Two steps forward. One step backward.
I checked off two major steps for the move south today. I had my physical and some selected inoculations.
The physical went very well. I passed everything -- other than my weight.
As some of you know, I went to grade school and high school with my doctor. We know each other well enough that there is little pretense between us. He does not bother telling me things that he knows I will not do, and I do not do things that he does not tell me to do.
Today was a bit different. Perhaps, because we will not have an ongoing physician-patient relationship. He pointed out that I have a series of risk factors when taken together is known as "metabolic syndrome." And I am not alone. If the Americans who suffered the syndrome united in a party, we would have clout. Over 50 million Americans have it.
Anyone who has been to a doctor knows the "treatment:" (1) lose weight, (2) get more exercise, and (3) eat a better diet. I am hoping that Mexico will afford an opportunity to do all three -- even though the third will be greatly handicapped by the presence of taco stands.
He also burned off a small growth on the tip of my nose. "Burned" is the wrong word. Froze. With liquid nitrogen. I was surprised how painless the process was.
I need to return to his office on Friday for some blood work. But I am ready to head south now -- with some health goals in mind.
Oh, yes. The inoculations. I finally gave in and started a hepatitis A series, as well as an inoculation for pneumonia, and a combination diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough injection. I would not have even thought of hooping cough if Babs had not had her most recent episode.
All of that was good. The one step back is that I seem to have misplaced a series of documents -- and I have no idea what I did with them. One of them is quite critical.
I am taking vacation days the rest of this week to start reorganizing things in the house and getting rid of what I can -- even though I am not selling the place. I would like to get as much done before I leave as I can. Who knows, a buyer may show up with cash in hand while I am in Mexico. And the place needs to be ready.
I checked off two major steps for the move south today. I had my physical and some selected inoculations.
The physical went very well. I passed everything -- other than my weight.
As some of you know, I went to grade school and high school with my doctor. We know each other well enough that there is little pretense between us. He does not bother telling me things that he knows I will not do, and I do not do things that he does not tell me to do.
Today was a bit different. Perhaps, because we will not have an ongoing physician-patient relationship. He pointed out that I have a series of risk factors when taken together is known as "metabolic syndrome." And I am not alone. If the Americans who suffered the syndrome united in a party, we would have clout. Over 50 million Americans have it.
Anyone who has been to a doctor knows the "treatment:" (1) lose weight, (2) get more exercise, and (3) eat a better diet. I am hoping that Mexico will afford an opportunity to do all three -- even though the third will be greatly handicapped by the presence of taco stands.
He also burned off a small growth on the tip of my nose. "Burned" is the wrong word. Froze. With liquid nitrogen. I was surprised how painless the process was.
I need to return to his office on Friday for some blood work. But I am ready to head south now -- with some health goals in mind.
Oh, yes. The inoculations. I finally gave in and started a hepatitis A series, as well as an inoculation for pneumonia, and a combination diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough injection. I would not have even thought of hooping cough if Babs had not had her most recent episode.
All of that was good. The one step back is that I seem to have misplaced a series of documents -- and I have no idea what I did with them. One of them is quite critical.
I am taking vacation days the rest of this week to start reorganizing things in the house and getting rid of what I can -- even though I am not selling the place. I would like to get as much done before I leave as I can. Who knows, a buyer may show up with cash in hand while I am in Mexico. And the place needs to be ready.
By the time I conducted my "estate" sale (using the word "estate" draws a "better" {read- willing to spend more money} class of buyers; when asked who died I told inquirerors that I was habing the sale somewhat in advance of my own death)vingk , my house was sold. But I could have sold it 6 times over to people who came to the sale--and probably for more than the price I received (although I got my full price without ever putting it on the market). Please excuse the odd spelling; my computer is having PMS!
ReplyDeletesmirck
Glad you got that dpt booster. There have been two reports on the news in the past week about the outbreak of whooping cough in the USA! Amazing.......
ReplyDeleteYou will find better fruits and vegetables in Mexico - for sure.
ReplyDeleteWe always feel like we are starving after returning to the States.
Inoculations - wouldn't do them. A healthy body will ward off disease. It right and take a few vitamins (C and natural E).
I haven't been to a doctor in 40 years. If I die tomorrow at least I will have felt good getting there. I get a cold once every couple years (if that).
