I am scheduled for my first dental appointment in Las Algodones this morning. We took showers, left home at 8:30 and stopped down at Daybreak Cafe for breakfast. We finished eating and headed to Algodones around 9:30.
We stopped at the 'Q Casino', which is just before the Mexican boarder, to use an ATM Machine. Taylor called while we were there and I talked to her awhile before heading down to border. Kyle is in Florida for the buyer's mart where he purchases his merchandise for the Pro Shop each year. Taylor and Addison are picking up Morgan from school at 3:00 and heading for the airport for their Florida flight to meet Kyle. Taylor and Kyle have planned a surprise trip to Disney World for the girls. Taylor said Morgan kept asking her this morning why she was picking her up from school so early and wanted to know if they were going to the doctor. I'm sure they both will be very surprised to find out they are spending the next few days at Disney World!!
We parked walked across the border and went directly to Dr. Castro's office to check in. My appointment is not until 11:30 but from past experience we know that it's basically first come -- first served! The receptionist told us there were two people ahead of me so come back in 1 1/2-2 hours, which is basically 11:30 or 12:00!
We walked over to the Purple Pharmacy to pick up medication, that my friend Cathy ask for, and cigarettes. When we left, we looked at the sidewalk vendor's merchandise and I picked up a few items and then stopped at the stained glass shop. I talked to the guy who makes the stained glass and ordered a St Louis Cardinal and a Chicago Cub stained glass piece. He said he would have them ready in about two weeks.
I reported back to Dr. Castro's office and we went outside to sit in the courtyard to read until they called me in. I actually am seeing Dr. Juan today who works for Dr. Castro. I saw him last year and like him a lot as he speaks wonderful English. Next week we are both scheduled to see Dr. Castro on Thursday but I will probably continue with Dr. Juan since he will be setting up a treatment plan today.
We sat outside for only about 20 minutes before they called me in. Dr. Juan checked my teeth and took several xrays of the area where the bridge is to be replaced. After looking at xrays, he explained that I have a considerable amount of gum recession and bone loss in certain areas, so he gave me two options. He showed me the xrays and suggested that an implant might be a safer way to replace teeth. He said if I had a bridge attached to the two most posterior teeth, I could loose the entire bridge if the abutment teeth had to be extracted a few years from now. My tooth in the front that had been part of bridge has been drilled down almost to the gum line so he suggested I see the endodontist to have it evaluated as to whether it could have a root canal and posts. He told me he would decide the best treatment plan based on whether this tooth could be saved.
So from past experience, I was sure I was destined for a very long day of dental work. Dr. Castro's office called Dr. Gaspar, the endodontist, and they told me to come in at 1:30. Dr. Castro's office told me to be back to their office at 1:00. In Mexico someone walks you from one dental office to the other, so one of the office girls would take me over to Dr. Gaspar. Two years ago, Dr. Gaspar did a root canal and post on Larry and 3 root canals and 3 post on my teeth. Dr. Castro then replaced the lower right bridge after I completed the root canals. Dr. Gaspar is very competent and quite 'easy' on the eyes as well--at least MY eyes--I doubt Larry noticed!! Ha!
We had more than an hour to kill so headed to El Paraiso's Bar and Restaurant. This is located in the plaza with outdoor tables and they always have a band playing. It is our favorite place in Los Algodones and they have margaritas to die for!! We both ordered a margarita and a plate of nachos. Decided we should eat something as the remainder of the day could get very busy with dental appointments. We followed our margarita's with a bottle(quart size) of Pacifica beer. The choices of beer were limited to Corona, which is like drinking water or Pacifica. The Pacifica is pretty strong but tasted soooo-- good since our normal beer choice these days is Michelob Ultra!!
We returned to Dr. Castro's office and Dr. Gaspar's office girl walked me across town to their office. When I arrived there were several people waiting. I assumed it would be some time before my name surfaced to the top. Two years ago when here, I became quite friendly with Vanessa, one of the office girls. She was pregnant and during my visits we talked a lot. She speaks such beautiful English it was hard to believe she is actually Hispanic. Vanessa remembered me but made the comment that I looked like I had lost a lot of weight since 2000, when I was last there. We discussed the South Beach Diet, which she was not familiar with. I would imagine living in Mexico, it is not so popular considering their high carb offerings.
