Yesterday became part of our Family Lore including the part of day when I tried to poison Oldest Son - oh I am jumping ahead. Let’s start at the beginning. The target for the day is to get to Butterfly Sanctuary by early afternoon …Day Begins
We had packed and organized everything Monday night so we could leave at 7am Tuesday morning. Tuesday morning, we go out to the hotel parking lot to hook up the pop-up camper and the parking lot is super full! We along with a couple Mexican helpers manage to maneuver the SUV and move the camper manually to hitch to SUV. We are off by 7:30 am.
We go the wrong way once in Patzcuaro but correct our direction quickly to head toward Morelia. We get through Morelia with minor stress. In Mexico, we seldom know exactly where we are but measure success as the ability to get from place to place without too many wrong turns. No wrong turns in Morelia!
And Let the Vomiting Begin
The mountainous Hwy 15 to CD Hidalgo is breathtakingly beautiful and very, very, very, curvy. We know that Youngest Son gets car sick on these twisty roads so we should have had a vomit bucket ready for him. We did not.
Youngest Son announces “I have to vomit!” and 2 seconds later he is vomiting.
I yell “Stop!”
Husband says “No, it too dangerous!”
I say “Stop!”
Husband stops on side of curvey mountain road.
I yank Youngest Son out while in his booster seat while he is still vomiting. We are on the other side of a curve and it IS dangerous. I quickly strip Youngest Son, Husband empties a small ice chest (now the vomit bucket) and I thrust Youngest Son in seat clothed only in Superman underwear with a Dora the Explorer blanket and the vomit bucket. Husband resumes driving. Breath.
Youngest Son vomits again but now he uses the vomit bucket. Youngest Son seems to recover. Then Oldest Son announces he has to vomit. Vomit bucket goes to Oldest Son and he uses it. Oh man. Oldest Son completes his business and goes to sleep.
Road to Angangueo
After going through CD Hidalgo, we arrive in Irimbo were we are supposed to take a Yellow Road (see yesterday’s posting) to Angangueo. As often happens in Mexico, the road splits and there is no way to tell which way to go. We choose straight. Seems okay.
After going through CD Hidalgo, we arrive in Irimbo were we are supposed to take a Yellow Road (see yesterday’s posting) to Angangueo. As often happens in Mexico, the road splits and there is no way to tell which way to go. We choose straight. Seems okay.
Sh-t! We run up into a DIRT road heading into the mountains. This cannot be right. Ever turned around on a narrow dirt road pulling camper? Not fun. We back track to Irimbo and choose other road and all is good.
Arrival in Angangueo
We had already decided not to camp (again) due to Oldest Son’s condition. We knew two places to stay in Angangueo and we chose Hotel Margarita - thank goodness.
Upon arrival we quickly access that Oldest Son has gotten progressively sicker and there is no way we are hiking to Butterfly Sanctuary on Tuesday. Frankly, we need a Doctor for him. It also appears the back of our camper is falling off. Someone was clearly trying to take a piece of it and took out 3 of 5 screws. We also have an issue with timing for our trip now since we cannot arrive anywhere on Christmas. Oh let’s not forget the bag of clothes with vomit on them.
I literally sit down on curb and cry for 5 minutes. Recover. We will stay here until Friday morning and then resume our journey. This is a wonderful setting to spend a few days. It will be just fine. A gift really.
In comes, Carlos who is the hotel keeper and son of owner. Carlos speaks some English and Husband speaks decent Spanish so here we go.
Husband lets Carlos know we will stay until Friday and we need a doctor, someone to wash our clothes, a guide to Butterfly Sanctuary for Wednesday, a hardware store and internet if possible – all in that order.
Mexican Doctor and Family Lore ...
Carlos arranges for his brother, Roberto, to bring a Doctor to Hotel Margarita. Doctor arrives. Husband, Carlos, Doctor, Oldest Son and I are all in hotel room for check up. Doctor recommends a shot.
Out comes a very large needle and Doctor sends Carlos out for something. Carlos returns with bottle of clear liquid (I think it is water) and cleans Oldest Sons shot area on his bottom. In it goes. Ouch. Oldest Son does great.
Carlos tells us Doctor will be back in 20 minutes with more medicine.
I want Oldest Son to drink liquids to stay hydrated. I fill his water bottle with the clear liquid and squeeze “water” into his mouth.
Oldest Son says “There is something wrong with that water!”
He immediately starts to gag and tear up. Oh my God. I have given him Rubbing Alcohol! I yell for Husband. Out comes the vomit bucket again. Oldest Son vomits it all up and is okay within 10 minutes. Perhaps I should learn to read Spanish better …
Family Lore is born. Tuesday, December 23, 2008 is the day I tried to poison my first born.
