Guy's Viral Post About The 'Horrors Of Socialized Medicine' After E.R. Visit in Taiwan Is A Must-Read
Kevin Bozeat recently experienced a medical emergency while visiting Taiwan. His health required him to visit the emergency room at NTU Hospital in Taipei, and his overwhelming experience caused him to write "The Horrors of Socialized Medicine: A first hand experience" on Facebook.
On February 17th, Bozeat posted about his experience at Taipei's NTU Hospital.
Kevin had been vomiting for hours and finally resigned himself to going to the E.R. despite his fears and reservations about medicine outside of the United States.
His experience was one for the books.
He began the story by giving background as to why he required medical attention.
"The Horrors of Socialized Medicine: A first hand experience
A few days ago my stomach began to hurt. Thinking it would pass, I went home to try and rest for the night. A bit later I vomited. I thought that was the end of it.
But for the rest of the night, I kept vomiting almost every 30-40 minutes. Even after my stomach was completely empty, I kept vomiting. Soon it was nothing but stomach fluid and bile. I tried to drink water to stay hydrated, but I kept throwing it up, no matter how hard I tried to keep it down.
By 3am I had severe stomach cramps, my body kept trying to vomit even though there was nothing left. I was dizzy and light-headed. My symptoms showed no signs of abating.
At this point I had to seek medical treatment, I knew I had to go to the hospital."
Kevin went on to share his fears about Taiwanese medical care.
"I wanted to avoid it. I had no idea how different Taiwanese hospitals would be, whether I would be able to find an English speaking doctor, or what it would cost me (my US health insurance has lapsed and I don't qualify for Taiwanese NHI)."
As his story continues, it becomes clear that Kevin's fears were completely unfounded.
"My Taiwanese roommate called a taxi and took me to the ER at NTU Hospital. I was immediately checked-in by an English speaking nurse. Within 20 minutes I was given IV fluids and anti-emetics. They took blood tests and did an ultrasound to ensure it wasn't gall stones or appendicitis. From there I was given a diagnosis: a particularly severe case of Acute Viral Gastroenteritis (aka the stomach flu). After about 3 hours on an IV, I began to feel slightly better, my nausea disappeared and my stomach began to calm down. I was discharged with a prescription for anti-emetics and pain medication. Each day since Ive gotten progressively better and am now pretty much back to normal.
The bill for the ER visit?...
US$80.00
Eighty. American. Dollars.
Out of pocket. Full cost. No discounts. No insurance.
At one of the best hospitals in Taiwan.
And if I had NHI, it would have been a fraction of that."
Bozeat concluded his account expressing the difference between Taiwan's socialized healthcare and that of the United States.
"This could have easily cost me hundreds or even thousands in the US without insurance. But here in Taiwan I was able to receive speedy, quality care comparable to what I would have gotten in a US hospital for relatively small amount of money.
Given this experience, I no longer have a reason to fear or hesitate getting care in Taiwan should I ever need it.
America, it's time to stop making excuses."
The post has since gone viral with 208,000 shares of his original Facebook post alone.
People agree that it's time for America to "stop making excuses".
$300 for an EMT ride here. SMDH. Folks in the USA afraid to go to the hospital because the bill might kill them. https://t.co/dE0x3SWQCG— cyd (@cyd)1551396001.0
It works in other industrialized countries there's no reason that it couldn't work here. We pay more for healthcare… https://t.co/u26aMTdfsH— maygin mcewen (@maygin mcewen)1551389845.0
I used to be afraid of socialism and thought universal healthcare was a joke. Not anymore, healthcare is a right t… https://t.co/04m5IHs4xC— Tonya Brandt (@Tonya Brandt)1551377579.0
Others had similar stories to tell.
@Upworthy Had a motorcycle accident in Taiwan. Rushed from the scene to a hospital on an ambulance, treated for mul… https://t.co/65Smg2jjMb— tian (@tian)1551377817.0
Great story! My own comparable ER experience as visitor in Seoul, South Korea...US$170, full out of pocket, great c… https://t.co/2J2BSADWl1— Ozzie Diaz (@Ozzie Diaz)1551389943.0
Wake up, America.
People Break Down Which Episode Of Television Was So Bad It Ruined The Entire Series For Them
You've probably heard that we live in the golden age of television. That's awesome.
