Surgery in Mexico and Partial Recovery in Canada

Just as I announced earlier in September, something needed to be done urgently. Four days in a week without sleeping due to snoring is not sustainable. I could not have waited until December. I made arrangements and got approved for FMLA (for the first time ever). I flew to Monterrey, Mexico on September 26. After multiple studies I was scheduled for surgery on October 2nd (the last study, the endoscopy was done right before surgery in order to determine what was blocking my airways while I slept) I was sedated. 

Stress makes snoring worse, as I did not hear myself snore when I went home with my parents. I was still snoring while I was asleep, according to the endoscopy. Multiple surgeries were done, including some kind of thinning of my tongue, removal of the uvula, fixing a deviated septum, and God knows what else. I was sedated and went into the operating room at around 11:00 AM. I woke up after about nine hours. My throat felt just like it did when my tonsils were removed almost 35 years ago. I was given the same kind of lime ice cream as temporary nourishment. I was fed up with it pretty quickly.

I mainly drank protein shakes, ice cream, and liquid supplements for about nine days. Swallowing was awfully painful. At the beginning, I had to clear my throat and throw phlegm every time I swallowed liquids. (As of now, right before Christmas it's still happening after drinking about a cup of liquid).

I had scheduled a trip to Canada for fall break (around the 2nd week of October). While recovery has always been my number one priority, I did not want to lose any money on non-refundable hotel reservations. I was cleared to go as long as I kept my mouth shut. I flew from Dallas to Quebec:

Just as I suspected, customs and immigration officials in Quebec rightfully doubted my written claims stating that I could not talk, but that other than prescribed medicine, had nothing to declare. An officer unfolded every sock in my bag, checked every shirt and every piece of underwear. After a long conversation where I had to whisper more that I would've liked to, he finally saw that everything was adding up. He wondered why I, as a US citizen who lives in the US had to have surgery in Mexico. When I told him about the cost of doing it in the US he seemed to be convinced. He finally let me go after I wrote down that other than my throat, I was feeling fine. After checking into my hotel, I got an Uber to the church of St. Anne de Beaupre:

After visiting the church and seeing the fall colors around the church I found a McDonald's where I was able to eat a double quarter pounder for the first time, along with a sundae as dessert. I had not been able to swallow almost any solid food since my surgery. My throat was unable to withstand the texture of french fries at that time. Believe it or not, a burger was easier on my throat than a protein shake. Swallowing protein shakes, juices, ice cream or milk twice a day was painful, but I needed some nourishment. I had to limit solid foods to evenings.

This is part of what I saw during my first full day in Quebec:

On my 2nd day I took a train to Montreal. Its Museum of Fine Arts is perhaps the most beautiful museum in Canada, while the cathedral is surely the most beautiful church:

Many museums are closed on Tuesdays, which is why I took a day trip to Tremblant and Mont Tremblant:

There was not much left to see on Wednesday, but I was tired. Had I woken up earlier I might've been able to visit other churches and minor museums, but not all of them list their opening hours, so I thought it was not worth the risk spending extra money on ride shares only to find out that some of these might be closed:

On Thursday I took a train to Ottawa. I noticed that while English is spoken by the majority, all signs were bilingual. The last two pictures were taken in Gatineau, a city or suburb of Ottawa where French is spoken. Unlike Ottawa, I don't recall seeing any bilingual signs in the streets. This is part of what I saw:

I might come back once the Canadian Parliament and Library are fully restored if I find something else to do in the area. On Friday I took a combination of a train and a bus to get to Niagara Falls. In order to use my time wisely, I chose not to cross to the US border. Fall colors were barely starting, but not yet at their peak:

On Saturday there was not much left to do other than visiting some minor museums before boarding a train to Toronto in the afternoon:

Other than some churches and government buildings, there was nothing left to see as I had already been there in 2023. This time, the sugar maples were mostly at their peak, so this is what I saw on Sunday, before flying back to Dallas:

I tried to get back to work earlier, offering to do things that would not require using my voice too much (such as actually teaching). Being new to this FMLA thing I was naïve, as I did not know how this worked. And no, you can't go back until you are fully recovered. By the time my trip ended, I was able to talk in a low voice, but that was it. 

I had a full week to try and figure out what our dean of instruction and some subs taught while I was gone, as well as to get ready for a new wave unit as soon as I returned. I was supposed to go to Wisconsin to see more fall colors, the Green Bay Stadium, and some cool museums. Being overwhelmed with recent surgery, this trip, having no savings due to the unexpected cost of surgery, and being behind with my planning I decided to cancel and hopefully try to go back next year. 

Next year I should only have to make minor tweaks, and hopefully I won't have to deal with this level of pain and sleeplessness due to snoring. Keep me in your prayers, as I'll keep you in mine, perhaps even without knowing it.