Sick maid | ExpatWoman.com
 

Sick maid

562
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 16:13

Hi ladies,

I posted recently about our maid's bad back, asking where to take her for a doctor's consultation. I have not yet taken her as her symptoms initially improved with medication from the pharmacist.

However, the poor lady's symptoms have really deteriorated again. She has back pain, side pain, stomach pain and now can't feel her arms. i am very worried about her, obviously, and am trying to cut her duties and give her rest so as not to aggravate things.

My main question is, am i obliged to take her to the doctor here? I know that sounds harsh, but she has so much wrong with her that I imagine she will need all sorts of involved tests. If she were staying here that sounds sensible, but as she is leaving our employ to retire in April anyway, it seems a little pointless, and I have to admit I am worried about huge costs. Wouldn't she be better off returning home, getting some rest and having in-depth investigations in her home country?

We are being very reasonable with her work load and accept a partial job as we don't want to make things worse.

What are our obligations, and what is reasonable given that she is at the end of her contract. She has been with us for nearly 3 years.

562
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EW GURU
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 22:46
Thats useful to know Izzy. I'll make a note of your service. Ive only ever used Homelypetz (??) a few years back, but in far more straightforward circumstances. We now have lots of cats that cant be left int he same room without supervision and have different dietary requirements! a bit complicated for a poor cat sitter!
5334
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 15:03
I just started my own legal pet sitting company - we can help with the kitty cats https://www.facebook.com/pawpalsdxb/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel or drop us an email at [email protected]
562
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EW GURU
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 15:01
Update: turns out its actually ligament damage in the shoulder (with pain radiating to back) rather than a back injury. Good news for her - no one wants a back problem. We are trying different medication and a week off housework to see if that resolves it or not. failing which we will ahve to visit the orthopedic surgeon for further treatment (injection of some sort, MRI ..). One step at a time - not too expensive so far, though for speed sake I had to take her to our clinic. Guess the outlook depends on how badly she has sprained the ligaments. Fingers crossed for her sake its not too bad. Re going home, she said she just wants to go home because at the moment shes no use to us and feels bad about it, not because she particularly wanted to go. I think travelling and dealing with luggage would be challenging in her currency condition.
562
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EW GURU
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 09:50
I've realised you ae right ladies and have booked a doctor's appointment for our maid this morning. My conscience kept me awake all night! My own work will just have to fit around it. Poor lady really cannot work, and trying is quite possibly making it worse. We will get her an X-ray and an initial indication and take things from there. But I agree with you Sheikhandbake, that we should probably try and get her home. It would be pretty miserable to be sick and stuck in a maid's room away from any family. She has no one here. Not sure boarding the pets/getting a pet sitter would be any cheaper Sheikhandbake - we have quite a few plus fostered rescue cats, and they can't all be left together. Our maid also has her own cat living with her, which I will have to try and rehome. It's not straightforward... I'll try the service you mentioned and see what they can do.
562
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 09:50
I've realised you ae right ladies and have booked a doctor's appointment for our maid this morning. My conscience kept me awake all night! My own work will just have to fit around it. Poor lady really cannot work, and trying is quite possibly making it worse. We will get her an X-ray and an initial indication and take things from there. But I agree with you Sheikhandbake, that we should probably try and get her home. It would be pretty miserable to be sick and stuck in a maid's room away from any family. She has no one here. Not sure boarding the pets/getting a pet sitter would be any cheaper Sheikhandbake - we have quite a few plus fostered rescue cats, and they can't all be left together. Our maid also has her own cat living with her, which I will have to try and rehome. It's not straightforward... I'll try the service you mentioned and see what they can do.
409
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 29 February 2016 - 07:22
I'd send her home as soon as possible. You can either put your pets in a kennel, have someone like Paw Pals send someone to look after them (probably for less cost than all that medical treatment!) or hire someone new. It seems clear to me that the woman wants to go home early and you should let her.
562
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 21:19
No, the initial back episode was just a few weeks ago when she was doing her shopping in Lulu. So it hasnt been going on that long. And no we do not have health insurance for her. It is not yet complulsory and we just havent got round to it to be honest. She has generally been in very good health, and I have simply taken her to our clinic on the one occasion necessary (an animal bite, and yes I did rush her there immediately in that case). We are aware that health insurance becomes compulsory in June - a good thing that will prevent situations like this one. I appreciate and accept what many of you are saying. I have urgent work deadlines and unless it really is a life or death situation then I cannot take the time out until after tomorrow. This may sound selfish and inconsiderate, but that is the reality of my work, and whilst potentially serious, I dont believe this is a life or death scenario. Our maid is fine one day and not the next, and also plays it down when i suggest taking action, so it is hard to gauge and manage the severity. We both agree (maid and I) that it is probably not something as serious as a slipped disc as if it were she would be flat out on her bed in excruciating pain unable to move. We have back issues in our family and that is my experience at least. She has said the same. I am not sure about the healthcare in Sri Lanka. She seemed to think she could have decent care and the investigations she needs. At the same time I dont want it to get worse, so will take her on Tuesday and manage her workload in the interim. She only has one day to get through, and she can spend the day resting if needs be.
