Guest poppet Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Hello all, My Husband and I and our 3 children (7,12,16!) lived in Australia for 10 years and we have recently returned to the uk permanentley due to my husband having caught skin cancer.We also returned as we have lost everything we own due to the slumping climate of building houses and getting caught up in the 'bigger you get the bigger you fall' syndrome!We love Australia and are very unhappy at returning to the uk. I would say though things arent always better on the other side,we lived on the sunshine coast,queenland and it was very expensive for eg it cost us $15 for a kilo of bananas this is due to floods and cyclones ect, so its not the cheap country it used to be 10 years ago.We bought a half acre block of land for $90,000 and built a house on it for $140,000,we sold it for $525,000 and due to a big build going wrong we lost everything the same house now is on the market for $850,000!! So please be aware its not cheap.Schooling has to be payed for.My husband had to pay $8,000 for a operation to remove cancer or wait 2 months on the health service.....all in all though love the country but we cannot afford to go back..I could go on and on but i wont ..good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimkenward12 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Hi Poppet Ive been to Australia many times and am planning on moving to Oz in December, the cost of living is very high in australia your right. If you compare everything to the uk £ then it gets stupid because the pound is so weak now. When i first went to Oz 8 years ago it was $3 to the £ so everything seemed cheap! But i feel the better standard of living and the general feel in Oz makes up for it. Also i feel you get paid alot better in Oz (i work and IT and can get double what i earn in Australia for the same job i do in England) Sorry to hear it didnt work for you in Australia and maybe one day ull head back down under. I think for people who are planning to move down under to plan ahead and research the cost of living as it certainley isnt cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Is he having to wait 2 months for the cancer op in the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest 47403 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Is he having to wait 2 months for the cancer op in the UK? No mate I think she's saying he had to go private or wait 2 months in Oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Hi Baz yes your right,the op was in Oz and the wait would of been over there. Thanks for your reply guys.Hi jimkenward12 your so right the living surroundings are beautiful! But as for standard of living its only really good I think if you can afford to do so,its not good looking at a beautiful beach if you cant afford tonights dinner ect.Also having 3 children its not cheap.Yes we arrived in Australia 10 years ago and and it was 3 to 1 for the dollar which was great but there has been such a turn around over there....so frustrating perhaps ill win the lottery and my story will be happily ever after with a well husband Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz B Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Sorry to hear about what happened Poppet and hope your hubby is recovering well. It is difficult and expensive and we are not sure what to do either as really struggling here, not just financially. I am glad other's haven't found it so, but we came over more or less on a wing and a prayer a few years ago. How are the kids settling in? Take care. Liz x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith moon Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 We bought a half acre block of land for $90,000 and built a house on it for $140,000,we sold it for $525,000 and due to a big build going wrong we lost everything the same house now is on the market for $850,000!! I don't understand how you lost everything? $90,000+$140,000=$230,000 Sold for $525,000, a net profit of $295,000 The same house is now on the market, but has it sold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2and3 Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 keith moon I am not quite getting this post either ??????? (not yours the o.ps) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Hi Keith, yes the house sold.The next house was built and was estimated at a massive profit but we lost the buyerdue to a Real Estate agent who is a local in the area who changed the buyers mind!!So basically we lost, we had to borrow more money to complete so hence slipping further into dept,eventually we built a further 2 more properties in the hope of recovering but it never happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Yes Keith I can do my sums The house re entered the market in the $800,000 + after we had sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Sorry that your oh had to wait two months for an op for cancer. It depends on the type of cancer and how quickly it spreads as to how quickly people are attended to. My daughter waited 48 hours from admission and diagnosis to operation for her cancer treatment. Having spent the last six years since she was diagnosed I have learned a lot about cancer. My oh has had several skin cancers removed and the docs just do them in the surgery. Its a common procedure. We have always been treated within a month for any urgent op here in Aus. Of course maybe its different in Melbourne I know that the QLD system is weighed down as they have so many retirees moving to the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Petals, the skin cancer my husband has is a very rare form its 'Anaplastic Amelanotic Melanoma' our Gp in Australia said he had never heard of it and after research found it to be very rare.The biobsy was taken in the Drs surgery but he needed a operation to remove all the Cancer as it was very deep it was this procedure which we had to pay for or wait 2 months on the public health system.We was very shocked as you can imagine so we was not going to wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Liz, 2 of my children are settling in but my eldest who is 16 is struggling terribly she wants to return to Australia! Quiet honestly so do I! It is hard when you emmigrate,you miss family and familiar surroundings but after 10 years over there I know its a better life for my children.Just cant afford it!! There is pros and cons with the whole situation I suppose the best way to get your mind into gear is go back to the reason why you emmigrated in the first place.Ours was for a better life for the kids,which we gave them but we didnt expect the skin cancer and the financial struggle.Put it this way if I won the lottery today we would be on the first plane out of here,my husband is also now more sun protection cautious,hope this helps Lorraine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz B Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Liz, 2 of my children are settling in but my eldest who is 16 is struggling terribly she wants to return to Australia! Quiet honestly so do I! It is hard when you emmigrate,you miss family and familiar surroundings but after 10 years over there I know its a better life for my children.Just cant afford it!! There is pros and cons with the whole situation I suppose the best way to get your mind into gear is go back to the reason why you emmigrated in the first place.Ours was for a better life for the kids,which we gave them but we