As we celebrate this festive season, let’s take a moment to reflect on the importance of health and well-being. Whether in San Miguel or celebrating the holidays elsewhere, we wish you a joyful holiday filled with happiness, peace, and good health!
Updated advice about immunizations
The following is some practical advice about immunizations for those of you who did not get them while in the States.
For all readers of this newsletter and their friends and neighbors, I’d like to remind those of you who did not return to homes in the north for their usual health care, such as routine fall/winter vaccines, that you can get safely and effectively vaccinated here even if you are part of a high-risk population. (High risk includes being over 60 years old, or a child under 5, or any age with the following medical conditions: diabetes, hypertension, asthma/COPD, obesity, immunosuppression (cancer, HIV, etc.), or some other serious illness).
FLU VACCINE
The advice from the Center for Disease Control in the U.S. recommends that everyone 6 months and older should receive a flu vaccine every season, with rare exceptions. Vaccination is crucial for those who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza. The 29/24/25 quadrivalent flu vaccine is free at the public sector service clinic in La Lejona at CAISES.
CAISES, the public sector clinic in La Lejona, has the appropriate flu vaccine for high-risk populations and notes that the same vaccine is safe even for those who are not high-risk. You simply need to bring identification. It is available from 7 AM to 9:30 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Please note that if you do not remember when you last received a tetanus vaccine, it is available at CAISES and It should be administered at least every 10 years.
You may want to check to make sure there are no holiday schedule changes. Remember to bring your identification.
If you prefer, you can contact Dr. Oswaldo Garcia at +52 984 168 0448 who will come to your home for the vaccines or you can reach Dra. Leslie Flores at MAC, who also has the vaccine, but charges a higher price than Dr. Garcia. I believe her fee is $1500 pesos. Dr. Oswaldo Garcia makes house calls and can be reached at +52 984 168 0448. His fee is $900 pesos.
COVID-19 VACCINE
The new COVID-19 vaccine effective against Omicron is now available only in private sector settings in Mexico. It is the Pfizer vaccine also available in the states. He comes to your home and charges a fee. It does require careful handling and cold storage. Dr. Oswaldo Garcia has assured us that he has the appropriate equipment to ensure a cold chain. He comes to your home and charges a fee of 1,200. It does require careful handling and cold storage The following link shows the cold storage unit he is using per recommendations from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/storage-handling/resources.html
Note: If you have had COVID in the last few weeks, you should wait at least two months before seeking the new vaccine. Some sources recommend a longer time interval. It is not dangerous to get the vaccine early, but it could decrease the natural immunity you gained from having a recent COVID-19 infection. Most recent infections are of the new strain of Omicron.
New Agent for Medicaid
I would like to welcome Rick Peterson, who sells Medicare products. He is licensed in many states in the U.S. and aims to add more. I have personally interviewed him, and he is highly recommended by friends and associates.
He will be increasingly based in the San Miguel area.
He can help via phone in the states now and can assist you in finding the information vital to making good decisions about Medicaid and its associated products. If you are trying to figure out how to manage keeping insurance in the North and how and when U.S. MEDICAID is available in Mexico for emergency situations, he is a great resource. By law, he cannot contact you, but you may contact him. He can be contacted at rcpeterson1956@gmail.com and rick@bilhartzinsurance.com or at +1 (949) 677-3864
Psychedelic Therapy
The holidays can be difficult for many of us. Reasons are many: from triggers of difficult family dynamics to feelings of displacement while far from where we recently called home.
Thankfully, for those struggling with adjustments following great change, depression, or anxiety for whatever reason, the experience of altered consciousness that ketamine provides can lead to significant breakthroughs. Patients often report a sense of clarity, introspection, and a feeling of connection to something greater than themselves. This altered state can facilitate deep reflections on personal values, relationships, and the essence of existence.
The therapeutic journey with ketamine might encourage individuals to confront their fears, question their assumptions, and ultimately redefine what gives their lives meaning. As such, ketamine is not just a treatment for symptoms but can be a catalyst for profound personal transformation and insight.
In this context, the exploration of ketamine and other psychedelics, especially when coupled with therapy, helps us to reconsider our understanding of mental wellness and the pursuit of a fulfilling life. Such experiences can challenge us to embrace vulnerability and seek deeper connections with ourselves and the world around us, opening pathways to a more enriched existence. For more information, just contact us!