Keeping Up with the Latest News at Roatan Strine Way

My Diary: June 15, 2023

Visitors

Pam and Chuck hail from West Virginia and own a lot in our development. They plan to build a house here next year. In the meantime, they visit Roatan a couple of times a year, staying in the house right next door to their lot.

They were here in mid-May, and we met up with them one evening for sunset. Otherwise, Pam and I talk online nearly every other day. She’s probably the funniest friend I’ve ever had. Keeps me laughing!

Mike’s Heart

Our weather has been excruciatingly HOT. We can take the heat, but not without the trade winds. And the air has been still for a couple of weeks. No rain. No wind.

Very uncomfortable.

We spent so much time in the pool trying to keep cool we looked like prunes! We used the AC at night, but the heat got to be too much.

On June 3, we were having dinner when suddenly Mike’s heart rate shot up to 115–117 and refused to come back down to his normal 70s.

Then the power went out. No fans. No AC in the bedroom.

Mike sat with ice packs for a bit, and then we went into the pool. Soon after, the power came back on, and we were grateful. Turned on the AC, and Mike took a snooze.

My Log entries from the next few days:

6/4/2023 Fed & walked dogs No yardwork- Mike’s HR is still high Pool Time Made Kefir Smoothie & Breakfast Load of Laundry We turned the AC on in the bedroom and watched movies most of the day Wrote 1 Medium RSW piece Mike’s HR stayed up all day. Blood Pressure and Pulse Ox were normal We wrote Dr. Borzak a note about all this and faxed it I’m honestly feeling quite scared and alone and keep having this feeling that we should just return to the States. This is too much to handle by myself.

6/5/2023 Fed & Walked dogs Made Kefir Smoothies Went down island for groceries Saw Real D. at Eldon’s Saw Patsy & Chris R. at Herby’s Dr. Borzak replied on our way home that he is concerned Mike is in Afib and wants him to have an ECG. Appt tomorrow morning at Dr. Ramos We were tired & hot. No dinner. No sunset walk.

On June 6th, it rained 3.6″. We were SO relieved and thankful for the rain, but we were afraid to attempt the drive out of Camp Bay to see Dr. Ramos.

By this time, Mike’s heart rate had come down to the 80s and remained there. It was still a little high for him, but we weren’t as nervous about it.

6/7/2023 Fed & walked dogs Made Milk Kefir Smoothies Got ready and headed down island to Mike’s appt with Dr. Ramos for ECG No afib. Doc says it shows an enlarged heart (consistent with his known CHF) but no AFib Stopped at Eldon’s real quick Ate at Kristie’s Home. Mike faxed ECG to Dr. Borzak. He asked Mike to buy a device to transmit ECG from his iPhone and home. Mike ordered it Dinner was baked potato and vegetables Went to the beach for sunset, but the air was so still it was uncomfortable, with the noseeums biting me like crazy. Came home before sunset.

So there you have it. Apparently, this was a heat-induced incident. Dr. Ramos said he tells everyone under five and over 60 to stay inside (with AC when possible) from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Good advice.

Very scary couple of days there. The good news is Dr. Ramos told me to call any time we have concerns. If we feel like Mike needs medical attention, I am to WhatsApp his team, and they will meet us at the office. Day or night.

The EKG Monitor should be here in the next couple of weeks. That, coupled with the reassurance from Dr. Ramos, leaves both of us feeling more calm.

Another Visitor!

While at Eldon’s getting groceries, we ran into our old friend Real Desrosiers. We first met Real in 2021 while we were living at the Camp Bay Lodge. He is a Canadian who relocated to Guatemala. Over time, we’ve kept up with him through email and on his visits to the island. We knew he was to be here for three months beginning in June.

Real is 80 years old, going on 45. Seriously. I think his wife is younger than 50, so that’s about right.

Real and Claudia came to visit one Sunday. I made sourdough coffee cake. Mike made sweet tea. We sat on the front deck of the Snack Shack and chatted for quite a while. That Real can surely talk!

And then we went to the Sea to soak. And chat.

Came back to the house to soak in the pool and, yes, chatted some more.

Those of you who understand my introversion know I was nearly a zombie with all that chatting! But at the same time, it was fun and memorable.

Under our Sleep Pod, hang two kinds of swings and a hammock.

I love the hammock swing. For a long time, it was my habit to come downstairs after feeding the dogs, pull the swing way back, and jump into it. Just from that one big jump, I could keep swinging until the dogs finished eating.

Until the day it broke.

Can you believe I had not one broken bone? No bruises, either. I hit the ground on my right side. Nearly knocked the wind out of myself. My right shoulder and upper arm were sore for a week, but that’s it. I must be in really good shape, right?

No more jumping on swings for me. I examine it every time I gently lower myself into it.

We had dinner one evening at a new place called The Table.

It is nice that it is located in the East End in a community called Politilly. Much closer for us than going all the way down island. The food was good. The location was picturesque.

It was, however, quite expensive for Roatan, and for that reason, I doubt we will go back. Mike and I both feel a little put out with gringos who come to this impoverished island, start a business, and then charge first-world prices. There are many other very good restaurants owned by locals charging average Roatan prices. We would rather frequent those and leave good tips.

Clay Art

One of my dear readers talked about using “air-dry clay” in some artwork. I got curious and ordered a supply. I wanted to make “tiles” similar to what she makes and use them to mount some of my Florida shells.

We found two cool pieces of wood at the Mega Plaza, which Mike sanded and stained. They look pretty good mounted above the doors inside the Hangout. Any time I can add bits of color to the Pods is a fun time!

Driftwood Art

Also on board has been a little driftwood painting. Bizarre, I know, but these whimsical creatures add a little mystique to the place.

Crazy the things you find to do once you have time to do them, right?

I’ll leave you with some shots I kept in a folder to show you. You’ll be surprised they are beach photos, yes? This first one is Mike floating in the Sea. It is important because, forever, Mike swore he could not float. Ha!