Anyone know what this vine is? Mimi saw it in Cancun and took a picture for me. It's gorgeous, I'd love to know what it is.

So, again we didn't leave for Merida.

I have to confess, I've been sick for what seems like weeks. After the e-coli or whatever that was, I was starting to feel better but still not eating much when I had some kind of stomach attack. I don't know if it was my gall bladder or gas like I have never experienced. It was in the area of my gall bladder, it was incredibly painful. It lasted all of one night and the area was sore to the touch for days afterwards. I was throwing up, mostly from the pain I think. I took pain pills and all kinds of stomach pills and eventually, it faded.

Ok, that kind of spooked me and I was really cautious about eating for a few days after that. Then I started feeling like I had a bladder infection starting. That's when I really started pushing to go to Merida so I could see my doctor. We had committments though and couldn't have left until today.

The bladder pain got worse daily, I was drinking liters and liters of water and it helped a little. Not much room for food. This morning I had one more trip to Playa I had to make and we could leave. The cramps got really bad after I got up and within an hour I couldn't stand up straight or keep from making a lot of moaning sounds. So, I started taking the numb it pills that I hadn't wanted to take. I peed orange so they got there but the cramps and pain didn't let up.

Finally, I couldn't take it and we called the Roving Doctor again. He said I could come in and get a urine test and find out what the bacteria is in one day but he also said that no matter what it is the drug is going to be Cipro again. The thought of trying to ride in the car to Playa was too much. Mimi went and got me the Cipro. Of course, now that I'm on antibiotics, a test won't show anything.

Basically, I have eaten very little in weeks and I have spent most of my time laying in bed with the computer. I had some fairly good days and I've been out and about a little but it just feels like I've been sick since we got to Akumal. I keep worrying that they are all connected and I know I really need to get to my doctor and lay it all out for her and get some tests done. First though, I have to get back to Merida.

Yesterday, when we tried to light the refrigerator in the RV it wouldn't light. Mimi sprayed it and messed with it in vain. But, happily, today it lit. Things are looking up. Either the orange pee or the Cipro are taking effect and I can stand up straight and the cramps are gone. I still have that last errand I need to run in Playa but I'm going to try and do that in the morning so we can leave.

Since I'm laying all this health stuff out there for the internets, I should also say that when we were in Merida I went to the lung doctor and got the diagnosis that I expected but hoped wasn't true. I have stage 2 COPD as a result of almost 50 years of smoking. It could very easily have been much worse, like stage 3 or 4 or lung cancer. It's incurable and the best result is that you slow the advance and keep what you've got working as long as possible. Which, could be a long time. I'm not saying I'm on a time table here. One of the main things I need to do is lose weight and get in better shape. I'm sure I've made a start on the weight these last few weeks so that parts good.

OK, confession is done. Give me some Hail Mary's and I'm out of here. Don't expect this to become a woe is me medical blog, this is as HDR* as I intend to get. If you don't know what HDR is then you are not a child of the 60's. On the other hand, if you do know what it is - dude, you're old!