
A rainy morning at Drill Hall brings a rainbow over the surf break.
I have never been admitted to a hospital, not while at home, traveling, or during an expat experience. I do not know how the health system works here in Barbados and figured that I would sort it out when and if I ever needed it. So, it has been a real learning experience as Dani maneuvers how to get Kevin, her husband, care for an appendicitis.
What Dani has found is that there is a good level of private healthcare here for minor ailments, but not for emergency surgeries, at least not on the weekend. This lead Dani and Kev to wait an afternoon, overnight and the entire next day for a room at the public hospital.
By the first night, Dani was distressed. I phoned Darren and Erin, who have been here twenty-five years, to ask them what to expect. Both have been admitted to the hospital in their time here, Erin for babies and Darren after collapsing during a marathon. Both vouched that while the hospital looked scary (Erin said to ignore the duct tape on the beds), the care was excellent.
There is nothing like living in a foreign country to realize that you don’t know how it works at home. I think that Ontario still has old hospitals that aren’t air conditioned. Is that right, or am I making that up? I have heard people wait many hours to be seen, not to mention admitted. Maybe this is the state of hospitals around the world that offer public health care. It is what makes the private system in the United States look so shiny, until citizens go bankrupt from medical bills.
The good news is that they have travel insurance. I know people that travel without it and while it is expensive, this is a gamble. It also offers a level of care that you might not otherwise be able to afford, at least in the initial assessment phases.

Parker, a friend of Jamie's, left the island on the weekend and we had a gathering at the lovely Bottom Bay on the southeast coast.
When I was in Guatemala many years ago, I got a horrible chest infection volunteering at a local school in Antigua. I developed a cough that made people give me a wide berth. It was apparent that I needed care and I went to the clinic. I could feel the infection move from my chest into my ears. To my knowledge, this is the only time that I have had a fever in my adult life. The kind that you can feel burning away at the infection.
I walked across town to a clinic. The doctor at the clinic did not speak English, so in my broken Spanish and my mini dictionary (this is way before Google Translate), I conveyed “Mi pecho no esta claro, y tambien mis oidos” (my chest and ears are not clear). His response in Spanish was clear and translated to,” You have an infection and need antibiotics.”
I walked back to my homestay past chicken buses spewing out black exhaust; my chest was so tight and pained that I could hardly breathe. I got to my bed and laid there and cried, waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. I feared then, as I sometimes do now, getting sick while being on my own.

The chicken buses in Guatemala are so cool to see but they definitely don't have any emissions testing.

Volunteering at Ninos Obrero, which apparently was a recipe for infection.
The difference in Barbados is that I have friends, like Erin and Darren, that know the island and can support me. They have gathered around to also support Dani and Kev. I have expat friends, like Lorena and Conrad, Kate, and Jamie, that may not know the system but will help me emotionally if I need them. I don’t worry as much about falling ill or being alone.
Dani and Kev are supposed to go home today. They are waiting on the doctors to decide whether Kev can fly and get treatment in the UK. Dani has been phoning their insurance health care provider all weekend. In some ways they are on their own, but they are not alone. We aren’t in the hospital with them, but we are rallying around for support.
It has got me thinking about health care in other countries. What has been your experiences either living or traveling overseas, or in your home countries? Did you find the system difficult to maneuver? How was the level of care?
This sounds like a very tough situation indeed. I think back to a time when we lived in Zimbabwe and our first born was 10 days old – it was Easter weekend and he needed surgery for pyloric stenosis. For new parents on a far away content, it was very scary. Our little 8 pound baby had his surgery – we had excellent care. We did have a couple of memorable nights in the paediatric ward – they had just sprayed another wing of the hospital for roaches, so the bugs had all fled to our ward…the walls WERE crawling…two doors down was an 8 year old who lost an arm in a lion attack. We were so grateful for the care and expertise and felt very lucky.
Nora, I have been to Zimbabwe as a tourist. A beautiful place of the world but rough to be sure! I have the deepest respect that you and your husband moved there AND raised children. Then to have a health scare is a whole other level. I think in North America we are used to shiny surfaces and patched walls. The esthetics of our surrounding give us comfort as to the care or service that we will receive. Yet, I don’t think the link is always as strong in reality. Due to the elements and lack of funds, it is hard to maintain a shiny façade in Barbados. I have walked into clinics that I do not feel comfortable, to find a doctor or nurse that has both the time and the knowledge to help me. We need to look at outcomes, and it would appear that your children are strong and healthy.
Here in Ottawa, I was in CHEO for years for my daughter and the care was amazing, with updated everything. The other hospitals here, that I have been in personally or with family & friends, don’t have tape on anything, the only issue would be “the food”. I was in Jamaica for a holiday and my husband needed antibiotics and it was a bit freaky with a local Dr., however he spoke English so that made it easier.
I have consistently heard that CHEO (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) is excellent. Ottawa is so fortunate to have that. Something I wonder about – how much fundraising allows CHEO to be everything that it is and how much of it is government funding? I have also been reflecting on language – I cannot imagine having to navigate anything more than a chest infection in Spanish. To even begin figuring out hospital stays, diagnosis, and insurance in anything other than English seems impossible to me. I had visions of retiring in Central America, but this stay in Barbados has made an English-speaking country very appealing.
More than ever before, I feel very fortunate to be a Canadian and to have the Ontario Health Care system – it is an incredible privilege. As with the Ontario education system, there are definitely areas that are less than efficient, and somewhat “broken”, but I never want to take what we have for granted. Living near London, Ontario means that we are in driving distance to world-class hospitals. My home in St. Thomas is minutes away from our local hospital.
In my family of 4, we are grateful for the care and treatment we received for: 2 child births, 1 appendectomy, 1 broken arm, 1 hernia surgery, CT scans, MRI and other diagnostic procedures for chronic illness, in addition to limited (but essential!) support for mental illness. I’ve been present for 3 extra births, each of which included life or death decisions, incredible staff, and healthy outcomes for the moms and the babies.
I can’t emphasize enough that I am grateful. I haven’t been in health care systems outside of Canada, so the comments and experiences you are sharing are new to me. I hope that all involved in accessing treatment, are able to get what they need, for sure!
Anita, we have much to be grateful for in Ontario and this makes me give pause about giving up residency in Canada. It is not until we list out the services that we realize that we are so fortunate to be taken care of by our healthcare system, and this is in addition to annual checkups and blood tests. Before I went to Ireland, I had a doctor’s appointment and my Irish boyfriend at the time asked how much it cost. What do you mean? I said. I had no idea what he was talking about. I am grateful for a system that I don’t even know how much truly costs to provide. Whereas my sister and friends in the States can tell you exactly the cost, and it is not cheap to the user. Thanks for your sharing your experience!