A Note of Explanation:
Since times are so dreary and we had no photos for the blog (I thought me in a hospital Johnny would be more than depressing) we decided to go back through some old blogs and pull some photos that show us doing things that, for now, we can't do -- mostly co-mingle. So look at them after you make it through the prose, remember the good old days and commit to creating more good old days when this whole, ghastly thing is over. OK?
An Oasis of Social Distancing and Good Behavior at Lake Chapala
When last I blogged, Lake Chapala was still Covid-19 free and I am pleased to announce that is still true (well maybe one case in Jocotopec but it's a maybe). I attribute this to three factors: 1) the police checkpoints that keep everyone but locals out: 2) Mexicans who wear masks because they are more in touch with mortality arriving through things like Zika, Dengue, Avian Flu and assorted other epidemics; 3) a large percentage of the populace being old gringos who are scared #@!!less of contracting it and are hiding out in their homes.
So imagine my surprise and consternation when I awoke in the middle of the night with a fever, chills and shortness of breath. I had been perfectly fine upon retiring six hours earlier. So, sudden onset and a textbook case of symptoms led me to the conclusion that I was to be the first one to wreck Lakeside's perfect record for no cases. So, let me lead you through my adventure in (and out of) the Covid ward.
I called my GP at 9AM and his office said they'd call him and find out how close to the office he was so we could coordinate and arrive at the same time. They told me it would be 20 minutes but to stop first and get a scrip for a chest X-ray. Had the Xray. Saw Santiago at 10. He said he thought I had pneumonia but with my worrying set of symptoms it was time to go to Guadalajara to Country 2000 (a private hospital) and get things sorted out.
We arrived at the hospital at 1 PM. They booted Michael out (after signing 7,000 papers) and I was whisked to the brand new area of the hospital featuring their isolation section. Between 1 and 3 PM the following things happened : 1) I was admitted; 2) an initial workup was performed; 3) I had a CAT Scan; 4) I was moved to my isolation room featuring negative pressure and three English TV channels; 5) I had six swabs done for Covid tests (2 throat/4 nose); 6) approximately 600 vials of blood was drawn; 7) I was seen by a pulmonologist with a fine sense of humor.
I would like to point out several things. I can't believe all that would happen so quickly in the United States. I can't believe I actually did an entire medical history over the phone in Spanish -- God only knows what my answers actually were. I believe I may have said my father died of cancer of the cabbage. Mike Pence and Donald Trump are TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE babies. Remember them moaning and groaning about how "invasive" and uncomfortable the corvid-19 tests were? Clearly they have never given birth to a child or endured a mammogram. It was a piece of cake.
Well, long story short, after 36 hours the tests came back negative for the covid virus. I had sort of stopped worrying once the Cat Scan technician gave me two thumbs up as I was pulled from the Cat Scan machine. It turns out that I did have pneumonia and, as a special bonus, also mono (AKA Epstein-Barr). I didn't know but apparently mono is like chicken pox. If your immune system gets stressed it can (rarely) resurface -- shingles for chicken pox/ mono for mono. I told the Doc that I'd never HAD mono but he said I "most certainly" had and that (like covid) some people appear somewhat asymptomatic on the first go round. Live and learn.
As you may know, in Mexico we "self-insure" for most things. We have a catastrophic health insurance plan but, according to them, virtually nothing is catastrophic. I mean if a pandemic isn't catastrophic, what is? Well, according to them it is not. It helps that the Mexican system (even private which we use) is very economical. So for my three days in the hospital in a private room (isolation and non), medications, Oxygen, Cat Scan, Xray, Materials and Supplies, Respiratory therapy (3x) and Tax the total came to $4,398.74. I believe it would have cost me that to get out of the emergency room in the U.S. My GPs bill was $290.35 and he saw me in the office twice and saw me each morning and evening in the hospital for 15-20 minutes. As he left each night he would remind me: "If you need me, email. If it's after midnight call my cell OK? " It is hard to believe the difference in costs since both the U.S. and Mexican system that we use are private. Well, Medicare isn't private but you know what I mean.
So, I'm back in Ajijic in one piece and feeling pretty good. The mono is a bore and I find myself "drifting off" quite frequently but they tell me that will ebb. As selfish as this sounds (and is) the lockdown makes it easier for me to recuperate because I don't feel like I'm missing anything. So, while I was hacking and sleeping and gasping for breath what were Michael and Alex (and of course Chico) doing to avoid the boredom of lock down? Read on.
But First, It's Still Mexico
Just so you don't think that Mexico has been altered by a global pandemic and economic collapse I shall recount three typically Mexican news items.
1) Tiger on the Loose. A video captured a 10 month old tiger running down a street in Tlaquepaque followed by a man trying to lasso it. Eventually trained professionals caught it. The man also owned a white tiger (why not?). Authorities stated: "Although the tigers were fine and most of the paperwork (they LOVE paperwork) was in order, the owner was missing one important document so was forced to give up the tigers." Don't worry. He'll get them back. They always do.
2) Do Not Take Liquor Away from Mexicans. For a while in lockdown alcohol was not being sold. A Mistake. "A popular morning pick me up in rural Jalisco is the pajarete -- a concoction of warm milk drawn straight from the cow, flavored with chocolate and a shot of crude alcohol. It is readily available from scores of roadside corrals." Well, bootleggers laced the cane alcohol with methanol. Thus far 107 have been taken ill and 44 have died.
3) Crime Takes No Holiday. Despite a rigid lockdown across the country, Mexico managed to maintain its record monthly homicide counts throughout March and April. Where there is a will, there's a way. Inside the Guadalajara prison (home to many Cartel de Sinaloa and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generation gentlemen) a war broke out during a soccer game and eight men were killed by gunshot wounds, nine were injured and five were arrested (isn't that redundant ?-- they're IN jail). Prison authorities denied they had relinquished control of the facility, dismissing suggestions that the cartels basically self-govern themselves. Right.
Doing The Civic Good We Hope
When this whole pandemic thing hit we were all really concerned for the small businesses, restaurants and artists in town. Whereas in the USA where many people live paycheck to paycheck in Mexico it is in many cases more like living day to day. Savings are slim and financing or bailouts not a reality. Michael and our friend Roberto ruminated on how we could help out and decided the most useful way would be to start Apollo 2020 (apollo in Spanish is pronounced the same way as the Spanish word apoyo which means support). It is a program where people can buy gift certificates during the pandemic for their favorite businesses -- thus providing cash when it's needed-- and redeem the certificates when the crisis passes. So, with our son Alex's help, and the help of a number of other gringos, a group Facebook page (Apollo 2020) was set up, word was spread to the small businesses and press releases were sent out to English and Spanish news outlets. They also have been doing videos with individual businesses so they can explain how the program is helping them and give a little info on each business. So far my favorite is the interview at the goat farm. While various goats made guest appearances, the resident border collie kept throwing a stick at Michael's feet while he was filming. You hear panting and a tripod wiggles as it is hit by the stick. It may not be highly professional but it is sweet. Hopefully, these efforts will help to ensure the survival of the businesses we have come to depend on and love. To see more you can click on this link:
web.facebook.com/groups/2020APOLLO
Wrapping It Up
Like most people we know the thing that is driving us most crazy about the pandemic, economic collapse and political situation is the inability to forecast duration, recovery or the future of democracy. That seems like enough to worry about for now. Hopefully by the next blog things will be looking up or at least be better defined. In the interim we hope you all stay well, wear those masks, and drag out those board games.
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Now for the Photos Deirdre has chosen rom prior blogs:
