Special Events
January 30
10:27 AM

Name: Surgery!
Location: CMA Progreso
Notes: This a long post describing my experience of having an emergency appendectomy in Progreso, Yucatan. Everything went well and I am recovering quickly. Should resume normal activities by Friday when stitches come out. If you are interested in the details, read on.

On Friday January 25th I presented myself at the hospital and was eventually given an ultrasound. The person who does an ultrasound in Mexico is a doctor specializing in imaging so he was able to show me what was what in my abdomen. He showed me my normal kidneys and bladder and my enlarged appendix. He said it didnt look good and suggested I get bloodwork done and make an appointment to see Dr Bates to discuss surgery.
I got the bloodwork done and by about 3pm got the results. A nurse came by and said I was to be prepped for surgery. I made it clear that I hadnt had a consultation with the doctor yet but she said everything was ready for my surgery at 4pm. I refused, saying I wanted to speak with the doctor first.
The nurse phoned the doctor and about an hour later he showed up and told me I needed the surgery. He pointed out the size of the appendix on the ultrasound printout and indicated how much smaller it should be. He went through the bloodwork chart and showed me that my white cell count was 8 when it should be 0.
I asked about laparoscopy but he said they didnt do that procedure here. He assured me the incision for an uncomplicated appendectomy like mine would be small and heal quickly. He stressed that I didnt want to wait too long because my condition could deteriorate quite quickly and a burst appendix would be a lot more complicated and dangerous.
Since our only other option would be to go to a Merida hospital by taxi and start the whole process over, I opted for the conventional surgery.
I was taken to a roome to be prepped. They gave me a gown to change into then a nurse came in to install an IV. They couldnt find a good vein on the back of my hand so installed it in the crook of my left elbow.
While this was happening, the surgeon, Dr. Pacheco, came in and introduced himself. He spoke a little English- enough to explain the procedure and that he would be doing it. Next the anesthesiologist came in and introduced herself. She did not speak any English but instead dictated to her phone which translated her words into English. She explained that I would have a local anesthesia.
I was transferred to the operating room by wheelchair with me cradling my glass IV bottle on my lap.
As soon as I was on the operating table the nurse introduced a sedative to my IV then the anesthesiologist started the epidural.
My original doctor was there as well as the surgeon and one or two nurses.
My body from the chest down felt like a piece of wood. I couldn’t move my toes. I couldnt feel anything that was happening but I could hear the doctors talking quietly. There was a barrier in front of me so that I couldnt see anything that was happening and the sedative made me not care anyway.

Bill said I went into the operating room at about 5pm and came out about 6:30pm. I was taken to a recovery room where I stayed until the feeling came back into my body. Then I was taken to my room. This room was quite large and contained my bed, a sofa and two sofa chairs. There was a window over my bed and a bathroom opposite the window.
The nurse told Bill he was welcome to stay and sleep on the sofa but he opted to go home. I was given a buzzer for summoning the nurse.
At this point I was still on an IV and a couple of times during the night the nurse introduced a syringe of antibiotics and another of pain medication.
I only summoned the nurse during the night to bring me a bedpan. It seemed like I had to pee a lot.
In the morning the nurse tried to introduce my last syringe of antibiotics but for some reason the IV had stopped working and nothing would go in. Instead she removed it altogether.
With it gone I decided to get up to go to the bathroom. It was painful but doable.
I had the option of staying another night but decided I would rather convelesce at our b&b.
Obviously I couldn’t ride on the back of the bike so Bill drove home and hired an Uber cab to come to pick me up.
While he was gone they brought me some food. Chicken soup with a big chunk of chicken in it, tortillas, grapes and digestive cookies. Bill arrived just as I started to eat so he dismissed the Uber cab and waited for me to finish.
While I ate Bill went to the office to settle up the bill. There was a detailed itemisation of all procedures, accomodations and drugs and when all was said and done my surgery cost about $2000. Cdn
We left the hospital Saturday, around 2pm, in a cab with all the paperwork pertaining to my sirgery incluing copies of the ultrasound and bloodwork.

Sunday I pretty much spent lying in bed. The pain was tolerable as long as I took 1 Dolac (perscription pain medication) morning and night. I walked about 400 steps all day.
On Monday I got up and made the bed although I did lie on top of it often. I got dressed and walked around the block. To my relief I had a normal bowel movement- my forst since the surgery.
In the evening we went back to the hospital to have the dressing changed. Dr. Bates said everything is healing well and the stitches can come out on Friday.
Accomodation: Other
Meal: None
Entry located at: https://www.google.com/maps/@21.2777658,-89.7117866,100m/data=!3m1!1e3

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