Sylvia and the Doctor's Office

With much help from Sylvia, the landlord's Mexican girlfriend, we went to a doctor's office yesterday because Lorraine has tonsillitis.  It was a fun cultural adventure!

For about 5 days, Lorraine's tonsils had been infected and getting worse.  She's a nurse so she knew the infection could be viral or bacterial.  For viral infections, you should just let your body fight it.  But for bacterial infections, it's best to take antibiotics.

You can buy most medications without a prescription here in Mexico.  But you need a prescription for antibiotics. That's good. You can make yourself sick by taking the wrong medicine, but you can't contribute to the antibiotic resistance problem!

So off to the Dr.'s we went....  Sylvia took Lorraine on her scooter and drove slowly enough for me to follow on my bicycle. Fun!

At the Dr.'s office/house, we waited our turn while sitting on white plastic lawn chairs, outside, in the front courtyard.  Watching local kids play and the world go by.


When we got in the exam room, it was a translation fest!  The Dr. spoke no English, Lorraine speaks no Spanish, Sylvia speaks OK English, and I speak OK Spanish.  So we all participated in the exam, diagnosis, and prescription. I wonder what the college of physicians would think of that?

When that part was done, Lorraine paid the 250 pesos (about $20) Dr. fee. And we went to the pharmacy, in the next room.  There, a nice young woman, with a 2 month old pug puppy in her arms, dispensed the antibiotics the Dr. prescribed. 

Lorraine started taking the antibiotics about 24 hours ago now.  She's starting to feel better.  But I think she's still a bit unsure about the whole experience. Except the puppy in the pharmacy part.  She loves dogs.

Photos:
I only noticed today that the patches on this horse, which is outside a roadside shop, are in the shape of beer bottles....
The sign on this local restaurant/pub says " take-out drunks for rent" - cute!
The owner of this scooter also has a good sense of humour!