I tend to get questions from family members as to my health. A reasonable question considering I have already outlived the average American male, which is 76.5 years verses by 80.
First off let me say I do not fear death, and no one should worry about racing down to Mexico to haul me up to the USA for medical assistance if and when a situation of that seriousness seems to present itself. Even though I have full medical in the states, I prefer the medical services here. My doctor comes to the house whenever I send him a text requesting he drop by. The medical clinic with labs and testing is across the street from my gated neighborhood. Blue Net hospital is about a hundred feet away from the front gate to our neighborhood. Medicines are a fraction of the cost here as compared to the U.S. Medical services are also a fraction of U.S. costs. And medical help is typically available in minutes without advance reservations.
In an effort to sort out my thoughts on Health, Medical Services, and Dying, I wrote an Essay titled
Health and Death, which is posted under Essays at
www.TerrysCorner.com.
As to my overall health at the time of this writing, I am well. Very well indeed. I am pain free, physically flexible for a guy my age, I eat and drink pretty much whatever I want. Yes, I use a cane, but on flat ground it is not really needed. I look forward to a pleasant passing when that special time arrives. Of course I have challenges, mostly economic, but struggles constitute the human condition, and things seem to be improving overall. So, notwithstanding stressful situations,
I am surprisingly healthy, happy, and incredibly grateful for all that is, and all that is to come.
You may be interested in an essay I wrote titled
Think for Yourself and Be Happy, it too is at the website
www.TerrysCorner.com under Essays.
My Personal Life
I live alone. I am not lonely. It is not the same thing. I have a wonderful canine companion. My Cockatiels were so darn productive their numbers grew to where 33 of them were flying around in the bird atrium. Last year I gave 30 of them to a host of friends. The 3 birds left with me are all females. They lay eggs, but there are no males to fertilize them so no more bird rookery at my house.
As to my personal life, groceries are delivered to the house every week. I have not been in a grocery store since Covid. Lazy of me? Yes, I suppose so. But it sure is nice. It originally began because Christine was afraid I would get Covid visiting public spaces, then she would get it and give it to her fragile father, whom she was caring for, and he would die, and she would feel guilty. So, Christine organized grocery shopping for me with our Transit driver Juan, who has handled all my shopping ever since.
I did get Covid twice, a year a part. Probably from hanging out at Solomons Landing, where Christine and I have a whole host of friends. It was basically the flu. I just stayed home for ten days or so and that was it. Few of us around bothered to get vaxxed, Christine and I included. My healthy captain of Pacifica, who had just got a clean bill of health, was vaxxed, had an allergic reaction to the vaccine, went straight to the hospital, and subsequently died. Another worker of ours, only 36 with an engineering degree, had recently worked at my home, the nephew of my driver. He had the exact same experience. Vaxed. Reacted. Went to hospital. Died. The attorney general for Mexico had warned me at Solomons one day, along with a number of doctor friends, not to be vaxxed in Mexico. The AG made a strong case against the way the vaccines were allowed to get very hot at vaccination stations when they were supposed to be kept at cold temperatures. The unused vaccines were held over until the next day for more injections. There was no refrigeration where they were giving free vaccinations. Not being vaxxed was not a political issue for me, it was one of caution.
My pool guy is great. He is here twice a week. The grounds keeper waters and cleans outside twice a week. My housekeeper is here every Monday and every Thursday. She washes my clothes, folds them, puts them away, mops and cleans everything. She waters and cares for ten inside planters, cleans, feeds, and waters the birds, and prepares chicken for the dog for the days until she returns. She hard boils eggs and peels them adding 8 of them into a bowl in the refrigerator twice weekly. The pool patio is scrubbed twice a week with bleach, mainly because Buddy pees anywhere he wants outside. My point is simply; I am not lonely! In fact, I am incredibly fortunate. I might die tomorrow or live another ten years. It is not important to me one way or another. I am happy. I have had a great life full of all kinds of up and down adventures and experiences. And when it’s time to go, I feel absolutely certain friends and family will welcome me home.
Interestingly, there are a host of single women in my neighborhood. They are all friendly and very kind. I frequently get gifts of cookies, deserts, etc.. left at my front door. A couple of the ladies just walk in the back door and leave things on the kitchen cabinet or put things in the refrigerator. Three fresh bananas showed up in my kitchen a couple days ago, then yesterday three deserts landed in my refrigerator. I ate everything. The ladies outnumber the men in Cabo by a considerable rate. At least they do in my neighborhood. When I walk Buddy in the morning, we frequently have as many as 8 dogs wagging their tails together. I have three guy friends that walk dogs regularly, and more than a dozen ladies. Once again, I am not lonely. I am surrounded by friendly people.
Christine, my companion and business partner for almost fifteen years, lives in La Paz caring for her mother. We see each other about once a week and communicate multiple times daily. When Christine left here five years ago, it was to take care of her father. Her mother, Emily, was sketchy with dementia and unreliable. As the only child, Christine stepped up and cared for Ludwig, her stepfather, for 2.5 years until he passed. When she tried to return to Cabo, her mother’s doctors were very direct that Christine must stay and care for her mother.
Emily was making huge and continuous mistakes, such as giving away all her money to online scammers. When she ran out of money and had not paid her own bills, she mortgaged the house and gave all that cash away to online criminals. The police were helpless; the scammers were in other countries. Christine ultimately had to step in and restrict her mother’s access to the internet. Then Emily had a severe stroke. She has been in and out of the hospital multiple times, and in bed unable to get up, for more than a year. Christine changes her diapers daily, changes her sheets daily, cooks her food and feeds her. She is her mother’s full time care giver. Christine has physical therapists in 7 days a week to move her mother’s arms and legs, etc., and hires a nurse once a week so she can drive to Cabo and see me. She brings Max. I am not lonely.
Max, my Husky and canine companion of more than ten years, has hip dysplasia. Last year he was seriously crippled for weeks with little hope offered by local vets. Christine drove over and took Max to our chiropractor in La Paz. He got Max back up on 3 legs within 30 minutes. It seemed a miracle. Max has been with Christine in La Paz for more than a year, since before Christine’s mother’s stroke. Christine walks Max daily and definitely extended his life. Max was here yesterday to hang out with Buddy, our much younger Husky. Life here is good. Very good.