Well You Knew This One Was Coming
<p>"Throughout Season 8 of [Game of Thrones] I was preaching patience. Let's see how it plays out. I didn't mind the white walkers <em>not</em> being the ultimate bad guy. I thought Dany's turn was odd but could potentially pay off. I was holding on to a thread of hope that there was a vision."</p><p>"So you can imagine my frustration with the finale. Lifeless. Soulless. An utter disdain for the show and its fanbase."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi658pw?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">doubledYou</a></p>Suddenly, a Psychopath
<p>"I stopped watching Bones after one of the sweet side characters was revealed to be the apprentice of a serial killer. Completely out of left field and totally stupid." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6qctu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">glory87</a></p><p>"Bones. It's been so long that I don't even remember the details, but one of the main cast suddenly murdered people and went to jail for some bizarre reason. I stopped watching after that, so it did ruin the series for me." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6ry2n?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">tjeepdrv2</a></p>High Standards for Continuity
<p>"The King of the Hill episode where Hank doesn't realize what sticker price is when buying a new truck, and then attempts to vandalize the dealership."</p><p>"It was super out of character for Hank to not know how to purchase a vehicle and retaliate so childishly. It's a later season episode that I simply skip now."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6xkek?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">lod001</a></p>A Few Gripes
<p>"Two last episodes of How I Met Your Mother."</p><p>"Deleted tons of character development and made the entire last seasons story obsolete." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi7fxsv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Magnus-Krogsoe</a></p><p>"How i met your mother. She died the way she lived. Off screen." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi790u4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">CambaceresDM</a></p>Always Eric and DonnaÂ
<p>"That 70's Show had two."</p><p>"The first is when Eric and Donna broke up. I knew the entire next season was going to suck and focus on them both dating around before they got back together."</p><p>"The second was when Eric decides to propose to Donna. I knew that meant they weren't going to college and the were just going to be bums and I was right."</p><p>"The last 3 seasons of that show were unwatchable."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6s499?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Nightshade_Salad</a></p>Cool Hair, ThoughÂ
<p>"Stanger Things when Eleven runs away and chills with some street rats for some reason in an episode - hated it" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi72kj4?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">DeschainesBrain</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Hahaha i totally forgot about that. What a weird waste of an episode" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi7apx1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">MrProfessorPhD</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"I heard somewhere that was a test for a new direction for the show. But test audiences hated it so that idea was scrapped but the episodes and tie in were kept. Dunno if its true or not but seems plausible given how unrelated that is to everything else." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi7cdua?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Chriogenosis</a></p>Budgetary Concerns?
<p>"Murder She Wrote; They had an episode set in 'Australia' with American actors dong Australian Accents even though there were Australian Actors living in LA at the time."</p><p>"The accents were that bad that I was too embarrassed to tell anyone that I ever watched the show. Drive time comedy on the radio had an absolute field day with it."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6ar0y?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Captain_Coco_Koala</a></p>Cash Grab
<p>"The entirety of <em>The Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life</em> put me off the original series, which used to be my favourite comfort watch."</p><p>"I really wish Amy Sherman-Palladino did not mess with something that originally ended on a good, satisfying note."</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6biua?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">boop_attack</a></p>4th Time's the NosediveÂ
<p>"So no one is going to say 'Sherlock season 4'? Do I have to be the one to bring that monstrosity up?" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi75nif?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">More-Consequences</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Sherlock seasons 1-3 I had seen multiple times. I would just put it on in the background when I was doing other stuff because it was nice to follow along."</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"When season 4 came out I was excited and watched it all in one day. I have not watched the show at all since then. Totally ruined it for me." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi7jzs3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">MazerRakam</a></p>Sounds Riveting
<p>"That once episode in Voyager where that one guy and the captain become giant lizard things after a failed tinkering with warp 10. Like what" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kqwirr/what_episode_of_a_television_show_was_so_bad_that/gi6lgpg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Labrat_The_Man</a></p>As a child, I saw Sleeping Beauty and could not get over how messed up Maleficent was. She cursed a child because she wasn't invited to the birthday party?! Who does that?! Has she never heard of therapy?
She later turns into a dragon to try and kill a prince before he can reach the film's titular character and save the day. It's a downright creepy scene, actually. Short but thrilling.
