A DIFFICULT START OF THE NEW YEAR

I managed to start the New Year off with a bang. Literally a bang on my head. After celebrating the impending new year too hardily I returned to my apartment even before the New Year was rung in. Two steps in the door and I tripped and was down and ricocheting off the hallway walls like a pinball, landing flat on my face. I picked myself up and crawled into bed. The next morning I could see the cut on the side of my forehead was still bleeding and probably needed stitches. So after showering I walked the few blocks to the hospital clinic to get stitched up.

Immediately they requested that I have a friend or family member come stay with me before they would treat me. This is New Years morning, it took me 3 phone calls before I could rouse anyone to come sit with me. Fortunately Cate, who is Spanish fluent, came to my rescue and spent the entire day with me in the hospital while I was getting IV antibiotics, head X-ray that had to be done in a different hospital where the Xray machine was. They were insistent that I spend the night as my blood pressure was high, Normally mine is quite low and I was sure it was high due to the stress of being in the hospital. If I stayed Cate would have had to stay with me also. That’s a lot to expect from a friend. But it’s the Mexican way. Long story short I refused to stay the night and as soon as I was back in my apartment my blood pressure went right down as I expected. Cate was an absolute angel and no way can I ever thank her enough for giving up an entire day to play nursemaid and translator for me.

Health care in Mexico is good, Doctors very competent, most have a smattering of English, but not fluent. Family/friends are expected to be there with you to monitor and help as staffing appears to be short. I’m not sure they have nurses aides. Hospital very clean

So now I have 2 black eyes, on the left eye, the white is all red. There were several stitches beside the right eyebrow. I’m a mess! So I’ve been staying at home, don’t want to scare people as I am quite unsightly. After 5 or 6 days I started venturing out as necessary wearing large dark glasses. It may take up to a month for my eye to clear up, but there is no damage to my eyesight. The stitches are out now, but I can’t swim for a couple of weeks. Everyday it gets better, but still ugly. Don’t have anyone to blame but myself. Not the best way to start the New Year but it has to be all up hill from here.

Signing off KO