Surgery last week gave me hope that I will regain my ability to walk, hike and yes, DANCE.
I am a week and a half post surgery and not the most patient patient. Thursday I go to see the doctor. I am curious what’s under the bandage and what the x-ray will show.
For the moment it’s pain management and rest. Lisa takes good care of me and friends are trickling by. It’s good to have goals and mine is to DANCE.
DOS TORTAS
This week I had the long awaited surgery to remove the hardware from my leg. It has been two years since the original accident and I had hit a wall with ongoing pain and lack of improvement to mobility.
I am lucky to have health insurance in the US so I chose to travel here for the procedure. I am glad that I did but the difference in care was glaring.
I’ll start by saying that this was my experience and not a generalization of care in either country.
I found care in México to be more humanizing. Doctors and nurses were friendly and not always in a hurry. They did not enter my room trailing a computer with a list of tests to perform.
The US hospital was not a place of rest or recuperation. Sensory overload, with lights turned on and off all night. Anyone that’s ever been in a US hospital expects it. “That’s the way things are”. Lots of rules, no flexibility. It felt like a manufacturing line.
I WAS sent home with a great deal of support. Home health (HH) care came by the house the following day to go over my many prescriptions and answer questions. In the hospital I had multiple people, social worker, OT, PT, nurses, physician’s assistant, giving me sometimes conflicting instructions. I’m not sure how they expect a drug addled, post op, 74 year old to keep it all straight. And yes, I’m playing the age card. Thank God for Lisa. NEVER go to the hospital alone.
In Mexico my surgeon came by my house. The only problem was his treatment was outdated. He wanted me to stay in bed. In the US I was walking to the bathroom immediately.
I cannot speak to all Mexican orthopedic surgeons. My suggestion is to travel to a large city with a teaching hospital, if at all possible.
At the moment pain is manageable and I am sleeping a lot. My appetite is nonexistent I’m having to force myself to eat. HH will be here next week and I return to my surgeon in two weeks. I am pleased with how things are going and confident this surgery was the right decision for me.
I hope to be returning home to Mexico in 4-6 weeks. Fingers crossed.
DOS TORTAS
Saying goodbye to grandchildren is always bittersweet. Promises to call more often and visit more frequently are feeble attempts to stay more connected. Every visit leaves us wanting more. We pack as much fun as possible into a few weeks.
We are traveling to Austin to be ready for the much anticipated leg surgery on Wednesday. I am not nervous, just ready to get on with recovery. We expect to be in Austin six weeks for physical therapy. I miss Bacalar and my puppers.
DOS TORTAS
Jack Scott, author of Perking the Pansies and Turkey Street
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