228
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 21:14
I think that you have a legal as well as a moral obligation to take her to the doctor. The symptoms you are describing sound very serious. I'm not in the medical field but I suspect she may have a spinal issue. It's really important that she sees a doctor and gets proper care as soon as possible. I don't think that sending her back home is a good idea unless you have a full picture of her health issues and know that this trip won't worsen her health.
767
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 19:19
Definitely take her to the Iranian hospital, as already suggested, really reasonable cost. Hasn't she been having a health injurance, as it sounds like her health issues been building up? The medical care where she live in Sri Lanka might be limited as well...
53
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 18:53
All of her symptoms could be neurological issues originating from a back/disc injury. This may or may not be expensive to treat depending on the issues involved - it could be a very simple treatment. But you won't know until she has seem a doctor I believe that you do have an obligation to take her to a doctor - especially as you want her to keep working for your own family's convenience. It seems unreasonable for you to make her to work and risk a potential permanent disability without getting her any proper medical care
1340
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 17:59
OP, you may not be legally obliged to take this poor woman to hospital, but you do have a moral responsibility to do so. As other posters have suggested, take her to the Iranian Hospital for initial assessment and adequate pain relief as soon as possible. it may well be something which is relatively straightforward, if not at least you can get an accurate assessment of the seriousness of her condition, and then make arrangements to either proceed with treatment here, or to send her home. I appreciate the inconvenience this must be causing you, but I think as a responsible and presumably caring employer you really need to stop thinking about yourself.
858
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 17:31
Hi ladies, I posted recently about our maid's bad back, asking where to take her for a doctor's consultation. I have not yet taken her as her symptoms initially improved with medication from the pharmacist. However, the poor lady's symptoms have really deteriorated again. She has back pain, side pain, stomach pain and now can't feel her arms. i am very worried about her, obviously, and am trying to cut her duties and give her rest so as not to aggravate things. My main question is, am i obliged to take her to the doctor here? I know that sounds harsh, but she has so much wrong with her that I imagine she will need all sorts of involved tests. If she were staying here that sounds sensible, but as she is leaving our employ to retire in April anyway, it seems a little pointless, and I have to admit I am worried about huge costs. Wouldn't she be better off returning home, getting some rest and having in-depth investigations in her home country? We are being very reasonable with her work load and accept a partial job as we don't want to make things worse. What are our obligations, and what is reasonable given that she is at the end of her contract. She has been with us for nearly 3 years. VictoriaM, I know you are saying you are doing your best for your maid, lightening her load etc, which is nice, but it makes me so very sad that you are even considering the possible high costs for her care. May I ask why you haven't had insurance for her since the beginning, as I assume you have for yourself and loved ones? Put yourself in her place, how would you feel if the person responsible for you was worried about the money aspect when you clearly had some possibly life threatening medical condition? If your husband / mother / child (or even your pet) couldn't feel their arms, would you be on a forum asking what you should do? Where the cheapest possible place to take them might be and wondering if you will maybe have to do something later in the week? No of course you would take them immediately to the emergency room and never mind the cost. Could you not put your pets into kennels or hire a pet sitter and let the poor lady go home if you are not in a position to look after her? In short, to answer your main question, and in my very humble opinion, she has been your employee for three years, so I would say YES, you ARE obliged to take her to the doctor.
562
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 16:48
EEk, she has just told me she actually heard her back go a few weeks ago when she lifted loads of packs of water in a hurry (whilst doing her own shopping). I hadnt realised she had actually heard something. Does that sound like a slipped disc or something? I would imagine she would be in excruciating pain if so.
562
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 16:35
Horizon mum, the reason we need her to stay for a little while (it's not actually the end of her contract, which is End June, we are us being as flexible as we can be) is that we are away twice in the next month and we have pets to look after. Otherwise I would let her go ASAP. But I'd don't know if I can find someone else in time for next week's business trips!! I am trying however, and have just called an agency. If we do need her to stay for a few weeks then maybe we do need to do something on the medical front. Her condition seems complicated,s so I wasn't sure we could really achieve much in a few weeks, plus obviously the cost issues. But maybe we could at least get them to X-ray her spine in Dubai at a reasonably priced establishment as a start. I know you have given me some good pointers as to where to take her, and I will have to do so later this week I think.
1257
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 16:24
yes the easiest solution really would be for her to leave to her home country but since you explained that you require her to be around till her contract ends in April, the best thing for all of you now would be to take her to a relatively inexpensive hospital... honestly places like Iranian hospital or Aster or Dr. Joseph's really wont set you back that much for a couple of consultations and some xrays/bloodwork/scans, etc.
4062
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 28 February 2016 - 16:23
I'm sorry to hear things have gone from bad to worse VictoriaM. If I was you I would pay her up until the end of her contract and send her home now with a nice end of service bonus.
 
 

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