Doctor returns with 2 medicines that are to be administered multiple but different times through the day. Husband gets that task. The Doctor is very friendly and affectionate with the kids. We just hope he knows what he is doing.
Oldest Son is much better within a couple hours. We are so relieved.
Carlos and Other Stuff
Carlos is able to assist with the other necessities. Mucho Gracias Carlos!
Family Lore is born. Tuesday, December 23, 2008 is the day I tried to poison my first born.
Doctor returns with 2 medicines that are to be administered multiple but different times through the day. Husband gets that task. The Doctor is very friendly and affectionate with the kids. We just hope he knows what he is doing.
Oldest Son is much better within a couple hours. We are so relieved.
Carlos and Other Stuff
Carlos is able to assist with the other necessities. Mucho Gracias Carlos!
- We handed off our vomit clothes to girls who work at hotel
- Roberto will take us to the Butterfly Sanctuary Wednesday
- Husband got directions to hardware store
- Hotel office/restaurant has wireless internet
- Roberto will take us to the Butterfly Sanctuary Wednesday
- Husband got directions to hardware store
- Hotel office/restaurant has wireless internet
Hotel Margarita
Hotel Margarita has 11 rooms, is family owned and just right for us. At $510 pesos per night we consider it a deal. We ate dinner in their family style restaurant which is more like a room with the family kitchen attached. Food is very comforting and good.
.
Federal Policia
Oh did I mention the Federal Policia are staying here too? There are 4 armed guards at the entrance and we had dinner with at least 11 policeman and their weapons Tuesday evening. Should I feel safer or not?
.
Oh did I mention the Federal Policia are staying here too? There are 4 armed guards at the entrance and we had dinner with at least 11 policeman and their weapons Tuesday evening. Should I feel safer or not?
.
Chanukah 6th Night
Carlos came to build our fire since that is the only source of heat for our room. We lit the 6 candles for Chanukah. We were all thankful that Oldest Son survived the day. The 4 of us snuggled in our beds watching the Hanakiah flicker above the fire. Perfecto!
Carlos came to build our fire since that is the only source of heat for our room. We lit the 6 candles for Chanukah. We were all thankful that Oldest Son survived the day. The 4 of us snuggled in our beds watching the Hanakiah flicker above the fire. Perfecto!
Images below are at the Hotel Margarita and The Poison!
8 comments:
I never took you for the Lucrezia Borgia type. The four of you can pack more adventure into one day than most people can survive in a month. Good job!
The way you tell a story reminds me so much of when my kids were the same age as yours...
We still howl when we talk about the breakfast when PHil was getting the big salt out of the cupboard, dropped it in the bowl of scrambled eggs, then the eggs went everywhere, the cantelope and seeds flew, and our kitchen (believe it in the 70's) had CARPET! Sheesh!
Of course no vomit, but...
Our family can make anything into an adventure! Don't feel too bad about the poison - I once broke an "old fashioned" mercury thermometer (trying to multitask)while cooking dinner and discovered when cleaning up (after everyone had eaten) that some of the mercury had gotten into the food. We were living overseas at the time and had no access to medical services. The whole family spent the next few hours expecting to die. Fortunately no one became ill, but they still refer to the day I tried to murder my family! You are doing a great job of rolling with the punches - hang in there!
Yeah, I acutally have been stuck on a dirt road (one-way,) heading into the mountains of Mexico City at dusk, blocking oncoming traffic, towing a trailer with a mad husband and a panting dog. Isn't Mexico fun?! Great post and Happy Holidays!
THAT IS a Water bottle! You were right. :o)
S, N, HS, C - All your messages made me laugh and feel better. Thank you
C- OMG - it is!!!!!???? too funny.
When the Doctor was cleaning the shot araea with what I thought was water - that made me nervous about all being sterile. After I poisoned Oldest Son - I did take comfort that the shot area WAS cleaned correctly.
OMG!. The Nestle bottle had me fooled. Tell everybody their Uncle says hi! We celebrated Christmas at Cathy's last night so the niece and fiance could spend Christmas day in SA with his family. Please have a safe and healthy return home.
It is very common here to refill bottles. For example when I bought rubber cement, it came in a refilled plastic Coke bottle, so did paint thinner I bought. The stores buy a large size container and just use a clean bottle that they saved. It's recycling at it's simplist, but not very child safe.
I am glad everything came out okay.
regards,
Theresa
Post a Comment