Random Notes from Nicaragua
Two-and-a-half years here and not a peep out of me on this blog, or virtually anywhere else! I've got lots of excuses but no real reasons. I'll just say that my time here has been bookended by, first, a knock-down, dragout, nearly two-year long fight for residency - something that caught me completely by surprise, given my support, dating to the '70s,for the Sandinistas. It got to the point of a lawsuit that reached the docket of the Supreme Court when, finally, a politically brokered settlement got me the equivalent of a green card.
The other bookend came in the form of health issues. One morning in May, as I got out of bed, I felt a searing flash of intense pain in my lower back. When I walked (which was a good while after falling back in bed) my legs hurt, in the area of the hamstring. But it went away for a while. My usual response to various aches and pains over the years - ignore it till goes away - seemed to be working.
Until the problem refused to go away. The pain came and went - with it coming more and more often, and not going away very soon. It was getting harder and harder to walk. Soon, it became impossible, without the support of a wall, handrail, light pole or friendly shoulder.
So I got a cane, and went to a doctor. A sonogram of my lower back and abdominal area showed arthritis at the lower end of my spine. There was a potential kidney stone building up. And my liver was showing some wear and tear. Then there was (for the first time) high blood pressure - hypertension stage one.
I take my meds (which are decreasing), exercise and watch what I eat. In the house I don't need the cane, but outside I still carry a rolled-up umbrella - the streets and what pass for sidewalks here are in awful shape. Two weeks ago the doctor pronounced my blood pressure as "perfect"
Alcohol is prohibido, of course. I quit it in late May (even before going to a doctor I knew it wasn't doing me any good); and funny, it's no big deal. No cravings, no sweats or shakes (if you had been drinking like I was for the last year and a half, you'd be surprised, too). If it weren't for the more than occasional back and leg pain I feel better (excuse the cliche) than ever. I now know what "alcoholic fog" means. Hell, I thought I was coming down with Alzheimers!
The doctor says I should be fine in another month. He even says I could go back to drinking! That will be an interesting decision on my part, won't it?
The other bookend came in the form of health issues. One morning in May, as I got out of bed, I felt a searing flash of intense pain in my lower back. When I walked (which was a good while after falling back in bed) my legs hurt, in the area of the hamstring. But it went away for a while. My usual response to various aches and pains over the years - ignore it till goes away - seemed to be working.
Until the problem refused to go away. The pain came and went - with it coming more and more often, and not going away very soon. It was getting harder and harder to walk. Soon, it became impossible, without the support of a wall, handrail, light pole or friendly shoulder.
So I got a cane, and went to a doctor. A sonogram of my lower back and abdominal area showed arthritis at the lower end of my spine. There was a potential kidney stone building up. And my liver was showing some wear and tear. Then there was (for the first time) high blood pressure - hypertension stage one.
I take my meds (which are decreasing), exercise and watch what I eat. In the house I don't need the cane, but outside I still carry a rolled-up umbrella - the streets and what pass for sidewalks here are in awful shape. Two weeks ago the doctor pronounced my blood pressure as "perfect"
Alcohol is prohibido, of course. I quit it in late May (even before going to a doctor I knew it wasn't doing me any good); and funny, it's no big deal. No cravings, no sweats or shakes (if you had been drinking like I was for the last year and a half, you'd be surprised, too). If it weren't for the more than occasional back and leg pain I feel better (excuse the cliche) than ever. I now know what "alcoholic fog" means. Hell, I thought I was coming down with Alzheimers!
The doctor says I should be fine in another month. He even says I could go back to drinking! That will be an interesting decision on my part, won't it?