Mexican hernia surgery

Tiassa · Jul 18, 2008

Ah, the courageous pioneers.

The modern ones, that is.

To start with ... well, how about a beginning?

So, it all started with a standard STD check, when the doctor said, “How long have you had that hernia?” Never at a loss for words, I instantly shot back, “That what?” “Hernia,” he said, apparently unphased by my wit. “That's a hernia.”

This was, you understand, two days before I left for Vegas to move my stuff.

So, anyway, here we are today, and Reesa and I are off to Mexico, the land of mescal, mariachi bands, and $3000 (as opposed to $10,000 or $15,000) hernia surgery ....

(Brust)
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Off to Mexico, indeed. For all the complaints we hear about the American health care system, it's not often that I hear stories about people heading to Mexico for medical treatment. It's not a completely new idea to me, by any means, but when I do hear about it at all, it's usually just a faceless somebody in a passing anecdote.

But Steven Brust ... quite obviously, I'm a fan of his.

And, as Brust notes—somewhere in the vast Khaavren romances—travel scenes are a curious literary proposition. Anyone interested in the trip down can read through Reesa's brief account, including the debunked conspiracy theory.

Nonetheless, our heroes arrive safely at their destination, and find Mexico comfortably Americanized, and apparently Brust says that blindfolded, he would not be able to tell the difference between Mexican and American malls. I'm ... well, I'm just not sure that's particularly surprising.

But at the heart of the matter, the reason for this wasted electricity is a consideration of health care in Mexico. Compared to an actual result, such a consideration on my part is admittedly superficial, but Reesa writes,

We check into the hospital after chatting in the car about a police officer who was recently shot and discussing a bit of the local drug kingpin and some of his recent antics. The officers standing outside the hospital on guard all wear Kevlar vests as comfortably as if they never wore anything else. This is a distinct sensory contrast from when we enter, for the bottom floor doesn't even smell like hospitals do and appears to be a fancy business building lobby. The illusion is only broken by the occasional scrub-dressed person passing through. It takes less than 15 minutes to process Steve's paperwork which is notable since he left the chart he was supposed to bring with him sitting on the breakfast table back at the hotel. (We apologize to the assistant for making extra work.)

We take the elevator up and now it looks and smells much more medical. However, our expectations are scattered again when we get to our assigned room. It is seriously, no joke, the finest, classiest hospital room I have ever seen. Totally modern-looking medical bed, reasonably large TV, wood accents and floor (obviously a non-porous wood-like substance, but well done), and both a suede-covered recliner chair complete with built-in cup-rest and a suede-covered daybed-style couch with four huge pillows. Yes, really.

The prep team for Steve's surgery is efficient and quick overall, they have four different people performing various preparatory duties on his different parts. Everyone seems to smile easily, even here. The only part that is obviously not-America (other than the luscious room and friendly helpful service) is the lack of latex. I don't see most of the nurses using gloves for the prep, so one hopes that they are saving them for the doctor's use at least.

(Brown)
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It is interesting. The upshot of there being no post since is the old adage that no news is good news. If Brust had died under the knife, I'm sure we would have heard by now.

Anyway, it's a string of words we don't hear often: Mexican hernia surgery. I don't know what's so funny about the words, but something about the phrase sounds like a joke, as if the doctors wear lucha masks instead of surgical, and the anesthesiologist puts you out with a chair to the back of the head instead of gas. No wonder Brust only went with local and sedation.

Stay tuned.
____________________

Notes:

Brust, Steven. "Off to Mexico". Words Words Words. July 15, 2008. http://dreamcafe.com/words/2008/07/15/off-to-mexico/

Brown, Reesa. "Further Border Adventures". Words Words Words. July 17, 2008. http://dreamcafe.com/words/2008/07/17/further-border-adventures/

See Also:

Brown, Reesa. "Across the Border Adventuring". Words Words Words. July 16, 2008. http://dreamcafe.com/words/2008/07/16/across-the-border-adventuring/

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Mexican hernia surgery

Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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Mexican hernia surgery

Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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