BajaNomad - Ill in Baja with a Happy Ending

Ill in Baja with a Happy Ending

oldlady - 1-8-2009 at 02:34 PM

The morning of New Year's Eve I woke up with severe stomach pain. By 10am, when a Mexican friend stopped by for coffee, I was in severe gastrointestinal distress (you don't want any more detail than that!). My friend insisted that she take me to a doctor "ahorita" and neither my husband nor I were in any position to argue.

After winding through downtown La Paz my friend and husband escorted me, folded in half, into the waiting room of a small family clinic type place where I was almost immediately placed on a table in an examining room. One press by the doctor on my tender tummy and he heard the only off color word my Mexican friend has taught me. I'm not sure how it translates but it seems to be effective. His suspicion was a badly inflammed gall bladder. He wrote an order for a sonogram and sent me to a nearby clinic.

The radiologist at the clinic was not there (well, it's New Year's Eve, I was shocked the doctor was there). They sent me to a nearby hospital where I was ushered into the sonogram room, stat. I was given a complete sonogram, printouts, the whole ball of wax and a radiologist who was assuring me every step of the way that the liver, kidneys, et al were fine but the stoneless gall bladder was enlarged.

Back to the doctor. The waiting room is crowded now and my pain has grown to unbearable. I tell my husband to just take me home I can't sit up any more. But my Mexican friend will have none of that and demands that I receive immediate attention. I did. Enter one of those gorgeous Mexican twenty somethings witih a syringe that looks like a turkey baster and informs me to roll over and that this is to relieve the pain. It does, because it is absolutely true that you can not feel pain in two different places at once. The doctor comes in, assures me that he does not feel that surgery is necessary but hands me a paper with a diet he want me to rigidly follow. He explains I am to take pills with my meals, and he wants to see me in 2 months unless I have another event. The farmacia is next door. Hubby gets the pills and I crawl into the car trying to find some way to sit comfortably on my insulted tush.

Tucked in by 1pm, I slept the rest of the day and woke up the next morning feeling almost completely well. The day after that I was fine. Total cost...doctor, sonogram and pills...$100 US.

No rip-offs, no "gringo" prices. Just a bunch of lovely caring people doing their job well.

bent-rim - 1-8-2009 at 02:48 PM

I'm glad your ok.

longlegsinlapaz - 1-8-2009 at 02:56 PM

All in all another positive report on local medical care! So sorry you were ill & in so much pain, but glad that you received fast & caring treatment....well, except maybe for that square needle they used!

Gladder you're on Calle Recovery! :bounce:

ELINVESTIG8R - 1-8-2009 at 03:07 PM

Oldlady I'm glad to hear you pulled through. Thank goodness you had
that pushy friend to help you through your ordeal.

DianaT - 1-8-2009 at 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oldlady
. Enter one of those gorgeous Mexican twenty somethings witih a syringe that looks like a turkey baster and informs me to roll over and that this is to relieve the pain. It does, because it is absolutely true that you can not feel pain in two different places at once.

Certainly not laughing at your illness, and really glad you are fine, but the way you wrote that line made me laugh outloud!.

Gees, for $100. you couldn't even open the door of the hospital in the US.

Good luck and I hope it does not come back

Diane

Barry A. - 1-8-2009 at 03:21 PM

A great, tho painful, story. Thanks for posting this. It is so good to hear something positive about Mexico, and this sure did the trick.

Get totally well soon----------with NO repeats.

Barry

BajaDove - 1-8-2009 at 04:56 PM

Living in La Paz we always use Salva Terra hospital if we don't know whats ailing us.
I have told friends here, if I'm unconscienious Take me to Salva Terra. Don't let some do gooder say that place and try to put me in one of the hospitals that charge US prices and have the same doctors.
In Mexico if you're priveledged to be a doctor you owe the community your services and serve the public (?) hours a week.

DENNIS - 1-8-2009 at 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oldlady
it is absolutely true that you can not feel pain in two different places at once.

I had a girlfriend once upon a time who countered your theory much too often. A nasty, physical little creature who would hit and slap my upper torso when least agravated, leaving welts and bruises on my arms and head while never ceasing to be a major pain in the butt.

Kell-Baja - 1-8-2009 at 05:12 PM

Glad your gallbladder is not causing you pain anymore but, hows the Booty??

oladulce - 1-8-2009 at 06:21 PM

Glad you're feeling better oldlady and great to hear you received such good care!

Bet you had a stone that passed before your ultrasound and left behind the inflammation. I can't think of many other reasons for sudden inflammation of your GB.

