Thursday, February 21, 2013

A Nasty Week; Happy to Be Here

I haven't posted for awhile. It's just been one of those months. Topped of by a week that I'd gracefully describe as one of the most stressful I've had in some time.

Details aren't important, but it's been sort of like this...

I have been waiting for Immigration (Instituto Nacional de Migración) to approve and deliver my new permanent resident visa, which I must possess in order to leave and return to Mexico. In January and February I have met with the same friendly and helpful personnel in Migración who've annually processed my paperwork. I have had no problems with the process. It's just that this year they are working under brand new federal laws, and the system has slowed down somewhat while they implement new procedures.

Since the new visa was in process, I've been putting off a planned February visit to the States to see my elderly father. Finally a week ago when I found I would not have my new resident visa ID card for a couple more weeks, I decided to apply for a special letter of permission that will allow me to leave and return in lieu of my regular visa. This involved going in at 7:00AM a couple of mornings this week to be near the front of line when Migración opens its doors at 9:00AM.

At the same time I've had some business dealings go awry. A check I received and deposited was returned due to a spelling error, causing me technically to default on a payment I'd promised to make the following day. Resolving this problem necessitated consultations with my lawyer, careful diplomacy with the person to whom I'd promised the money, various visits, calls and emails to banks, and jumps through a few other hoops. It's all working out, but it has been time-consuming, tiring and stressful, because of the need to resolve all the problems by Friday or end up paying out quite a bit in losses and fees.

And I have a ticket to go see Dad on Monday. He's been expecting me for a month.

To slather sour icing on this already-rotten cake, I ate something that disagreed with me Sunday night, and have slogged all this week through a dense haze of fever, lethargy and nausea. Being stubborn and thinking I'd deal with it on my own (not to mention being really busy), I waited a couple of days to see the doctor. I could not sleep and became dehydrated; instead of feeling better, as all this transpired I felt steadily worse.


There was a lot more, but that's the basic outline. It's been a pretty nasty week, truthfully. But it looks as if I've made it.

The good news is that when finally I called my doctor he saw me within the hour, and two hours after my call I was back home, medicated, and on the road to recovery.

And this morning after my last meeting, knowing now that everything is on the right track, I went home for a break. I threw off the shoes and business costume and stepped into the garden. The sky was bright blue and the morning breeze was warm but not yet hot. Heliconias are in full bloom as are some orchids. I thought gratefully about several Mérida people who stepped in this week to help me feel better, smooth over problems and make it all work out.

And I felt very happy to be here.

20 comments:

  1. I'm glad things are looking up after an unfortunate week, and hope that your trip to see your dad will be a pleasant one.

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    1. Thanks, it's all smoothing over, thanks to a little luck and a lot of help from friends.

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  2. A succinct confirmation of the absolute truth that life can go to hell in an instant, but generally tends to find a way back out thereafter. A tendency toward finding equilibrium somewhere on the ++ side of life is a blessing. Is it attitude? Luck? Whichever it is, I was pretty sure that optimism had left me forever, yet here it is back again. Oh shoot. I meant to talk about you ~ your crappy week and finding your way out ~ and blabbed on about me. I'm happy you're on the mend physically and with these bureaucratic trials. Safe trip next week.

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    1. Yes, Lynette.

      Actually I thought of you as I wrote this today, because although unpleasant, this week was nothing, compared to other things that happen in life. Really, I am lucky to be alive so I can have these sorts of problems, right? Aren't we all, as long as we can stay fairly healthy and have friends and loved ones around us?

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  3. Thanks for the update, Marc. I'm sure that there were other followers of you blog who were wondering, worrying. Buen Suerte to you and your father.

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    1. Thank you for your concern, Alinde. It seems that every winter I have a few weeks of down time during which I don't get around to the blog. I consider it a little vacation. This year it coincided with lots of other stuff going on. I should be back on track and blogging more regularly now.

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  4. Sorry to hear about your difficulties. Things do seem to all go wrong at once sometimes. Hope you have a good visit with your Dad, and thanks for giving the name of those brilliant and strange heliconia plants in your garden.

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    1. The troubles do come in threes sometimes, as an old tale predicts. They did this week: sick; Immigration line-waiting; banking disaster. And, often when I plan to leave town, all sorts of stuff hits the fan. I'm used to it. No complaints. Glad you like the heliconias. I have more than a dozen in bloom today.

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  5. I feel your pain! It seems to come in groups of 3! It so seldom happens in Mexico that that many things go awry at one time, that when it does happen we are flummoxed!
    I'm in Texas. I got a call on Wednesday that the tenants in the guest house had no electricity! Oh my gosh. I won't go into all the details but suffice to say I made lots of phone calls to locate the maid to help resolve the issue. She did! She paid the bill and then hotwired their house to my neighbor, with his permission, until the service was turned back on the next day. I just shook my head in gratitude and joy!

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    1. I am glad you got it worked out, Babs. It helps to have good and reliable friends and associates around to help pick up the pieces.

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  6. Hola Marc,

    Sorry to hear about your troubles, but I'm glad they are fading away.

    Good luck with visiting your dad. You're going to Alaska in February? Seriously? Buena Suerte! Travel around here is dicey enough in the winter; I can't imagine trying to go to Alaska.

    Saludos,

    Kim G
    Boston, MA
    Where there's definitely plenty of snow still around, but much less than in Alaska.

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    1. Yes, things seem to be working out, Kim, as I indicated in the post, thanks to perseverence, luck and help from others.

      My dad is living in Florida now, so when I visit it's a relatively easy trip.

      I do visit Alaska in the winter, from time to time, though. And of course I lived there, all winter, for decades. It's fine, but I no longer want to spend that much time in the cold and dark.

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  7. They say that what doesn't kill us, only makes us sronger. You must be feeling like Hercules right about now.

    Hope that the peace of family and Alaska help you forget all the unpleasantness of the past few weeks.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Melissa. The recent events were more of a grind than anything else. And stressful, since I felt plain lousy while waiting, waiting, waiting, and trying to be tactful and patient.

      I definitely am looking forward to a family visit and brief change of scene.

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  8. My gosh, you have been truly bound and trussed in read tape Marc. I'm glad you are feeling better and your problems are being resolved.

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  9. Thanks for sharing the, uh, highlights of this rough spell Marc. I'm glad you received support from the community - if I ever make it there for a long stretch I will be looking for opportunities to serve others and hoping if/when my time comes someone will be there for me. Wishing you a safe and comfortable trip to and from Alaska, and looking forward to hearing something about it later...

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  10. Circumstances may change, but presence makes the difference. I have tried to live by that phrase. Mexico both tests and proves its basic truth. Thanks for adding another brick to that foundation.

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  11. What a trying time! I'm glad things managed to get straightened out for you.

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  12. Sorry about your tough week, hope everything is on the mend.

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  13. Marc,

    So sorry to hear of the rough patch, but it seems things are on the upswing. Hoping your trip to see your Dad is healing and happy time for you and him both! Love the photos, as always, they are as beautiful as your positive outlook on life.

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