Getting Sick in Venezuela: A Luxury Not Everyone Can Afford

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Welcome back to another interesting blog where today we will be talking about health check-ups.

The truth is, discussing health in a country like Venezuela is an extremely complicated topic because, due to the financial crisis and the numerous problems the country faces, getting sick is something that is truly terrifying.

This is because the cost of treatments and medicines in the country is extremely expensive.

Any medicine or treatment you need costs a horrifying and unusual amount of money, and only if you are a person with significant financial resources will you be able to afford it. This turns the act of getting sick or suffering from any ailment into a real ordeal, a challenge requiring immense amounts of money.

Every day, I see how elderly people and people my age suffer greatly from the illnesses they have, such as arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, gout, and asthma.

The problem is not the illness itself, as getting sick at an older age is already quite difficult, but rather the lack of resources needed to buy the necessary medicine.

In my case, I recently suffered from a varicose ulcer on my left leg for nine months, and because I am diabetic, wounds and any cuts on my skin take much longer to heal.

This wound took nine months to heal, but I did not go to the doctor.

The reason I don’t go to the doctor is precisely because it is very expensive, and the times I have had to go were because my life was truly in danger or because of a dramatic event in my life.

The most recent time I went to the doctor was about five years ago when I was robbed by a criminal in my own home.

I had to fight with the criminal in my home. He beat me, and I beat him too, but he was much stronger than me. He broke my face, and I had to call the police and be taken to the hospital.

Otherwise, I would not have gone to the hospital because, as I said, getting treatment is very traumatic.

Currently, I have a problem on the instep of my left foot, in the same place where I had the ulcer before, which has now healed.

Let’s say that ulcer closed, but this new one opened, and it appeared as a fungal infection that, at this very moment while I am writing this post, is bleeding and hurting a lot.

The problem is that when night approaches, it starts to burn a lot, I feel it raw, and my foot itches a lot. It is very unpleasant.

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I have been unable to sleep well for about two weeks, and I don’t want to go to the doctor because moving around with my foot like this is a problem.

It is very uncomfortable for me. I don’t have the financial means to go to a private doctor to treat this, so I have to heal myself at home with what I have.

I have been using aloe vera, an antibiotic cream that is special for this type of ulcer, both antibiotic and antifungal, and taking an antibiotic that was recommended to me for this type of case called fluconazol.

So far, I haven’t seen many good results because during the day I dry the ulcer, clean it, wash it, and try to keep it as clean and dry as possible so the fungus doesn’t spread.

But the problem is that at night it starts to ooze.

During the day, because I am sitting and can’t be lying down all day, it starts to ooze and drip blood, and I have to keep cleaning it, which is very unpleasant.

On the other hand, the experiences I have had with doctors in Venezuela have been very unpleasant.

Instead of healing me, they scold me and treat me as if I were a bad person.

In reality, one goes to the doctor to be cured, not to be offended, especially when I am an older adult, not a young person.

There is no respect; I have not been respected, and I feel very disrespected.

Additionally, the price of medicines is very high, and my financial situation does not allow me to afford them.

I have also heard many stories of people who go in with an ailment or illness and end up being operated on, only to have needles or residues left inside them, and they end up dying.

This is something very common here in Venezuela, and I have decided for many years now to stay at home quietly and heal myself at home.

It took me nine months to heal, but with my own care and knowledge, even though I am not a doctor.

I am a self-taught person, I ask a lot of questions, research a lot, and look for a lot of information, and I don’t go to the doctor unless it is extremely necessary and I truly feel that I am dying or that my life is at risk.

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Currently, I have many health problems besides my leg.

I need to replace my glasses; my prescription is 3.7 or higher. I am overweight and have a number of medical conditions that I suffer from, including what I believe is a hernia.

I also feel like something in my stomach shifted about two years ago, and out of fear, I have not wanted to go to the doctor because I don’t want to have surgery.

I don’t have the resources to pay for surgery, and I don’t have anyone to take care of me.

For those who don’t know, I have mentioned it before: I am alone in life, without family, friends, children, or relatives who can take care of me. So, the fact of having surgery means I would need someone to take care of me or be there for me because if I go into surgery alone, who will bring me food, who will feed me during the days I am in the clinic? Who will take care of me? No one.

So, I can’t go alone, and I don’t have anyone who can do me the favor.

Surely, some will say neighbors or someone, but no, there are no neighbors, no one who can take care of that.

So, I have to stay here alone at home. This is the harsh and cruel reality of people like me who are alone in the world.

But I prefer it this way because I don’t like depending on anyone or being a burden to anyone, and I also don’t want to be criticized or scolded because I am too old for that.

With this, I conclude the topic for today, as it has not been pleasant for me to talk about these issues because it is something painful for me since I am not in good health and I don’t have alternatives to cure all the health problems I have.

The only alternative that could improve my life is winning the lottery jackpot or having Elon Musk come and admit me to get all the treatments I need, pay for my services, and cover all the treatments I require, which are extremely expensive due to the number of illnesses and problems I have at a health level.

That way, I could have a better or superior quality of life.

If you have made it this far, thank you for reading, and I look forward to your comments.

Until next time.