Where have I been???

I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I last posted...but then, I'm the only one who reads this thing, and I've been too busy to do that, so it really doesn't matter I guess.

I do have an excuse. You see, the week of Thanksgiving, I picked up a little cough...that gradually grew into a big cough. So, putting on my medico hat, I self-diagnosed and got four or five different types of cough medicine to suppress the cough. Here in Guatemala, one can get almost any kind of prescription drug without a prescription - or even visiting a doctor. Come three days before Christmas, the cough was well developed and deep - and I developed a fever, with the chills to go with it. Finally, we went to see a medico. I had developed "bilateral pneumonia." All by myself. And cough medicine was the LAST thing the doctor wanted me to be taking. After a two-week series of serious antibiotics,I'm on the mend. No more pneumonia...but I'm still working to get my strength back. Yes, the medical profession in Third World countries is alive and well. I didn't need to make an appointment to see the doctor. He spoke enough Engish to diagnose me. The entire examin, including x-rays was $52. Drugs not included.

So now that I've explored the Guatemalan medical profession for you and found it to be excellent, I'm trying to come up with some other experence you may find engrossing. Maybe a hike up an active volcano...or a trip to Monterrico and it's famous black beaches. Stay tuned....