Microbes, Muscles, Doctor Z and Gratitude

It's been awhile, nine days to be exact.  A big thank you to a faithful reader for encouraging me to get back in the blogging groove.

Not sure when a groove becomes a rut.  Maybe its still a groove when you can fairly easily lift the needle and switch to a different track.

Reminds me of Leonard Cohen's description of  a "state of grace" which I quoted many posts ago.  He describes it as "that kind of balance with which you ride the chaos around you."

This past week has been a wild ride through a lot of chaos.  Very little balance as the needle screeched across the disc.  Today, thankfully, it seems to have found a resting place and the music is starting to play again.

Things began going awry last Tuesday.  D woke up with a nasty headache.  She said she felt like she was getting a sinus infection and that she wanted to stay in bed resting.  I offered to stay with her and try to find some medical help.  She told me she'd rather be alone and encouraged me to go on a "walking tour" of central Oaxaca which we had planned on going on together.  I resisted but she said it'd be easier being by herself...she wouldn't feel like she'd have to "entertain" me.  Hmmm.

My tour group

I acquiesced and headed downtown to  the Teatro de Macedonia Alcala where I met up with 14 tour walkers and our guide, Deanna. (I'm not positive that was her name)

 There was only one other person from the U.S.  Most of the rest were young people from Norway, Sweden and Spain who were staying at a downtown hostel.  I was the the oldest.  I liked being around these young adventurers who were so full of life and its potentials.

Poster says "We will not forget. We will not forgive."

The free walk lasted three hours and was well worth the time.  (The web link will give you a good idea of the types of places we walked to.) Although I had visited many of these before, Deanna, who works for tips,  provided lots of background info which filled in a many of the historical and cultural blanks.  Highlights, for me, included the Oaxacan Graphic Arts Institute (IAGO) and a Communist print shop.   At the print shop Deanna spoke passionately about the dangers of being politically outspoken in Mexico.  She pointed out that journalists were especially at risk. Last year Mexico surpassed Syria and became the most dangerous country in the world for journalists.



When I got back to the hotel D wasn't doing so good.  She had a headache, a hacking cough and felt warm, as if she had a fever.  She still didn't want me to look for medical help.  She said she wanted to wait until morning.  I went to the pharmacy to get anti-congestants, cough syrup, ibuprophen and a thermometer which showed she had a fever of 99.9 degrees.

In the morning D still had a fever, headache and cough.  She was ready for me to try to find some help.  An internet search led me to Dr. Alberto Zamacona Esparza.  He was highly recommended and spoke English. "Dr.Z" was mentioned often by gringos as the "go to" doc in Oaxaca.

The immediate problem was that it was Wednesday, the one weekday his office was closed and no one was answering the phone.  Panic mode was starting to creep in.  I had to get D some help.  I walked downstairs at the hotel, planning to take a taxi to see if anyone was at the doctor's office. Halfway down the stairs I remembered I forgot something and did a quick about face to start back up.  As I did this I felt a "pop" in my left calf.  I knew right away something had happened and it wasn't good.  I found I could not put any weight on the ball of my left foot without sharp pain.  I could barely walk. Uh oh.

I made my way down to the street and waved down a taxi. I first asked the driver to take me to a place to buy a cane (baston).  We eventually found a medical supply place and I bought a cane.  It didn't help much if at all.  The problem was a bending motion not weight on the leg.

I next asked him to drive to the Spanish school that I attended five years ago.  I had gotten sick then and they had recommended a doctor that I was happy with.  We drove to the school and I slowly and painfully limped into the office where I was told that the doctor had passed away, "se fallecio."

I went back to the taxi and tried to explain but when I said "se fallecio" he gave me a very weird, questioning look.  I'm afraid he thought I was telling him to do an obscene act.  I then said "se murio" (he died) and the driver seemed greatly relieved. 😊

Dr. Zamacona on the right

We finally went to Dr. Z's office and found it was indeed closed.  The driver took me back to the hotel and hobbled up the stairs.   I was getting nowhere and D seemed to be getting worse.

In desperation I called the doctor's cell phone.  His kind wife answered and said she would have the doctor call me back.  He called back and said he'd be at the hotel in about an hour.

 Dr. Z showed up, told D she had a sinus infection and prescribed an antibiotic and several other medications.  He arranged for the meds to be sent to the hotel and told her she would feel better tomorrow.  He looked at my calf and said it would be fine after a week or so.  Just a sprain.

His fee was $50.  There was no fee for a follow up appointment the next day.

Dorthy improved quickly.  I did too. We are filled with gratitude.