Two steps forward, one step back

Brain damage is extremely difficult to cope with especially because there aren't many standard or alternative treatments available. I am not interested in any pharmaceutical treatments so we have been trail blazing in the area of natural therapies.

When we moved into our new home here in Coatepec back in August 2008, we were fairly surprised to find there was an ozone clinic across the street. We had been regularly including ozone therapies into our lives for years so to have a clinic in front of our house was quite serendipitous. I had one ozone autohemotherapy session at the clinic. The doctor performed this by extracting a vial of my blood, bubbling it with ozone, and re-injecting it into my blood stream. I felt a positive difference after the one session: more alert, peppier, and the feeling that this just might be the way to heal my ailing brain. If a few moments of oxygen deprivation contributed to the brain damage, then it would make sense that supercharged oxygen, aka ozone, in my bloodstream would facilitate regeneration.

I couldn't continue the sessions at the clinic for a couple of reasons: 1) Cost- at around $100 per session, we couldn't afford it. 2) My hard to pick veins- it's always been really difficult to find a good vein to pick in my body. There was no way I could have regular needle pick sessions to get the ozone into my blood.

Since we already owned two ozone machines, we could create the ozone I needed but how to inject it into my bloodstream? My first thought was a PICC line but learned that they aren't practical for long-term use. Another option was the BardPort:
It's a port that is surgically installed and connected directly to a central line in the body. This eliminates the need to look for veins. In the world of western medicine, this is used by cancer patients to receive chemotherapy. In the U.S., our request to have one installed for ozone therapy would have been vehemently denied. Because the rules are more lax here, we were able to get one installed Febraury 2009. Now this accomodation of our request also had a downside. The doctor who installed it wasn't particularly knowledgeable on the subtle workings and proper maintenance of it. We were pretty much on our own which of course, led to trouble.

For about a month, all seemed fine. We were ozonating saline solution and then running an IV drip through my port. I was definitely feeling the benefits, mainly that I had more energy and less down time.
Then the port became clogged (probably with dried blood) and the first time, the doctor who installed it came by and used a needle filled with saline to push the clog on. This turned out to be a bad idea because when it clogged again, Diego used force to push the clog on only to have the catheter disconnect from the port. This was in mid-April '09. We bought another port (very expensive btw) and scheduled surgery for May 20th. What should have been a fairly simple procedure resulted in complications. Unbeknownst to us or the doctors, when the catheter disconnected from my port, it traveled through my bloodstream and ended up wrapping itself around my heart. So the surgeons spents nearly an hour and a half looking for it. Since I was left open for so long with a lot of poking & prodding, bacterial colonies entered the open wound and set up camp. With permission from Diego, the surgeons proceeded with the installation of the new port and closed me up.

We later went to Xalapa for an x-ray to find that the catheter was wrapped around my heart. We consulted with a new doctor who said that if I don't feel any symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pains, I should be ok. The catheter around my heart was the equivalent of harmless space junk, and we could deal with it when removing the new port sometime in the future.

With that behind us, I believed I was ready to begin receiving ozone IV. Diego and I realized that saline drips caused the port to clog easily so he investigated another way of getting ozone into my bloodstream. The answer was surprisingly simple and sort of obvious: inject ozone gas directly into the blood. Ozone gas will not cause an embollism like regular air will. And it worked beautifully! No more needing to sit for an hour and a half to complete the 250 cc ozonated saline drip. Just slowly inject ozone gas through a butterfly needle in the port.

We did this for about 5 months and during that time, I was not really improving. In fact, I had many terrible, brain fatigue days. We couldn't figure it out. Then in the fall of 2009, we noticed that the port area seemed infected. We began treating it with hydrogen peroxide and ozone cupping. We thought we had it under control but in December, I became really ill with fever, vomiting, loss of appetite- all signs of an infection in the blood. Apparently, the port had remained infected since the second port implant and using it transferred the infection to my blood. We stopped using the port to give me ozone IV.

I had no choice but to turn to antibiotics. I called my sister, a family doctor in Dallas, TX, and she prescribed the antibiotics. A three week antibiotic course cleared the infection from my blood, but that was only half the battle. The infection around the port still persisted rendering it unusable for the time being.

