It was an exhausting day. I was up early to walk Madigan around the Sleepy Hollow RV Park greeting the mourning doves and enjoying the dry hair with just a slight chill. The wind was down and sun out. The sun has been out most days I’ve been here. No rain but some bits of clouds. There’s border patrol helicopter and marine jets in the air as well.
My appointment in Algadones Mexico at St. Thomas Clinic was at 930 am. The California Pacific Times was was 930 in Winterhaven California’s Sleepy Hollow but in Algadones Arizona Mountain time it was 830. Mara, the administration, a lovely young woman proficient in English and Spanish explained what would be done. Then the female dentist also bilingual did a thorough examination and discussed it with on the male dentists I recognized from before. I think he must be a co owner. Another couple did the cleaning then she prepared the lower left jaw with anesthetic. Painless. I needed two root canals and crowns as well as a cavity addressed. In addition I needed some front crowns. The fellow came in and did the upper post I believe. I was there till noon with one bathroom break. I am to come back this morning again.
When I left I just wanted to get home to Madigan who was alone in the camper. The trouble was that on Friday afternoon the line up to leave was too the hill and took three quarters of an hour to get to the border where thankfully the US customs fellow essentially waved me through when I told him I had nothing to declare and had just been there for dental work. I gather this is common. Aldagones has the greatest density of top Mexican dentists used by Canadian and American Snow birds.
I have a great dentist in Canada, The cost is definitely 4 to 5 times higher than in Mexico. This year because the Canadian money after years of Trudeau was so weak it probably was only a third of the cost of Canadian equivalent. However for me the gain is that I routinely get sick after dental work in the north in winter. I think it’s because I’m run down or the flu or whatever but I simply don’t get the bacterium is and flu like follow up illness that goes with even the least dental cleaning in the north. In the dry and on vacation I get the work done and recovery without a respiratory infections that lasts a couple of days. I don’t think it has anything to do with the excellent antiseptic surgery in the north but rather my personal stress. I invariably lose a few days of work in addition to the actual dental visit. I also feel horrible with the respiratory illness.
Since Covid I’ve been anxious about respiratory illnesses. Apparently I got TB as a fly in doctor in the north. Certainly I was exposed to it most days of my work but it was only discovered when I worked in the US and had an X-ray followed by a year of TB antibiotics. Annually I’ve had a flu or bronchitis and couple of bouts of mild pnueomonia requiring antibiotics from the decade of smoking. When I was in Delhi the year of Covid the air was so bad , horrid smog, daily stay in doors warnings that when I caught a ‘cold’ I was really sick. I was in Bombay and literally couldn’t get my breath, It was like the time when I was under the reef scuba diving and my air ran out. Quite terrifying. Thankfully in Bombay I could get doxycycline and Zithromax and a whole lot of tea and orange juice. I was able to get over the worst in a couple of feeling like death days before flying home masked.
It’s not really the dental surgery in Canada but the ‘cleaning’. The dentist who repaired my tooth which chipped in the fall and my own dentist when he’s done a procedure haven’t left me sick. What occurs though is that several appointments are needed spaced over a few weeks whereas here the labs and aeveryone are dedicated for the tourists so that root canals and crowns are done in a couple of days. I even heard one man flying in who would have his root canal done in the morning and the crown in the afternoon so he didn’t have to stay in Yuma overnight. That’s the streamlined efficient nature of the practice of the whole town dedicated to this service.
Unfortunately customs slows the works but I did get home to a happy dog at 130 and was able to attend my on line cyberdoc meeting. Then after a short walk I loaded Madigan on the back of my Vespa in his box and headed out to find a microwave. I normally microwave vegetables when I barbecue steaks. I also like microwaved meat and chicken pies and use it for reheating. I missed it and decided since I bring out my tv from storage to use I could have a microwave I could set up to use too. There’s no room for it in the small space in the camper.
I didn’t take the freeway but used the backwoods road not wanting to carry a microwave home on the Vespa at high speed. The backwoods road was interested. Beatiful scenery along the river, ducks and geese, a road runner, and then the agricultural acres and workers outside the little Yuma suburb of Winterhaven proper. The fellow at the first appliance store recommended Walmart as he only had large ones like at Home Depot. The smallest i could find on line is a Whirlwind 5 cu size but it seems .7 cu is the lowest available. That’s what Walmart had. They started at $60 and this retro .7 Gallanz Robin egg blue was just too adorable to pass on. It was also quite light and at $80 I wouldn’t feel too bad if I didn’t keep it but rather gave it away after this year. I’m that way with kitchen appliances. There’s use justifies them because it helps with home cooking and the cost of eating out is prohibitive. I’ve had a variety of tools like ice cream makers and bread makers and such that survived a limited time but the savings in eating in rather than eating out and the variety that is the spice of life warranted the cost.
I took Madigan into Walmart with me by taking him in the box he rides the motorcycles on and putting it all in the buggy. He was along for the ride. I had my microwave and I restocked my refrigerator. The Vespa does carry. Unfortunately the microwave wouldn’t fit between my legs and I had to bungee it to the front rack creating a significant wind issue. Still I could drive home with my back case full of groceries, Madigan behind me in his doggie designed carrier box and the microwave sticking way ahead on the rack. I had to keep at 45 miles an hour on the back road and even then the wind was brutal at times. Again the Friday line up at the border resulted in an extra 3/4 hour delay. I did succeed in by passing the traffic riding on the gravel ridge beside the road but it was dicey in the loose sand with the unbalanced bike. I did spurts of progress and hurried my return.
The sun set over the mountain as I got home. That lead to the comfort food and evening with Cameron Diaz, barbecue chicken and store wedgies I reheated in the charming little microwave. Exhausted I fell asleep at 830 only to wake at 130. I take comfort in learning that medieval folk often had a break in the night and monks wake at midnight to do prayers. I tried to return to sleep but after an hour have got up again. For sleep hygiene it’s best not to make the bed a battle ground. If you are not back to sleep in 1/2 to 1 hour best to get up. I’m also amused because the Facebook joke said being adult is being tired all the time and then not being able to sleep. Certainly that happened to me last night. The excitement and stress of the dental procedure for sure. It was a full day and I’m contented. I really am. It was a good day. An adventure. Self care. That’s important. I don’t do that sort of thing often. I’m good with homes and equipments and caring for others but these dental events and trips to chiropractors and such are a reprieve that seem essential. Because I am tired. I’m wearing down at times but this escape to the south and sun and dry air revives me. I fear pneumonia , the old man’s friends and were I to retire I’d just do the same , live in Canada 10 months of the year and come south for 2 months . The outstanding issue this trip is whether I’ll go on to Mexico as planned. Staying here on the border hasn’t been costly and it’s been so convenient with being able to walk across to Mexico.
Thank you Jesus. Thank you God. Thank you Holy Spirit. Three in one. Jesus Christ. God within, God will come again.
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