…..December has been difficult. The focus was on getting us all healthy once again. Even Carlie has been very sick. Back to her chronic stomach issues and paralyzing pains. We can’t get her to the vet on our own ( it is enough just getting both of us on the launcha to cross the shipping channel, never mind carrying a dog ) and the vet is too busy to come to the Isla right now. So lots of phone calls and trying various medications. What we used in the past does not seem to be helping. Two days ago we stopped everything except Gabapentin 2 to 4 times per day, her dog specific gut probiotics and started Pepto Bismol. She has only had a few half good days this month, So difficult seeing her suffer.
So happy to have my mom’s Christmas birds in our Mexican masks.
Before I forget, about November 20th, we lost one leg of our RV inverter which was the 110V power – it powers the fridge, microwave and anything that would be on a normal household electrical circuit. Colin was able to figure out how to plug the fridge into a separate 15AM plug which saved our food.
Erik did come that day and discovered that the electrical problem was the inverter and we would need a new one. It appears that mice made a nest on top of the inverter – no idea where all this paper came from. Erik was able hook us up to a battery charger which we needed to reprogram every 24 hours.
Finding a replacement inverter was a bit of an issue as the company that made ours no long was making any. Finally we found a company that had very recently started production of this inverter. Cost was $2,300.00USD. We had to get it shipped to Laredo,Texas where I have lady who took it across into Mexico except that UPS did not delivery over the US Thanksgiving weekend and the inverter was misplaced 😥 Finally it was delivered and just last week moved into Monterrey Mexico. However there have been multiple road blocks here in Mexico due to protests from farmers and others as well as cartels creating other roads blocks and actively fighting. Transport traffic in Mexico has been greatly affected and often stopped for days at a time. DHL is charging for overnight delivery but taking up to 25 days to deliver 😳 I had a chat with Elsa today and she suggested we wait until January to attempt the delivery of the inverter to US. She is concerned that it will simply disappear if she shipped today because of all the extra Christmas parcels. Meanwhile Erik switched out the battery charger for a hard wired converter so we can wait as long as needed. Thanks to Elsa we were able to save $415.00USD in duty but we still have to pay about $300.00 in shipping fees within Mexico. The inverter weighs 60lbs so when it does get here Colin will hire someone to go pick it up for us.
Colin had a nice visit with our landlords young son who is learning guitar, All three play and sing but they only had one instrument so Colin lent them one of his to use. He also introduced them to some Sinaloan folk songs. It was specail to see him being involved in a different form of music.
On December 1st we went into Mazatlan to INM to get our address offcially changed. The paperwork with Hogla went smoothly and we were 3rd in line with 2 single people ahead of us when a family of five pushed ahead of us checking into the INM office. It took almost 3 hours to get processed. Groan! Legally one must register a new address within 30 days of moving. You must have official paperwork showing the old and new address on it. The CFE bill showed Los Chivos while TotalPlay showed Las Chivos. A very sharp clerk caught that but took one look at us and how worn out we were at 9:30AM ( we left at 7:30 AM and being the first trip into Mazatlan on the launcha it was a very big deal to get Colin on and off the boat ) she did some constructive thinking and had me write a note that I had not brought the official address paperwork. Even Google Maps spells it differently than CFE ( Mexico”s electrical company ). She even winked at me!
So on the way home from the main embarcadero ( we can’t use the Playa Sur one – impossible for Colin ) our UTV ran out of gas!! I could not believe it! Then along came an Isla taxi truck and towed us home – he knew where we lived. He pushed Put Put ( that is now the official name ) into our yard and even filled the gas tank for us. Colin nor I can lift the fuel container. He was very happy with his tip as we were to be home. It was a long morning. It was fun to be sitting in the UTV and being pulled along. Always a new adventure to be enjoyed!
While all of this was going on I had been looking for a used exercise bicycle for Colin as it really helped him when he was going to physio in Mazatlan in a daily basis. In the end a wonderful lady was moving and had to get rid of her bike – however it was brand new and there was lots of back and on price. In the end we gave up and then suddenly she decided to donate it to us. She even arranged a driver to pick it up and bring it to the Isla. We just had to pay the driver and meet him on the highway and direct him here. Colin uses it multiple times per day and it really is helping him. On the right of the photo you can see his inversion table that we just paid to have brought here from Kelowna ( only $200.00 CAD ) as part of a load the fellow was already bringing here to Mazatlan. The one we have had here for for years rusted out and it was cheaper to pay to bring this one here than purchase a new one.
A lovely never used exercise bike.
Colin almost has a full gym now of what he needs. He exercises a minimum of two hours per day to the point of needing a nap to rebuild.
Colin gets top notch physiotherapy here once per week. Sofia comes highly recommended and she has worked with other stroke patients. This was taken today. He made a bit of a break though today by being able to lift the toes on his right foot. Great progress.
Personally I have been suffering for over 12 weeks with very serious gut issues. I saw my usual general doctor about the 26th of November and he prescribed medication which because of his handwriting and the Farmacia interpreting what he wrote I was given pills to stop urinating 😡 My problem was excessive chronic diarrhea! I went back to him. The one he gave me next, I later found out to be something to deal with bloating 😮 I called him a few days later and he said that I needed to have colonoscopy and check for cancer etc. Well I was not about to spend a few thousand USD without bering checked for parasites or having any bloodwork done first.