At this point, any doctor would have advised me to have the port removed. I wasn't ready to give up on it though, and I still wanted the ozone IV treatment. Fortunately, we had a secret weapon. From the ozone doctor across the street, Diego learned how to perform sub-dermal ozone injections. He was able to shoot tiny blasts of ozone under my skin aiming for and obliterating the bacterial colonies. We have been battling the infection with a combination of sub-dermal ozone injections, cupping the area with ozone, and hydrogen peroxide rubs. Six months later, we've made remarkable progress and have nearly won the war. I expect to be able to use the port soon :)

The irony of what I've gone through in the past year isn't lost on me. The very thing that was to help my brain heal (the BardPort for ozone IV) ended up setting me back, waaay back. But I soldier on!

Whoa! It's been a year....

since I last posted. A lot has happened but my condition is still the same. My body is stronger, and I am better able to deal with my brain damage. My doctor back in Austin, TX told me that it will take a long time for my body to complete the brain regeneration I need. He said to be patient and keep on. So that's what I'm doing :)

More to follow, just wanted to get started.

It ain't easy being the boss...

Along with the fact that it was nearly impossible to live off my monthly disability checks in the U.S., there was another draw to life in Mexico: affordable labor. In my current condition, there is so much I can't do for myself, and, as a headstrong, independent woman, it's tough for me to say this, but "I need a lot of help." And loving help is just what I am getting here :)

Of course, it has taken us nearly a year to build our ideal labor force. I feel like a small business owner trying to recruit the most intelligent, hard-working, & loving chicas this town has to offer. Instead of running a business for profit, though, we are running a household with the focus on my healing. My doctor sister, who runs her own medical clinic, tells me it's taken her a year and a half to assemble a stellar, reliable staff. Patience & perseverance definitely pays off.

All of the girls that started with us last year are no longer working here. We didn't have any major issues with any of them – though one did steal a yoga top from me :( It was more that as the days passed, we had a better understanding of what I, and our home, really needed from the girls that work here.

First, and most important, are an open mind and a loving attitude. On top of being American foreigners, we do things quite differently from the norm—from our diet to our alternative health practices. We need girls who can step into the flow and contribute to what we are trying to accomplish here. Feelings of love & warmth help me tremendously. Due to my limited mobility, my world is limited to life in the house, and I am extremely sensitive to the vibes of those around me. One woman who worked here had ego issues often accompanying a bad attitude. We had an open, honest talk with her about improvement, but in the end, she wasn't willing to change. It became too difficult for me to be around her so she got the axe. Another girl did a fairly good job, but she was a bit of an ice queen, just in it for the paycheck. The affection and empathy I need was missing, so we let her go as well. Firing employees is no easy thing; I teared up both times, but I knew it was the right decision for us.

Second, though the work here is not hard, a degree of intelligence is required. We need employees who pay attention, learn quickly, and pick up the daily routines. I never realized how much I actually did to run our home scene until I couldn't do it anymore. Before my disability, I worked full time, practiced yoga daily, prepared our meals, shopped for groceries, and did the housework. It sounds crazy, but I actually miss housecleaning. I peacefully accept my current condition, though. As I recently told a friend, I am getting a forced vacation on the sidelines, and the time will come soon enough when I am back out on the field workin' my butt off ;)

Last, I prefer having women around me who take care of themselves and have a pleasant physical appearance. This narrowed our search to younger women, 18-21 y/o. Most women I have met in my age group (30's) are out of shape and set in their ways. We were very fortunate to find Mirna who is 34 and is determined to improve. Aside from being a highly skilled, fantastic worker, she is open to change and enthusiastically adopted our fruitarian-based diet—giving up meat & dairy. She has lost 15 lbs. in the 4+ months she's been here, and she is always eager to learn about our natural health practices. Our other two employees are 18 y/o. Though the younger ones need more guidance and discipline, they are easier to mold and to teach new skills. And they've still got their youthful glow and pretty looks :)

Being the boss has been a grand learning experience as I have always been an employee and never an employer or manager. Luckily, managerial skills come fairly easy to me. Currently, we have 3 women working for us at different times. I manage the schedules, tabulate their weekly paycheck (we pay by the hour), and delegate the different tasks. I also focus on offering constructive criticism if a mistake is made by presenting solutions versus dwelling on the error. Because I appreciate their work and feel a genuine warmth towards the women, I like to befriend them while still maintaining my position of authority. It often feels like a tricky balancing act, but I am getting the hang of it.

