surgeon. Both asked questions that Edwardo interpreted and after which I felt I was in good hands. It was now 5 pm. I walked into the hospital around 1 pm and surgery was in a hour. After I met the doctors it was


time to operate. They would have done the surgery earlier, but I had had lunch at noon and they wanted to wait seven hours before cutting. At 6:30 pm, Edwardo came to get me. He walked me down to the operating room where I stood outside while they set up. The door was open so I could see as they set out their tools and made sure the room was sterile. Just before I went in I took off my sandals and put on hospital booties. I walked to the table, got on and they started. The last thing Edwardo said to me was that the doctor was not a doctor, he was the chief, but it was okay because he was good with a knife. Dr. Pedro gave me an epidural and


started to cut. I watched in Dr Chan’s glasses as he cut and stitched me for the next 90 minutes. I was sent to a regular hospital room to recover. The nurses were very attentive and made sure I got pain medicine all night long. In the morning I met with both my doctors and they told me I could walk back to the boat, about three-quarters of a mile. At 10 am, we left the hospital. I was scheduled to go back on the 23rd for a follow up appointment. The cost: when we met with the


head of the hospital, he told me they would do the whole thing for 17,000 pesos. I was told the hospital charges were based on your income. He told me since I was a nonresident American without insurance; I would pay the full rate. I’m sure I could have negotiated this for less but 17,000 divided by 12.34 (the exchange rate that day) equaled $1,377.63 and, the fact that in Tacoma it was going to cost me more than $10,000 after my insurance paid their part, I was happy to pay. They were true to their word. When


all was done and we went to pay our bill, the hospital administrator gave me a yellow sticky note with the number 17,000 hand written on it. I gave him 17,000 pesos; he shook my hand and said good bye. I never signed anything the whole time I was there and they


48° NORTH, FEBRUARY 2011 PAGE 43


We spent Christmas with “S/V Sound Effect” and “S/V Roksan.”


It was simple and fun.


try to do a better job of bringing the holiday spirit to the boat. The first 100 days were full


gave me my x-rays to take home. While this might seem a little archaic or simple, I think secretly we all wish our system back home got to the point this quickly: walk in, get it fixed, walk out. What a concept! We spent our Christmas with


S/V Sound Effect and S/V Roksan. We had turkey, played card games and called home to talk with family and friends. It was simple and fun. That night, before we went to bed, we talked about what we missed. The tradition of Christmas was lost among us. Next year we will


of adventure and surprises. We both feel comfortable in Mexico and are glad to have the trip finally underway. If you would like more detail on what we have been doing or just want to


follow along, check out our blog at www.kokomosailing.com The next 100 days will take us to


Topolobampo and the Copper Canyon, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco and down to the southern end of Mexico.


You can follow the further adventures of “Kokomo” and the Flannigans at www.48north.com Just click on the Cruisers Blog icon on the homepage.


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