Medical Refugeedom, Otra Vez, Once Again

Bienvenido, loyal reader. Please join Bruce and Mary as they once more traverse the medical scene in Merida. As usual, for those of you email subscribers who prefer to view these posts from the blog-site, please click here.

Blog followers, you may recall my last visit to Dr. Gerardo Peón, my most excellent vascular surgeon, just prior to our  March MN visit. The problematic Saphenous vein in my left left is not working so well, the valves are going to pot, which in and of itself is not that big a deal. But and a big but it is, this particular vein “communicates” (I love medical language) with the Femoral vein, a deep vein. So any problems with the Saphenous, like another blood clot, could easily travel to the Femoral and then, there you have it, DVT, which rhymes with R.I.P. and you got trouble, right here in Merida city. So here I am again at Clinica de Merida to get this bad boy taken care of by way of a Laser Ablation procedure, a minor surgery in which a laser is used to burn up the offending vein. So this is my story:

The very modern Clinica de Merida on lovely Avenida Itzaes.

I am getting checked in. I probably could  handle this Spanish immersion experience, but I am awfully  glad to have Mary at my side. :)

I’m relaxing in the waiting room waiting to be taken to pre-op.

I’m in pre-op getting my IV drip put in.

Mary spots Dr. Gerardo Peón, my guy, wheeling equipment down the hallway and tells him, “It’s the left leg, the left leg.” He laughs.

Dr. Peón draws a road map.

They got me all strapped in, ready for take-off. For anesthesia they are using sedatives and an epidural. And I find they use a lot more sedatives down here than the last surgery I had, in the States, which is fine by me. Years ago I had a hip scope (torn labrum – karate injury) and I was wide awake and remember well the administration of the epidural. But this time, I could not even tell you when I got it. Warning! For those of you bothered by a spot or two of blood, stop right here.

Dr. Peón is inserting the catheter/introducer.

The catheter is in and the fiber optic is ready to rock and roll.


Here is a cool vid of the Laser Ablation of the lower two thirds of my Saphenous vein. The upper section is lasered via an inch long incision in the groin area and I doubt Dr. Peón could video that and still keep the PG13 rating. BTW, the imaging devise is a doppler ultrasound.

Here we are in recovery, me and the good Dr. Gerardo Peón.

And before I can be released the damages must be settled. Here is la caja where Mary uses our Capital One card (one of the few and maybe the only CC that does not charge a 3% international transaction fee). Mary was momentarily confused when they asked for an additional 670P in cash until it was explained that it was to cover the CC vendor fee. I have no problem with this as in my previous life as a car salesperson (used and new, thank you), we also would add the additional vender fee charge. The total cost for this procedure including surgeon, asst. to surgeon, anesthesiologist, ER room and every last thing down to Kleenexes is only $2502USD. Que Bueno!

And here I am, being wheeled to the door. And I must say I am glad to have this behind me. As my virtual Doc (and sis-in-law) Lynn says, no more DVT worries!

Thanks for visiting, gentle reader. Once again Bruce has had a very positive experience with Mexican health care and so far being self-insured (meaning no insurance) has worked out. Bruce welcomes health care comentario from other expats and of course he always welcomes stories from all readers on darn near any subject. Comment away! Hasta proxima Domingo!


May 13, 2012 · Bruce · 12 Comments
Posted in: Medical Tourism