Dear Sir,
What is your peace of mind worth? Would you like to go to Guadalajara with severe chest pains with a taxi driver as your only companion? What do you think of having severe injuries from an auto accident and waiting for an ambulance to arrive … from Guadalajara? Or where do you go with a scorpion bite in the middle of the night?
Triage is a vital step in medical treatment. A doctor determines whether you need Tums or your heart arteries reamed out. Imagine being rushed expensively to Guadalajara only to discover you had heartburn.
Ex-pats living here at Lakeside often sign up immediately for IMSS, being carefully responsible that they are covered for a major medical emergency like surgery or expensive medications. But the Red Cross, in their minds, is simply an easy way to shop at Costco or Sam’s or experience a great barbecue or golf tournament until a broken ankle, wrist, or arm sends them to the Red Cross clinic.
But part of a medical emergency is knowing that you really have one, and, if so, getting you rapidly into the hands of the appropriate specialist. We have been taking all that for granted, perhaps thinking we will pay for the service should the need arise. But Red Cross IS the gatekeeper to Guadalajara’s array of top notch specialists and keeping that service available 24 hours a day is expensive.
All the people who have tried to staff their own ambulances and clinics locally know the true cost of a first class emergency medical facility. Doctors’ offices who tried it either sold or donated their ambulances in frustration and defeat.
You may say, “Oh, the Mexicans are the primary users of Red Cross.” And that is true. But many of us work tirelessly as volunteers to help the Mexicans with many of their other needs like education or art. Why would we begrudge medical care?
We have become complacent. We feel safe because of the Herculean efforts of the Cruz Roja Board of Directors and and their cadre of merry Cruz Roja International Volunteers. They will take care of us. Tickets are being sold; therefore the service exists. Do you really think your peace of mind is worth only the profits on a couple of raffle tickets a year? And if Red Cross ever does cross our minds, it is only to wonder whether we will win the raffle money or maybe remember the fun we had at their last fundraiser.
Our budgets grimly remind us that the world is in economic crisis. But let’s make sure we don’t ignore regular support of the only realistic access we have to emergency medical care here at Lakeside. Forego a couple of meals out, the doughnuts, or golf games and give the Red Cross a regular donation. I suggest peace of mind is worth $100 US quarterly to start.
You can call one of these Cruz Roja Consejo members to make donations or visit the Red Cross table at the Lake Chapala Society. They will even provide you with receipts for tax purposes – Charlie Klestadt cell 331-445-2136 or 766-3671, Lori Burnworth 766-0460 or Norm Pifer 766-0616.
Donna Mansfield