A few months ago, I decided in order to lower my monthly living expenses, I was going to have to move. I do want to stay in the Puerto Vallarta/Bucerias area for sure. As much as living in Mexico is indeed at a much lower cost than the US and especially Los Angeles, where my family lives, it continues to rise year over year. Rents continue to go up, ridiculously so. Rents in nice areas, and in nice developments with pools, security, gated entrances and etc. are expensive. Too pricey for locals, for sure.

So I started my search months ago. and before traveling to Los Angeles in May, I had already found a new place to live. Although my friends are in Bucerias, as well as the Children’s Shelter where I teach English, I had to make the tough financial decision. I found a very small apartment in Puerto Vallarta. I never imagined I would be able to find a cheaper apartment in PV rather than Bucerías. But I did, in an apartment complex that is only a year old and very nice and modern. I need an elevator and parking, and that is not always easy to find.

My expenses, with my frequent travel to Los Angeles these last couple of years, along with my parent’s health care has hit my savings hard. So I needed to budget better, and lowering my biggest monthly expense (rent) was a good place to start. It is the smallest apartment I have ever lived in, 52 square meters (560 square feet). It’s a one bedroom, one and a half bathroom, which is surprising. There’s a small sofa bed, a kitchen table, queen size bed and washer and dryer. Only one closet in the bedroom ,but it is quite large actually. There is a small balcony with a small storage closet where I can store a few things, that won’t get damaged from the sun, heat and dust. To be honest, I never use the balcony. Mostly due to the heat, but also the view is awful and the dust is terrible.

In hindsight, I probably fell in love with some things about this apartment, and overlooked others. I don’t know that I will renew my lease next June. I’m on a busy boulevard and it is very dusty, as I live next door to some sort of junk yard. The boulevard floods in the rainy season, which is a few months a year. Getting in and out of the complex is difficult with the daily traffic going past.

It is closer to everything, that’s for sure. So the overall location is quite good. It’s about a 30-45 minute drive back to Bucerias where I used to live, and I tend to go out there on weekends to visit friends, when the traffic is not so bad. I have not been able to meet any neighbors, as my floor seems to be vacant still or vacationing visitors. And friendly neighbors are no where to be found.

So for now, I’m happy here, but I’m convinced I can find a nicer place in a better location. And, perhaps save more money. So, next Spring I will begin looking… again! As you all know by now, I’ve become a professional mover. I don’t love it, but I’m good at it. My buddy, Eduardo, who is a volunteer at Petco with me at the pet adoptions, has become a good friend. And we were able to move everything in my car over several trips. One trip included a friend’s SUV vehicle where we loaded my two pieces of furniture. Everything else was boxes, as I always rent a fully furnished apartment. And it all fit in my car, again, over several trips over several days. I was moved into my new place and fully unpacked by the end of June.

Now, on to another topic. I fell (again!) in April, while out walking in my neighborhood in Bucerias. I really banged up my left knee pretty badly, but I was able to walk just fine. When in church, I can’t kneel very well, without feeling a lot of pain. But the worst of it was on my right wrist. I broke my fall with both my wrists and I ended up tearing a ligament in my right wrist. Initially, I just worked through it, thinking it was just a sprain. I was using some pain gel, pills and a wrist brace. But in May I really was having a hard time with it and started physical therapy in a center very close to my home in Bucerias. I was going 2-3 times a week.

The Doctor at the physical therapy center ordered an MRI, so I got that done, and that’s when we learned it was a tear. He recommended a specialized treatment after a month or so of physical therapy. In June, after some research and conversation and consultation with the Doctor, I decided to go ahead with it. I think this treatment is still experimental in the US. It’s called Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP). Here’s what Google has to say about it:

PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) treatment uses a concentration of a patient’s own platelets, derived from their blood, to accelerate healing in injured tissues like tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joints, by injecting these growth-factor-rich platelets to stimulate repair and regeneration. The process involves drawing blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to separate and concentrate the platelets, and then injecting this PRP into the target area to promote natural healing, reduce pain, and improve function.

The treatment includes drawing 6 vials of blood which are then spun into 3 vials of platelets. I would go to the nearby hospital to have this done, early in the morning (7:30am) then driving down to the Doctor’s office (very close by) with the 3 vials myself to have him give me the injection. Using a portable ultrasound on his laptop, he is guided to inject all 3 vials into my wrist. Yes, it hurts and does swell up a bit. I had to have a total of three treatments done (every 10 days). I had two in June, and one in early July.

After three months, I return for an ultrasound, to see how I have healed. Since I am writing this in December 2025, I can tell you that my follow-up visit in September went well. I had almost no pain and good use of my wrist. The Doctor was pleased with my progress and scheduled me for a 6 month follow up, at which time we repeat the treatment another 3 times! It isn’t as expensive as it might be in the USA, and so far it has helped. So I will continue with the treatments. Stay tuned!