One thing that's great about Mexico is that if all of a sudden you begin to die rapidly, you're not (always) forced to choose between dying and selling off an organ to pay for medical care.
About a week ago, Hanix bit me while nursing, little bastard. Bit me like he thought my nipple was a chicken nugget. Made me bleed. There is still a little open wound bite mark. And now suddenly nursing has become excruciatingly painful. It hurts so much my feet start to kick and I get dizzy and start whisper-yelling "Ow, ow, ow!" and all I want to do is hide from him so he won't try to nurse. And I got really tired and was feeling sick, and pretty much had given up on living.
Going cold turkey (cold chicken nugget?) on nursing, though, would not only be awful on my baby, but would mean a whole lot of pain for me, too. I'd also probably run a fever and would risk developing an infection, so says the doctor. I also find nursing convenient, and I'm happy knowing I'm providing my son with top o' the line nutrition. Plus, it's five billion times cheaper than buying formula. Also, and not least important, to suddenly stop nursing him would almost certainly ruin our trip to the beach that commences tomorrow.
So I went to Ajijic to find a doctor at one of the clinics there.
Now, are you ready for what's really cool? The doctors take walk-ins. Yeah. You just show up and ask if the doctor is there. I sensibly waited until after the Mexico-South Africa match this morning. I took a seat, waited a few minutes, and got seen right then. I didn't have to fill out seven pages of medical history. I didn't have to provide proof of insurance (I don't have any). I didn't have to promise to sell my liver to pay for the treatment. Nothing. Easy.
So the doctor saw me. I flashed him my boob. He looked at it. Told me I would die if I didn't get it treated (sort of) and then had the nurse come in and shoot me in the butt muscle with some kind of anti-inflammatory something or other injection. And that was that.
He also was SHOCKED to discover that I'd never given my baby formula, and he sent me home with a free sample to give him. (It looked like he had just had a visit from the formula reps, as his desk was piled high with pricey little canisters to hook families on. I'm not supposed to nurse him for the next 24 hours, though, and the canister was free, so it looks like my baby will finally experience what all his cousins have been drinking.
At first the doctor said I'd have to go five days without nursing. I told him I didn't like that idea, for the reasons stated above, and he told me if I feel better tomorrow I can go back to nursing.
Anyway, besides my sore butt muscle, I'm feeling better already. The whole visit only cost 104 pesos, about $8.00. Sometimes Mexico really pulls through. I can't imagine this happening in the States.
Now to live through the next 24 hours without nursing... I guess I should find that hiding spot now.
Breast feeding kids with teeth? 5yr olds? Thanks for the images
ReplyDeleteA partir del 23 de agosto, se venderán antibióticos exclusivamente con la presentación de la receta médica,
ReplyDeleteI bought antibiotics yesterday with no receta (Rx) and so did my husband. We are both on long term antibiotic treatment, me for rosacea, and he is on them for Tropical Sprue. The antibiotics were bought at Farmacia Similares, Bodega Aurrera, and Farmacia Guadalupe. According to an article in our local newspaper, a Rx was needed months ago, but nothing happened. This will never be enforced. I'll believe it when I see it. It's just like all the hoopla over "required" national cell phone registry, whatever.
ReplyDeleteOMG You poor thing!! Gaaahhhh that shit hurts like a TRAMP! Eek, just, gahh owww. But for real, the doctors can be pretty bad ass here sometimes right? Other times scary and 40 years dated or so but sometimes for REAL super cool! :) They've totally got a shot for everything :D Ooo! And I've personaly been consulted-upon in person by Sunshine (when Daisy was born) and I'll testify that she's 100% legit. If not for her Daisy never would have recieved even a drop of boob juice. D. is formula fed now but that was a decision/work thing and had nothing to do with Amanda - she's SUPER awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteI'll see your "prude" and raise you a pair of varicose tatas
ReplyDeleteGlad to read that you're healing. Nursing babies with teeth can be extremely painful. I nursed my eldest son for 23 months and he NEVER bit me. But my youngest son decided that he just had to be nursed as we were walking out of the Consulado in Guadalajara. We were halfway across the street when the kind, jovial 6 month old decided to test out his new teeth. I still shudder just thinking of that pain.
ReplyDeleteDo what you think is right for both you and Hanix. Breast milk is always best! But if you still feel pain, go back to the doctor.
Ugh . . . I shudder to think what that's like--and I hope you're well on the way to healing now!
ReplyDeleteThis is completely off-topic, but am wondering if you could help me out. I'm writing a magazine article about families who've had immigration problems and, for one reason or another, find themselves living in Mexico for awhile. I don't want to pry, but feel that a good human-interest story about what the US's current immigration policies do to real families would be timely, and hopefully help fuel some real, positive immigration reform.
If you're willing to let me interview you (sadly, via internet), write me back at jilldouglas01@hotmail.com.
Thanks!
I agree with 'Sunshine'. Docs don't know shit about nursing. It seems like there is hardly ever a reason to stop (my friend is a LaLeche consultant). And, Niko bit me, too. Drew blood. Bit me 20 times a day for 2 weeks. Then he stopped. I don't think any one bite was as bad as yours, but, as I said, Painful and awful 2 weeks. I think he was teething. I ended up bringing a pacifier when I nursed and giving it to him when he seemed about to start biting. I also would walk out of the room when he bit (yelling didn't work--just got him laughing). As I said, he stopped after 2 weeks and pretty much never did it again. This was at 8 months and I didn't want to wean then. He bit me again at 15 months and, then, I weaned. By that point he was a lot less interested in nursing. So, listen so Sunshine and I hope my story helps a bit.
ReplyDelete