Day 89

Our first experience of going to the doctors in Kazakhstan. The kids have been feeling under the weather and some of the over the counter medicines are unavailable here. This was the one thing that concerned Ali the most, but her concerns were alleviated. The private clinic NU staff are signed up to is an international group offering high quality medical services in countries that don't normally have a high standard and/or provide a speedy understanding and translation. From what I know, Kazakhstan medical facilities are actually quite good and a number of people we've met have had their children born here. Anyway, the doctor was thorough and I have to go for an MRI scan sometime in the next few weeks. Nothing of concern, but just to eliminate possible causes for searing pain I experience every few months. It's probably me forgetting not to use a hammer with cotton wool ear buds.

The children are all fine and we are feeling more relaxed about the living here. It would be good to draw some comparisons between here and the UK, but we never had private medical care in the UK. The reform in the UK health system has been a positive one for the most part. I remember back to my youth and you could be expected to wait up to 2 weeks for a medical appointment. Nowadays in the UK it is the same day. Though service is quick and diagnoses somewhat rushed at times. Still, it is reassuring to have access to quality medical services in an instance. Of course this is tempered with numerous cases where there have been failings in the UK, and where patients and their families can be treated abominably. But let's face it, the general situation could be a lot worse.

Ray