Last June 26 I suffered a heart attack (also read an update here). I was in the hospital for about a week.
Since that time, my doctor has been treating my heart condition with a combination of different medications. This includes very aggressive medicine to reduce my blood pressure to very low levels, a statin drug and continuing to keep my diabetes under good control.
Now, though, I need some further treatment. This year, 2016, has been a very expensive year for me, medically. For about the first 4 or 5 months of 2016, I was undergoing some fairly extensive treatments for my eyes due to Retinopathy. This included having surgery on my eyes 9 times so far this year. My eyes are starting to show some real signs of improvement now, though, so I am hoping that I will have put that episode behind me.
For my heart, right now, I need to have an angiogram, which is a test where they put a dye in your blood so that they can observe to see if there are any arterial blockages that are obstructing blood flow to my heart. This procedure is not so expensive, but if blockages are found then I need to immediately proceed to having angioplasty. Angioplasty is the procedure where they use balloons to open up your arteries and then place stents in your arteries to keep them open and keep the blood flowing. If this procedure is needed, I am looking at a cost of between P1 Million to P1.5 Million in order to get my health back and to stay alive. This is equivalent to between $21,000 to $32,000 in US Dollars. Because of the amount of money I have spent on my eyes this year, I just don’t have the money at this time.
I have PhilHealth insurance, but that has already been figured into the prices that I have given previously.
One of the problems or downsides of living in a foreign country like the Philippines is that health care can be tough. You can’t get a US health insurance policy and expect it to cover you here… it won’t. There are private insurance companies here in the Philippines, but it is expensive, and due to previous conditions it is doubtful that I could get such coverage anyway.
I am not the type of person that likes to ask for help from others, so this is very hard for me to do. But, I am going to ask my friends and readers here on this site and my other sites if they can help me out. If you feel you can help me out, I have set up a Go Fund Me (click on the Go Fund Me to make a contribution) page to collect funds from those who wish to help. I would really appreciate your assistance.
If you can pitch in and assist, I will be eternally grateful, and I will literally owe my life to your generosity. I have already gotten some help from local friends here in Davao (expats and Filipinos) and I am so grateful for that, but I need to supplement that so that I can move ahead with the life saving procedures that I need. I hope you understand.
I am not trying to pressure you, and I have no problems with those who cannot or choose not to contribute. If you can help, though, as I said, it would be appreciated greatly.
Right now, I am hoping to move forward with this procedure during the first week of October. I believe that I can be ready by then. My cardiologist is scheduling everything to take place during that week.
Thankfully, the procedure has become a fairly routine thing these days, and takes only between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Most cases are in the 30 minute category, it is the complicated cases that take longer. I am hoping that mine remains routine and is short. After having this procedure recover is quick, just a couple of days to a week. They say that you will feel like a totally different person after the procedure and getting your heart back to working as it should. So, I am hopeful and excited to get it done!
So, if I have helped you in any way in the past, answered questions for you, helped you with problems related to moving to the Philippines, or whatever, can you consider helping me? It would be a big thing to me, and I would be eternally grateful.
Thanks for listening.
Contribute to Bob’s Go Fund Me Campaign!
Bob, hope everything goes well. Good Luck my friend!
I do too, Mark! Thank you. I think I will be OK, it is amazing what the medical technology can do these days!
Omg Bob I’ll keep you in my prayers as well good sir! I know it’s hard to ask help of any kind so thanks for opening up and sharing in your time of need. May God richly bless you sir.
Thank you very much, Phil. I feel that God will bless me! He always has!
Hi Bob,
Sorry to hear of further health issues from you. The wealth of information that has been available on your websites over the past decade or so has helped me and countless others. Now it is you that need the help. I have done a lot of things for a lot of people there on my visits. Give me a day or two and I will see what I can do for you. I hope others will also. I know there was a time you had thoughts of making this a partial pay website for premium information but in the end that did not happen. Valuable information continues to be available here on ” LIP ” at no charge to viewers. Good luck on those possible upcoming procedures you may require Bob. The best advice you ever gave me was that if my digestive system is anywhere near normal and with a little common sense it is OK to eat the food there. So many restaurants, so many meals and snacks and I never did have any problems there in spite of what seems like a zillion precautions on other websites.
Bob, you have not only been a loyal fixture on the website over many years, but you have been a good friend to me as well. I thank you for that.
A number of people have made contributions so far this morning, and I am very grateful to everybody who has been generous and willing to help me out.
Thank you so much, Bob! One of these days we are going to meet in person, probably in Iligan! 🙂
I donated a small amount. Hope all goes well.
Mike, I just saw your donation. Thank you very much! It is greatly appreciated!
I have been an anonymous help, paying hospital bills to folks I didn’t even know. That period spanned from 2012 to 2014.
Now I am flat broke and grateful to be still healthy at 70.
I did it because I know that an extremely severe financial and especially monetary global crisis is coming, imminent is a better word.
That crisis has the potential to do a lot of damage to our pockets and before it does, I had decided to give it a meaning. I helped save a few lives.
I wish someone could do the same as what I did, to help Bob before the…
“Oh, I wish I had helped someone rather than loosing it foolishly”.
It’s coming folks! No kidding…
Whats coming?
I had an American telling me this same thing 18 months ago. The bottom was going to fall out of the American dollar and so on. If anything the dollar has got stronger since then. You cant listen to all the doomsday journalists in the world or you wouldnt get out of bed in the morning! Yes I know this is off topic.
Best of luck with your health Bob. I, like many, enjoy the articles and information on this site
Thank you, Adam.
Hello Bob – No worries. I thank you for assisting others in the past. I will get through this, and I appreciate your moral support.
Sent something to your gofundme page Bob. I know every contribution will help regardless of the amount. i hope many of the readers on this website will follow.
