AT HOME IN MEXICO

A MEDICAL ADVENTURE

We set off for Iguala on one of the frequent old busses leaving from the central bus terminal on Avenida de los Plateros in Taxco. For 10 pesos or about US $1.00 we got to make the pell-mell, bumpy, often jolting descent to Iguala just a half hour down the mountain. Descending from the bus, we hopped a taxi to the doctor’s office arriving an hour late which was perfect as the doctor had just walked up to open the office about half a block ahead of us. When opening the door he greeted us with the question, “Have you been waiting long?” And, we had been watching the clock all the way!

We were ushered in to a shabby waiting room by a bright eyed lively middle aged man, Dr. Velez. “Take a seat, take a seat. There is no electricity.” He ran out the front door coming back with the first of three fellows he would be telling of his predicament, “The light doesn’t work, see.” The first man left. Dr. Velez asked me into the inner office, dark and barren but for an old desk and an even older very short examining table. “Sit. Sit,” he said as a second man came in to be told of the electrical problem. “Go buy me a lamp. See, the light doesn’t work.” Turning back to me in the most casual, but concerned fashion, he said, “Go on, go on, what’s wrong with you?” I began again, “Well....” Then a third man walked in. “See, see, the lights don’t work,” the doctor again said pointing spiritedly at the bare florescent tube in the ceiling. They both walked from the examining room to the waiting room switching the one barren light there on and off several times. The Doctor came back and motioned me to the examining table which I approached hesitantly wondering how many more passers by would be arriving to view the malfunctioning light. Fully clothed, I lay down on the little table and Dr. Velez went to work. Pushing my belly here and there and listening to it with a stethoscope concluded his exam. “You have a lazy intestine. You’ll be fine. Take these medicines. In two days you’ll be better. Call me if you have any questions. Call me let me know how you are. Come back in two weeks. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” And that was that.

For his fee of about $25, I got a memorable diversion from our hectic schedule in Taxco which would have been cheap at twice the price, though I never did end up taking the medicine. After checking it on the web I learned that it had been outlawed in the States years before for its very serious side effects.

October 20, 2003

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