Morning Thoughts

I have been very interested in Health Care here since I have had a lot of health issues. I have had four surgeries since I moved here ten years ago. I almost died before I got to the hospital for the last one which was just a few months ago. I am writing an article, maybe two articles about what is available here and the differences between IMSS and Seguro Popular. I have had IMSS every since I came here and I have written extensively about all the problems I have had with it. The only time I used it was to try to see a doctor at the clinic to get a referral to see a specialist about a bad knee. After four months of trying to see a specialist, I finally gave up. They gave me such a run around that I couldn't and wouldn't do it any longer. But I have not yet decided to give up IMSS and not pay the yearly fee which is due in March for me. Because I believe they are the best for major emergencies. They have a great heart speciality center in one of their hospitals in Guadalajara. Seguro Popular does not do heart surgeries. Anyway, there is a lot of information and I am still compiling it.

It will be put on Accesslakechapala.com when I am finished. I still have more information to gather for it. 

In the meantime, my knee finally healed after a year of swimming and exercising it in the hot pools in San Juan Cosala. 

It is getting warmer outside and Sundays are always nice at the Ajijic plaza. I will take a walk down there with Chico. I believe the best health care is exercising and eating good fresh foods. But things happen. When I first came here I had a torn and twisted meniscus.That was operation number one. Then I fell in the lake and broke my ankle.Operation number two. Then  I had to have my thyroid removed because the doctors thought I had thyroid cancer. Operation number three. And last but most expensive and life threatening was my gall bladder removal after getting blood poisoning and sepsis. I paid for all of these operations, even though I had IMSS....  The total cost was around 18,000 maybe 20,000 dollars. So you see, health care is a very important issue for me. I just can't afford to keep paying out of my own pocket for all the operations. So far, IMSS hasn't been any help to me at all. But a major heart surgery would be beyond my means to pay for personally. So I will once again pay for IMSS.....

If you are at all interested in health care here, you may want to read my article or articles when they are published on Accesslakechapala.com. I will let you know when they are finished. And I am still looking for helpers to go to the hospitals and stay with expats. They have to speak both Spanish and English and have the time to stay in the hospital to help. Let me know if you have someone in mind or have that person go to the Access Lake Chapala office on Colon and put in his or her name and phone number for the list we are compiling. Thanks...  And have a happy Sunday.