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Yes, Tsunami was the first thing that came to my mind on the first hours of Friday the 13th of April.  I was almost asleep around 12pm on thursday night.  Not partying as I would like to think of, but breastfeeding Annika, who's feeding schedule is very predictable.  I had just closed my eyes when I felt a violent movement on my bed.  I woke up and realized everything was moving.  We were on the 8th floor of the Emporium Hotel and lights were off for most of the hotel.  It was indeed an EARTHQUAKE. The worst was that just a week ago there were some news about a tsunami somewhere in India (I think) anyway, my mind went directly to the Tsunami….How long before we can see the big wave coming? are we safer up here on the 8th floor? or should we go down. How should we take the sleeping kids down the stairs?  Jesus, all these questions were on my mind when, all of a sudden another earthquake came.  

We were all awake except the kids and we started taking turns to look at the sea to see if there were any signs of a shrinkage of water at the beach.  Looking back I think if it had been a Tsunami there would be not enough time for anything, specially with a baby and two kids.  I honestly wanted to leave Acapulco straight away.  I almost booked us on the next flight to Mexico city, but didn't do it at the end.  The next morning when we came downstairs we saw a lot of people camping at the lobby, many kids slept at the lobby and when we saw the news we realized that many people in fact left their hotel rooms.  While on our floor we were all out talking to each other, deciding what to do.

The following night we experienced yet another earthquake, but this time a lot weaker.  Nothing happened, thank god, but the feeling that you are very unsafe and that there is not much you can do about it is not good.

 

 

Acapulco was one of those trips to remember.  Just imagine, we traveled on the last day of the biggest vacation season. To one of the most popular places in Mexico.  People actually save all year to take this week off with their family.  It was so hot you couldn't even breath fresh air.  And the beach was so crowded that Hakan said he had a hard time reaching the water on the beach.  Of course we stayed at a hotel in the middle of Acapulco, and all beaches are public, so needless to say everyone was there. Families with the grandmas and great grandmas. And the aunts, and the cousins and the dogs, etc. etc….

Anyway we got to see all the typical mexicans.  And at night everyone dress up as if it was the Oscar's Gala Evening event.  Oh yes, the mexicans like to dress up and we don't waste the opportunity to show off. Acapulco a place where the Nacos blend with the ones who like to appear as very wealthy.

Anyway, it was fun and our adventures in this city where as usual difficult to forget.  

One afternoon we went to the Mall "La Isla" to see the Dolphin Show, it was surprisingly nice.  The Aquarium is quite small, but is well done, clean and nice.  The show is almost around sunset, so it's not too hot and you can actually sit and enjoy.  Plus you get to touch a ray and a shark, obviously with supervision and after washing your hands so that you don't infect the animals with bacteria etc.  I was more interested in the Dolphin show than anything.  It was the first time Daniel was going to see a Dolphin and I thought he would be scared, which he was in the beginning, but he loosened up afterwards and enjoyed the show.  What is it about Dolphins that they just make you smile and want to swim with them?   

Another day we went to XEL-HA which is great for kids.  We took the all inclusive option and we were surprised by the good food they had.  I had a delicious ceviche.  We all took turns to do things.  Me and my mom took Daniel up in the train to the top of the river.  First of all it wasn't a train it was a bus  that looked like a train, but all the same since Daniel was more than happy to hop on it and ride 10 times.  My mom and me were planning to swim down together, but we didn't know what to do with Annika, since she had just fallen asleep.  Hakan took Dani and my mom took Annika, so we parted ways, my mom took my clothes and shoes, I went to get myself the snorkel equipment, but "Surprise" when I got there I realized that I needed a deposit, so I ran to get my mom.  She walks so fast that I had spent so long on line that by the time I saw her it was already almost at the beginning of the river.  So I took a bike and went back up. I swam on my own down the river.  Thank god I took a life jacket, since I got lost and ended up I don't know where. I tried walking instead to the meeting place, and was told by a lifeguard that it was easier to swim.  So after 10 min of walking barefoot in a trail that demanded shoes , I realized they were right.  So I jumped on the water again. I was about to cramp, I didn't really take my time to enjoy the trip, I just wanted to get back because I knew it was time for Annika to eat or at least to drink some liquid.  Its amazing the thoughts a mother has when in a bit of trouble. jaja, I didn't think it was going to take this long for me to get there, and I was still swimming not just floating.