IMHO
You will be surprised on the difference living in Mexico will make on your diet. It did for me, just not having to rush around and eat "on the run" made one difference.
ReplyDeleteBuying fresh food at the market, which will have a great assortment of fruits and vegetables will be the second. After a week or two weaned off of our typical American diet, I started loosing the weight. Walking helped a lot, and motivation of knowing that dropping the pounds will prevent you having to take a handfull of meds to maybe one or two. Now that you are making a "change" in your life, it's time to get serious about your maximizing your time to enjoy the best years of your life. Good Luck Steve, I am sure that you will master that hurdle especially since delicious fresh items are good and cheap down here.
steve,
ReplyDeletethat's great that you decided to get the inoculations. i would strongly recommend that when you get down there you take some anti amoeba/parasite medication. there are some that you take 1 pill, take another one something like 2 weeks later, and then you take them every 6 months. even though i'd been traveling to mexico for 10years and never had any problems, when i spent the winter of 2007 in chacala, i got a case of parasites, which unfortunately went undetected for months, even though i had lab work done and went to several doctors. anyway, when we went back last winter i took the meds and had no problem whatsoever. better to take a preventative approach, especially if you like taco stands ;-)
hope you find those documents soon.
see you next month.
teresa
Paty -- Interesting sale technique. I am not going through the bother of any sale, though. Anything that I am not keeping is heading over to the Salvation Army.
ReplyDeleteBabs -- My doctor was a bit surprised that I was aware of the whooping cough situation. I told him that I had access to one of the world's best reporters -- you.
Calypso -- My diet has never been very heavy with fruits and vegetables. But that will change.
Ken -- I know what you mean about changes of pace. Every time I have visited Mexico, I have felt the stress dissolve -- and I walk more and eat less. It will be a good mix. Walking is going to be problematic with the dog. At best, we saunter.
Teresa -- What type of parasite medication did you take? I have heard several bloggers talk about the issue.
Remember your worm tablets! Vermox - a strong one'll take care of things for six months.
ReplyDeleteSteve - Check with a knowledgeable doctor. I think you'll find that folks take something for critters just in case they have critters. If you do a little digging you'll discover that there really is nothing that is prophylactic than can be taken for them.
ReplyDeleteLarry
Steve,
ReplyDeleteIf you're cooking for yourself it's easy to add wonderful fruits and vegetables to your diet...or if you buy licuados and smoothies. But restaurants here seem to think a piece of lime is a vegetable I think.
Good luck!
Nancy
I love the fruits and veggies that I find here. I just finished off some steamed broccoli that was farm fresh! And some melon. I need to lose a bit myself. I usually lose weight on mission trips but this one is almost 2 years old, so I need to start watching my weight again. Walk, walk, walk! I find the worm pills are easy to buy in Honduras. I take 'em as needed.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I am shocked at all this suggested medication - we have never taken a thing - my son has never had ANY inoculations - haven't taken antibiotics for 30 years and certainly no "worm pills"
ReplyDeleteThis is Mexico not Africa - other than buying our drinking water - use a mild detergent on fruits and vegetables or vinegar and water.
From what I am reading you will be so medicated you will not remember Mexico ;-)
We haven't even had a cold here in two years and no other kinds of illness in the five years we have been coming here.
Metabolize that!!!!
ReplyDeleteSaludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where being trapped in the house four or five months a year doesn't exactly help matters.
Wow! A medication fight.
ReplyDeleteGary -- Thanks for the medication name. I tend to avoid pills. But I will know where to go if the worm wad backs up.
Larry -- That sounds about right to me. There is no Maginot Law -- just Big Bertha.
Nancy -- I actually use a lot of vegetables in my cooking -- when it is part of the dish. I am not much for vegetables as a side dish.
Laurie -- I have discovered that the vegetables in Mexico are tastier than their northern hot house cousins -- even when they look shopworn.
Calypso -- I lean your way on this point. Being hill folk, we know all about intestinal worms. I recall a rather vile purple pill when I was a youngster that moved the worms on to new housing. We shall see if I come full circle in the worm cycle.
Kim -- When I retained my association with federal service, I was required to maintain a specific weight. But the last decade has been a hedonistic feast. Now, the early bird catches the worm. Oops! Mixed the two threads of comments.
Calypso is cracking me up!
ReplyDeleteAMM -- Me, too! And I owe him a weather-related apology.
ReplyDelete