Merida, Centro Medico de las Americas
Sunday, November 2, 2025
I meet Juan downstairs for breakfast with Alex and Karen before going back to the clinic. Wynne brings me Ginger's hat and red backpack to add to today's luggage and after breakfast Juan goes upstairs to fetch the rest of Ginger's things. I've also got my computer and Kindle since I'll be camping in Ginger's room all day.
Juan orders an Uber for me and loads it up. I'm on my way hoping that the driver really knows where I'm going. We get there and I'm not at all sure that we're in the right place! He is pretty confident and so I get out will all my accoutrements and walk in, still a bit nonplused. I've only seen the emergency entrance, after all. I know Ginger is in room 305 so I get into the elevator and push the number 3. When I get off all I see are doctor's offices. Even number 305 belongs to a doctor. Hmmmm
Back in the elevator I push the number 2 and explore that floor, even though it makes no sense. There are more doctors' offices and examining rooms and they have numbers in the two hundreds, as you'd expect. Not having another option I keep walking and there is a sign hanging from the ceiling that says Hospital. I guess that's in case you've forgotten where you are?? No, actually, this part of the floor has rooms with numbers in the three hundreds! And as I approach 305 Juanito is just stepping out of the door. Hurray!
I am greeted joyfully! Juanito has spent the night and seems to be prepared to spend the day as well, but I assure him that I'm here for all day. He can go home and shower and whatever his life usually holds on a Sunday morning. I know there is a birthday party for Juan's brother, Juanito's uncle, in the afternoon and they both will want to be there.
It's a day like any other with Ginger and me chatting and playing on our phones and computers. Except for the obvious, of course, and also the fact that Ginger's phone is no longer a helpful playmate! There is a blanki bar that runs vertically all the way down the screen and it is about an inch wide. Sure makes most apps really hard to use! She's figuring out which ones she can access on her laptop.
There's a clock on the wall; but it has stopped and every time you glance at it you have to recalibrate your brain!
Ginger had scrambled eggs and cantalope for breakfast and Juanito is cutting a dragonfruit in half for his. Once he's eaten half of it he is full and ready to leave. He has left the other half, and his knife, for Ginger and me. Such a sweet man!
There's the usual hospital stuff - blood pressure readings, bed pan usage, new meds for the port in Ginger's right hand. If you don't notice when the meds have run out, blood starts to run into the line and they have to throw that one away. They must be good drugs because Ginger feels like she's floating on a cloud!
Juanito has spoken to someone and learned that the hold up on the operation is - can you guess? - the insurance company. The prosthesis will cost $25,000 (that's US dollars) and the hospital won't proceed without authorization from the company. And it's Sunday, so that can't come until tomorrow at the earliest! Apparently she shattered part of the femur and they will have to remove the fragments and replace them with something. I guess it's a metal rod? (This all sounds so familiar! Have I put this in the blog already or is it just that I've written to people about it?)
Sonia checks in and assures Ginger that she would be thrilled to have her stay for a month! She says, after all she has servants and it will be no trouble. There is some discussion about the virtues of this hospital and the desirability of having the surgery in the States, but Ginger is unswayed. Ben and Andy have both called as well and there have been tons of electronic well wishes.
Lunch arrives and it's more hospital food! Ginger has some of the dry white chicken meat and the soup and the vegetables - all of which need salt. I have a bit, too, because it's there and it's been a while since breakfast. No bueno.
About two o'clock Juan and Juanito come in with a cardboard box. It has a huge amount of one of the traditional Day of the Dead foods, pibbes, and it's delicious. Ginger describes it as a lasagna but with tortillas! There is so much that Juanito shares it with the nurses on the floor. The guys have brought bowls and plastic forks and napkins for everyone! Ginger is already popular with the staff because of her sparkling personality but this will certainly seal her place at the top of the chart!
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| Someone else took this at the hotel. The guys brought them lunch, too! |
Time passes, even if the clock doesn't move, and we haven't heard from Juan so Ginger texts to see how I'm supposed to get back to the hotel. Juanito comes to the hospital about six thirty and puts me in an Uber. He'll be back in just a bit for the night shift. Ginger insists that I need to go to the final dinner.
I get back and change into my Day of the Dead outfit, even though it really should have been for yesterday, but I brought it and I'm gonna wear it!! At dinner we have an extra chair for Ginger and we all drink a toast. Jan has been in charge of the tips for Juan and Samuel and she found two gorgeous cards for everyone to sign. Richard is in charge of paying for meals so that Ginger only has one person to reimburse. I've got the souvenir tickets for people to select if they choose. Toward the end of dinner our end of the table does the traditional "What was your favorite...". We discuss the best and worst hotels, the favorite ruins, the best meals, and generally relive the highlights. It isn't as good as Ginger would have done but we give it a go.
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| Thanks, Jan, for this great shot! |
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| Such beautiful dresses! |
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| Alex and Karen chose some souvenirs. |
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| Nice enough |
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| Expert pour! |
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Much better |
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Alex thinks it's as good as I do!! |
Dinner is wrapped up and everyone leaves except for Karen, Alex, Jan, and I. Karen and Jan still have some of the second bottle of white wine to finish! Then we tour the little museum that is part of the restaurant and head for home and bed. We'll meet around 7:30 for breakfast and be outside by 8:45 to load up the bus for Cancun. Juan will see us off and go to the hospital. He's promised me that he'll stay there for all of this week. By then Ginger should be able to move to Sonia's house, where she will be pampered for the four weeks. She'll spend three of those weeks in a cast, according to our Google research!
It's time for packing and bed!
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