We finally made it to Cancun, we stayed at this small hotel on the Nichupte Lagoon.  It was far away from the crowds, in the beginning I thought it wasn't such a good idea since I love the beach so much, but when we were there I thought it was perfect.  Not too many people and everything was very close, we could go in and out of the suite quite fast, and we could even watch Dani from the stairs.  Early in the mornings we went to scout beaches, because otherwise it was too hot to be on the beach.  My mom of course came with us.  It wouldn't be a vacation in Mexico without my mom.  Yes, I know I'm very close to her, but honestly I go to Mexico to visit my family to spend as much time as possible with them.  And I think that the most important thing of all is for my children to know that they have a great fun family waiting for them no matter what.  We may get angry sometimes or have some secrets, but at the end of the day we are family and my mom's family is just too much fun to be around.  

Hopefully next year I get to do one of those legendary camping trips with them.  And believe me those are real adventures, not just getting on the plane and waiting for it to land….. I hope my mom writes a memory book, I think it would be a best seller.  But anyway we settled for the going to a normal hotel, I'm traveling with someone that gets upset even if the fly flies the wrong way.  Because its too much traffic, or too much sun, or its because he has no peace and quite for a change.  Whatever is going on is a reason to be upset, slam doors, through strollers around and scream the f.. word.  So believe me when I say this, if it wasn't for my mom's presence I think I would have died after 10 days.  On this trip it was my turn and Hakan's turn to get sick.  We got stomach sick and I didn't eat for about 2 days, while Hakan's stomach was bad only 1 day.  But we recovered, we even tried to play tennis one day…. Oh god that was HOT!!  and very windy, so it wasn't that much fun.  First of all we had to jump through the fence to play, not the best way to start your day jajaja, still it was fine. 

 

I must say that our trip didn't start as good as I thought it would. First of all, our flight got cancelled because of bad weather in NY.  So we left 3 days later.  On the night before our travel, Daniel got diarreah and Annika did too.  So we spent most of the time walking back and forth to the restroom in the back of the plane.  If that wasn't enough, Annika's ear broke, and I don't know if it was because of it or the fact that she was awake for 6 hours straight, but right before we boarded the plane to Mexico she threw the worse fit so far.  She screamed like she has never done before.  And you should know that as other people put it, she has a good pair of lungs!

Anyway, we finally made it to Mexico and it was great to finally make it there.  Although we had to go to the doctor the next day with Annika.  God bless the health system in Mexico.  Sometimes it's nice to be able to go to the best doctor in town, a specialist in whatever you want, whenever you want.  Of course you have to pay for it too… 80 dls per visit.  But when it comes to health, whatever money spent is well worth it. Although I most say that coming from a country where you don't pay anything for the doctors visits for the kids…. well 80 bucks feels a bit stiff.
Daniel was indeed having fun at home in the garden.  He teared down my mom's garden more than once.  He played with the hose, I don't for how long and how many times.  It was fun to see.
Annika in the pool at hotelWe spent 3 days in Mexico city before we went to Cancun.  

