The judicial elections are over in Mexico. I think they were nationwide. Only 13% of people showed up to vote. It's not that they were lazy, the cartels were intimidating people. Since they burned two buses in my city I'm trying to keep up with the local news.
It's weird how in the beginning I was all about keeping up with USA news, and I still do, but living in Mexico with blinders on is foolish. Things happen here and you need to be aware.
I still love it here. I love being able to walk to a pharmacy in 3 minutes and get the pills I once had to do humiliating urine screens for and pay out the ass for the privilege. And I take less of them now. They had an antidepressant effect that I took advantage of, and I just need less of that here.
I have less stress about my future. I know I won't end up in a urine soaked bed at a horrible nursing home one day, and that when my mom needs elder care I'll be able to afford it for her.
I know that if I lost my game vendor I'd have more than enough money to live on in my savings until I turned 62 and could then live well off social security.
Everything has changed, and it's been for the better. Even when there's headaches, like the furniture woes, Walmart theft, and not getting the medication I needed the first time I saw the doctor, they're few and far between compared to my problems in the USA.
In Mexico they would never let my mom wait a month before she received news of her cancer diagnosis. In Mexico I wouldn't have to struggle to get a vet appointment to save my poor little cat's life when she had some lung issue and was near death. In Mexico people are kind, eager to help, and it's not all about money.
But they do need jobs here, and I love this place so much I want to give back. It has to wait until I get permanent residency however. I can't legally work here right now. Having a 'front man' to run the business through is just asking for problems.
We don't know if we're buying a house here. The reason to have a house paid for in the USA is so you don't have to deal with housing costs when you're trying to survive in retirement. Here I could always afford rent, and when I get older I'd want to live in some gringo senior living situation anyway. So...maybe we won't buy.
We like the little house we have. Four bedrooms with a nice bonus room with a balcony upstairs. $700 for rent each month, $160 for electric every two months, $20 for propane every three months, and $10 for water every other month or so. And my landlord kept all the bills in her name to make our lives easier. We just add our costs to the rent each month. She tells me what we owe through WhatsApp.
WhatsApp Web is amazing because I can talk to so many people and businesses with the aid of my computer translator. But I am learning Spanish, bit by bit, day by day. I'm not running into trouble when I go to stores anymore. I'm able to talk on the phone. I still struggle, but I know I'll be fluent in a few years. It takes studying diligently as well as immersion. You can't learn through osmosis.
I was sick for most of last month. What was I sick from? I'm somewhat sure it was a bladder infection due to not bathing due to the faucet situation I spoke of previously. The antibiotics did make me better, though I still struggle with fatigue. I also think I had a Graves disease flare since my heart was racing.
We got blood tests at a nearby lab. My Graves is high but in a reasonable range. I think I was higher a few days ago but upped my pills enough to get it under control. I'm not anemic either, which was a fear I had. My mom is also not anemic. My blood did have signs I'm fighting an infection, so that tracks.
During the illness I seemed to sweat out my medications and minerals. And somehow I'm no longer addicted to nicotine gum. This is the perfect chance to get a hysterectomy. And this month I'll start looking into that. I'd like to just pay for it at the private hospital and not sign up for insurance, because the private insurance down here is the same as USA prices. And I didn't leave the USA to come to Mexico to pay $500/mo in health insurance.
I also am too spoiled to use the public health system here. That, and I don't think it's right that I should be adding to the overloaded system. The Mexican people need care and shouldn't be delayed because some gringa showed up. Private hospitals will keep me out of their way.