I remember these lights!!
So I went onto an expat Facebook page and asked for suggestions for a new doctor. I made a choice and called and the doctor herself answered the phone. I met her at the hospital she works out of and she checked me out and ordered over 10,000 MXN / $764.00CAD worth of tests including a variety of medications. The tests took over a week to be completed as cultures were needed for a few but meanwhile Dra Jocelyn ( turns out her father is a Canadian from Vancouver ) ordered a number of medications for me to start on. I saw her on December 4th and all the feces and blood work came back normal 😀 I was certain that I had a parasite but I did not! I had already done the local Doxall parasite cleanse twice just in case. Meanwhile it appeared that the various medications and powders just might be starting to have a positive effect.
I have a regular medication area and now have added my new medications as well as Carlie’s new meds. Good thing we have a big RV. This is an old photo of just Colins meds and supplements.
The most expensive medication was a specific gut anti anti-inflammatory. Dra Jocelyn knew about this medication and of the reputation of the best internist in Mazatlan who has begun to prescribe this drug. But a one monthly supply of only 30 pills costs 2416 MXN / $185.00CAD!! That is very expensive but I wanted to try a more logical solution to my problem rather than start with a colonoscopy that likely would not solve the cause of the problem. One of my American friends looked up the medication which is called Cortiment. The generic version in the USA is up to $2100.00USD for 30 tablets which is $2885.00CAD – however the 30 tablets only cost $2200.00CAD 😮 Needless to say I am no longer complaining about the Mexican cost of the medication 😳
No idea where I was but Colin caught this little bird flying in and visiting with Ciela.
She was so very gentle with it.
It was over 5 hours on December 4th when I first met with Dra Jocelyn. I had to go to three Farmacias to get all my medications. I was totally worn out when I got home and just went to bed. However just a few days later on December12th I saw my vein doctor for another treatment. It was a horrific treatment and I have been doing these for at least 8 to 10 years bi annually. I don’t know if her needle was dull but it was so painful with every injection and I got overr 60 injections, I asked her to change the needle and she ignored me. Finally I told her to stop. Plus each injection site would not stop bleeding. It was terrible. I cried in the Didi enroute to the embarcadero. Then there were police all over the place. I got in the launcha and there were police sea-dos circling. Once on the Isla there was a police presence at the dock with flashing lights. I was bone weary and thankful to have Colin pick me up. So happy he figured out a way to drive the UTV being a two foot driver. I found out the next day that a tourist ( a father with kids ) from one of the cruise ships had died on the beach 😥
It took us over 6 -7 weeks to set up our site. That is my easily put up and down clothes line in the middle of the photo. If you look at the top of the wall to the left of ladder and on the top of the wall ( and between the 2 pieces of rebar ) that grey lump is one of the two iguanas that lives in this wall. One twin to the right of the stool and the other on the stool. They are obsessed with these critters but they are quiet. Unlike the barking they have done in years past with the feral cats.
So here I am three weeks later and I am doing about 90% better 😎 I am keeping a diary and it is impressive. My series of medications ends on January 3rd. As you know I have been excessively stressed since we left Canada early October 2024 ( I was worn out from selling stuff and packing up the house and was so tired ). Dealing with my cataract surgery gone a bit wrong and then Colins’ stroke put a kink into our life as we knew it. Moving to Cerritos for 4 months was literally hell on earth – Colin says it was worse than the stroke. Then having to suddenly find a new location here on the Isla to place our RV and then set up an entire new palapa and outdoor set up was over top too much. My body was protesting.
Carlie is in pain here – her eyes are so expressive.
And of course the behind the scenes that I never posted about was the on and off again offers on the sale of our home. Our realtor left on October 31 ( never told us till she had left ) for three weeks in Turkey and we were at opposite time zones. It was beyond frustrating. Colin and I were out of our minds and feel that we may have lost a good sale due to here lack of communication. At the moment we still have an offer subject to the sale of
“their” condo in Calgary, Alberta. But that expires on January 7th, 2026.
Love this color.
I honestly believe that my gut issues are all self inflicted as a result of my stress levels. We all have stress but I been in a negative stress loop since April of 2024 and it has been accumulating.
On December 12th I took Colin to his first chiropractic appointment. It wore us both out but it truly did help him. Colin came home and slept for solid three hours. However he is standing taller and Dr Alan had a suggestion as to his twisting right foot. We actually both saw the good doctor again this past Thursday, the 18th. I certainly have some issues but don’t we all. Again a tiring day as it takes two fellows to get Colin onto and off the boat. It is more difficult when he is worn out – like after a medical appointment. And then the last physio appointment of 2025 was today the 22nd.
Just getting through the day is wearing us out. It takes a very long time to get anything accomplished. Not to mention worrying about Carlie’s daily pain and just even feeding us and getting water delivered. It is a non stop drain on me. So there you have the jist of it – December has not been fun. Yet we do manage to find beauty all around us and especially in watching the ocean.
The promise of things to come.
