Health Care in Ajijic, Helpers

I wrote two very long articles about my experiences with the health care in this area. I have lived here ten years and have been in four different hospitals for operations, both public and private hospitals, and researched extensively about the clinics, the Red Cross, IMSS and SP. But the articles are too long for my blog. They are posted on Accesslakechapala.com under Local Clinics and Doctors in the Lakeside Area. 

I spent several months researching about the health care here, even going to four lectures. And I hate sitting in lectures. 

 My friend, Tom, wants to make a website specifically for health care here and put my entire articles on it and add more to it, especially about options for recovery from addictions, but neither of us knows how to set it up. (My son set up my blog in Portland years ago.)  If anyone out there is interested in doing that for the community, please let me know. There would be some money in it, but not a lot. You would mostly be doing it as a service for the community. 

 I have a very short list of helpers. I have learned from being in the hospitals that it is important to have a helper with you. If you stay in the hospital you need someone to stay with you and act as interpreter (unless you have excellent Spanish)  and also act as your nurse. One person told me that the nurses have apps on their phones and can communicate with you that way but that was not my experiences in the hospitals. I would have been totally lost without my friend Leslie there with me all the time. 

Thank you so much Leslie! I will always love you for all your help. If it hadn't been for my landlord, Pepe, noticing that I hadn't been out of my apartment for four days and calling Ellie and Ellie calling Leslie and Ellie and Leslie and Sory and the doctor and the nurse coming over, I wouldn't have survived because I had sepsis and blood poisoning and was at death's door. So I KNOW how important it is to have help when you need it. It is too late to try to arrange it when you are dying. I had a lot of caring people in my little apartment discussing what to do with me while I was in the other room happily floating out the window as I was dying. Until Leslie FORCED me to go to the hospital. (What are friends for anyway if not to make you keep on living when you are happy to die?). 

If you know of anyone interested in being on this list, please let me know that too. Of course they can charge what they want. That would be prearranged between the helper and person needing help.  It is very difficult to get a Mexican who speaks English and has a car and the TIME to stay in the hospital. I have three helpers who will stay in the hospital with people as long as needed. Only one woman, Sory, and she doesn't have a car. She came to my house when I almost died. She slept on a chair beside my bed in case I needed to get up for any reason. She speaks both Spanish and English and is young and strong.

 Two Mexican men. I don't know them personally but they are friends of a close friend of mine. Tom used Anthony and he was very happy with Anthony's excellent help. And lastly, there are three names of people who own cars and will drive people to the hospitals and doctors offices or anywhere else and interpret, but they will not stay in the hospitals. When or if we get the website set up, I will let you know. Here is the list. First of helpers who will stay in the hospital with you:

Manu Diaz, phone number 331 828 8111.  He also speaks French

Anthony Ramirez 331 339 5497

Sory Vazquez, so far the only woman willing to stay but has no car 045 332 0824102

These next three people will drive you to the doctors or hospitals and maybe other trips but will not stay in the hospitals with you:

Luzma Grande, the only woman who will just drive and interpret 376 1562or 045 333 452 1670

Brian Clark, Former owner of Vida Alarms 331 157 5561. 

Gabriel Orea 331 348 3228.  I have had his photo on my blog twice before and he is very reliable. I have not used the others except Sory. I hope this helps for now.   

I want to add one more name. Ellie Basulto. She was my former landlord's maid for eight years. And when I was home from the hospital, she came in and knew exactly what to do. She cleaned up the horrible mess I had made and she cooked some delicious meals for me. I love her Fish Veracruz. She doesn't speak English. But she understands what needs to be done if you need help for a few days in your home. Her number is: 331 132 1541. She is very trustworthy and good natured. I have great respect and love for Ellie. 

I went to the Integrity clinic to check out Sory's phone number. They only had the one I posted. I will keep looking. That IS the right number for Sory. I just called it and she answered. She is still interested in being a helper. 

Please let me know if you have someone else to add to this list. There is no charge for them to be on it. SALUD!