With the recent hires, we have a smooth-running household now with plenty of help for me. Diego is free to shop for us at the mercado daily and to run other errands, because there is always someone here with me. Like a little kid, I can't be left alone for too long :P

I ♡ Choco

The town of Coatepec here in the interior of Mexico is quite charming and even a bit magical. Since we arrived, many things have simply fallen into place, from our lovely rental home to meeting just the right people. And most recently, Coatepec has gifted us the sweet & adorable Choco. He is a jack-chi (half jack russell terrier, half chihuahua) and he is my first pet ever!

He has always been a friendly street dog roaming our area. In mid-Feb, he started barking in the middle of the street at nights disturbing our sleep. Diego called him close one night, then made room for him to sleep in the van where he rested quietly. After a week of his sleeping in the van at night and running the streets during day, we thought, ok he's too cute, let's adopt him. Named him Choco (for my favorite sweet treat chocolate), bathed him, cleansed him of parasites, and began letting him sleep in Diego's room. This was early March. For the first couple of months, he and Diego bonded really closely. Once Choco felt safe with Diego, we focused on bonding him with me since I really needed his companionship. He resisted at first, totally attached to Diego. He was actually a lil sh*t to me in the beginning, ignoring me and growling at me. I could tell that because he had bonded with the male in the house, he felt his position was secure, and I could be snubbed. I started feeding him which helped but the turning point was a day of isolation for him after he growled at me and then having me be the one to let him back into 'the pack'. We also made a place in my room for him to sleep, and nights of sleeping with me has really bonded us. We've made great progress, and now he showers me with affection. I can't fully express how much this has helped me. Choco's pure, innocent love has touched me deeply, and I haven't had a single moment of depression or suicidal thought since we bonded. I recently read on the internet that one of the functions of a dog for the disabled is emotional support. How true!!

I have gotten really into my role as a dog owner taking the health and comfort of my Choco quite seriously. First was his diet. It was killing me to feed him commercial dog food as I drank my mango-naner smoothie. So I went to the GI2MR Raw Pets page and read a helpful post by the owner of a cute puggle (half beagle, half pug). She had just started feeding her doggie a raw diet with patties made of raw beef, raw egg, yogurt, & veggies, and her dog was thriving. Now Choco is very finicky so the first day, we thought we would transition him gradually to a raw diet. In his bowl, we put some of the commercial dog food and some raw ground beef. Well he proceeded to eat all the raw beef and turned his nose at the dog food he had been eating for months. He looked at us like, "It's about time you guys started feeding me REAL food." We returned the remainder of the commercial dog food to the store :)

So now he eats raw beef, loves chewing on meaty bones, and enjoys the occasional yogurt swirled with honey as a treat. He insists on being a total carnivore rejecting fruits & veggies. No worries Choco, more for me ;)

I swear he has gone through physical & emotional detox. The first week of his new raw diet, he seemed to be doing well then 3 days into it, he decided to fast for a day. He didn't seem ill or depressed as he was still his usual perky self. He just didn't want food. I didn't worry having just done a beneficial one day water fast myself the week before. The next day his appetite was back and he happily chomped down his raw ground beef.

Then a few days later, he got sad & depressed. He ate his meals but no perkiness. Lots of moping & napping and minimal interaction with us. The next morning he seemed to bounce back, sweetly showering me with love & affection, more so than usual, laying the Choco love syrup on thick. Then whenever I attempted to get up he would beam his chocolate brown eyes at me and snuggle closer. He used his sugary charms to keep me in bed an extra hour!

For his comfort, I picked out a new doggie bed for him. At first, he resisted his new bed making a dramatic show of how torturous it was to get in. With some coaxing, he hesitatingly got in, stretched out, and relaxed. "Oh, this is nice. What was I worried about?" thinks Choco.

He stays in his bed through the night occasionally joining me on my bed for a bit then returning to his bed. My favorite time with him is in the morning. As soon as I wake up, I call him to my bed for a morning snuggle fest. He is sooo sweet and loving- perfect start to my day :))

Where to begin??

Oh so much to share, where do I start? Ok, I'll begin with the groundbreaking treatment I am doing to heal my damaged brain. It's funny, before my current experience I never really thought about how vital a healthy brain is to everything we do, from regulating our energy levels to motor skills. Even having a slightly traumatized brain, like mine, can severely limit the physical body. I have no equilibrium so I can't walk without assistance, my hands tremor making it nearly impossible to perform coordinated tasks with my hands, and my eyes tremor giving me shaky & double vision. I also suffer spells of brain fatigue and low energy.

