How did I get to be 72 years of age?

Thank you all for your wonderful messages on this special day. I plan to revisit them in the days to come when I hope to have more time.

Time passes so quickly. It is so very important to live each day to the fullest. Who knew that just a few minutes before we were retiring for the night that Colin would have a stroke on April 28th? Our lives changed in a nano second. Fortunately with extremely hard work all day long on his part and with the help of one of Mazatlan’s best physiotherapists, Colin will recover. We are hoping for a full recovery but all we can do is take it poco a poco.

I would love to email and chat with each one of you but I have no time. There is not enough time in a day to do what needs doing but always Colin is the priority. So this is not a blog but a bit of this and that.  Bits of blurbs I wrote here and there. Each paragraph stands on its own. Hopefully this will help you understand what we are dealing with. I often think of those old black and white films of past wars where soldiers were stuck at the bottom of deep trenches they dug to be safe and they never seemed to get out. We fell into such a pit and have been clawing our way out.

May 15th

Colin is happy and positive today. He walked to the bathroom on his own using a cane. MAJOR progress.

The gimpmobile ( aka a walker ) has been moved outside. The girls had a beach walk.

Good thing I am going over all of my pieces of papers and notes and official documents that came back from the hospital with me.  I totally missed an ordered heart test. So Monday the 19th ( I have hired a driver and private car ) he goes into be fitted for the 24 hour Holter test, 2500MXN. I will go with Colin. They do have wheelchairs at the door I have discovered. Getting him in and out of the car will be a challenge. I am counting on Colin being stronger by then.

 

We do realize that we must move RV for the security of our home but we will be back here in October. Meanwhile we will stay here as long as we can. Now that Colin is moving around a bit he is enjoying the view. And it certainly is an inspiring vista!    Las Jaibas, where we are planning on moving to is oh so very depressing compared to enjoying the movement of the ocean and all the activity around us including the ships coming and going. Right now I will take the inconvenience. I am so not looking forward to moving to Las Jaibas. It’s okay if you are active but……we will be there by the end of June if not sooner. Plus we are still waiting for the lost battery. It is going to take us 2 -3 weeks to pack up to move out of here and that is with lots of help. We will have been here for close to 8 months. Plus Erik the RV tech has to build us a special 50AMP connection over there and I have to get Totalplay to run us a private line as we will be too far from the office I have been told. There is a pool that I understand is well maintained thinking of physio for Colin.   FYI the missing battery is back and all 8 are now hooked up the the RV.

 

837pm:  For the first time in many dozens of years I was up and wide awake at 5:45AM today. I had the energy to get lots done. Instead as usual I had a few issues to deal online.

It was a no walking day but the girls seemed content – but just 30 minutes ago they somehow got out and were two yards over. I literally screamed at them ( no one is around ) and they did come back.

My day began with coffee for Colin and one for me while I texted his main doctor from the hospital. He will come to the Isla end of May to attend to Colin and discuss all the test results. So Colin only needs to go out twice to the cardiologist.

After his coffee Colin stated that it was time for his first shower since April 28th. Like right now I said? Yes!!! Okay, we can do this…..then I had to dump and flush the tanks.

I had an unexpected shower ( fresh water ) as one of the hoses did not connect properly, of course it was my own fault. Refreshing actually as it was very humid this morning. Picked up poop and unlocked the gate and took out the garbage. For some reason our can was rolled on its side in the road! About 3AM Colin was wide awake – I am up every 30 minutes to check on him. I suggested he move from the recliner to the sofa. As you can see he slept well.

Today was a huge day for us. I finally found a cleaning lady. She came about 10:30AM ( I was already worn out by then ) which only left me time to get him a second coffee and some juice but no fruit today – too much time to cut things up.

He did get some muffin with peanut butter. Katty does not speak English but we managed just fine. Only glitch was that she brought her 4 and 6 years old kids which does not work with our dogs. However she intended to let them sit outside anyway. We were unsure how to direct her as to what we wanted done but it worked out in the end.

We entered Mexico on October 24th and it was very dusty inside so she started by wiping down all the wood in the RV. While she worked both Colin and I did at the same time. I must say that we did a great job and the RV is sparkling once again. I was so happy to have the floor cleaned. It was in very bad condition with so many folks coming and going over the past weeks.

Once she left we had little time before Octavio was to arrive. I had some soup to heat up for his lunch which he ate and then rested. Meanwhile I was finishing the cleaning and putting the house back together. In the end I moved some furniture around so that he can return to his computer station when he decides to. I also arranged it so he can sleep in either location and move on his own.

Octavio soon showed up. He is happy with the progress that he sees daily. He got Colin outside and walking a few steps. Once Octavio left we collapsed and had a long nap…….now I must start making dinner….Only 7:37PM but I am ready for bed.

Life had not been easy:

~The day has gone downhill. Colin is doing a 24 hour test. Nothing to talk about. Right now all of our ATMs are closed to us. That is what I am dealing with

~Another crazy start to the day today. Found out that my credit card has been compromised and it has been cancelled. Yet another thing to deal with and I will get to it in the next day or so. I did spend a full hour ( mostly holding waiting to speak to a human and got my Canadian debit ATM limit raised. While Colin was having his heart ultrasound I was taken to an ATM a mile away where I used 4 different cards and got enough cash to live for a few weeks. Octavio is here again with his machines and just said that Coin’s foot has been badly damaged but he is hopeful. Photo shows our drive today. I sat in the back seat working my phone the entire time.

~photo below is of his 24 hour holter test.

May 20th….changes due to test results….A very special thank you to Katia who just did a bike ride in the dark to get new medication that was just ordered tonight. Colin is good but there are some changes. Details tomorrow.

TODAY:

Good Morning everyone! Thank you for your many birthday wishes. I have been on the phone now for 3.5 hours speaking to the bank about my compromised credit card. The fellow I spoke with Tuesday morning did not cancel, my card as he said he would and therefore I now have more charges not made by me that need to be disputed. I am now on hold with my 6th person today and give the same information over and over and then get transferred to someone else and so on. Despite explaining that I am with my husband who had a stroke and needs my help it seems not to matter. I woke up this morning wanting to have a cup of coffee outside with Colin before it got too hot and humid. Did not happen. My birthday treat to myself was to have a shower and hair wash and if I was lucky cut my toe nails. Exciting birthday stuff, eh! that has yet to happen as well. I haven’t even been able to pick up the dog poop and it is a not walking day for the girls. They were so cute last night taking turns laying on top of Colin in the recliner as he slept. I am up almost every 30 minutes to check on him. The banking person I am on hold with right now keeps coming back every 10 minutes to let me know she is still working on it and she did take my phone number to call back if we get cut off. That cut off thing happened this morning and I had to start from scratch. Yeah!!! New credit card will be couriered and should be here in 5 business days. Only thing is, is that I have to call in again in 2 -3 days to get the tracking number!! Off for my well deserved shower and hair wash.

So this is my gift to you, an update, not perfect but an update.

He had a good day.  Here it is 5:30PM and I need to pick up dog poop and lock the gate for the night. Physio came and went and Colin is doing a bit better every day.

I had really hoped that we could sit outside together today and enjoy our view.  It did not happen as I have been on the go all day. Perhaps tomorrow.

Thank you all for your thoughts today. I have to be very careful to not get too emotional or I might not stop crying. It is very difficult not having anyone around us right now.