Wanting to Retire to DR

hattingh

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Jul 7, 2007
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I would like to retire to DR, my husband and I are in our early 50's. He is an Orthotist an Prosthetist (Manufactures Artificial Limbs). Does anyone know where patients who have artificial limbs go currently in DR.

Going to stay at Seahorse Ranch for a few days. Anybody got any good or bad news about this development. Do they have 24 hr elect.
 

HIRAM

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Mar 19, 2005
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Sea Horse Ranch Is O.k.

Sea Horse Ranch is a nice development, good reputation.
24h power : yes.

We also retired in the DR and living in cabarete. You can send me an email if you want more information.

Wish you all the best and be welcome in the Republica Dominicana.

Hiram.
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I'm Sure There Is a NEED For Prothetics In The DR!

This is a very poor country. I have lived here for 12 years,and visited for 8 years before moving. I have NEVER seen anyone with an "artificial limb"! People can not afford to purchase them,and the Government doesn't provide them. Wheel chairs are not practical,because the roads and sidewalks (when there are roads and saidewalks!) are like a military obstacle course. That is a mute point,since wheelchairs are also beyond the means of most Dominicans. Maybe your husband can make a difference!
Good Luck!
Cris Colon
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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If there are Dominicans with artificial limbs, they must be covered by clothing if they have them. I've been here since 1986 and have seen far more persons than I ever expected to see walking the streets with missing body parts, but the only artificial limbs I have seen have been on foreign tourists.

Sea Horse Ranch is the North Coast's top-of-the-line housing area. If you can afford to have your retirement home there, then money is not a problem for you.
 

hattingh

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Jul 7, 2007
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Artifical Limbs and Retiring in DR

We would like to give back as yes we have had a fortunate life. So our goal is to teach Prosthetics to the clinics as well as make artificial limbs for those that now have to depend on donations from the US. For all those that do not think there are many patients in DR. There are many. Right now once a year an Amercian company comes down and helps those 'that can afford' it. Which I am sure are not many. We would like to change that.

If we are going to make use of the DR hospitality to let us retire there, its the least we can do to give back.

Thanks for all your replies. I am very excited and looking forward to our trip next week.
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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If we are going to make use of the DR hospitality to let us retire there, its the least we can do to give back.

That's a very good start so I will now enter this thread. To be honest I was waiting to see if you wanted to set this up as a business, and since I could see the difficulties I did not want to be the voice of doom. But as you want to do this as voluntary effort, the path becomes much more simplified. My doctor in Puerto Plata, Dr. Jim is a US trained doctor who is also licensed to practice in the DR as well as being a chiropractor. Would you like me to ask him about suitable contacts for you? I'll be seeing him next Friday - not sure how that fits in with the timing of your visit but I can of course contact him earlier in the week. There are a couple of rehab centres in Puerto Plata - one private & one attached to the Ricardo Limardo public hospital which you may want to visit at some stage. There is also the orthopedic surgeon at Centro Medico who operated on my other half a while back - he speaks English if your Spanish isn't up to technical discussions yet.

My guess is that it would be good to start with making the prosthetics before you attempt to teach the Clinics. Producing the goods with all the questions that will elicit is a natural lead-in to taching others how to do it.

If you want to visit us while you're here I'll send you directions & a map via email. We live in Bayardo, Puerto Plata about 25 mins drive from Sea Horse Ranch. We are originally from UK & have been living here nearly 15 years.
 

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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My Mum was an amputee (one leg amputated above the knee) for the last 13 years of her life and she died in 2003 of pneumonia in the end at the age of 81. She was unable to make full use of her prosthetics, although the UK insisted on providing her with 2, due to the fact of the deterioration of the arteries in her remaining, allegedly "good leg" upon which she had a total of 5 artery by-passes. I never imagined then that I would ever live in a country where so many people have legs or arms missing and of course handed back the prosthetics some years before moving here. If someone is willing and able to help just a few of these young limbless people here that is admirable and more than a way to repay DR hospitality. You have my full admiration hattingh.
 

hattingh

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Jul 7, 2007
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Well it seems we may have found our destiny. As the administrator of our clinics her in the US I will start putting this in motion, we have so much to share. Currently most of our donations are to South Africans and US patients with no health benefits.

Lambada, please give us more details on rehab clinics. We can maybe already set up to see some younger patients that would be able to get back to life with a prosthesis.
 

Chichiguita

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Dec 30, 2004
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en Jarabacoa

There is a medical clinic en Jarabacoa that could use your expertise. PM me and I will connect you. In any event--blessings on you in your "retirement" (it's sounding less and less like retirement all the time);).
 

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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Well it seems we may have found our destiny. As the administrator of our clinics her in the US I will start putting this in motion, we have so much to share. Currently most of our donations are to South Africans and US patients with no health benefits.

The requirement here is HUGE, hope you realise you will have a queue a mile long on day 1.
 

Lambada

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The Director of the Ricardo Limardo rehab centre is Yadira Polanco and she is one person who could discuss with you the use your services. Bushbaby (Grahame) will be making some first hand enquiries for you next week and will get back here with info.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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There are two Centros de Rehabilitaci?n in Santiago. My wife was on the board of one and a very dear friend is on the board of the other. They do make prosthetics here, and teach people how to use them. Your expertise and knowledge of the latest techniques will be uniquely useful to more than one community.

HB
 

BushBaby

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Jan 1, 2002
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The Director of the Ricardo Limardo rehab centre is Yadira Polanco and she is one person who could discuss with you the use your services. Bushbaby (Grahame) will be making some first hand enquiries for you next week and will get back here with info.
In the Rehab Centre ALL things seem to lead to Yadira!! I was up there yesterday (just to help YOU you understand, not see all the good looking girls who used to thwack me with a hot towel in the name of 'Therapy') & everyone said have a word with Yadira. Regrettably she was out yesterday but I can go back anytime to chat with her!

I have her card & she is expecting a call from me to organise a meeting IF you can get across here to Puerto Plata. The general consensus at the centre is "Fantastic ...... we don't have anything like enough prosthetics!!" ~ Grahame.
 

BushBaby

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Regrettably we did not hear from you up here in Puerto Plata & I am getting a bit of 'ear-ache' from the people at the rehabilitation centre each time I go in (twice a week) to see when I am going to take you in!! Did you make contact with anyone direct??

Did you contact the illustrious Hillbilly on this matter perchance? Now THERE would be an offer not to mess up with! ~ Grahame.