I sat so long waiting that my beer was taking it's tole. I pulled the chair next to me away from the wall to rest my head on the back-- I think I actually caught a short catnap. I finally went out to the courtyard and decided I should send Larry a text message to let him know I was still waiting for appointment. He decided to wait for me at Dr. Castro's office so figured he was wondering what was going on. I went back into waiting room and after another 30 minutes was called into office.
I was placed with Dr. Hernandez, which I'm not sure of his position in this office. He was here two years ago but did not work on me. I have the feeling he is on an ' OJT' position or he just has not practiced long enough to be out on his own. Hmmmm- not sure I'm happy with this but as he proceeded, I felt confident he knew what he was doing. He consulted many times with Dr. Gaspar about my progress. Vanessa was his assistant and she explained what was going on since Dr. Hernandez does not speak the best of English. She showed me the xrays and said I had one root that was calcified and the doctor was having a hard time getting into the canal. After an hour of having my entire upper extremities malled by Dr. Hernandez, Vanessa told me to go back into waiting room until Dr. Gaspar could see me. Vanessa called Dr. Castro's office to let them know my progress and they said they would bring Larry over to wait with me.
Another 30 minutes passed before I was called back into see Dr. Gaspar. He again explained that my tooth was giving them some issues trying to break through the calcium to get into the canal. He said I still might end up having it extracted. He worked on tooth for another 45 minutes and finally got into the canal to clean and medicate. Dr. Gaspar sealed the tooth and told me I would need to return next week to have posts set. I think the reason for waiting out the week is to find out if the tooth is going to respond to treatment or if in the end will be extracted. Vanessa called Dr. Castro and coordinated my appoint times between their office and Dr. Gaspar's. I will see Dr. Gaspar at 8:15am and Dr. Castro(or Dr. Juan) at 11:00 next Thursday. Larry has an 8:30am appointment with Dr. Castro on Thursday as well. Sounds like another full day in Mexico next week.
'Hot MESS'!!
By the time I was finished with Dr. Gaspar and picked up his prescribed medication from pharmacy, it was around 5:00. WOW, what a full day and when we looked at the line waiting to cross the border we assumed it would be at least another hour or more to get out of here. We checked out the bicycle transport and the line was pretty long there as well. Oh well, figured we could enjoy drinking beer over standing in this massive line waiting. We headed back to the plaza and ordered another Pacifica and relaxed while the band played. There were still a large number of people in the plaza for this hour of the day. We have never been here past 4:00pm so we asked our waiter how late the border was open. He assured us they would be open until 11:00pm, Arizona time. We finished our beer and ordered another. Hope we don't end up spending the night here behind bars for being intoxicated! My mouth was so swollen from the anesthetic, I could hardly drink out of my glass. By the time we left my head was pounding. I wasn't sure if it was from the beer or being malled all day from dentist.
We walked back to border line. Still a couple hundred people in line so we walked over to bicycle taxi line. This year they have added two new taxi's to the mix. The two new taxi's are two man taxi's verses the 6 man original. The small taxi's were powered by women, one in her 50's, the other early 20's.
When our turn came up we rode the the small taxi driven by Ruby who was 24 years old and told us her father-in-law owned the service and her husband and mother-in-law was driving the other 2 taxi's. She was such a beautiful young lady and spoke flawless English. She shared that she was born in Mexico but had lived in San Diego since she was 1 year old. She and her husband bantered back and forth, teasing each other about who was going to reach the border first. She told us they have an 18 month old daughter and they live near Yuma from January through April to help run the taxi's. It cost $5 per person to ride the taxi so I can imagine the profits are quite good. I'm also sure that the border receives a portion of these profits as the taxi's are allowed to go ahead of the cars and waiting line of people. We were delivered to the entrance of the parking lot and our entire wait was less than 30 minutes verses probably another two hours in the normal walk-thru line. Ruby said today was the busiest day of the year so far which I believed judging from how many had already cleared customs before us.
The weather today was absolutely beautiful and it was still 73 degrees by the time we got home at 7:00pm. There was no wind, for a change, and the sun was shinning bright all day. The temperature was so perfect in Las Algodones that I could have sat in the sun all day.
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