MEDICAL CARE

KIDNEY STONES

The last couple of weeks I have been experiencing pain in the lower back and abdomen.  Not knowing what it could be, I lived with this pain for about a week before going to the doctors. After ruling out the possibilities, I was told to have a urine sample and a CT scan.  Well, it ended up being a kidney stone that was lounged in tight and would not come out on its own. This meant that I would have to have a procedure; cystoscopic extraction of renal lithasis to blast it out, which amounted to a stay in the hospital and a stent to be also placed for about five weeks. 

I am home now writing as a way of a healing process.  The difference is that I am sharing with others and such like my husband, I had my procedure and hospital stay in Mexico.  About six years ago we moved to Mexico after receiving functional medicine treatments for cancer.  I am very humble to say without surgery, chemo or radiation and no side effects and now that journey of my life is over.  All I have to do is keep up a home program to prevent any other occurrence.  Dan and I originally moved to Mexico for financial reasons; however, for now it’s our home for we received a permanent 

residence.  We are enjoying the people and the culture.

Now, getting back to my kidney stone and the experience that I received.  I have a fantastic physician that was born in Mexico; however, grew up in the Chicago area in the states.  He received his education in the states and about five years ago decided to open up a practice in the area of Guadalajara where there is a large ex-pat community. He was there all the way, by guiding Dan and I like he did when Dan had his heart stent procedure.  Also, like last year when Dan had a Cardiac Arrest.  With his passion and knowledge, we are in stable condition.   

 I first would like to thank Chapala Med – Dr. Hernandez for his passion and friendship. Even though he has been going through some family illness, his patients are always on his mind and takes his profession to a step higher.

Second, I would like to give thanks to the team of Dr. Ricardo Orozco for removing my kidney stone and being so gentle.

Third, the Arista Hospital for the personal treatment.  Dan was able to stay with me in the private room.  There was a couch and a reclining chair.

The prices were much lower than it would have cost in the states.  I had insurance with a deductible of $3,500.00, which the whole stay equaled out to about that.

Again, the difference I faced throughout my care was I being in Mexico and really not able to speak Spanish.  I know it would be a challenge interacting with the nurses, however; it went amazingly well.  All my doctors spoke English and I was able to understand.

The moral of this story is How Safe is Mexico.  It is as save as any other place in the US. The hospitals are no different than the ones in the states, just less expensive.  There are safe places as well as places that you should not visit and there are hospitals that are rated just like in the states.  I have found that Mexico has gotten a name that it is a third world country.  I disagree, for where I have traveled they have the most modern malls, techniques, schools, and cars.  All over the country I see American Brand stores and restaurants.

For the past five years I have felt save to call Mexico my home for now.

PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY

 

PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY

For the past 6 ½ years I have been putting my heart on the table and speaking out on many things relating to cancer, autoimmune disease and being healthy.  It all started when I was faced with the fact like my father and other family members that I had cancer.  Like a river cutting through the rocks, I persisted not to relive what they went through, but to find another way out.  Through the love of my husband and daughter I found strength.  The will within my heart gave me the opportunity to show others that we can look within ourselves and have hope for a much-deserved quality of life.

I am very humble to be able to choose options that gave me time to heal.  Our bodies are blue prints to an understanding of individual knowledge of managing life.  It’s our dreams, faith, will, beliefs, love and hopes that gives us time to create that persistence.

I placed my faith in professionals and other treatments in another country, for I believed that this would change my future and the dreams that I had would be seen within my own eyes.  I was not yet ready to give up the hopes of watching my daughter grow up to be a woman and see my grandchildren.  I wanted to be persistent  to change the course of this disease and end the pain for the future of my family. Through the knowledge and functional medicine treatments; I last year was able to be part of my daughter’s wedding and share the excitement and joy that she was experiencing.

It’s a challenge daily of keeping up with being healthy, it’s the will power of cutting through the rocks to the other side and creating dreams for the future.  Hand in hand with my husband we are now experiencing our future together in another country, Mexico.  We take life simple and share the knowledge that we have gained.  For the dreams, faith, will, beliefs, love, and hopes are what we strife and look for in making each of our life’s more meaningful.

For each year, I am grateful for taking the option of not giving into following the protocol of the conventional way and learning from a wise doctor that taught me not only to manage my cancer, but gave me back so much greater; the gift of life.

As I read others issues and the pain they are going through, I ask myself what can I do?  The answer is not an easy one for I fear for them and hope through the internet they will find another way so their dreams will be fulfilled.  May they have the persistence to manage and control the pain for a better future.

