In the planning stages leading up to my hysterectomy in Celaya, Guanajuato, I extensively researched pain management options online, in conversations with other expats and nationals, and during my many consultations with the multiple doctors I was vetting for a rather complicated surgery.

In addition to assessing the expertise of the prospective surgeons, I asked each one whether or not narcotic pain management or their equivalents would be available and used for post-surgery pain and recovery.

Each time I was answered with a “no” or a “well, not exactly”–that there was a “concern of addiction” with meds of that class, but that narcotic type medications would be available and sufficient for managing my pain for the rather extensive procedure that I needed. 

Stoicism Has Its Place, But This was Not One of Them

Having gone through two previous abdominal surgeries in the States (bringing life into this world and then saving mine), I knew firsthand how important adequate and appropriate pain management would be in those first few days post surgery.

I did not want to be uninformed, unprepared nor suffer needlessly.

When I asked what these “other options” were, I was told that a combination of paracetamol (Tylenol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and other non-opiate analgesics, such as Ketorolaco (for light to moderate postoperative pain) would be used. Light to moderate? Hmmmm….

I didn’t think that any of those options by themselves nor in combination with each other were going to be adequate. I seriously contemplated returning to the States for this surgery, even though none of the logistics were convenient nor logical.

Mexico, My Home

I decided to stay, plan for and literally pray for the best.

The thought of going forward with major surgery with what seemed like nothing more than slightly stronger versions of Tylenol and Motrin was not an easy prospect nor likely reality to wrap my head around. 

I would read online, “oh, narcotics are available in Mexico, you just have to find the right doctor”, never really quite understanding what that meant, where to go, nor who or what to ask for. I hadn’t yet cracked the secret code on this now vital detail of my life as an immigrant to Mexico, seeking and requiring Medical care in Mexico including appropriate pain management.

Post-Surgery Pain

Waking up from general anesthesia after a total hysterectomy that included the removal of a large (thankfully non-cancerous tumor) and extensive endometriosis was something akin to an out-of-body experience. One of the surgeons said, and I quote, that “it looked like a bomb had gone off inside me”. Lovely. 

Life, always an adventure, isn’t it?

Screaming and crying through the haze of pain-induced delirium as they wheeled me into my recovery room, when I saw my husband Frank, I squeezed the very life out of his hand, begging him to help me–mustering all of my strength to tell him that what I was experiencing was “barbaric”. Poor guy, there was really nothing he could do, watching his wife in what surely must have looked like something out of a scene from the Exorcist.

I am strong, I am tough, but this was an otherworldly experience of physical pain. There were whispered discussions of giving me another spinal block but that was not an option I would entertain. Feeling and being able to use my legs was part of pulling myself out of this compromised state sooner than later. Getting home to my family asap was my laser focus and motivation.

God as my witness, had it not been for mi querida Doctora Margarita de Michoacán, who did not leave my side for those first 24 hours–seeing to it that I was being administered the maximum amount of approved non-narcotic meds and that I was at long last paid a midnight visit by the anesthesiologist himself to authorize two single-use injections of morphine (finally!), who knows if I would have survived the night with all strands of hair and my sanity still intact.

“That Which Does Not Kill You…”

Five months into my recovery from this abdominal surgery, whilst doing yoga of all things at our home in San Miguel de Allende, two of the discs in my back herniated and onto the floor I fell like a sack of potatoes. Instantly paralyzed on the left side of my body, unable to care for myself and needing to depend on my husband to carry me from point A to point B in the days leading up to my spinal surgery (and many after), 2015 was a bit of a rough year for me. 

MRI in Querétero

My first attempt at getting my MRI was a miserable fail due to the fact I was unable to lie on my back for the required 45 minutes. Embarrassed, frustrated and feeling both defeat and surrender, I rescheduled for several days later, this time under IV sedation, which I was dearly thankful was even an option.

My Physical Therapist Dra. Rosario knew that the weekend ahead (while I awaited my surgery) would be a long and unbearable one for me without some type of effective pain relief. 

She personally escorted us–my husband and myself–to the offices of Dr. Paulo Gonzaléz of Querétaro–anesthesiologist, angológo and paliativista–a specialist in the management of advanced pain conditions that is licensed to prescribe opiates. I sure wish I had known about this specialty and Dr. Paulo himself prior to my abdominal surgery! Live and learn!

