As usual I am writing only when I get mad at something in the strange Taiwan system. Since the administration madness seems to have no limitations, I have to report again!

Most of you probably heard from Debby that I was seriously sick last week (still not fully recovered). It all started like a normal cold infection: headaches, fever and coughing. Since it went worse and worse after few days, Debby finally convinced me to visit the emergency at the nearby Mackay Hospital.

The diagnosis from the x-ray picture was quick and clear: acute Pneumonia. I know in Europe it means staying in the hospital and getting antibiotic treatment. Basically I wasn't against the idea. The only problem was that at this moment I had not registered yet for the health insurance since I was sick and had been unable to pick up my ready ARC (you need it to be able to register). I wanted to postpone the entry in the hospital in order to get it first.

But then came the administration madness: every case of fever with lung problems has to be taken into quarantine... otherwise it doesn't get treated! Well, go to the hospital on my own money is one thing but pay for the whole quarantine stuff and being left on my own for several days is another one.

So we decided to challenge the system by refusing the quarantine. But the doc remained inflexible: he gave me some pills and told me that I was free to go, without treatment!

Now imagine I really had SARS or Influenza! I would happily go back to the community and spread it around me! This whole quarantine stuff is just a big JOKE!!!

The next thing is that I do not think it is reasonable to let somebody, who has a disease that - if not treated - is ending up deadly in 30% of the cases, just go away like this!

Next day I was feeling like dying, my body was shaking like crazy and I was covered with cold sweat. Meanwhile the fever had come up to 39.8 and I decided that no matter what it was time to go!

Debby negotiated a funny deal with the emergency doctor: we could stay in the “fever observation room” and start “a real” treatment. This room was a kind of no man's land in a hidden part of the hospital, with trolleys instead of beds. We were hoping that I could stay there a couple of days and being treated.

We spent two terrible nights in there, Debby had no place to sleep but she stayed with me, taking care of me at every moment...and these moments were quite hard! My fault, I had waited too long and the pneumonia had extended and become worse.

Folks I tell you, in such situations you really realise what being a couple for better and worse means! I'll never forget that! In those moments it's not about romance and cranky little egos anymore! My wonderful wife took care of me better than my own mother would have done! That's the real life, the real Love! In practice!!

Finally Monday came and Debby rushed to Taipei to pick up the ARC and get me in the health insurance. Meanwhile I had surrendered and the hospital stuff (along with Mum Helen) was finally taking me through the hospital to a real bed in the quarantine...Weird again! If I was really having SARS I would have passed it to half of the hospital patients and visitors!

Then the bad news came: for foreigners the health insurance doesn't work in the first 4 months!!! This is really discriminating and cheating!!! Why the hell is that? Ha, yes, the bad foreigners coming to Taiwan for misusing the good social system!

Bullshit! How long does it take to get an ARC in average? And which people DO get the ARC? Certainly not the social refugees from the 3rd world (who can't enter Taiwan anyway)!

Probably just saving costs as I can imagine that many foreigners get sick in the first few months of residence because of the climate and adaptation stress. That means it's the time when they would need the insurance the most.

So if you are a foreigner working or married in Taiwan, I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU: do not get seriously sick or have an accident within the first 6 months!

UNLESS YOU GOT ENOUGH CASH IN YOUR POCKET, THEY'LL JUST LET YOU DIE ON THE STREET!

I swear, they charge you for every single look they spend on you! Probably even for breathing the air in their hospital!

Yes folks, now I know the sad reality about how this sooo...social government cares about the lives of the foreign residents (they are evil and strange anyway)!

They forcefully take your $$ for their insurance fond but not allow you to get sick!

I often heard in Europe that we are racists, discriminating foreigners...But I can promise you, either you have money or not and no matter where you are from...you won't die on the street!

Afterward we heard that we should have taken a private insurance. What for (?) since the national health insurance is an obligation after 4 months of ARC anyway! Did you know about that?

Luckily after a week of hospital I'm out and recovering at home now.
Just because we could pay it all: the quarantine, the hospital, the doctors, the nurses, the pharmacists and the medicine and so many other items they named them as "Miscellaneous" and "Dealing Fee"...

With this money we both could have taken a very nice luxury vacation overseas... but health? PRICELESS!!