Enter O3 IV therapy

In early March, I had a BardPort installed to allow direct injections of ozone into my bloodstream. (Click here to read more about ozone therapy.) The damage to my brain probably occurred when I stopped breathing a couple of times in the hospital thereby depriving my brain of oxygen for many seconds. That combined with my then malnourished body resulted in my current condition. I am well nourished now on a fruitarian based, predominantly raw diet but my body needs oxygen boosts to heal. And that's exactly what I'm giving it.

We started by putting me on a once a day IV drip of 500 cc's of ozonated saline solution which lasted about an hour and a half. I did this for a month and got positive results. The ozone in my blood gave me the wind beneath my wings. I had more energy, felt stronger & sharper, and I could engage in life more actively. Unfortunately, my port had complications and failed in early April. The Mexican medical system will perform procedures with minimal questions but the quality can be sub-standard. Of course, I had no choice, no way could I get a port installed in the U.S. for ozone therapy. It's usually used for toxic pharmaceutical drug treatments like chemotherapy.

My oxygenated high lasted a couple of weeks after the treatments stopped. I then began to dip in energy and my neuro symptoms (dizziness, tremors) worsened. About a month ago, I had minor surgery to replace the old port. There were complications, and I am still recovering from that blow. The good news is that I've begun the ozone treatments with a new twist. Instead of the cumbersome process of bubbling ozone through a bag of saline to ready it for the slow drip through my port, I now inject ozone gas directly into my bloodstream. Whoa! Ozone gas does not cause an embolism as an air bubble would. It's the nitrogen in our air that is the problem while ozone simply dissolves into the blood releasing extra oxygen. For the first time in over 2 years, I felt pressure in my cerebellum area and inner ears shortly after the first treatment. These are the areas I have sustained damage and finally something is reaching it.

So I KNOW I am back on track. My path towards full recovery and healing has had plenty of obstacles but I persevere! I WILL get my miracle :D

What's up with Shayla???

I have been meaning to blog for months now but the roller coaster that is my life hasn't let up. This pic of me was taken yesterday, and I thought I'd share this glimpse of me now. Due to my utter lack of equilibrium, note how I grip the banister railings with both hands for balance & stability. Brain damage can be misleading because at first glance, I appear normal. Most who meet me have difficulty understanding the depth of my disability.

The lovely ruby red shirt was a gift from Lizard, picked out by his gf, Ashley. Gracias muchisimo!! When mercury retrograde is over (May 30th), I plan to have a more detailed post up. Really! :P

Hangin in there

A good e-friend just sent me this pic, and I gotta say that it captures me perfectly. Gracias Aimee :)) More coming soon...

¡Feliz año nuevo!

Wow! 2009 has begun, and I look forward to another year of improving my physical body. I also plan on achieving the miracle needed to heal my damaged brain. No way I am settling for less!

My sister visited this past week, and we had loads o' fun! I hadn't seen her since July and it was a tearful reunion.

Her bff, Kristal, also visited and as a yoga instructor, she helped me with different positions. It was v nice. When I do yoga, I nearly forget that my body is a disabled basket-case.

Diego and I are enjoying this quiet, sunny Saturday. The house has been swirling with bustling energy for weeks, and this down time is nice. Of course, I look forward to filling our guestroom with sweet, feminine energy again.

¡Feliz Navidad!

I love this time of year, always have. I was raised in a vegetarian Hindu household so never really had any traditional celebrations. Just time off from school/work that allowed the family to come together and enjoy the holiday cheer. We didn't exchange gifts within the family but my mom always made sure to gift our teachers every year and she helped us gift friends. I continue the tradition of gifting those around me but it's never been a stressful, overtaxing endeavor. This year, Kenya helped me by wrapping gifts for the chicas that work here, my friends, and my sister. It's been fun!

I invited both of Ana's girls over for x-mas eve. I gave them their gifts (coloring books with crayon boxes), and they loved it. We had a blast laughing, playing, and goofing around. At one point, Diego started playing his drum and the girls went giddy. Here they are with black sapote on their hands.