There is hope, we need to find it within our hearts and believe in ourselves in order to find the faith to learn the knowledge of ways to treat our illnesses without side effects.  We as individuals are drops in a river, but together we can be an ocean, it just takes persistence.

Remember that the river cuts through a rock, not because of its power but its persistence. Just follow the strength of your dreams, faith, will, beliefs, love, and have hope.

Check out my websites and blogging

https://www.thejourneytogoodhealth.com/

http://www.myjourneyofcompletion.com/

https://www.slideshare.net/SHERYLMALIN/functional-medicine-76138869?trk=v-feed

Money is the root of all evil

Money- ONE’S LIFE

They say money is the root of all evil.  We cannot live life without this, it rules the world.  When I was diagnosed with cancer, I thought it was the end of the world.  I had insurance that Dan and I had paid for many years, however; would only cover conventional methods.  I saw what chemo and radiation can do, and within my heart did not want to go through the pain and suffering.  Money did buy Dan and I our lives, but at a price.  This is happening to many other people daily.

We both worked through our thirty years plus marriage. Suddenly, after seeing our life retirement savings leave us and after giving up all our belongings I am here today writing about something that is so precious to me, one’s life.  I do not look back on the things that I did not ever think that was even possible, like filling bankruptcy, giving up our cars, giving up our home and moving to Mexico.  This is happening to many other people daily minus moving outside the country.

Not only because of our treatments but also our aftercare, we have to deal with every month on how to come up with the money for payment.  I am not complaining, just venting for I know others that are struggling with this very same issue. This is happening to many other people daily.

Money, why does it always come down to this.  I see and hear several people express their anger about health care.  I too have been there and done that.  We have to make others realize that even though you have insurance, it may not cover all of your expenses or even the choice of treatments you chose to have.  Remember, even though it’s your body, the insurance company chooses for you what type of treatments you can have.  So, is health care worth having??? This is happening to many other people daily.

I am not suggesting not to have insurance, but again due to money it should be a choice and not a burden. Money always plays a part in one’s life.  I wish they would teach you at an early age, that money isn’t always enough and how to search for what is important in life. This is happening to many other people daily.

 Dan and I struggled to find ourselves and today living in Mexico taught us to grow and become understanding of time. In Mexico, some have money others do not, but either way seem to live life for the day and not complain about what they do not have and I even saw online that they are amongst the happiest people in the world.  We continue to grow and teach others that it’s not about the money, but the quality of life you live. This is happening to many people daily.

Money is the root of all evil.  It is how you use it that matters and what you buy.  So, do you want to buy material things or do you want to buy health; which to me is wealth.

So today as I write, I am thinking of others that are in the same situation, as I had struggled.  Remember one thing we are all equal and deserve the same things, but is our life not important so much that we cannot continue to choose the quality of life we want. This is happening to many people daily.

It always comes down to money, paper that gives us freedom to enjoy the modern toys.

TWENTY THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MEXICO

First, Popcorn comes originally from Mexico.  Called momochtli, it was first prepared in pre-Hispanic cities in the center of Mexico.  But nobody knew what to do with popcorn until the color television was invented.

Second, the color television was invented in Mexico by a man named Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena.  He was the first person to note that Zorro’s mask and shoes were a bright orange.

Third, the oldest university in North America is the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) founded by Charles V of Spain in 1551. Alumni continue to have their meetings at the Old Posada in Ajijic.

Fourth, the printing press in North America was working in Mexico in 1531.  It printed the first student loan applications for the UNAM.

Fifth, Mexicans do not eat the worm in the mescal bottle.  It’s Mexico’s joke on naïve gringos. Back in the day, a little worm was plopped in each batch of mescal to see if the alcohol content was high enough.  If the worm died, enough alcohol.  If not, the little fella got one more “for the road”.

Sixth, Mexico has 32 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) world heritage sites.  One of the most in the world.  Under consideration for number 33 is La Floresta Castle in Ajijic, historic for taking up a lot of room for no apparent reason.

Seventh, Mayan glyphs have yet to be deciphered or translated.  That’s why we have no idea what happened to the Mayans.   

Eighth, the Copper Canyon in the north of Mexico is four times bigger than the Grand Canyon.   

Ninth, the first and only in the world Rocket Belt, a personal flying pack, fueled by hydrogen peroxide, was built totally from scratch by Mexican engineer Juan Manuel Lozano

Tenth, Mexico exports more manufactured products than the rest of Latin America combined. Not including Trump piñatas.

