Hello Hombres


I wanted to make a quick shout out to the community here in hopes of finding some help that might prepare me in my new "journey" coming up in January..

In early September I prior to my virgin trip to Cuba I had gone through a series of test to pinpoint and hopefully diagnose some symptoms I had been having, most of which had landed me in the ER . Upon returning from my virgin trip to Cuba I met with my doctor who informed me that he had found an irregularity in my MRI taken before the trip. He suggested that a biopsy be performed to diagnose the finding. As of 2 weeks ago I was informed that I have cancer of the liver which at the ripe old age of 28 comes as quite a shock to me and my family.
Im told this is of an aggressive nature and will need to be combated with several rounds of Chemo and radiation therapy.. At this point Im still unsure of how things will turn out and what the future brings but I've decided, that if my health does continue to worsen that Im going to do everything I can to surround myself with positivity and minimize any depressing element from my life..

So the first step..Get out of Seattle ;)..
Next, find a place that will dissociate myself with anything that could make me unhappy and go some place I've never gone before..

So after some real soul searching ;) I decided to visit the land of Eternal Spring...

Over the past year I have planned several trips to MDE, but unfortunately they have either been postponed due to friends not being able to go, business, clients or just old fashioned flakiness, but in spite of recent events I can find no excuse in the world not to finally complete the trip and experience the piece of paradise I have longed for quite some time now..
I know this isn't the typical thread you would see in a site like this, but I am trying to gather as much information on housing and possibly short term medical care, and who better to ask, than the professional perverts of club hombre ;)

Over the next few months Im going to be getting my affairs in order and plan to make the trek down in early January.. In the mean time Im looking to establish an apartment there and would like to have something secured before I go down.

From what I've read and heard El Poblado is probably the best place to live, and would be something that I would like. I would like to keep my budget around $750 to $1,000+ USD I don't need anything huge and perhaps maybe even a well furnished 1brm or Studio would be just what I need. I've made several contacts with a few people thus far, but am really getting the impression that gringo's aren't the most sought after of tenants.. I have already received some help and a lead from Hunterman and a few others who have been a great help which I am really grateful for, but would like to get as many options as possible.

Another avenue I am looking to explore is health care (particularly oncology). I've read what there is to read on the web, but the information most valuable is usually from the people that have experienced the scene first hand or know of those that have.

I have read most of the posts in regards to Apartmentos etc etc.. but most of it proves to be outdated or invalid..

So in short despite the circumstances..I don't post this thread as a bummer or a downer, but to possibly reach out to anyone that can help in either of the aforementioned categories. I would really appreciate anyone who can steer me in the right direction and thankful for your time.

Thanks in Advance!
J666

You should have no problem in finding apartments? Contact First American Realty Medellin (Google it).
Regarding the medical aspect. This would be my biggest concern? I am sure there is excellent Oncologist in Medellin but unless you are prepared to pay "out of pocket" you should do your homework on Medical Insurance. - Good Luck Hemp

Apartments in Laurelas run about $500 a month, but they are very hard to get.

the piece of paradise I have longed for quite some time...

Sorry about your diagnosis dude, but as I read it sounds like you have never been to Medellin.
Before relocating yourself, I would think you would want to visit there at least one time and stay there for a little awhile before committing to it.
I think people go to Medellin for medical things that are more cosmetic in nature that are not covered under basic insurance -- laser whitening, hairplants, etc.
The U.S. has the best cancer research center/facilities along with top-notch medical professionals that would be unmatched in a place like Colombia.

Just my opinion, but if you really want to beat cancer it is better to stay here where treatment would be superior and you have family/friends for support.

Banging hot paisas might be fun for a couple of weeks, but when you are need of true friends it might be even more depressing there. H

For me, Bangkok would be the place, given that they have reasonably-priced, state-of-the-art medical facilities, such as Bumrungrad Hospital (www.bumrungrad.com). However, it is damn hot there, which if you are used to the weather in Seattle could be a problem.

Good luck.

Sorry to hear about your situation. Cinco makes some great points. If you can, why not shoot down for a couple of weeks before any treatments start just to check it out? Everything is harder out of the US (except for getting laid). Just simple stuff. Do you really want to deal with that now? If you are set on it, I sent you a PM. Hope it helps. Good luck. AZ

Joseph666,

I'm very sorry to learn of your diagnosis. That's a tough thing to hear at any age, let alone 28.

You have to make your own decisions about what will make you happy and what you want to do to deal with your situation. There are many places to go in this world that can bring pleasure.

A word of caution though...and I know this is uninvited advice, but think long and hard before making a leap that you might regret. I've had many friends deal with problems similar to yours. In the end, they were all happiest being with those they loved and fighting the fight against cancer. You are in a city with one of the very best cancer treatment centers in the world. A number of my friends have been treated there and were very happy with their treatment.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, Joseph, you hadn't mentioned that to me.