Ana made us lovely & delish salads. Sarah and I made guacamole dressing (fresh guac thinned down with grapefruit juice)- so yummy. All in all, it was a super sweet day.

Wishing everyone holiday cheer!!

The good times keep rollin...

A week after Sofí left, Sarah came to stay with us. She is another young traveler that Sofí met at the local waterfalls. She speaks Spanish brilliantly and is helping me improve my speaking. She is also great fun to gab with and is v interested in Astrology. I have been giving her astro lessons, which is a pleasure. And in the evenings, we've begun watching Season 1 of Sex & the City. She has never seen it, and it's way entertaining to watch again.

Last Wed., I went to my first social event here in Coatepec. The neighbors organized an evening posada (gathering) for us to get to know each other. People brought snacks & refreshments, and I enjoyed the homemade warm fruit cider. It was sooo cute, I had no sooner sat down then all the young girls (ages 5-10) at the party gathered around, anxious to meet me. In their excitement, they all started shouting their names out at once. I laughed and asked them to go one at a time. Each was a sheer delight to meet. Sarah later remarked what a total magnet I was for the kids. I have always loved kids and it warms my heart that they love me too :))

The weather has been oh so wonderful. Bright, sunny days with highs in the mid-70's & lows in the mid-50's. I am amazed that the weather is sooo nice in Dec. I LOVE it!!

This Saturday, my sister & her best friend are coming to visit for a week. I CAN'T wait!! I miss my sister terribly and it will be a blast to spend the week with her.

The Navidad festivities are in full swing around here with lights, carolers, and warm fruit cider. Did I mention? I LOVE it here! :))

Livin la vida buena :)

It's been 3 months since I last posted, and time has just flown by! Let's see...in October, I celebrated my 36th birthday, and it was a really sweet day. I started the day early with a strong workout. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and I felt sooo good that I decided to commune with the divine cactus which added a joyful sparkle to my day. A fellow expat, Jay, stopped by just to say hi. He drives a comfy, red SUV and though I love our old VW Westie, I was eyeing his car for a joy ride. I mentioned it was my bday and how fun it would be to tour the area. Jay was game, and I got to take in the beautiful sites around town for the first time. Later in the afternoon, I got a massage from Andrés whose touch always leaves me feeling stronger and energized. We ended the day with friends gathered around me & my homemade fruity chocolate pie singing happy birthday in Spanish. It was a yummy good time!!

Then in mid-November, we had our first visitor. An old friend, Jen, sent me an email in Oct. saying that her baby sister (19 y/o) would be traveling solo thru Mexico and asked if she come visit us. Of course, your sister is my sister! Sofí stayed with us for 3 weeks, and we had a fab time!! She was very caring, and it was sooo nice having another female in the house to connect with. Here she is happily smiling by the local waterfall in Coatepec.

The last few months have also been about finding labor to assist me and help our household run smoothly. The right people have fallen into place, and each is a delight to have around. We started with Olga who helped us move in and continues to work here cleaning our house 3x/week. I LOVE the fresh feeling she gives the house. Then there's Ana who I consider to be our kitchen angel. She works 6 evenings a week to prep our raw foods. She makes fresh mandarin and grapefruit juice, cuts up ripe fruits such as papayas & pineapples, and creates scrummy, artistic salads.

She also brings one of her two precious daughters with her: Casandra, 3 y/o & Cynthia, 6 y/o. I love spending time with them, and we have a blast! I bought coloring books, crayons, a sketch pad, color pencils, and a bouncy ball for fun times at casa de shayla :) Ana also comes in the mornings 3x/week to help me take a shower and tend to any girly needs I have.

Last but certainly not least is Kenya, a 19 y/o who is shiny pretty and very industrious. She is a kind of jack-of-all-trades and helps us with different projects around the house 3x/week.

Recently, a new career has found me. I started studying astrology back in '97 and it has remained a passion of mine. In Sept, the opportunity came to write astro articles for a website. I took it and even amazed myself at how solid my astro skills are. I also had my first astro client and gave her a reading thru online chat, aah the internet...

I love it here, and I am the happiest I've been in a long time. Estoy muy contenta :)

It's hasn't been easy, but definitely worth it

...life in Mexico that is. It's been over a week since I posted. What's been going on? Let's start with diet, of course! We are in the midst of the Virgo lunation, from Aug. 30th to Sept. 29th, with a full moon this Monday (Sep. 15)!