La pienso contar una última vez y después guardarla para no alimentarla más.  Pero para aquellos que no la sabían.  Esta historia empezó cuando decidí tener hijos. Dejé de tomar pastillas y "voila" me embarazé al mes…. "Joder, de haber sido que iba a ser tan rápido hubiera parrandeado una última vez, jaja".  Cuando vi la respuesta en la prueba no lo podía creer??? lágrimas corrían por mis mejillas y les puedo decir que no eran necesariamente de alegría como suelen ser de una mujer al recibir esta noticia. A caso no lo había planeado bien?? no sé, pero el destino decidió que no era el momento pues un mes despues durante un check up me dijeron que no se habían logrado los niños…????????, efectivamente venían dos y no se habían logrado. No sé si fue por el golpe que me dí en la bici hacía tres semanas al caerme, o talvez fue el hecho de que una semana antes le dieron a Hakan la opción de regresar a Suecia por su trabajo.  Y yo no quería por nada vivir en Suecia, para mí era solo recordar el peor tiempo de mi vida y solo de pensarlo se me revolvía el estómago.  Pero no teníamos muchas opciones pues el trabajo de H desaparecería en NY y no sabíamos que iba a hacer.  Y con el embarazo, yo no podía buscar trabajo en esos momentos. Pues no tuvimos otra opción que aceptar el puesto en Suecia. En fin, al día siguiente del diagnóstico se efectuo el legrado y me tomó 3 semanas o algo así para recuperarme.  Aunque el plan de Suecia siguió en pie,  todo fue tan rápido, en Noviembre se nos dijo lo de Suecia y para Enero ya teníamos que estar en Estocolmo. Para Diciembre ya casi había olvidado todo sobre el asunto del legrado, lo único que faltaba era que dejara de sangrar, y así se lo comenté a mi mamá una noche por teléfono. Mi mamá me mandó a colgar y a hablar inmediatamente al doctor para comentarle que todavía sangraba.  Mi mamá había estado a punto de desangrarse cuando era jóven, cuando yo tenía solo uno o dos meses, y tenía miedo de una complicación.  Yo no estaba en lo mas mínimo preocupada, pero hablé al doctor.  El me citó en la sala de emergencias inmediatamente. Cuando me dijo eso, entonces fue cuando estuve a punto de desmayarme.  Esperé a que H regresara del gimnasio y muy mareada y blanca me fui al hospital.  Despues de pruebas y demás me mandaron de vuelta a  mi casa, pero al día siguiente me intervinieron de nuevo.  Algo había ido mal con el legrado y por eso no dejaba de sangrar. A partir de ese momento mi vida cambio radicalmente.  Yo no dejé de pensar que estuve muy cerca de morir y ni siquiera lo sabía. Empezaron lo que meses despues supe que eran "Ataques de ansiedad". (yo pensé que esto pasaba solo en películas de ciencia ficción).  Terminé en el médico varias veces.  Chequé hasta mi corazón pues tuve los síntomas de un paro cardiaco. Y mi doctor me sugirió unas vacaciones.  Asi es de que en Enero en lugar de irme con H a Suecia me fui a México.  En México fue horrible pues me dieron los ataques peor. No podía respirar y me sentía terrible, solo quería estar cerca de un hospital. Entre el miedo y demás un amigo me invitó a Colima… me dijo, paso por tí y tu mami mañana a las 9am.  A las 9 no pasó nada asi es de que me desesperé y me bajé a la agencia de viajes con maleta en mano.  Pedí subirme al siguiente vuelo a una playa en México y esta fue "Huatulco".  Así es como terminé en Huatulco, a decir verdad en el avión me había arrepentido porque tenía mucho miedo a no llegar a algún hospital en caso de necesitarlo. Nos quedamos en el centro de Huatulco, pero yo no quería ni salir a caminar del miedo.  Mi madre que me conoce tan bien, lo notó y me dijo… Oye, tu en algún momento me comentaste de una playa desierta cerca de aqui.  Ella se refería a "San Agustinillo", una playa a la cual solo me habian comentado pero no la conocía. Asi es de que literalmente me obligó a ir hasta allí.  Me mantuvo sin comunicación y sin un hospital a la vuelta de la esquina, para que me diera cuenta de que no pasaba nada.  Yo me sentí mejor por un par de días pero en cuanto regresé a la civilización las cosas empeoraron.  Emprendí mi camino a Suecia una semana despues y fui a que me checaran otra vez el corazón en NY y otras cosas.  Llegué a Suecia con una depresión asquerosa y ataques de pánico y ansiedad al por mayor. Contínuamente sentía que algo me oprimía el pecho.  3 meses despues me diagnosticaron con los ataques de pánico y me dí cuenta que todo era mental.  asi es de que me obligué a salir de casa (con telefono en mano) a correr.  Pero ni siquiera eso me ayudaba.  El ginecólogo me dijo que era el resultado de un desbalance hormonal y que le diera 6 meses y si seguía asi entonces tendría que buscar a un psicólogo.  Me metí a meditar con un grupo llamado Brahma Kumaris.  Y hasta me animé a hacer un viaje sola.   Fui a Berlin a visitar a una amiga.  Pasé por Londrés, donde me quede a a hacer un retiro de meditación.  Consistía en un fin de semana en silencio, guao!!!! 

A mi regreso las cosas mejoraron y un mes depues me embarazé otra vez.  Pero esta vez, sí lo esperaba ansiosamente, las hormonas se balanceaban otra vez y las cosas mejoraron.  Aunque la mitad del embarazo me la pasé rezando porque todo saliera bien (día y noche), y los ataques no pararon sino hasta 4 meses despues de dar a luz.

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