Just in case, i'd have a plan of attack lined up in case of a recurrence. Ask around about good general surgeons in La Paz . I'd also be curious if anyone down there can perform gallbladder removal thru a scope . The procedure is a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (Colecistectomía laparoscópica).

Then you'll be prepared, which should ensure it will never happen again!

David K - 1-8-2009 at 06:25 PM

Thanks for the story, sorry it was at the expense of a miserable moment in Baja! Glad you are better!!

oldlady - 1-8-2009 at 06:32 PM

Hey all, thanks for your thoughts. All parts seem to be pain free and I'm as ornery as ever. Wow, oladulce, I'll take your advice; sure makes sense to me.

All I really wanted to communicate was something very nice about Baja on a topic relating to health care here that many of us have expressed concerns about from time to time.

Lauriboats - 1-9-2009 at 02:29 PM

Great story, thanks for sharing. Glad you are feeling better.

lingililingili - 1-9-2009 at 05:07 PM

That's a fine excuse for missing my party!

fixtrauma - 1-10-2009 at 12:58 AM

I have seen so many with that pain you described. It is so all encompassing. Glad for your recovery.

Besides the differences described in price now days, I remember in the late 60's we would check patients into the Emergency Department on one side of a piece of paper and everything needed to be documented that we did for the patient on the other side of the paper! Now........a common cold gets a ream of paper. Oh......we are paperless now.......forgot!

oladulce sure has it right!

Good health to you.

Ford - 1-11-2009 at 04:47 PM

I have been to the doctors a number of times in San Jose Del Cabo and have had fantastic treatment everytime! The doctor even gave me her cell number and home number incase we ever need anything. They even charged me just for one of my kids when all three had the same thing and she said no problem its just one treatment!!! Can you imagaine they wont even look at another of my kids in the us unless you make a sepparate appointment....It shows that we can all learn something from everyone....

BajaGringo - 1-11-2009 at 07:25 PM

I am one of those guys who hates to go in for regular checkups and so eventually I will find myself in an emergency room if things get too painful. The few experiences I have had in Mexico ER's have all been very positive. Every time I was seen quickly by caring doctors and nurses and the final bill looked more like a minor car repair than the down payment for a new house.

Canceled my US health insurance years ago with zero regrets...

capitolkat - 1-12-2009 at 10:52 AM

Kay- so sorry about your gall bladder problems. but, the good ending is worth the read. I had similar problems a few years gao and the US docs saw me doubled over in pain and thought I might have had a heart attack, after a day in the hospital and transfer to a bigger hospital they figured it out. Surgery was called for and I'm glad I didn't have to experience the same thing twice.

I was informed a low fat diet really helps in the process of dealing with the gall baldder problems so I've done so- thankfully there is no fat in Tequila or wine so they are considered health foods for me. Norm

oldlady - 1-12-2009 at 01:10 PM

Then I need another doc...this diet is no coffee, low fat, no alcohol, no sodas. (heh, heh, he didn't say anything about a good cigar

)

BajaGringo - 1-12-2009 at 01:22 PM

I don't think alcohol in itself is the problem but what it does to the fat when combined. If you can "force yourself" to just drink without eating any fat you will probably be okay...

:lol:

vandenberg - 1-12-2009 at 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo
I don't think alcohol in itself is the problem but what it does to the fat when combined. If you can "force yourself" to just drink without eating any fat you will probably be okay...

:lol:

Bajagringo,

You're reffering to the good old VODKA diet, a favorite among many of my customers, who would swear by it. :biggrin:

Would try to recruit them for references, but most of them are "all deaded up".

[Edited on 1-12-2009 by vandenberg]

[Edited on 1-12-2009 by vandenberg]

capitolkat - 1-12-2009 at 01:48 PM

Isn't this great- medical advice for free even if you are being treated by a local physician. Just to make sure I get my two cents in-- the gall stones can sometime inflame the pancreas due to blockage of the bile duct. If so you get pancreaitis and man does that hurt. The inflamation of the pancreas does call for restriction of alcohol and/or removal of the gall bladder to eliminate the offending gall stones blocking the bile duct. If I were a doc and couldn't tell if it was pancreaitis or gall bladder inflamation I would recommend a restriction on alcohol and fatty foods.

I'm no doctor- but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express :tumble:

and have had my gall bladder removed after a serious attack of galls stones and possible pancreaitis.

BajaGringo - 1-12-2009 at 01:50 PM

Yes, but do you have photos to post???

:spingrin:

805gregg - 1-14-2009 at 07:43 PM

You are aware of the now meaning of Happy Ending? Right.

BajaGringo - 1-14-2009 at 07:46 PM

I saw that too but wasn't going to say anything...