Fruitarians in Mexico

The quality, availability, and price of fruit here is a definite step up from Austin, TX. But it's nowhere near what we would like and ultimately need to thrive. We are finding the same issue here, the fruit looks good but is not sweet. We are able to get decent papayas, mangos, and bananas fairly consistently along with pretty sweet citrus. This is what a day might look like:

11 am: we split a pitcher of fresh-squeezed citrus juice (orange, mandarins, grapefruit)

2pm: naner smoothie w/papaya or mango

6pm: more citrus juice followed by a large salad w/homemade citrus tahini dressing

Jack makes the mercado rounds nearly everyday and digs for the best he can find. We have learned that most of the fruit is brought in from other parts of Mexico and the local, rich fertile soil is used to grow coffee. Some bananas are grown here. Our goal is to raise awareness of the importance of locally grown food (especially fruit) and begin a permaculture. Jack has a green thumb, lots of experience, and looks forward to growing our own food. I have already picked out the seeds we're going to get.

We are definitely unique in our raw, fruitarian diet. Everyone eats a cooked food diet, and they don't know any different. It's wonderful how accepting the people are as they don't seem to find it a bit strange that we exist on a diet of primarily fruit. Not once since we entered Mexico have we heard the dreaded question "Where do you get your protein?" NICE!!

Physical Fitness Routine

I am sooo loving my stationary recumbent bike. It is kickin & workin my booty! The first time, all I could crank out was a 10 min ride. Within a week, I had worked my way up to a 40 min trek which left my lower gluts sore the next day:) I have since settled into a routine of 20 or 30 min rides per day using the various workout programs. All this to phat electronic house beats! Feels exhilarating!!

I continue to bounce on my trusty rebounder for 15-20 min at a time. Keeps the lymph system pumping and works the knots out of my back. I can do the whole session on my own now. Jack used to have to come and bounce me. Now, if my legs get tired, I do other movements like marching before resuming a steady bounce again.

At times, I follow the bike ride with upper body weight work. Bicep curls, triceps, shoulder presses, etc. I started with 2 lbs the first week, and am now up to 3 lbs. Building muscle and strength is empowering. BFBM! Burn Fat, Build Muscle!

One of the last things my physical therapist, Paul, mentioned as a key to getting fit is stretching. I have been incorporating yoga whenever I can in both seated & floor postures. We will soon begin looking for a local yoga instructor to give me private lessons en mi casa. I have been fortunate to find an excellent massage therapist, Andre, who came over to give me a therapeutic massage with lots of stretching. It was awesome, and I truly felt like walking when he was done.

Social Life

In many regards, we are still pretty isolated. Patience, we know that it takes time to meet people and create friendships. Our sweetest interactions have been with the ones we've hired to help us. There's Hector, the handyman, who worked with Jack to transform our house into a home. He's macho, funny, sensitive, and sweet- great fun to have around! Then, there's Olga who works at Posada San Jeronimo (our home in Coatepec for the first two weeks) and moonlights here in the afternoons 3x a week. She helped us with our move in and has been a delightful presence leaving our fruit cut and home sparkly clean. 

Hector introduced us to his 26 yr old daughter, Miriam, who needed some healing energy for a persistent sore throat. She hung out with us for a day eating fruit and salad, treating with ozone, and enjoying my music. We had a good time, and I was able to practice my Spanish quite a bit. 

Acquisition of Stuff

We brought everything we could in a van load. I knew the difficulty of getting specific goods before coming here, but it's still been a challenge. Gone are the days of needing an item, ordering from Amazon, and having it delivered within days. Jack has made a few trips to Xalapa to get us some necessities, but the prices are high with limited selection. We American consumers have been spoiled. There may be a trip back to the States soon to get stuff ;) 

Considering we have been in Coatepec for 40 days now, we are doing remarkably well. We secured a nice house, sufficiently furnished it, hooked into good produce sources, and found reliable help. Time in grade is what we need in this town to begin progress. I can't forget that underneath it all is the REAL reason we came here: To set up a space where I can strengthen my body and HEAL. I know I have a greater purpose to serve, and I want to recover and get on with it. 