didnt expect the skin cancer and the financial struggle.Put it this way if I won the lottery today we would be on the first plane out of here,my husband is also now more sun protection cautious,hope this helps Lorraine Hi, Sorry to hear about your oldest and yes we remember saying we wanted to come for a better life etc, but the struggle emotional and financial as I said has been extremely difficult and my mental health has suffered. My daughter who is only 9 years keeps saying she misses England, but I think it has been to do with our struggles. My son who is 12 is fine, even though he knows there is tension. Husband is having to work away to be able to pay the bills etc and we don't buy expensive new goods, the list goes on. Anyway I hope all goes well for you back there and your eldest starts to settle eventually. Liz :hug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Hi Petals, the skin cancer my husband has is a very rare form its 'Anaplastic Amelanotic Melanoma' our Gp in Australia said he had never heard of it and after research found it to be very rare.The biobsy was taken in the Drs surgery but he needed a operation to remove all the Cancer as it was very deep it was this procedure which we had to pay for or wait 2 months on the public health system.We was very shocked as you can imagine so we was not going to wait. Sorry to hear about the type of cancer, its a shock, unreal shock really when you get the diagnosis. I remember after my daughter's operation they were going to tell her and they did not wait for us to get to the hospital, know she was an adult but at 24 you need your mum and dad for this type of thing. Hope your oh continues in good health. The cancer my daughter has means she is never in remission and the docs are just wonderful the way they look after her. Six years now. Personally I trust the Aus system more than the UK its funny its just what we are used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Hi Petals, yes your right it doesnt matter what age you are you need support in all directions. My husband had a plastic sugeon do his op and he was in a private hospital with women who were having breast enlargements! with no after care!On saying that we have had other hospital dramas in Australia,just recently actually in April where the consultant actually saved my daughters life with her diagnosis! Honestly I could write a book but they were fantastic so not all bad best of luck to you daughter Lorraine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Hi Liz, your kids are great ages to adapt if you move them back to the uk although I would think long and had about your decision.Like I say when we moved to Australia we was well off but now it costs us 500 pounds for a double fridge/freezer and $1,800 in Australia it seems to work with a lot of white goods/electrics/furniture ect.Its such a shame as we love Australia! We too see the only immediate way out of our situation is if we return my husband works away but this just will not work for us. This seems to be the case in a lot of peoples lifes over in Australia at the moment.Would be interested in other peoples opinions,good luck Lorraine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Sorry to hear about the type of cancer, its a shock, unreal shock really when you get the diagnosis. I remember after my daughter's operation they were going to tell her and they did not wait for us to get to the hospital, know she was an adult but at 24 you need your mum and dad for this type of thing. Hope your oh continues in good health. The cancer my daughter has means she is never in remission and the docs are just wonderful the way they look after her. Six years now. Personally I trust the Aus system more than the UK its funny its just what we are used to. The UK system is pretty spot on after diagnosis. It's getting the diagnosis correct which seems to be the major issue. I'd say Australia has a much better GP service than you get in the UK. But you get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Hi Newjez, your absolutley right, quick diagnosis is the key,my husband was told to put cream on his mole as our GP thought it was a bite,this diagnosis went on for 18 months until my husband asked for it to be removed and it was Cancer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 The UK system is pretty spot on after diagnosis. It's getting the diagnosis correct which seems to be the major issue. I'd say Australia has a much better GP service than you get in the UK. But you get what you pay for. Agree but Aus is spot on with the diagnosis so its dealt with straight away. My oh had a lung problem and from gp to op was three weeks, no health insurance. Top surgeon as he is the only one who can do the op a certain way in Melbourne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajs604 Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 Good luck to you all on your return to the UK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Agree but Aus is spot on with the diagnosis so its dealt with straight away. My oh had a lung problem and from gp to op was three weeks, no health insurance. Top surgeon as he is the only one who can do the op a certain way in Melbourne. I've had two cancers miss diagnosed by UK GP's. After the first one, you think they may have been more cautious with the second - but he obviously didn't bother to read my notes. Seriously - if you were a GP, and a middle aged australian who had a history of sun exposure with no protection presented with a mole on his nose which was persistantly bleeding, and had had a previous treatment for unrelated cancer (which was mis diagnosed initially) which raised the risk of skin cancer - you think you might at least entertain the possibility that the patient might have skin cancer? But no - my GP said it was vascular, and cosmetic surgery wasn't covered on the NHS. Luckily I had private health insurance and asked for a referal for a specialist. (I would have insisted anyway without the private - I don't muck about these days. GP's are there to give me what I need, and I don't take no for an answer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest poppet Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Thanks for all your posts I beleive there is good and bad everywhere.I have had 2 mis diagnosis of different types of Cancer 1 in the UK and 1 in Aussie,honestly I dont have a lot of faith just think we need to enjoy our lifes while we can and my family and I are certainly trying to do that at the mo good luck everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 After using both I think the NHS is far better than Medicare, but I suppose we all have different experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest 47403 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Thanks for all your posts I beleive there is good and bad everywhere.I have had 2 mis diagnosis of different types of Cancer 1 in the UK and 1 in Aussie,honestly I dont have a lot of faith just think we need to enjoy our lifes while we can and my family and I are certainly trying to do that at the mo good luck everyone Doctors are the same the world over poppet some better than others, your hubby is quite lucky he got in on the NHS considering you have been out of the UK for 10 years, waiting lists are pretty horrendous even for the locals let alone people flying in for operations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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