Ramp 2.0

Upgrade to motor.

Hip for a Hippy.

Lab tests before surgery

 

Not much action with our blog since Hélène was admitted to the hospital for her new hip on Jan. 4.  This little undertaking started over a year ago.  In a café.  We got our Mexican insurance and talked to people who’d had this experience.  I started a little notebook of ideas, suggestions, and advice.

The insurance company approved us on Dec. 16.  In the 2 ½ weeks that followed, Hal and our neighbor Sam built a ramp so we’d be able to get me in and out of the bus easily.  And neighbors started asking around if we were vegetarians.

We spent the holidays very close to home.  By the last couple of weeks, I could barely move because of the arthritis pain.

When we arrived at the hospital on the 4^th, we were blown away by how quickly and efficiently we were admitted.  I was prepped and into the operating room within a couple of hours.  Every person who was in the operating room working on me came by prior to the operation and introduced themselves to me and told me what their particular job would be.  Kind, professional…. wonderful staff.

I was Skyping my children within minutes of being back in my room.  In the 3 days I was in the hospital, I had no pain and loved the nursing staff.

From our arrival back home and almost every day since, we’ve been the recipients of soups, casseroles, homemade bread, biscotti, muffins…..

Hal has been totally in charge of EVERYTHING.  Shopping, kitchen, laundry, appointments, paperwork, plants, me.  He has made this bus so easy for me to get around in.  There are handles, straps and supports everywhere that I can use to lift myself up and move around with.

I’m so grateful to be healing up in such a sweet, clean, efficient, loving space. 

I have about 2 more weeks of being wheelchair bound or on my walker.  Then I will start putting weight on my new hip.  And learning how to walk normally! 

And today, I will be having my first ride up and down the ramp with the help of an electric winch.  So much fun stuff always happening around here.

So that’s the report!  Hal is doing good – working hard for sure, but always with a smile and a loving touch.  I am doing good.  My only job is to heal.  And most of the time it is with a smile.  As it turns out for us this is a most fun adventure. 

Right after surgery

Looking good in the hospital

A nice nurse

Heart tests before surgery

Doctors' offices

The Hospital

Surgeon's office

View from the room

Helene's room

Room altar

Handles on the ceiling

Not a catapult....

As I was sleeping soundly Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, Hal woke up around 2 a.m. realizing that I would need a ramp or a catapult to get back into the bus following my hip surgery and hospital stay.  By 3 a.m. he was designing, by 3:30 he was outside with a string and a flashlight checking out angles.  He was back asleep by 5ish.

However, when he was outside in the daylight checking things out, our neighbor, Sam came by to see what the project was and within the hour, they were on their way to Home Depot. 

These guys worked hard for 2 days.  And now…. We’re just waiting for the second coat of paint to dry. 

Folks walking by:  What are you putting in?  A water slide?

                                                                      A skate board ramp?

                               Hey, are you taking orders?  We want a deck!

There are roughly 50 people in this RV park and every one of them walking by has a compliment or a funny line to share.  It is awesome.

So, this ramp and deck is not only most beautiful, sturdiest, well designed unit ever, it is filled with love and good wishes.  Who could ask for anything better?                                      

Mazatlan Magic Moments

 

We are enjoying these long cool nights and beautiful warm days of Yule time.

Its been a week of holy days and our humble little home has been filled with love and candle light (from our own homemade beeswax candles!) since the first night of Hanukkah. 

We celebrated winter solstice with medicine from Québec - Sortilège.  With our Mazatlan family we experienced a traditional Mexican Posada – complete with songs, candles, whistles and baby Jesus (let us in… no, no, no…).  We shared a traditional American/Canadian feast at the RV park with our little community here.  We sat around a bonfire on Christmas Eve….  We even had presents under our tree this morning. 

We are blessed to be surrounded by so much beauty and we are blessed to be in communication with our loved ones. 

What a life. 

Our hearts are filled with love and gratitude and our cups are overflowing with (spin the wheel): hot chocolate, tequila, Sortilège, and with coffee…

We send our love and wish you all good health and happiness.

Ho ho ho

Lunar Eclipse

Went down to the beach yesterday morning to watch the eclipse. It was beautiful to go there in the dark and watch as the sky lit up and the moon disappeared before it sank into the ocean.

December!

Yowza!  can you believe it is already December???  Here's what we've been doing with ourselves since the last check-in!

We have been hanging out at Pueblo Bonito with our friends, the Jacksons.  They have been our guides back into the world of Pinochle!  It has been decades for both of us (and never together) so we have been having so much fun playing cards again.  Their condo is a little bit of paradise right up the road from us.  Right on the ocean, full of beautiful artwork and quite a range of critters (check out the jackalope)...

We were the first customers at Mazatlan's newest café - Surfs Up Cafe.  Excellent coffee.  Amazing food.

And as always, looking for the perfect happy hour - this time at our beloved Las Flores where they served us FREE MARGARITAS! and 20% off our food.  Oh yeah!!!

Las Jaibas is finally starting to look like it will for the winter.  We are still waiting for about 3 maybe 4 rigs to show up and complete the community. 

And, as always, we are chipping away at all the hoops and red tapes we need to jump through and address to get me that much closer to the new hip.

Days are in the high 70's to low 80's.  Nights are around 50.  Perfect for sleeping.
Hal has officially started his counseling practice and is doing Tarot as well.  I've been working on my crafts and cooking like crazy.