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 Chapter
3 - The Mexican Experience
From beginning to
end, our experience in Mexico was wonderful and full of surprises. The
entire environment was different; it wasn’t like a hospital here. It was
simple, stress-free, respectful and most of all, positive. The attitude
is one of healing and hope, not desperation. Although Charles had a long
way to go, we were off to a good start. For the first 7 days, Charles stayed
in the hospital and I commuted back and forth across the border by shuttle
bus that left from our motel/mobile home park every day. There were many
other patients and their families doing the same thing. After the 7 days,
Charles was released to outpatient care. What a good day it was! He even
felt well enough to walk up the hill with me to the pharmacy and buy the
6 months supply of drugs he needed.
That Sunday, it
was time for me to go home; I had to go back to work. Now that I saw the
care he was given and I knew he would be around the other people who were
outpatients, I felt better about leaving. Not good, just better. My brother,
Jim lived in San Diego and came down to drive me to the airport. It took
everything I had left in me to drive away and leave Charles standing there
alone.
The next two weeks
of separation were torture. I wanted nothing more than to be with him every
day, watching to make sure he progressed and was well cared for, but I
couldn’t, the expenses were mounting and I needed to be practical and return
to work. I did travel from Phoenix to San Ysidro on the weekends,
but Sunday I would have to come back to Phoenix and leave him there again.
Charles called me every night to let me know how his day had gone; being
apart was excruciating.
Finally, the day
came when he was allowed to come home, November 2nd. And better
news was to come; the X-rays taken this week showed a 40% reduction in
the tumor in 21 days – almost unheard of. His right lung, which was collapsed
when he was admitted, had re-expanded and the airway was open. Doctor Rique
was so excited he was showing the x-rays to everyone and asked if he could
keep them for a few days to show his colleagues. They were accustomed to
progress, but rarely did they see such dramatic change in such a short
time. Charles was a celebrity. You see most of the their patients come
after they have tried chemotherapy and radiation in the US; their bodies
and immune systems are already compromised. Charles came in with none of
that, his condition more virgin, if you will, so the treatments
had a much better chance to work.
I must say something
to summarize our experience at American Biologics. Charles and I marveled
at the level of caring. I have never seen such love; these people care.
They treat you like a human being who doesn’t feel very well and needs
their attention. They are gentle, soft-spoken, smiling and loving. They
don’t wake you up during the night for pills and vital signs; they would
rather you rest. If you wake up, you can take your pills, if you
don’t, it’s OK. If the doctor comes in to see you during the day and you’re
sleeping, he turns around and comes back later. He doesn’t have a lucrative
practice to run back to, his patients are in the hospital, he works there.
Even the petite young woman who came in to do the cleaning every day would
tip toe in when she saw he was sleeping, quietly close the bathroom door
and work as quietly as she could.
One of our favorites
was a nurse named Rosa. She was so gentle and loving to Charles; she called
him "Senor Charles". We were also impressed by the respect and affection
expressed between the doctors and nurses. They were like a family to each
other; it was quite a difference from what we had experienced here. It
was an environment in which to thrive and improve. And Charles came away
from those 21 days a changed person. While in treatment, we had the opportunity
to hear lectures from a nutritionist. We both learned a great deal, but
it was the first time Charles had ever been exposed to some of this knowledge.
He came away committed to good diet and nutrition; it was a big change
and it made things much easier for me because he didn’t fight me on everything.
Sam flew in to
San Diego the next morning to drive us back home and we took the long drive
home. What a difference in three weeks. Charles was still
very tired and certainly a long way from being healthy, but he sat up and
talked almost all the way home. We were so hopeful !
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