And what about Cinderella? Who knew Disney movies could introduce us to the horrors of child abuse? The Evil Stepmother needs a therapist, too. (Did you know that both Maleficent and the Evil Stepmother were voiced by the same actress? It probably explains a lot.)
After Redditor shoopdahoop22 asked the online community, "What's the darkest Disney movie?" people shared their suggestions.
"I'm not even talking..."
<p><em>Dumbo</em>.</p><p>I'm not even talking about the crows. The amount of abuse that elephant goes through is heartbreaking for a kids movie. Plus the pink elephant scene was pure nightmare fuel.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/gihym32?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">nowhereman136</a></p>"He was ruthless..."
<p>The villain of <em>Oliver and Company</em> was so dark. He was ruthless and realistic. He was on the phone telling his men to drown people. He also sicced his dogs on the main character with killing intent and only stopped when he offered a scheme to kidnap a little girl that seemed viable. Plus he straight-up died at the end.</p><p>Otherwise a great movie though.</p>"Aoart from the old lady..."
<p><em>Fox and the Hound</em>. Apart from the old lady abandoning a hand-reared fox in the woods and just expecting it to know how to survive, the end message of the movie is, Stick With Your Own Kind.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/gii80zm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">purplhouse</a></p>"I kind of wish..."
<p><em>The Black Cauldron.</em></p><p> A ragtag group of two children, an old man, and some weird childish talking animal are trapped in a torture-maze-castle by a satanic demon king who plans to sacrifice them by throwing them into a possessed cauldron to summon the souls of the dead who will melt the flesh off of his living soldiers and then inhabit their skeletal remains and serve as his undead army.</p><p><em></em>I kind of wish that they had decided to go full speed ahead with this and really owned the twisted horror of the movie. As it is, they cut out a lot of the graphic scenes and the result is a poorly edited mess of a movie that hardly makes any sense whatsoever.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/gii8w2m?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">-M-E-O-W-</a></p>"It was about a boy..."
<p>Good answers here. I'll add <em>Child of Glass</em>. It was a made-for-TV movie for Wonderful World of Disney in the late 70s. It was about a boy who moves with his family to a (Louisiana?) plantation and is visited by the ghost of a little girl whose soul can't rest until he solves the mystery of her murder. Which also puts his own life in danger. Pretty heavy stuff, but also kind of sweet.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/giic3kj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">misterdandy</a></p>"They've been trying..."
<p>Song of the South</p><p>They've been trying to sweep their grossly altered historical depiction of benefactor slave owners and their happy slaves story under the rug for years.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/giig099?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">SightrHose</a></p>"And that's..."
<p><em>Beauty and the Beast</em>. Kidnapping. Attempted murder. False imprisonment. Coercion. And that's the "good" guy.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kss7oa/what_is_in_your_opinion_the_most_fcked_up_movie/giilhs2?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">BurgundyFord</a></p>"It's tough to pick..."
<p>Disney went through a weird period in the early 80s and tried some darker fare, resulting in releases like <em>The Watcher in the Woods</em>, <em>Dragonslayer</em>, <em>The Black Hole</em>, <em>The Black Cauldron</em>, <em>Something Wicked This Way Comes</em>, and <em>Return to Oz</em>. It's tough to pick the darkest of that weird (but lovable) bunch.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4nnad4/what_is_the_darkest_disney_movie/d45cgvt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">VistaVizion</a></p>"Thousands of people die..."
<p>How is <em>Atlantis</em> not on this list? Thousands of people die, each character on the expedition is the literal example of a stereotype about a culture, and not a single person feels sad about the hundreds of crew members lost trying to find the city.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4nnad4/what_is_the_darkest_disney_movie/d45lef5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Dovahkin42</a></p>"Judge Frollo..."
<p><em>The Hunchback of Notre Dame</em>. Judge Frollo kills a mother and tries to murder her child. He also decides that he will burn down the entire city of Paris if he doesn't get the girl <em>and</em> that the girl should burn in hell for tempting him.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/4nnad4/what_is_the_darkest_disney_movie/d45b66e?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Fredfredbug4</a></p>People Explain Which Things They Wish They Started Doing Earlier In Life
Image by Jose Antonio Alba from Pixabay |
Time flies... before you know it, it's gone. Suppose there are things you really want to do: Getting into certain habits is a lot easier to do when you're younger. It's a lot easier to go to the gym and exercise on a regular basis, for example, when you're in 20s than when you're in your 30s, 40s, or 50s.
