Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Experiencing
Covid in Mexico
One man's medical adventure
Jim Greene
Currency Converter
Who
I am, what I do, and how I got Covid
Hello
folks, I am an expat who has spent the last few years traveling and
housesitting
around Mexico.
I contracted
Covid 19 around the 2nd week of
January, 2021, while staying alone in La Paz, Baja California Sur. I do not
know how I contracted it, as I was using a mask, gel, and doing social
distancing. But I
did want to share what I experienced, just to maybe help someone else who may
contract Covid 19 while being in Mexico, or while being far away from their home
country.
I do not
have any medical experience or knowledge whatsoever.
Here is
my story.
It begins
Around
the 2nd week of January, 2021, I wasn’t feeling well. I just thought
I had a cold/flu, so I took flu medication and after a week I felt better.
During the next week I felt ok initially, but after 4 days I noticed that I had a
persistent dry cough, could not sleep, and had a headache most of the time. I
remember in the middle of the night thinking that I had never experienced a
cough similar to this, and that is when I wondered if I had contracted Covid
19. So the next morning I called a friend in the medical field who verified that a
dry cough was one of the leading indicators and I checked on the internet and
saw the same information.
Testing, lab and costs
I asked
a friend here in La Paz who told me where I could be tested locally and on
Saturday, January 23rd, I had the Covid 19 antigen test performed at the
Nunez Laboratorios in La Paz. This laboratory is located about 8-9 blocks from my
apartment. A swab was inserted deep into my nasal cavity - it wasn’t pleasant
but it was over quickly.
Laboratorios Nunez, La Paz
The cost for the test was 1000
Pesos (currently about $50USD) and I received
the positive result via email within an hour or so.
I live
alone so I was going to just stay in my apartment, have food delivered, and
hopefully get better.
Support of friends and my drug treatment for Covid
However, my friend Marta here told me that her friend’s
husband is a doctor who treats Covid 19 patients and he would come to see me in
my apartment if I wanted him to. She encouraged me to see the doctor and
thought he could help me recover faster so I agreed to have him come over.
Dr.
Sergio evaluated me that day, on Saturday Jan. 23, and thought I had a mild case
and was going to be ok. I speak a little Spanish and he knows a few words in
English so we were able to communicate.
He called on Sunday morning to check on
me and to ask if I wanted him to buy me medication. He said I could reimburse him
later, which I agreed to do. Later that Sunday he came over and gave me
Ivermectin (an
anti-parasitic), and Azithromycin (an antibiotic), both in pill form, and
he gave
me a 2-3 days supply.
He checked
again with me on Monday and I was already feeling
better. He said to call him anytime, especially if I wasn’t feeling well.
The Covid progressed into pneumonia
I went a
little downhill after that, from Monday to Thursday.
Thursday night was
particularly difficult and I was getting out of breath pretty easily, so on
Friday I called him and he came over. He was upset that I had not called
earlier, saw that I was uncomfortable, a bit out of breath, and after listening
to my lungs said that I had developed pneumonia in my lower right lung.
Friday
he injected me with Ketorolaco (a pain medicine) and Dexamethasone (a
corticosteroid). He also gave me sleeping pills, pain pills, and Tylenol to use
as needed.
More heart-felt local Mexican support
While he was here on Friday he did not think that I had enough food
in my refrigerator. So he called his wife, went home and came back with lasagna
and salad for me from his own kitchen, and he even brought me electrolyte drinks! The
next evening he brought another meal for me that he prepared in his own
kitchen!
I think
that when he left the apartment building that Friday night he told the woman who
owns this building that I was sick and did not have enough food. Enriqueta and her sister Paulina left soup and other homemade food on my
door every day for the next 4-5 days!
More doctor visits and medications
Dr.
Sergio came to see me every day for the next 7 days, and each day he injected me
with a combination of Dexamethasone and Ceftriaxone (an antibiotic). He also
brought me an Oximeter to measure my oxygen level, and a nebulizer with
Budesonide (steroid to reduce lung inflammation) to use twice daily.
I also
took Acetylcysteine for mucous in the lungs, and I was doing deep breathing
exercises several times daily, taking vitamin D3, vitamin C, and sitting in the
sun on my terraza every day.
Dr. Sergio was very positive.
He kept telling me that
he was taking care of me and I was going to be fine, and he suggested
visualizing that my lungs were clean and absent of Covid 19!
Dr. Sergio Bojorquez Blanco
In 8
days total - by Saturday February 6 - my oxygen rates went from around 92-94 to
consistently 96-98. My lungs cleared up and Dr. Sergio did not think I had any
more pneumonia present when I was discharged. Every day I walk and am getting
stronger each day, and I continue to do the deep breathing exercises daily.
My Covid 19 experience lasted about 4 weeks in total.
Detail of monetary costs
In
regard to the total cost of treatment, we agreed on a price for all medication,
equipment (nebulizer, Oximeter), supplies, consultation, home visits and
injections. The total price was 14,000 pesos (currently about $702USD), which I paid in cash.
The emotional cost and beneficial experiences
I do
think that I was affected a bit emotionally by having Covid 19.
Being alone all
the time and not leaving the apartment, feeling sick while trying to understand
and process information about the disease, and having concern about what I would
do if the pneumonia spread… was a bit stressful.
However,
the emotional challenges and impact were minimal compared to the gratitude that
I have for all of the people who helped me. Dr. Sergio’s medical care, his
concern for me and his kindness were exemplary.
I am also grateful to
my friend
Marta here who encouraged me to see him, and who also brought me food and
arranged for groceries to be delivered to me. The two Mexican sisters, Enriqueta and Paulina, who live in my building and brought me lunch for several
days and looked out for me were just so kind, they barely knew me and did not
need to help me.
The kindness of the Mexican people toward me was so special.
Finally, I am so fortunate to have
friends and family who helped me and
supported me continually.
This is
what I want to take and remember from my Covid 19 experience… the goodness of
people, the humanity that we all share, and everything that I have to be
thankful for!
Laboratorios
Nunez
Calle
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano 2155
Zona Central, 23000 La Paz,
Baja California Sur
Mexico Phone: +52 612 122 3200
Dr. Sergio Bojorquez Blanco
Medica
Integral
Ignacio Allende 651
Zona
Centro 23000
La Paz, Baja California Sur
Cell: 612 120 3820
For more
information on Mexico,
CLICK HERE
For more
information on Medical Tourism,
CLICK HERE
About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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