We arrived at Dr. Paulo’s office and without any intake paperwork or a long office wait, my husband and both doctors lifted me up onto the treatment table. Dr. Paulo began an IV concoction of morphine and some other meds and for the first time in a very long six days since my spinal injury, I at last had a noticeable break from the unbearable pain.

Tears of Relief 

Dr. Paulo monitored my vital signs throughout this process, asking me every few minutes how I was feeling, and adjusted the meds as needed. I was able to take my first full, deep breaths since my discs had herniated.

He wrote me a prescription for a variety of pain and anti-inflammatory medications–including morphine–to use while waiting for my surgery and as needed for post-surgery pain. We needed to go to a Farmacia Especializada (specialty pharmacy) to get these prescriptions filled where my husband Frank was required to show his ID and sign several pages of paperwork. 

As luck and design would have it, Dr. Paulo ended up being the anesthesiologist during the six-hour spinal surgery, who together with my neurosurgeon Dr. Salvador Galván, the amazing OR staff, recovery nurses and a fair share of my own grit and gumption, put Humpty Dumpty back together again and allowed me to slowly but surely regain the gift of walking.

I am a pragmatic, look at the glass half full kind of person, and so I choose to look at these experiences as an opportunity to understand how to navigate the medical system here in my beloved, adopted country of Mexico and to pay it forward and help others if I am able to.

Is Effective Pain Management Available in Mexico?

So, yes, effective pain management is available here in Mexico, it is just a matter of finding the right doctor, and the right support team and pharmacy(s) to guide you through what could be an otherwise overwhelming, unknown path–most especially in the middle of a medical crisis. 

I do hope this information proves helpful to others–that was my motivation after all for sharing these personal stories of challenge, survival, and yes, triumph. 

In peace and health to you all…

Saludos,

Katie O’Grady

For the full stories on the two surgeries referenced in this article, click on the links below:

Hysterectomy in Mexico

Spinal Surgery in Mexico~From Wheelchair to Walking

Do you have your own pain management in Mexico experience? If so, please feel free to share in the comments section below. Thank you. 😊

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1. High-Quality Roof Sealant

It was our first big Summer storm since our return to the Pacific coast that clearly reminded us of the importance of house maintenance (and disaster prevention) in Mexico–or any country for that matter! While many hurricane warnings do get downgraded to tropical storms, it is still best to do some trouble-shooting and storm preparation prior to the power of Mother Nature making her grand appearance.

Ensuring that the roof of your home has been properly inspected, sealed and protected against leaks and moisture intrusion should be a top priority, well before rainy season begins. We learned this the hard way when our San Pancho rental grew large circular mold spores from the outside in after our first rainy season there. A disgusting and unsafe “inconvenience”, to say the least, and one that a layer of paint would not remedy! Needless to say, the roof had never been sealed. A slight oversight of the owners and as newcomers, a question we never thought to ask. Live and learn, in this case, the hard way.

Hire a reputable company to assess the roof’s condition and if needed, power wash it prior to putting on a quality sealant that has not been watered down. If you are renting, ideally your landlord has taken care of this very important detail, but it also wouldn’t hurt to have it assessed on your time and dime prior to the Summer rainy months. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

There are various types of impermeabilizantes (sealants) available. Spending a bit more to ensure a quality result is well worth it. We went with this one, considering the amount of rain we receive here on the coast of Nayarit. 

2. Service All Air Conditioners

Have all AC’s serviced at least once every six months, if not more frequently. The filters should be cleaned of mold/dust/debris and the electrical panels checked for any unwanted critters that can wreak havoc. Apparently electrical wires are a delicacy to geckos–ridding your AC’s of them is far easier than having to replace the entire unit.

3. Check That All AC Compressors are Optimally Functioning 

Speaking of roof maintenance, it is not such a bad thing to have the AC compressors (that are likely on the roof) checked for proper maintenance, wiring, etc. It is best to not assume that these important details have been tended to prior to your occupancy of the home. Taking matters into your own hands is not overkill. Trust me. 

In our case, on one of our first nights in our beach rental, the powerful lightning came cracking down like an arrow landing a bullseye, resulting in one of our rooftop AC compressors catching on fire! 

Fortunately I am married to a firefighter and knew that our family (and my nerves) were in good hands. The downpour extinguished the fire and the AC wires were changed out and the unit spared! 

Storms can be powerful, messy and destructive. They are equally exciting and regenerative–popping out the dense, lush, canopies of green and the multitude of ecosystems that thrive inside of them–reminding one of the absolute magnificence of Mother Nature. 