But there's nothing wrong with starting now––you'll notice the benefits eventually.
After Redditor Tr0az asked the online community, "What do you wish you started doing from a young age?" people shared their stories.
"I should have saved more..."
<p>Saving money, and spending responsibly. I should have saved more when I lived at home and had no commitments.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi25sgj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">seanosaurusrex4</a></p>"The kind of thing..."
<p>Being kinder. I'm talking habitual kindness. The kind of thing where you do it so much you get a reputation for it and it comes more naturally than being disinterested/a d!ck.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2ex3j?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">rizlagreen345</a></p>"It's weird because..."
<p>Making friends.</p><p>I can talk to large congregations with ease, participate in debates and discussions and <em>shine.</em></p><p><em>I, however, do not have friends.</em></p><p>It's weird because you'd expect me to have great social skills and all. I have no idea how to make small talk, or just talk to anyone normally. I can't understand what their responses are and make an appropriate response to it. I can talk about Math, Harry Potter, Earthsea, Stalin, Yuval Noah Harari and a lot more. I can't talk <em>with</em> people. I don't feel lonely, but my parents are upset and I wish for their sake, I'd learn to appear more normal.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2e7iq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">methametrics</a></p>"Within a month..."
<p>Taking medication for my OCD.</p><p>I started on medication when I was 12, which sounds relatively young, but I wish my parents had out me on medication sooner. I missed out on most of my childhood. I had so much psychotherapy as a child, which did basically nothing. Within a month on medication, I had essentially no symptoms. I suffered for years when a pill a day could have alleviated it.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2hn0d?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Hexomin</a></p>"I tried learning..."
<p><span>Studying music. I tried learning how to read music as a teen (privately, not school) and hated every second of it. Kodály can kiss my arse with his idiotic overcomplicated system. Notes have fixed names! Use those!</span></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2u37m?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">AkebiJehubiMethusie​</a></p>"I was politely asked..."
<p>Yoga! I was politely asked to leave my youth gymnastics club as a little kid because I didn't have the attention span but I wish I'd carried on with some form of bendy, stretchy exercise. I get by alright as I'm only 29, but I think if I'd done yoga I'd feel a lot fitter and more youthful.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2dlfg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">broomheezy</a></p>"There is nothing in this world..."
<p>Learn about investments. Not just financial investments, but personal commitments as well. There is nothing in this world worth having that will come to you without some time and money invested.</p><p><span></span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2dlfg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">broomheezy</a></p>"Being open-minded..."
<p>Being open-minded about food. I was a very picky eater and now I'm mad at myself for missing out on so many delicious foods for so long.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi56ywh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">CraziiSpice</a></p>"In general..."
<p>In general, I wished that I had developed the idea that discipline is important for everything early on. A new language, an instrument, your studies. It does not matter. By sticking to it you will get better. And if you stick to it long enough, you will get some nice skills later on.</p><p>Nothing is stopping me to start these things now, tho. I am really excited for this year.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2yf9g?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">thatkafkaguy</a></p>"I'm tall..."
<p>Ballet. I'm tall and naturally graceful and I always always wanted to do it. Being one of four children of blue-collar parents it just wasn't in the cards for me. I tried a 100 level course in college and loved it but I was so far behind I get really self-conscious and dropped it.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kq74es/what_do_you_wish_you_started_doing_from_a_young/gi2jt38?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">ChosenPrawn</a></p>There are basic life lessons that are life-saving and cost-effective that we are all intimidated by but, in actuality, they take all of a few minutes to acquire. We all condition ourselves to believe that certain skills in life are just too complex for regular joes to master. The truth is... you do not need an Ivy League degree to learn how to clean out the water heater, clip your pet's nails, or change out a toilet. Who knew? So many of us have been forced to acquire new skills while we've been trapped at home and we're going to be better off for it.
Redditor u/goodspeed19 wanted to know what lessons we should all be learning while stuck in quarantine that will make us more useful in the future by asking..... What's a skill you can learn in 30 minutes to one hour that is extremely useful/cool?