I got your contribution, Bob. Thank you so much, you are a true friend.
I’m going to order one of your ebooks at the end of the month… a win – win 🙂
Thank you Mel. I appreciate it.
be well
Hi Cheryll. Thank you! I sent you a text a while ago, but not sure if the number I have is current or not. I just want to thank you for your assistance, it means a lot to me!
Adam
You should have listened to your American friend.
I have prepared an article on this subject (financial) where I will be giving a glimpse of my background and a glimpse of what’s coming.
Bob will publish it on Wednsday the 28th. Of September.
Ok. I look forward to that. I am interest in financial matters. I have money in the Australian sharemarket. Should I be selling all this? Should everybody be taking all their money out the banks? So many questions. My main priority is to safeguard my familys future. Never sure what to believe these days in the press
Bob… I have a friend here in the Philippines who had a quote only yesterday for a pacemaker total cost 450000p. These days this type of surgery is usually done externally and is not as complicated operation as it once was.
He had three quotes, it was surprising the difference between the three quotes. I guess you have already looked around and have had a quote or two.
Maybe a trip back to the US might work out cheaper for you? Good luck anyway Bob..
Hi jack. A pacemaker is not what I need. I at least need an angiogram and angioplasty and possibly need open heart surgery. The price I gave is my lowest cost option at a government hospital.
Bob,
Since you have been having problems with your sight and heart i have been praying for you to have a full recovery and be healthy again. Will continue to do that. I don’t always agree with you, but i know you are good person and have helped a lot of people over the years. I think God will bless you and you will have positive results from your procedures.
Bob,
Thank you for all wealth of information over the years you’ve shared and will continue to share. You’re a giving person and we all welcome the opportunity to return the favor! Speedy recoveries! Dan
Sorry bob if I had any spare money it would be your but at this moment in time I am struggling myself I need to leave the country to start the visa process all over again so will need to do something about that myself!
I hope that everything goes well my friend take special care of yourself, prayers are been sent on the wings of an angel!
God bless you and all your family and keep you all safe!
James
No worries at all, James! I understand completely. We are all doing our best, and I understand that. Thank you for your good wishes, though.. that alone is worth a lot to me!
Hello Everyone,
Words are inadequate to express my joy for your help. I would like to thank you all for your generosity towards Bob. I am so touched. Your contribution towards his heart procedure is greatly appreciated. I’m very grateful that Bob created LiP and built it to have the LiP Family. As contributions continue to come in, we feel that it will make the procedure possible soon! Your contributions mean the world to us, and rest assured that everything goes for Bob’s procedures and his health improvement.
Again, thank you everyone for the love, generosity and well wishes. They are greatly appreciated. God Bless!!!
Hello Bob,
I understand what your going through. I just had an angioram and an intravascular ultrasound that confirmed a blockage on one of my coronary artery. Thankfully the blockage is not that significant and a stent was not needed. My bill is 250k and my insurance covered half of that.
I would like to contribute a little to your treatment Bob but I can’t open your link. Do you have a BDO account?
Hi Orlando. Wow. Thank you very much. I will send you a private email.
I know GOD is our hler and also GOD is our creator but GOD love sir bob all this matter we’re posible to change and the name of jesus sir bob he felling very well coz sir there is a big heart to love any one that’s why sir bob finaly healed
Bob, I sent a text to an ancient cell phone number of yours. No reply. Please text me, just a “Hi”, so I have a working number. This is inrards to your crowdfunding request.
I sent you a text some time ago but got no response.
Sorry, forgot. 0919 838 0617
I am truly sorry to hear about your health conditions. I’m in the midst of one myself, but not
as serious as yours. I hope whatever you need comes to you, somehow, some way. And I’m sorry I don’t have money to donate since I live pretty much from dollar to dollar, paycheck to paycheck here. I have no health insurance so that leaves me vulnerable as well. But, at age 80, I realize my own exit could happen anytime. Most guys do not want to face the inevitable. I am different that way. As a consequence, I firmly believe in continued, continuing life after our physical body is left behind. Religions, I BELIEVE, have it all wrong. Esp the “Heaven n Hell” BS! Each according to his and her personal evolution, I believe. In regard to that, you have no worry. I understand that is not your immediate concern. Your concern is to stay alive and healthy in your physical body. I hope you can get your problems solved, but yes, I know, my hope for you is worthless. I only wish that people would face the inevitable, WHEN it is our time, and understand that we DO continue our lives. All (most) humans are very ATTACHED to physical life. I know I AM. Again, I wish you the best. But, because of my choices in life,
chasing and accumulating money has never been my forte’. Richard
Thank you Richard. I appreciate your kind words.
Hi Sir Bob,
If you remember, I met you and your wife, when me and randy visited you in Davao sometimes 2014 if i’am not mistaken? Although we only met once, i know for myself that You and madame Feyma Martin are really good person. For sure when we return in the Philippines, We will get in touch to you and to your wife. Will always pray for your good health back again in the future. Have a great Blessed day to you and to your family.
Hi Anne, of course I remember you. I enjoyed seeing you and Randy when you visited. Thank you for your kind words and generosity.
My colleague had chest pains last month and drove himself over to St Lukes in Global City. They immediately took him to emergency ward. Although it was not a heart attack, they did do an angiogram (sp?) and angioplasty and placed two stents along with a bucketful of medicines. He has to do a lifestyle change as his father and older brother died young of heart attacks.
All in for 5 days hospital stay cost p950k.
I am just turning 49 and have a 2 y/o daughter. Also diagnosed with glaucoma and prediabetes, cholesterol, etc that comes with age. Really sucks getting old but I want to see my daughter grow up so we do what we can.
Good luck on your operation and hope all goes well.
Don
Hi Don. Thank you for sharing that. Good luck to you as well.