4. Silicone is Your Best Friend

Rainstorms also provide an opportunity to identify where exactly more silicone is needed, like around the collection of leaking windows at the base of a 20-foot high boveda ceiling! Tall ladder anyone? Those first few falls on our slick marble floors were not so fun (especially while still recovering from spinal surgery!) and made us delay not in tending to this issue ASAP.

The jungle wasted no time in welcoming us back and reminding us of the fortitude, sense of humor and determination one needs to both survive and thrive in this thing called Life. Yes, there is a price to pay for living in paradise, folks!

5. Over-The-Bed Mosquito Nets

Screens on all doors and windows are not just a luxury but an absolute necessity lest you want to share your home with mosquitos, spiders, geckos, scorpions, iguanas and stray animals. Additionally, these-over-the-bed mosquito nets  are must-haves and will allow for peaceful, uninterrupted sleep ( ie. no annoying buzzing in your ear or waking up to ankles full of bites!)

6. Drain Covers

If you want to prevent golf ball-sized flying cockroaches and sewer smells coming into your living space, you’ll want to get some of these. 

7. Moisture Absorbing Bags & Room Dehumidifier

Jungle living equals hot and humid for at least 6 months out of the year! Ventilate your home as much as possible to protect your clothes, shoes and other household items. Using these moisture absorbing bags inside closets and other closed spaces helps to absorb excess humidity and to protect your items from musty odors and mold. Room dehumidifiers work really well and you’ll be amazed when you empty the water collection tank how much moisture they remove!

8. Polarity Tester for Electrical Outlets

It is crucial for the line and neutral conductors to be connected correctly at outlets and sockets to ensure safety and proper operation of devices. Incorrect polarity can cause damage, such as burning out components, and can pose safety risks like electric shock or fires. Make sure your outlets are grounded and wired correctly with a polarity tester or hire a qualified electrician to do so.

9. Carbon Monoxide Detectors

If you’ve been following us for any time, you know why we recommend carbon monoxide detectors for both home and travel safety. We recommend placing one in every bedroom and next to any gas-fueled appliance such as a stove, clothes dryer, hot water heater, fireplace and any freestanding gas heater. Of course we recommend smoke and explosive gas alarms too! All a small investment for peace of mind.

10. Explosive Gas Detectors

Just say no to kitchen explosions

These Home Comfort & Safety 101 Tips are based upon our own personal experiences. I hope they are useful and help you to maximize your safety and minimize your frustrations.

Do you have any other helpful suggestions that you would like to add? If so, please feel free to share them in the comments section below. 

Saludos,

~Katie O’Grady

Home Comfort & Safety Reader’s Tips:

Arturo: For the summer months it is highly recommended to put your clothes in airtight/vacuum sealed bags so that mold doesn’t grow in them especially if you skip town. I highly recommend doing this process with your shoes because if you don’t, the soles will disintegrate completely from the salty air and humidity.

Margaret: Keep all your food in the refrigerator, even if you wouldn’t normally, especially fruit. Clean up your kitchen messes as soon as possible to deter unwanted scavengers and never ever ever let your kids eat in the bed unless you want… ANTS ANTS EVERYWHERE! (and they bite)! Even with screens and drain covers, if you leave food out they will find you.

We have found this product to be extremely effective in ant abatement: 

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*This article contains some affiliate links for products we use. If we haven’t spent our own money on it and loved it, you won’t see an affiliate link for it on Los O’Gradys in Mexico. It doesn’t change the price of your purchase it just helps support our platform. Thank you. 

 ⇑This is definitely not normal–or at least not my kind of normal. 

I can remember being stuck in that kind of mind-numbing traffic in our former Southern California lives–anxiously and impatiently tapping my fingers on the steering wheel trying to get from point A to B, moving along inch by inch, so fed up with that being the “norm”–knowing in my heart that it didn’t have to be and feeling so ready for a change.  

Breathing in toxic exhaust fumes and missing out on more meaningful engagement in life–on hold in hours of bottleneck traffic–was not how my husband and I wanted to spend our precious, once-in-a-lifetime lives together with our children.

Being married to a firefighter who witnessed up close the extreme fragility of life was without a doubt a significant contributing factor to our decision to recreate our lives anew in Mexico–a land that embraces community, connection, conversation and a quality of life having nothing to do with the numbers in your bank account. 

