It is Thanksgiving in the USA, and while we no longer live there, we are honoring the day to be thankful for all our blessings. My dad finally got released from the hospital and is happy to be home one day before my sister and brother-in-law arrive for a 10 day visit.
However, before all of the good things like dad's release happened, we had to have just a few more instances of drama..as if we needed any more at this point. Two nights ago, I developed a fever again. Fortunately, a couple of Tylenols managed to bring my temperature back down to normal. Because of my recent infection, we decided to notify the doctors of the fever and see what course of action we should take. Urine sample and more blood were the order of the day. So, while I was in the middle of my physical therapy session, the lab technician showed up to draw blood and I did my best to provide the urine sample, despite the fact that my plumbing has not been up to par lately. Even the soumds of waterfalls does not seem to help things get flowing.
In fhe afternoon the doctor called and said I would require 5 more shots of heavy duty antibiotics. I naively thought I could wait to get the first shot in the morning. My friends picked up the shots and delivered them to the house around 7:00 pm. My husband was staying at the hospital with my father so I did not want to let him know that around the same time I developed a fever. This time, though, the fever would not go down, but rather was increasing that made me think I could end up in the hospital room next to my father. Since my friends were spending the night, I asked if they knew someone who could come to the house immediately to give me the first antibiotic shot. Sure enough, in less than 10 minutes a wonderful young man who works for the local Red Cross was here giving me a shot. In less than 20 minutes, the fever was gone and I was able to sleep.
Thursday morning, I decided to recruit my good friend and another young lady to help me get the house all cleaned up since I have not been able to do any housework for almost a month and thought it would be nice to surprise my husband with a clean house and also have the home presentable for my sister's visit.
An hour after the ladies got started with the cleaning we had a major disaster. I was in the master bed typing emails to update family, and friends when I heard a loud loud crash. I look up and my friend's
friend had just accidentally tried to walk through a big glass wimdow. Two thirds of the glass had
fallen and shattered all over the place. My friend started yelling, and I asked her to calm down as I quickly got up to assess the girl's wounds. She was sitting st the end of our bed, sheer fear written all over her face. I realized she did not have any cuts on her face, neck, or arms. She ended up only having three minor cuts on her left hand, I got the first aid kit and stuck three bandaids on the cuts and then we all three looked at each other in amazement of what had just happened. I was in complete disbelief of the odds of having this happen on top of everything else. But more importantly completely grateful Alejandra was just fine. Dad is home, the glass is getting replaced, I am on my way to getting better, my sister and her husband arrive tomorrow, and I get my antibiotic shot tonight. We do have many blessings to be thankful for, most especially the absolutely wonderful friends who supported us through this whole ordeal.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Just laugh or jump off the cliff into the nature reserve next to home!
My poor dad had his trip cancelled and the initially estimated stay at the hospital has turned into more like a one week stay. He was doing fairlh well until he was put on a restricted diet. Now he is cranky and ready to escape the joint, except he has two or three IV's hooked up to him.
I was sure my bad luck was continuing was still present and accounted for since my physical therapist was due at the house at 10:00 am, so naturally, the power goes out in the neighborhood at 9:55 am. My hubby had our cell phone so I had no way to contact Oscar, the therapist and he could not get into our gated community without calling me to open the gate remotely. One never knows how long the power outage will last. Fortunately, the power came back at 10:05 am and Oscar said he had only been waiting a few minutes. Told him to get a move on because with our luck never know what is around the corner. After he left, I went to get my swimsuit to do my hydrotherapy, since yesterday I had just stepped in the pool when it started thundering and raining..20 seconds after I was in the pool. However, Taco, my still overweight, senior Chihuahua, who is also supposed to swim 8 minutes three times a week spotted my swimsuit and made a beeline, with his bad back hind legs to umder the bed, way in the middle! Little turd. I finished my hydrotherapy and my husband had to lay on the floor to try to get Taco from umderneath the bed. Again, Taco's back legs do not work well so that was a mess too. Just your usual day at the nut house we call home.
