Emergency Care in San Carlos!

Last month, John and I joined an organization here in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico (our new winter hometown). Club Deportivo is about philanthropy and community. Members are the expats from the United States and Canada and winter visitors (like us).

Club Deportivo is housed in a big hall that hosts community dinners, arts and crafts classes, yoga, and regular informative lectures (among other things) to raise money for non-profit organizations that benefit youth, animals and peoples of the area. Organizations such as a local spay and neuter clinic for domestic or feral animals, an orphanage, a soup kitchen, and a youth music group.

A recent lecture, focused on medical care for non-Mexicans in San Carlos. A couple hundred of us showed up to hear what we're to do if we get sick or have a serious injury. Dr. Michael Laux said he was not prepared for such a big turnout.

We came away from the presentation with all our questions answered. San Carlos' medical gem in the organizaton “Rescate”. Formed decades ago, mainly to meet the needs of the large expat community, they are emergency first aid and ambulance service to residents and visitors. The EMTs are on 24/7 and are professionally trained.

Rescate is our link to life, I would say, in a place where communication due to language is challenging and where we are not experienced at getting medical care. It is our insurance here. Insurance that someone will come to us quickly (a private 911 of sorts), will call our doctor to coordinate our care (we learned we need to connect with/meet a doctor here that will be our doctor), will get us to a first-rate hospital as quickly as possible if needed.

We learned that to be admitted to the big hospital in Hermosillo for a major medical emergency, we basically need a charge card with a $10,000 limit or travel insurance. Since we do not have Mexican insurance, the hospital needs to know we can pay.

When we return next winter, we'll get connected to a doctor right away and will become gold members of Rescate. Then we'll get on with being careful and taking good care of ourselves.

The infrastructure that has been built for the community we've become part of here in Mexico is outstanding. Of course, they've already thought of everything. And it's great to be part of Club Deportivo and give something to our new community.

With only three more weeks left of our winter here, we're planning our route home and thinking of what we need to pack into the little Wanderer to take back to Parksville with us. I'm working furiously to get tasks completed with the new book that I'll launch in mid to late May this year. (I'll tell you more about that project in a new post.)

This iguana came out in February a couple times to sun on our patio wall.
We'll miss seeing how he lives during the summer while we're in Canada. He looks
to need a little food to me.  

Adios Amigos! Let's enjoy what's left of winter, wherever we are, heh?