After several years of research, planning and downsizing, on November 30th of 2012, our eight-year-old twins and I boarded a one-way flight to Puerto Vallarta while Frank and our 90-pound chocolate lab, Seamus, made the 4-day trip down South by car.

We said adiós to the frenetic paradigm of our north of the border lives. No more disconnection, traffic rush, hurry scurry, worry flurry…no more concrete jungle and burning candles on both ends.

Moving to Mexico with Kids

Since moving to Mexico 12 years ago, we have gone from chaotic 5-lane freeway madness to driving on  coconut-tree lined roads and 16th-century cobblestone streets where pedestrian safety and right of way is a real thing. We have traded in mind-numbing, lost hours in the car to purposeful engagement in soul-enriching, meaningful activities of our choice.

Time is precious. Spend it well.

Baja California, Our First Mexico Home

Our twins were seasoned little travelers prior to our move to mainland Mexico, having spent the first eight years of their lives adventuring back and forth between San Diego and Baja California. Frank’s firefighter schedule and my school teacher’s allowed us blocks of time off together as a family and we took full advantage of them to head South!

Mairead and Liam fondly referred to their Baja home as their “other home” and Mexico forever became ingrained in my children’s hearts as a place of fun, discovery and family connection. 

Departure Day

Aside from the inevitable emotion of parting ways with our loved ones, the move itself and the preparations leading up to our departure from San Diego were relatively easy and something we were so ready for. 

We made the move when Liam and Mairead were eight years old, during the middle of their third-grade year. Patience, planning and having the right legal Visa liaison at our side paid off and within three months of our arrival, we became Permanent Residents of Mexico. We arrived in San Pancho, Nayarit on a Friday, and that following Monday our previously homeschooled twins began their first ever five-day-a-week program at the former Escuela del Mundo. Surrounded by tropical trees and open green space, they experienced freedom and discovery like never before.

While the Spanish immersion of their new school was a bit of an initial challenge for The Reds, they acclimated rather quickly, having been exposed to Spanish in a border city and by their Spanish-Teacher Mama for the first eight years of their life in San Diego. Even without that advantage, children’s sponge-like brains, when given the opportunity, are able to assimilate and adapt with great ease.

I do believe they were the only Mairead and Liam their classmates had ever met, and their new friends and teachers warmly accepted them and made great efforts at learning and pronouncing their unique, Celtic names.

Schooling, From San Pancho to Sayulita

From Escuela del Mundo, Mairead and Liam transferred to Costa Verde International in Sayulita, Nayarit—a neighboring village just 10 minutes down the jungle road, famous for its bohemian, surf culture. Moving to another school was indeed another change and adjustment for our children, but one that they embraced wholeheartedly with the trusting, positive attitudes that they approach life with.

Located a few blocks from the beach, Costa Verde is a bilingual, multi-cultural school that focuses on environmental sustainability and the advancement of ecological responsibility…and surfing! In fact, surfing was part of their PE program!

Now in the 4th grade, Mairead and Liam continued to explore, discover and develop their own sense of community and connection within the larger context of our family’s move to Mexico. Their language skills progressed and improved to where at this point, a year or so into our relocation, they could easily flip back and forth between English and Spanish.

From Coastal Mexico to Central Mexico

After a year and a half of living in San Pancho, we were ready to experience another part of Mexico and set our compasses on something completely different. Sight unseen but with lots of research, we moved to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato in the interior of the country.

San Miguel de Allende was the first municipality to be declared independent from Spanish rule and life here is steeped in history, culture, national pride with one festivity after another. 

A Life Without Limits

Our children see a life without limits, that anything is possible, that dreams do come true and that carving one’s way in this diverse world is achievable. They have witnessed their parents reinvent themselves from Firefighter and Teacher to Solar Designer and Freelance Writer/Relocation Specialist. They have gone from being monolingual homeschoolers to bilingual life learners.

If one of my jobs as a Mother is to facilitate and nurture the emotional well-being and development of my children, then moving to Mexico with our kids has been one great step towards that endeavor.

We O’Gradys embrace our re-invented, re-inspired lives south of the border and give daily thanks for Mexico’s warmth, hospitality, graciousness, and generosity…for welcoming, adopting and inviting us to feel truly at home. Moving to Mexico has been an undeniable adventure that continues to shape the trajectory of our individual and collective lives. 

Moving to Mexico With Kids, A Father’s Perspective

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