I have to agree with LAguy about Bangkok I've used Bumrungrad Hospital there, it's first-rate (although I don't know specifically about their oncology prowess). And there are other excellent, less-expensive hospitals there; all or most of the docs speak English. The sex is much more accessible, too.

Agree with Cinco on the rest.

Joe

Sorry to hear the news. Best of luck to you.

Don't give up the fight so soon. It would be best if you stayed in the US. It's familiar and the medical care is top notch. If you are going to beat this thing, your best chance is here.

You can stay at home for the treatments and when your health permits, travel to Colombia or other places you have been wanting to go.

Hope everthing works out for you and hope we can do a trip together one day.

Trek

There has been a quite bit of good advice given here. While I did not suffer a medical problem, I did make the decision to follow my dream a number of years ago to move overseas and become an expat. However, the realities of vactioning are very different then actually living there. Seperation from friends, family, etc, take awhile to adapt to. Many of the things you take for granted each day become chores and difficult to accomplish. Making new friends and building a new life takes time. From what I have seen, there is usally more then a 50% chance of failure. While whoring everyday might seem like a great idea while cooped up in Seattle, that life can become very lonely when lived full time. You very quickly discover the girls for the most part really do not give a shit and if (hopefully not) your medical condition worsen's along the way, that is certainly a bad time to discover that you are alone in a foreign country.

Definitely take a trial run and don't jump in head first.

I don't live in Colombia, but can certainly tell you that medical care does differ. I live in Brazil which is a relatively advanced emerging economy and can tell you from personal experience that many of the drugs and treatments available in the US are not available here. I suffer from allergies - more then half the medicines and treatments are not available. While my worst side effect for lack of alternate treatments might be sneezing a little more, yours could be much more serious.

Language is another thing to take into consideration - even if you speak good Spanish, do you speak well enough Spanish to understand technical terms and explanations? Do you have someone in Colombia RELIABLE enough to always help out when needed?

If you have the blues and want to get away from things that make you sad - great! Do it! But do it by testing the waters first and see if a long term life in Colombia (or any other country, as a matter a fact) is for you.

While I still extensively monger, it has become ever less since becoming an expat...I now have a family, friends, and a relatively normal life (that can be argued) but it took awhile to establish.

Also, make sure you get good medical insurance!!!

Hi, like others, I'd recommend to live your life to the fullest and max time with people that can help you and take the best care for you.

If, though, I had a limited TIME to sow my royal oats, why worry about budget? Investigate ways to borrow a shitload from the land of easy credit ripoffs and then throw a MASSIVE party where the (SEARCH HARD!!!) US dollar still might be worth something?

+1 on Lovingmarvin's advice. I've been an expat for 5+ years now and know firsthand how difficult it can be to assimilate into a new culture. I work in a business where I see new expats every year and watch them struggle through culture shock. For some it is relatively simple; others struggle. I can't imagine trying to do that while fighting cancer.

I fully understand your desire to live life to its fullest, but advise that you do so in smaller steps rather than giant leaps that cannot be undone.

Best of luck in your fight!

EA

My dad expatriated himself when he had cancer. He went to live in a mountain town, claiming that cancer doesn't progress as quickly at higher altitudes. (There's actually a lot published in alternative cancer research about it) Is that part of your reason for going to Medellin?

Anyways, when his illness progressed, his extended family was unable to be there and/or visit. That was clearly his wish, as he was always proud and strong and wanted to be remembered that way.

I was able to spend the better part of his last 3 months with him and mom, which made it easier for me, however close relatives were frustrated by the situation.

Whatever you decide, I sincerely wish you the best. Go and have a blast in Medellin, knowing you're just a flight away from home if/when you're ready to go back.

I just wanted to say that I appreciate everyone taking the time to offer advice,opinions and well wishes regarding my situation. I've really recieved a lot of help through PMs and wanted to express my gratitude to those who have helped provide some really valuable intel thats helping to prepare me for the next "chapter" in which, If Im being honest, as it nears, am scared shitless of..

I think the most logical advice at this point to utilize is to take that initial trip to MDE and get a good impession of the lay of the land, develope a consensus first hand before making a commitment.

Thank You once again to all that posted and reached out.

J666

Dude...I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

I am skeptical that the level of oncological care you can find in Colombia will approach what you may find in the USA, especially being in Seattle I would imagine they would have places like the Anderson Center for Oncology, etc.

I think doing a combo of the advice provided above makes a lot of sense. Yes, by all means take a trip or two soon and get a taste and maybe make some contacts.

If the rad or chemo do not knock you back flat on your back (some people tolerate better than others) you may be able to squeeze in another trip between rounds.

The treatment may be modified depending on the findings along the way and I would imagine the responsiveness and awareness of the need to modify treatment would be a lot more expeditious in the USA than it would be in Colombia.

Best wishes bud! And if you want to go and your buddies flake on you send me a PM and I will see if we can coordinate, happy to translate for you and help you in any way. If you need any information re Bogota let me know as I will be there very soon.

Concarne,

Thank you for your post, I appreciate that. I sent you a PM

J666