Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Morning Thoughts --- My IMSS experiences

I went to the IMSS clinic in Chapala yesterday to see my doctor. She couldn't read my chest X Ray because she said it was blurry so I have to redo that. She wants me to have an EKG on my heart because I am having breathing problems. She said I have to lose weight. (So what else is new?) And she can't see me again for another month. I might be dead by then. 

I refuse to return to that IMSS hospital for the X Ray or the EKG. I will have to find someone in town to do these things. From now on, the IMSS is only for emergencies. Trying to use it for anything else is futile. If you want to know specifically--- think of any nightmare you have had where you were trying to do something and things always happened to stop you from doing it. You were sent to different experts, down long hallways with crowds of sick people and into different directions and you had to redo everything but the end never came. People were talking to you but you couldn't understand anything they said and your interpreter was on his cell phone punching out a text message instead of listening to the doctor....  

That is IMSS in a nutshell!  Go to get a blood test? There is a line of maybe fifty people in front of you. (And each time I have to pay someone to drive me there, interpret, and drive me home. That isn't cheap.)  On and on.....   From now on it is to private doctors. If  a truck runs over me and I am bleeding to death, okay, send me to the IMSS hospital.  But otherwise, NO! Knowing now how the system works, or doesn't work, I would most likely bleed to death anyway before finally getting to see a doctor. 

It is much quieter in town now but I still can't use the spa until next week. It is getting hotter in the afternoons. We are getting into the hot season. It is dry too. The hills are brown. But the Jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Beautiful. 
 
I am glad that Easter vacation is almost over. Next week, all the Easter visitors will be gone and most of the part time expats too. It will be very quiet in town. And maybe I will be able to cross the carretera again without fear of getting run over. I don't want to find myself on a stretcher in the IMSS hospital, bleeding to death. 











Jacaranda trees in bloom. 

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Happy Easter Everyone









Marie with her new dog Mimi.

Some of my favorite recent photos. 




Wednesday, March 23, 2016

More Wednesday Market photos


I didn't think this photo would come out at all because of the light. What an expression on that baby. Remember the KEANE paintings? Beautiful eyes. Look at the proud expression on her father's face.
























This woman was dancing down the sidewalk to the music.




It is difficult to get photos of the Huichols so I put on both of them.

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Now the market is very crowded.













People were getting tired towards the end of the afternoon. 




Not this guy. He was full of energy but he hadn't been selling in the maker all morning.

Ajijic Wednesday Market afternoon

This honey man brings it in from the mountains. 






















This guy was bus watching Chico.










Love at first kiss.