It’s a brand new year!

Happy New Year - 2016

Well, it’s a brand new year for us to enjoy, or mess up, or make a dozen-soon-to-be-forgotten resolutions such as lose weight, get more exercise and eat healthier. 

We make the same resolutions year after year, so for 2016 we have only one resolution: no more stupid resolutions!

Life this past year has been busy, not just for us but for the whole island.  There were a number of large municipal projects that were finally completed: the fire hall, a bigger hospital, and the Casa de Cultura.  

New fire hall near the police station

These new facilities are a great addition to everyday life on the island.

Across the street from our house the seldom-used college basketball court was covered with a metal dome, and seating added for spectators.  

The improved facility gets lots of use by local teams, school drama presentations.  

Photo from FaceBook Folk Dancers' Congress  

Recently under the dome, an outdoor catering area was created to feed the two hundred or so folk dancers who were performing on the island in the last week of December.  

It was a very well-mannered group comprised of dance troupes from various parts of Mexico.  

They lined up quietly at seven in the morning for breakfast, then again for lunch plus practiced a few dance routines in the late afternoon.   We hardly knew they were there, except for the enticing aromas wafting across the street exciting our taste buds. 

Playa Norte

On a grander scale, tourism is up, way up, with an estimated two million visitors coming to enjoy the island amenities and our annual festivals: Island Time Music and Fishing Festival, the summer Whale Shark Festival, and the Caribbean Culture Festival.  Two of the most popular beaches on the island, Playa Norte, and Playa Centro have been designated as world-class Blue Flag beaches.  Those beaches must be maintained to a higher standard of cleanliness, with toilets available, and garbage and animal poop cleaned up on a daily basis.  Music, food, entertainment combined with sun, sand and surf!  It doesn’t get much better than that.

Carnaval

Separate from the “created” celebrations the Mexican culture has several annual events that are always interesting, such as Carnaval in February or March, Santa Semana – Holy Week (Easter) in March or April depending on the Catholic Church calendar, The Flowery Cross celebration in May, Independence Day in mid-September, Day of the Dead celebrations late October and into early November, and Revolution Day parade in mid-November. 

Kindergarten parade - Independence Day 

By that time we are at the end of the year and the calendar has rolled around into Christmas celebrations, with parades, parties and processions.  

(See our December 25th blog.)

So, we are off to a great start with the New Year.  Happy, healthy, enjoying life, and resolution free for 2016! 

Happy New Year / Próspero Año Nuevo

Lawrie & Lynda, 

Thomas the Cat, Sparky & Perla

Happy New Year from all of us! 

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Finally, it’s open!

Main entrance on Calle #1

Finally, the new Hospital Comunitario de Isla Mujeres is in operation.  The hospital construction project was started during the administration of Presidente Alicia Rincaldi and languished from lack of funding through the administration of Presidente Hugo Sanchez, coming to completion under Presidente Agapito Magaña.  

It’s a beautiful facility located on the corner of Rueda Medina and Calle Paseo de los Peces, across from the large palapa entrance to the Hacienda Mundaca historical park. 

Doctor Zapata & Jorge Avila

Our friend, Jorge Avila who is the Coordinador de Sanidad Internacional for Isla Mujeres met us in at the entrance and introduced us to the Hospital Director, Doctor Zapata.   Doctor Zapata is an orthopaedist, and also specializes in trauma injuries.  It’s good to know he’s is available to assist with life-threatening problems.

As we started our tour of the hospital, Jorge explained that we were allowed to take photos inside, only today, as the final installation of equipment and the sterilization of the operating suites was taking place and many of the areas would soon be off-limits to the public.   Even so, we didn’t take photos of the patients as we didn’t want to infringe on their privacy.

There are ninety-five people employed by the hospital; three doctors in general admissions, and two doctors in the emergency area.  The hospital has its own pharmacia, (pharmacy) a vaccination room, and a place for island children under the age of twelve to receive free monthly check-ups and vitamin milk. There are also new x-ray and ultrasound laboratories.

 

X-Ray room

A new hyperbaric chamber is due to be delivered soon to facilitate treatment for a variety of problems.  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) squeezes the oxygen molecules to allow more oxygen to enter the blood stream, and increasing the healing ability of the body.  It is used to treat deep water decompression sickness, the complications of diabetes, radiation treatment burns, and broken bones that are not healing properly.  The existing hyperbaric chamber in centro is funded by the fishing cooperative, and will remain available for the fishermen’s use.

Surgery

Another interesting bit of information we learned is that restaurant workers must be tested every six months for hepatitis and salmonella.  

The hospital has a separate lab with its own entrance to accommodate the huge number of islanders involved in the restaurant industry.  

On the second floor of the facility are several private and semi-private rooms for recuperating patients, as well as the administration offices, and segregated dormitory rooms for future employees. 

Delivery room for babies

The maternity area was most impressive with the delivery room, recovery room, a separate area for newborns.  I can’t begin to name all the fancy equipment and machines that we saw but they certainly looked important.  

Fortunately the hospital is air conditioned so perhaps the normal rust and corrosion problems that are common here on Isla won’t be such a challenge.  At our house anything electronic has a very short life span.

More cool stuff for newborns!

As for what additional equipment they need Jorge said he is coordinating requests with the Seniors and Friends of Isla, a group made up primarily of expats who have been coming to Isla for many, many years.  

Here’s their FaceBook page link: https://www.facebook.com/islamujeresseniorsandfriends?fref=ts or you can always contact me for the email addresses of Gary, or Denis, or Andy. 

One thing Jorge did mention is the need for good quality type-three cardiac stethoscopes.  On average a stethoscope only last a few months due to salt, humidity and corrosion.   Just an idea if you are looking for a way to contribute to the community. 

So, fingers crossed Lawrie and I won’t need to personally check the quality of emergency care at the new hospital but it is reassuring to know that we have a beautiful, new facility just a few minutes away. 

Hasta Luego

Lynda & Lawrie

Hospital Comunitario de Isla Mujeres 

We hope you enjoyed this post.  If you did please feel free to share it with your friends and family. 

Any errors with the information in this post are my fault!  It’s my darn Spanglish that tangles me up!