Striking Beauty

With the moon in Libra today, I thought to share my simple beauty routine:

Eating a fruitarian 811rv diet. Low fat, salt, and spices leave my skin clear and glowing, without the need for any makeup.
Regular nude sunbathing. Nothing like being sun-kissed all over :)
Wash my face daily with warm water then gently rub in 3% H2O2. Oxygen is a superb cleanser & encourages regeneration. This has helped smooth out the acne scars & soften blemishes from my cooked days.
Coconut butter- a luxurious oil that is a real treat. I swirl a tiny bit into my thick, wavy hair after washing. I use on my skin as needed or when I feel indulgent. It's the only oil that I let my dark Mexican male masseur use.
Liquid gold- my urine. It's full of urea, and the skin just LOVES it. And because my diet is clean & rich in vitamins/minerals, my urine is lovely. My skin just laps it up and gets a rich hue when I apply it. (Did you know that the female body makes mother's milk from urine?)

It's nice to receive a daily gift of beauty naturally with minimal effort and inexpensively :))

I'm a Libran (with 4 planets in Libra), and beauty has always played a vital role en mi vida.

Satyam, Shivaram, Sundaram

Truth is God, God is Beauty

Truth is Beauty

Settling in...

Our first Sunday at the new home has been delightful! We awoke refreshed after a good night's sleep. The morning sun hits our back patio, and I laid out under the energizing rays for a bit. Then I hit the rebounder for about 20 min. This was followed by an invigorating shower in my cute new bathroom. For breakfast, Jack made us fresh squeezed tangerine juice. Sooo good!

He left for the daily mercado run while I chatted up my mom and sis. I am like a little kid when he returns, all excited to see what goodies he got. This is the veg bounty he brought home:

Locally grown lettuce so fresh that the roots are still attached, plump baby cukes, carrots, avocados, ruby red bell, and ripe tomatoes. We are going to have a hoppin salad tonight!

I am now drinking a banana-date-mango smoothie. So rich & satisfying. Our fruitarian lifestyle most def got a much needed boost here. 

**HOME SWEET HOME**

With this image of the papaya tree (boasting its first fruit) planted by the previous awesome tenants, I say hello to our new home in Coatepec :)

Exhausted after a day of moving, I had an excellent night of sleep last night. It is so peaceful, so tranquilo out here. Welcome change from sleeping in a hotel room facing a busy street in town.

Jack made us fresh squeezed o.j. this morning with his super citrus juicer. It was the best we have had yet. Sweet, pulpy- fab meal! We split a cherimoya before heading into town to continue our hunt for furniture. We have our basics (beds and a couch set) but we still need more. 

Later in the afternoon, Jack, with a tuff yet lovely girl we hired to help with our transition, left for Xalapa. We have a long list of need now items: glasses, plates, bed sheets, etc. With him gone, I am kickin' it with my fave hip-hop (he's not a fan). We configured two sets of speakers to AirTunes and it sounds wicked in here! The acoustics are incredible thanks to the non carpet floors and spacious front area of the house. I promise pics once we have fully unpacked and settled in.

Aaah, dinner was just delivered. The restaurant called La Papa, next door to our hotel, made us scrummy salads. Now that we have moved, they deliver- $7 for two salads!! So far, not missin the U.S. ;)

Toured the town today!

Today is Sunday and with Jack's encouragement, I got on my scooter and we enjoyed the town together. He has been walking around all week so he knew the places to take me.

We went to the central park of town, and it was filled with families enjoying the surroundings, playing, and eating.

We went to the fruit mercado where I tried a NEW fruit. It looked like a small, round golden cherry and had a distinct tropical fruity flavor. We didn't buy any today but will go back for some- more details in a future post. The new fruit experience didn't end there! We tried a soursop (guanábana).

It's a member of the cherimoya family and v delish! The ladies at our hotel prepared it the traditional way for us- deseeded and blended with water for a creamy, frothy drink!

We visited a lane of quaint shops with artwork and my favorite, clothes! Didn't buy anything today but a dress from the vanilla town of Papantla caught my eye :) We stopped for a bit and each drank 2 glasses of fresh squeezed o.j.

I LOVE it here! The transition hasn't been easy but we are making strides in the right direction. After a week of hunting, we found a lovely house with a salmon colored exterior to rent. Three bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths- perfect for our needs. We move in on the 21st, I am v excited!! 

We will be busy furniture shopping the next few days. There is a nice offering of rustic, colonial style furniture to choose from. Fun, fun!!

