Thursday, September 8, 2016

Morning Thoughts

 
 
Me this morning on my 72nd birthday. HAPPY TO BE ALIVE!

I am slowly getting my energy back after being at death's door. Yesterday I saw the surgeon who took out my gall bladder. He said I am almost well now. He showed me a photo of the gall bladder, filled up with what looked like black stones. Awful. He had wanted to take it out the first day I was in the hospital but the other doctor was afraid I wouldn't have made it through the surgery. I had blood poisoning and no white blood cells and was extremely weak. So he waited four days and pumped me full of antibiotics. And today I am alive to celebrate my 72nd birthday!

The doctor said it will be about two more weeks until I am completely well but by Monday I can swim for twenty minutes. I am looking forward to that. 

I had so many interesting experiences in the hospital with my friend Leslie. I can never thank her enough for insisting on taking me to the hospital and then staying with me the entire time. I was happy to remain at home, floating away. It was very peaceful. I know I would have died if I hadn't gone to the hospital. The doctor told me that yesterday. That peaceful floating away feeling was dying. I am not afraid to die now. And I am also grateful to be alive today for my birthday.  I cannot say enough good things about the hospital and doctors and all the people who work there. I will always have good memories of my time there, even though it was iffy that I was going to live through it.  And thank you all for writing to me and encouraging me. And of course I can never thank Leslie enough for saving my life and staying with me through the entire process.  

The entire time in the hospital, four days,  including all the tests, the operation, and the doctor's charges came to 12,000 American dollars. I may have been able to have had this done for free at the IMSS hospital but after my awful recent experiences with IMSS I did not trust that I would have survived in there. I had constant attention in the Puerto Hierro Sur hospital. That would NOT have happened in the overcrowded IMSS hospital.  My life is worth 12,000 dollars!  At least I HOPE it is worth that much.  

27 comments:

  1. Happy birthday, Patricia! I'm so glad this story had a happy ending. You are a special person and I would have missed you terribly if you had died, even though we've never met. You did the right thing by going to the Puerto Hierro Sur hospital, instead of the IMSS hospital, even if you were a bit tardy in getting there! Have a wonderful day and a wonderful rest of your life. -- Mari

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  2. Happy Happy Birthday Dear Patricia!! And many more!! Nice picture of you and it does look like you are sure on the mend.
    Celebrate life on your special day!!
    Connie in Wa.

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  3. Happy Birthday and welcome back!

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  4. Happy Birthday, Pat! I know it is kind of late in the day today, but I have a feeling you will be celebrating all year!!! You look great in the picture, so glad you are feeling better.
    :) Karen in VA

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  5. Happy birthday and many more! You are looking really good for someone who just got out of the hospital. There is nothing more important than your health.

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    1. Thank you Donna. I agree with you that health is everything. P

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  6. Happy Birthday Patricia!!!!
    So glad you didn't leave us and that your getting better. Imagine you just found this nice home plus you also have chico and olive they need you... so stay healthy!!! No more floating ok. You don't know me but I love reading your blog and love to see pictures and see how everything has changed. Last time I was in ajijic was about 26 years ago. Sooo glad your better...

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  7. Thank you Diana. Ok, no more floating. P

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  8. Happy 72nd birthday! You have many reasons to celebrate and to be thankful for today-enjoy your day.
    Phyllis

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  9. Happy belated birthday Patricia! I'm so glad that you're feeling better (you look wonderful in your photo!). I met you once, briefly, on the bus as you were coming back from swimming. I hope that someday, if we meet again, we could have coffee together.

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    1. Thank you. Yes I remember you. And for sure coffee together. P

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  10. Happy belated birthday Pat!

    I usually check your blog daily for updates but I missed your birthday. I'm so happy that you're feeling better now, and I hope you're around for many more birthdays.

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  11. Happy Birthday again. You really look good in this picture, very rested. Not at all like you have been in the hospital for four days. Scares like this make you appreciate life even more. Take good care!

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    1. Thank you Pat. Looking forward to seeing you. Your friend, p

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  12. Patricia, Belated Happy 72nd Birthday. I am putting you in my prayers. You definitely had angels watching over you, and I'm so glad you are on the mend. I read your blog from the States, sometimes even at work, when retirement just seems elusive, and I'm starting to feel blue. Your blog refreshes me and helps me get through the work day. I'm hoping to move to Mexico, once I've visited and confirmed that's where I want to go. One thing I worry about is medical care. I am very much impressed that the doctor made a house call, and that you returned from the brink of death in a Mexican hospital. People here keep telling me that I won't be able to find good medical care in Mexico. You are LIVING proof that one can find good medical care in Mexico, and obviously excellent medical care. Sometimes I think we Americans are quite egocentric as a whole. I hadn't read your blog since your near-death experience, and I was shaken when I read what you have been through. May God and all his angels continue to look over you. Your blog fan in NJ. Roberta

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  13. THANK YOU SO MUCH. And I can't say enough good things about the medical care here. Can you imagine your doctor immediately showing up at your home up there? P

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  14. Hi Patric
    This is about the 5th time I have tried commenting, hope it goes through (the problem is on this end).

    Wishing you are very happy belated birthday.

    You are very blessed to have a wonderful friend in Leslie, a true friend.

    As I mentioned earlier I had my gallbladder removed (but not emergency like yours) and was wondering if your surgery was the keyhole surgery (4 or 5 tiny incisions) or one large incision?

    In Canada you would probably be sitting in the emergency room for a long time, possibly days!

    Take care of yourself
    Cathy in Canada

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    1. Hi Cathy, I just saw your e mail. I had the small incisions. They are slowly healing. I think I would have sat in the public hospital for so many hours that I would have died there. I am so glad I went to the private hospital and got help immediately. Thank you for writing. P

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  15. Happy Belated Birthday Patricia! You do look wonderful - I know I've told you before but I must say again...you have beautiful eyes! :) I'm so happy to hear you're on the mend and got such good care. You are blessed for sure. I always say "We get by with a little help from our friends" is the gospel if ever it was written. Indeed. Hope your day was fabulous - as well as the coming year. 72 never looked so good!

    Barbara Lane

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    1. Thank you so much for those kind words Barbara! P

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  16. Happy belated birthday Patricia! Thank you for sharing your story and so happy to hear of the happy ending!

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