What to do if you get sick in a foreign country
It'll never happen to me. That's what I always said when anyone ever asked me if I was afraid of getting sick when visiting Mexico. And then it happened.
Last weekend I came down with a pretty bad kidney infection when in Monterrey for a family reunion. Luckily I was only a few hours from the border, so we cut our trip short and drove back to the States so I could see a doctor. Most people who get sick abroad aren't so lucky. What do you do if you get sick in another country?
Prepare!
- Find out what your health insurance will cover, if anything.
- If you're only covered domestically, buy travel health insurance. It will most likely only cost you a few dollars a day, depending on the coverage limit and length of your trip.
- Take all your prescriptions with you in their original bottles, along with a copy of the prescription in case you lose or run out of your medication.
- Jot down the phone number and location of the US embassy nearest you, as well as numbers for your family doctor and an emergency contact. Keep these numbers with your passport.
- Pack a Travelers' Health Kit in your luggage, filled with basic first aid items.
Prevent!
- Make sure your immunizations are up to date. Check the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Travel’s Health website for current health risks in the country you are traveling to, and prepare accordingly.
- Don't change your routine. Get enough sleep, eat well, and drink plenty of water.
- Don't overdo it. Go easy on the alcohol, avoid over-eating, and abstain from strenuous physical activity.
If you get sick in Mexico..
- Contact the US embassy nearest you. They may be able to suggest doctors or a clinic where you can receive safe medical care.
- The hotel concierge can also refer you to a good local doctor, or there may even be one in-house.
- A church will never turn their back to anyone (my grandmother's advice!)
- Keep all your medical receipts. You may be able to submit a claim to your insurance company back home, and recoup part of your expenses.
- Go home! If you're stable enough to travel, call the airline and change your flight. Your travel insurance may cover any change fees.
Resources:
Mariana Perez blogs about life as a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful little girls over at Riding With No Hands. Follow her daily adventures on Twitter @ohMariana.
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Photo of pharmacy courtesy of J. Stephen Conn.