Acclimation to our new surroundings

We have been in Coatepec for a week now and with some ups & downs, are adjusting at a pretty good pace. These are the elements we are dealing with:

Weather

Coming from 100°+ temps in TX, the weather here has been absolute joy. The days have been sunny and breezy with highs in the 80's and 60's at night. We LOVE it!!! I especially like the no AC atmosphere. I have always had a strong aversion to the unnatural cold of the AC and kept my thermostat at 82°. If the temps in TX ever dipped below 90°, I would open all the windows and enjoy the flow of fresh air. Here, it's like that nearly all the time. The winters don't get too cold either with low temps in the 40's - 50's.

Higher Altitude (4100 ft)

The concentration of oxygen at sea level is about 21% and the barometric pressure averages 760 mmHg. As altitude increases, the concentration remains the same but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. This one has kicked our butts. Jack and I both felt winded, lightheaded, and had daily headaches for the past week. The reduced O2 intake also exacerbated my neuro symptoms especially the dizziness. Given time, the body can adapt to the decrease in oxygen molecules at a specific altitude. This process is known as acclimatization and generally takes 1-3 days. We are slowly acclimating and starting to feel better. 

Language 

I first learned Spanish when I was 12 and lived in Mexico. I studied Spanish in high school and

spent a month taking Spanish lessons in Guatemala during my post-college travels. I catch about 65% of what is said and need to practice my speaking. Jack also took Spanish in high school and spent years in Mexico in the late 90's. We get on fairly well and are going to make a concerted effort effort to improve our Spanish skills. 

Culture

Two words sum up the people here: Calor humano (human warmth). There is a genuine show of affection and thoughtfulness shared. I truly feel at home amongst the kind people. On the flipside, patience is key when dealing with them. Efficiency is not a strong suit here and though a job usually gets done, it often takes longer than we're used to.  Tranquilo....

Food

It took Jack a few days to connect with the local mercados and figure out who to buy from. But once he did, we have been eating so well. Papayas, mangos, pineapples, tangerines, and creamy baby naners have filled our days. We end the day with delicious red & gold bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado on a bed of lettuce.

Getting around

Coatepec is so beautiful, allow me to share some pics from the Flickr photostream of quetzalcalli.

Taxis are the best way to get around town, and the drivers have all been super helpful in walking me in and out of the cabs. As a a really nice expat said to me, "For disability standards, the Mexican buildings, streets, and sidewalks may not be up to code, but the people surpass the standards with their helpfulness." I couldn't agree more!

It's Sunday and the streets are quiet, not crowded with cars as they usually are. Jack thinks Sundays are likely to be the best day for me to explore the town on my little scooter. Should be fun!

Fruitarian Lifestyle Challenges

I LUV living the fruitarian lifestyle.

Fruit is colorful, vibrant, delicious, and the cleanest burning fuel available for human consumption. Eating a diet of primarily fruit does have its difficulties. One of the burning reasons we left the States is that it became increasingly tough to find a consistent supply of sweet fruit. Except for bananas which we pretty much lived off of, but even they are shipped in from thousands of miles away.

Finding fruit definitely got easier when we entered Mexico. Now that we are settling in, the game is on. This morning, Jack bought us mangos, a large papaya, and plump baby naners. All had a delectable flavor but needed a few more days to ripen to peak sweetness. And, baby, peak sweetness is where it's at! The key is to buy enough fruits in advance to have it ripe and sweet at every meal. This is easier once you get to know your local markets, get a sense of what to buy, and when to begin the storing & ripening process. Very intuitive. Sounds like a lot of work cuz it is :) 

We are still learning about the fruits in town and how long we need to ripen. We are dealing with cooler temps here than TX so it's a longer time curve than we're used to. The streets are lined with taquerias and sandwich shops. It would be so easy to go in one and be fed, no worrying about ripeness or sweetness. But honestly we don't want to. So we have eaten a bit skimpily the last day or so. Jack just got back from talking to the owner of the fruit market down the street and we may be in better shape in a day or so.

No doubt, eating this way often presents challenges. But the benefits are SOOO worth it! 

¡Viva la fruta!

We're here!!!

Five long, arduous days of travel and we have finally made it to Coatepec!! Posada San Jeronimo will be our temporary home. It is a charming and beautiful place with a warm and friendly staff. Here is a pic of the view outside our room.

 V  lovely. Well, I am knackered. Gotta get some rest.