Eleventh, the largest pyramid in the world is the Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico.  It is also the largest monument ever constructed by man without a rotating restaurant.

Twelve, in Mexico, artists can pay their taxes with artwork.  

Thirteen, Mexican, French and Japanese cuisines are considered by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as Intangible Cultural Heritage American fast food, by contract, is considered by UNESCO as a Human Rights Violation.

Fourteen, Mexican General Santa Anna had an elaborate state funeral for his amputated leg.

Fifteen, the world chilies can be spelled five different ways: chilies, chiles, chilis, chilies, and chillis.

Sixteen, Mexico is a third world country.  That does not mean a country that produces shoes and breakfast cereal from the same plant.  Third World described unaligned courtiers during the First and Second were the United States and its allies, and Russia and its followers.

Seventeen, today the numbers have changed, the United States has gone to fourth or fifth world (at least 4.3).  Russia has become a quadratic equation.

Eighteen, chewing gum first popped up in Mexico.  The Mayans extracted sap from what was known as the sapodilla tree.  It began to exported to European countries and the United States, where the gum was first commercialized.  Today, chewing gum is produced from other substances, which biodegrades over 4,000 years. 

Nineteen, Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas, a Mexican chemist born in Tepic Nayarit synthesized something called Norethisterone, which is the basic active compound of birth control pills.

Twenty, Mexico holds more free trade agreements than any other country in the world. According to the Financial Times, this is more than twice as many as China

 

HOTEL CASA MARINA

Hotel Casa Marina welcomes all Canadians, Americans, Mexicans and brings comfort to your stay. I highly recommend this hotel for long term as well as short term.  Location is Carretera Chapala Jocotepec # 40 El Chante Jalisco.  It’s a quaint European style resort.  Restaurant next door with American style Pizza along with small café in hotel. Internet, electric, gas, and camera security are included in rental.  Other options that are not included is gallon water, maid service, laundry.

 For more information

call 331 697-0874 or 01- 387 763-0973

E-mail hotellacasamarina @ Hotmail.com

FISH FOR BREAKFAST

FISH FOR BREAKFAST

Three weeks ago, Dan and I visited a clinic of which we have now become functional medicine counselors.  I was blown away with the program and was reunited with several people that were working where I was treated six years ago.  Dan and I are very humble to be able to continue to be part of these wonderful people. 

We got together with Daniel, who was the fabulous chef that cooked organic foods for Dan and I when we were being treated, along with Monica who also worked as a dietarian.  They took us to this little fishing village where Monica would go with her family for breakfast.  This was a treat for we never have been to a fishing village in Mexico, nevertheless for breakfast.

The experience was something from a movie, as we were watching the fishermen bringing in their boats with different kinds of sea life and displaying them for people to eat.  There was this fisherman that had just brought aboard some giant crabs, it just happened that we walked by him and Daniel asked if we would like this for breakfast.  Dan and I were just amazed with the size of theses crabs; we went over and shook the leg of this one crab that was moving.  Thanks to Monica for taking the pictures so we can look back at this enjoyable day.

While they were preparing our crab, there was a table of clams and oysters that we passed.  Monica asked if we would like to try one of them, of course you know Dan would not pass this experience up.  Monica would pick one up and like weighed it in her hands to see if it was a good one.  A lady would pry it open and chop the meat inside and made an instant ceviche with tomatoes, onions, cilantro and if we desired some spice.

They grilled the crab on the grill with just a little bit of butter along with a red snapper all dressed up with chopped tomatoes, onions, and herbs. 

When we were served, the waitress gave each of us a wooden cutting board along with a big rock.  Dan and I looked at one another wondering what to do next.  We have had crab at restaurants where they have given us a tool to crack it open and get the meat out.  But never did we ever get a rock to hit the legs to break it apart to get the meat out.  It was fun for the table kept going up and down while we were trying to break the crab apart.  I would suggest anyone to try this experience for if you are angry at something or someone this would get all your frustrations out.

I would love to thank Daniel and Monica for this wonderful experience and for their friendship.  They were there for me when I needed support as I was being treated for functional medicine when I had cancer.  Who would of thought that going to Mexico would be the best experience of Dan’s and my life.  Living here has made me feel full and having cancer made me realize that if I did not have it these amazing people would have not been in my life.  They say everything happens for a reason, I believe in this for I have been blessed with friendship, knowledge and good times.

LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR

Every year since we have lived here in Ajijic , Dan and I have enjoyed this time of year. It starts with this ~