The US supposed ban on Tik Tok had backfired causing many Americans to start downloading the app LittleRedBook. Through the new app, they discovered a lot of things about China that had shocked them, such as the low cost of living, highly subsidized medical care by the government, etc, etc. This has caused some outrage in Americans because many of them struggle with medical costs, student loans, high property cost and cost of living assuming it is the norm only to find out it is not the case.
A few years ago, I got on to a few Facebook groups related to Azheimer’s, ALS and auto immune illness to research more about this. As my mom got Alzheimers and is on tube feeding, I could not find any information related to tube feeding in the Alzheimers group- it seemed that once the parent could no longer eat, they would cease to feed and start injecting morphine to start the end of life process. After a while, I could not bear to be in these groups and I left. Research on tube feeding led me to ALS groups where they also had the same problem as Alzheimers, ie cannot swallow and feeding tube were recommended.
A majority of members in these Facebook groups consists of Americans. Time and time again, I heard the term insurance, and MediCare being brought out with many saying they had problem with insurance, and other experienced members teaching them the procedures to file claims. The threads related to these insurance seemed complicated and alien to me, hence I did not focus on them since my real priority is to find out more about tube feeding, suction, caring for them and how to solve any medical complications.
Even in my YouTube channel as I shared on my caregiving journey, I have been asked a number of times in comments and private messaging (via my Facebook page) on how I was able to afford not to work and care for my mom. Now I understand why the question were being asked and I’ve provided my answer in detail in another post.
When the Tik Tok ban in American was looming, through recommendation from various creators that spread like wildfire, many started downloading the Chinese app Little Red Book which previously is mainly used in China. It was then I started seeing videos from Amercians sharing about medical costs and that they had to buy insurance in order to be able to treat themselves. If countries like Malaysia and Thailand are offering basic healthcare for literally free, I would have expected developed countries to do the same. But that was not the case.
Hence, I made a video to share about the healthcare in Malaysia, and how the poorest segment in the country is served by offering almost free healthcare. This is based on the sharing my mom had provided to me during her over 20 years of tenor working in a government hospital. As well as my observation through accompanying my mom to her government hospital visits. It is my hope that at least basic healthcare would be made available and very affordable for all:
My mom’s information was the practice more than 20 years ago. I have checked around and asked about experience of those who have to visit government hospitals for treatment, and I have been told the cost is very affordable. Of course, one cannot expect first class service given the high number of patients, nor detailed investigations but at least, a sick person would not be turned away by the government just because they do not have money.
My mom had contemplated a few times to migrate, stating to secure a better future and education for us, her children. But due to lack of support from my dad (whom my mom needed to look after us for a few years as she venture out on her own to work and find a place before bringing us over), my mom could not go ahead with her plan. This turned out to be a huge huge blessing because starting from a year after my mom retired, until now, more than 20 years later, she had been been sick with serious as well as chronic illnesses such as cancer, liver cirrhosis and now, end stage of Alzheimers. And also my dad passed away from stroke a year after she retired. Had we migrated, our small family would be left to fend for our own. Due to the high cost of living, there is no way I could have quit my job like I did since 2017 to be my mom’s full time caregiver. Neither could I afford the high living cost of medical items (ie diapers, suction tubes, gauzes, sterile dressing kits, oxygen tube and machine). In other words, my mom would not have been alive today had we moved.
There are also other aspects such as cost of education and cost of living in Malaysia. I also used to feel puzzled when I hear about Westerners talking about being saddled in huge student loans. I had thought that perhaps they have sought education from private institution instead of the government. Because in Malaysia, if one gets into a public school or university, ie owned by the government, the fees are very affordable. My parents need not take up a loan to finance my education. It is a different story if one opted to study in private college via twinning degree where one goes overseas. That would be expensive costing a few hundred thousand ringgit.
I have written at length a heartfelt piece from my heart on my thoughts about Malaysians thinking to migrate to more developed country sometime back before I know about the full extend of how living in a developed country is like.
