Gag Me With A...

I lucked out and got to go over to Chetumal, Mexico this last Wednesday. I took along a couple of babes as well. Loreta, to be my alternate driver and Maria, to interpret for me.

What was all this for, you might ask? Well, as a result of my ultrasound exam a couple weeks ago, my doctor, Dr. Reyes, wanted me to have an endoscopy done to see what, if anything, was going on with my stomach. So, that was what we were doing.

I needed Maria to interpret for me as no one in the clinics spoke much English, and I speak poquito Español. Loreta came along for navigation and to drive if I was too loopy from any sedative to be able to drive.

[NOTE: I forgot to take my camera along, dang it. I was planning to document the whole thing, as I've done other similar excursions. So, you'll just have to use your imagination... whatever that is. - Dave]

We stopped at Clinica Carranza (http://www.clinicacarranza.com) in Chetumal for the actual Endoscopy exam itself. Other than getting started 45 minutes later than scheduled, it came off without a hitch. I had told myself that I wasn't going to gag when they stuck the scope down my throat. My throat had other ideas however and my retch factor was in high gear for a few minutes. After that, it was a piece of cake. I could feel the tube wiggling around in my stomach while the doctor did his exam of my stomach and some of the small intestine. While he had the scope down there, he also took a biopsy (which turned out to be nothing). My sense is that the exam took very little time, but as they had given me a sedative, I really don't know. I didn't feel like I was too loopy, but who knows?

Right after the exam, I was led to the 'recovery room' which was laying on a gurney in the hallway. I decided then to put the time to good use and promptly fell asleep for a little nappy-poo. I woke up feeling like I was being observed - I was. Both Loreta and Maria were leaning over the gurney looking at me. It was time to head over to the other clinic, Endo Medica (I think it's part of Clinica Carranza), which was about 10 minutes away.

We got in to see Dr. Baeza, the Gastroenterologist, almost right away for his interpretation and recommendations from the results of the exam. It turned out well for me, which is always good. He has quite a good sense of humor too.

I bet, long about now, you're wondering, "Well, this is all well and good. But what about costs? What is the bottom line here?"

Here's the rather extensive breakdown:

Clinica Caranza - for the endoscopic exam itself: $1,785.00 MX  or $262.50 BZD
Endo Medica - Dr. Baeza                                      $    400.00 MX or $  58.82 BZD
                                                                            -------------------------------------
               GRAND TOTAL:                                    $ 2,185.00 MX or $321.32 BZD

Not bad, eh? That is the total cost. All the wipes, boxes of Kleenex, fees, and all the usual crap that you get billed for endlessly in the US are buried in that total.

After we left Dr. Baeza's office, I was hungry enough to eat a bear, or at least a big meal. So, off we went to a nice restaurant on the Chetumal waterfront, La Botana. I bought lunch for both of the ladies and myself and spent $692.00 MX or $101.77 BZD. Tip included.

Oh, yes. Before I forget. On the way into Chet, we stopped at Pemex, the government-owned petrol station and gassed up the Isuzu for $650 MX or 95.59 BZD.

So, that's nice, but what is that in, what I think of now as funny money, US funds?

Medical  $321.00 BZD -       $160.50 US
Dining Out $101.77 BZD -     $50.89 US

Gas           $95.59 BZD -       $47.80 US
                   -------------------------------
Grand Total:$518.36 BZD - $259.18 US

Two hundred sixty bucks for a days medical adventure with a meal and fuel thrown in for good measure?

Of course, we also had to end the day with a little shopping at Chedraui, in our favorite Chetumal mall - Plaza Las Americas.

All's well that end's well. It all turned out well. A nice day after all - gags and all.

And before I forget, big ups and much respect to Maria and Loreta for their help on this trip. I'd have been totally lost without them, and that's no lie!

Hot Dog And A Movie... Again

Wow! Barely two weeks and we've gone to the movies again. Y'know, when we lived in the States, we went to the flicks very seldom. Partly that was because up until just before we left Olympia, Washington for Belize, the theaters in the Oly area were not what you'd call world class.

We also had a drive-in theater near by that was fun to go to. We'd take a couple of Kentucky Fried Chicken dinners with us and line up with all the other drive-in movie nuts waiting for the gates to open, usually demolishing our dinners while in line, necessitating getting pop corn and soda from the concession stand once we were in the theater parking area and had chosen our "spot" for the night's movie.

Freebie Crossing the Border

One of the decided benefits of gaining residency is the lack of fees to cross the border.

"Follow in your book as we learn the next three words in Turkish:"
"Bath,"
"Towel,"
"Border..."
"May I see your passport, please?"

-- Firesign Theatre; We're All Bozos On This Bus

Doug and Twyla and Dianna and I caught one of the Chetumal buses on the Northern Highway where Almond Drive enters the highway and we rode it all the way to Neuevo Mercado in Chetumal. $5.00 BZD for the 4 of us. Is that a bargain or what?

Just to keep the narrative reasonably straight, we drove from our house all the way up to Doug and Twyla's, maybe a quarter mile if that. We left the Isuzu there and the four of us walked from their house up to the highway where we caught the bus.

Arrived Home in Corozal

we've got our adventure going again. We got into Belize about 10 PM last night, so we're home. What a day!

First, Don was kind enough to roust out of bed at 2:30 AM to drive us to Seatac. Our flight boarded 15 minutes later, so we didn't have a chance to score any breakfast.

We flew from there to Los Angeles, where, contrary to what we had been told, we had to deplane, and about 45 minutes later re-boarded the same plane. That was enough time to scarf some croissant breakfasts from Burger King at the airport. Oh, yum.

From LA we flew to Cancun, cleared Mexican Customs and Immigration, found our transport to Belize, and about 5 hours later, cleared Mexican immigration out at the Chetumal border, crossed to the Belize side, and cleared Belize Customs and Immigration. From there, on to Corozal (New World Market was closed, so no purchasing kitty litter last night!).

It was interesting doing all that with two cats, who, by the way, were a couple of regular troopers. They were not happy and let everyone within earshot know. But they did fine, and with no tranquillizers either.

We got into our house at about 11 PM, finally crashing at about midnight. But, before that, I took the plastic tub that Dianna had saved, went out to the driveway, and scooped in some crushed limestone. Kitties were most appreciative, although I probably lost points for not having it ready by the time they arrived.

Right now, the Crested Guans are starting their morning chorus. We're home!