might not have received optimal care or diagnosis.

The UK health system is excellent & I (or we on TD) have high hopes for you.

Hope you have speedy treatment and recovery. If I still had my gaff in Yarmouth you could stay there for a bit. Yarmouth might be worth a look, it's not as bad they folks say and the beach is rather nice. Fresh air, some decent places to eat and rent is cheap.

Thanks for all the advice. I am familiar with the requirements for free NHS treatment for returning expats - a local bank account and rental contract is really all that is needed (with your UK passport). I already have a Wise account. Once I find somewhere to rent, then I can change my Wise address to that new property. I already have a UK ltd company (I use it with Stripe to bill some students in China because Stripe accepts WeChat payments). So I'll update that address as well.

David - it's true that rental rates are through the roof compared to when I left the UK. But on the relevant rental websites I see decent studio and 1-bed apartments in regional cities for under 500 quid a month, not many apartments but some. So I should be able to find something half-decent.

Yes, I have heard that a Smarty or Asda Mobile SIM is the best option for me to continue my online teaching.

Katie, I'm realistic about the outcome of this prostate problem. If it's still wholly inside my prostate (which it was a few weeks ago), then surgery should - according to the stats - give me a normal life span. If it's spread, then with today's drugs, one can still lead a decent life for 15-20 years. It's all in the lap of the gods (flying spaghetti monster in my case). Anyway, I'm doing my best to kill the cancer cells by drinking cannabis oil every day

...best of luck, Simon: you seem to have the right attitude to confront (and keep confronting) these challenges...

Best of luck Simon. Hope you can get on a plane and settled (temporarily) in the UK pronto, and get on with the business. You know how these things are- better sooner than later.

If you are not moving to UK for good I wonder why would you not go to India for a treatment. It may take a while for you to establish yourself in UK, may get shit from landlords as there is currently a housing shortage just like in Canada. In Asia everything is quick and easy as long as you have a bit of money. Actually, I would suggest you to go to Serbia. Better and cheaper than Thailand.

Without going into details, my medical insurance company - April International Insurance of France has flatly refused to pay for my prostate cancer investigation and treatment here in Thailand

Cancer treatment under the NHS is actually very fast - my previous doctor (20 years ago), has no record of me now

So I'm guessing it's a "pre-existing condition" issue, is it?

Originally Posted by Simon43

Lol, my British ex-wife and my kids haven't replied to my emails and birthday/xmas wishes in yonks! TBH, I'm not going to be on the street. 500 quid a month for an apartment is OK and I've already emailed about a nice apartment in Hove (by the sea). Of course, I have zero credit history and references, which might be an issue. Assuming I rent an apartment, then I have that address to enable me to register at the local doctor and to request a referral etc.

On AN forum, one suggestion was that I simply ignore the cancer, because it doesn't show any outward symptoms yet and one can live for years with prostate cancer. But knowing my luck, I will have some dastardly aggressive form, and so it's better to whip out my prostate sharpish!

Sorry to hear this.

You kinda lumped the biopsy and treatment together. Would it be possible to get the biopsy done here before upheaving your life?

Cannot believe a biopsy would be that expensive.

...and, to add further after having read around, your projected treatment cost seems way too high for Thailand. How did you get that number?

Originally Posted by nidhogg

...and, to add further after having read around, your projected treatment cost seems way too high for Thailand. How did you get that number?

Of course, prices will vary. The biopsy is between 100-200,000 THB (private hospital), and the radical prostatectomy is up to 800,000 baht. These are the rates quoted to me by the various Bangkok hospitals. If I go to the UK, all this is free.

Harry, no it's not a pre-existing condition. But the insurance company is basically saying that a raised PSA number means prostate cancer, which any doctor will tell you is bollox. My PSA has been steady for yonks. The insurer says that because I voluntarily went for bloodwork checks every year (for all parameters), this indicates that I knew that something was wrong inside my body. Nope - it's because I was being sensible and wanted to keep an eye on everything, and nothing was ever flagged up in any of my health checks over the year, no doctor recommendations, no treatment, no medication.

Lawyer up?

^^ Insurance ombudsman

^^^ That seems bizarre. I thought insurers encouraged check-ups because catching things early saves them money in the long run.

I go for a skin cancer check-up every year, no pre-authorisation, and the insurers cover the cost of the check-up (and occasional treatment) without question.

Sorry to hear that Simon. All the best for your return.

Sorry to learn of the condition and the predicament it is causing you.

Now is obviously not the best time to incur a trip back to UK.

Hoping for a positive result for you whatever happens.

Originally Posted by katie23

maybe you can write your memoirs/ book

Get on it like a Ford Anglia bonnet Simon.

Best of luck with the biopsy.

Best of luck 'mon.

Helluva life change, may you be back faster than you can say whip it out nurse.