I was sure my bad luck was continuing was still present and accounted for since my physical therapist was due at the house at 10:00 am, so naturally, the power goes out in the neighborhood at 9:55 am. My hubby had our cell phone so I had no way to contact Oscar, the therapist and he could not get into our gated community without calling me to open the gate remotely. One never knows how long the power outage will last. Fortunately, the power came back at 10:05 am and Oscar said he had only been waiting a few minutes. Told him to get a move on because with our luck never know what is around the corner. After he left, I went to get my swimsuit to do my hydrotherapy, since yesterday I had just stepped in the pool when it started thundering and raining..20 seconds after I was in the pool. However, Taco, my still overweight, senior Chihuahua, who is also supposed to swim 8 minutes three times a week spotted my swimsuit and made a beeline, with his bad back hind legs to umder the bed, way in the middle! Little turd. I finished my hydrotherapy and my husband had to lay on the floor to try to get Taco from umderneath the bed. Again, Taco's back legs do not work well so that was a mess too. Just your usual day at the nut house we call home.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
The Fun Just Continues
The bad luck just keeps coming our way. My dad is now hospitalized in the room next to the room I was in for four days. On Thursday while I was laying on my belly getting physical therapy the hubby calls from my dad's cardiologist's office to advise that my dad's EKG showed an anomaly so he was being sent home with a holter to monitor his heartbeat for 24 hours. My hubby and dad drove almost all the way home when the hospital calls and tells them to turn around and go back due to some problem with the holter, which turned out to be a "AAA" battery.
The following day the holter was returned and my dad ended up being immediately admitted to the hospital due to an arrhythmia in his heart. So now he is hospitalized, and his trip had to be cancelled.
I began to question the odds of a scorpion stinging both my husband and I and my dad and I landing as patients in the same hospital. I know God is not supposed to test you beyond what you cannot stand, but I am beginning to feel like Job in the Old Testament. I think though, that God and I will be having a serious conversation very soon.
On the positive side, I am doing much better, my dad and I did not land in the hospital and the same time and we are blessed with our "adopted daughter" and her hubby who have been a true blessing from God.
Ironically landing in the hospital for four days meant being away from being with my mother-in-law, who suffers from advanced dementia, which helped restore my patience with her. I have come home and been extra patient and attentive to her needs even when she does whacky things like pack all her belongings in a box, and carry around a towel with soap and toothpaste all day long.
Maybe the same thing will happen to my husband spending 2 or 3 days with my father in the hospital.
I truly wish I could be with my dad in the hospital 24/7 but since I cannot, I am thankful to be able to Skype with him from here.
We were advised today that he will have to remain in the hospital another 48 hours. He has extra imcentive to bust out of there since my beloved sister and her husband will be arriving here Friday. I cannot wait to see them both since she is my only sis and her hubby has a special way of bringing laughter to all of us, which is the best medicine.
The following day the holter was returned and my dad ended up being immediately admitted to the hospital due to an arrhythmia in his heart. So now he is hospitalized, and his trip had to be cancelled.
I began to question the odds of a scorpion stinging both my husband and I and my dad and I landing as patients in the same hospital. I know God is not supposed to test you beyond what you cannot stand, but I am beginning to feel like Job in the Old Testament. I think though, that God and I will be having a serious conversation very soon.
On the positive side, I am doing much better, my dad and I did not land in the hospital and the same time and we are blessed with our "adopted daughter" and her hubby who have been a true blessing from God.
Ironically landing in the hospital for four days meant being away from being with my mother-in-law, who suffers from advanced dementia, which helped restore my patience with her. I have come home and been extra patient and attentive to her needs even when she does whacky things like pack all her belongings in a box, and carry around a towel with soap and toothpaste all day long.
Maybe the same thing will happen to my husband spending 2 or 3 days with my father in the hospital.
I truly wish I could be with my dad in the hospital 24/7 but since I cannot, I am thankful to be able to Skype with him from here.
We were advised today that he will have to remain in the hospital another 48 hours. He has extra imcentive to bust out of there since my beloved sister and her husband will be arriving here Friday. I cannot wait to see them both since she is my only sis and her hubby has a special way of bringing laughter to all of us, which is the best medicine.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
The Perfect Storm
About a week ago I was feeling like a teenager after my first session of physical therapy. The lower back was not hurting and I was over over the moon about having a therapist that comes to your home instead of having to travel 3 times a week to him.
The next day though the perfect storm began to brew in our home. I had my second physical therapy session and was feeling sort of okay. That afternoon, however, I developed a fever and my back pain seem to be intensifying at a rapid pace. I went to bed and prayed things would be better in the morning.
On Saturday, I woke up feeling kind of weak and the back was hurting a bit, but tolerable. My sweet husband offered to make me an extra large watermelon smoothie for breakfast. I sucked it down and decided I was feeling well enough to go to the kitchen to prepare four different meals at once so my hubby would not have to worry about cooking for at least a couple of days. Surely, I would be better by then.
I was in the middle of peeling potatoes when I became weak and felt I was about to pass out at any minute. I headed with my cane toward the bedroom as fast as I could, but midway I felt the urge to vomit so I told the hubby to bring a bowl. Just as he turned the corner, the vomit came out like I was Linda Blair in "The Exorcist." I felt so awful about nearly showering him with the smootie he had lovingly prepared for me just an hour earlier.
A few minutes later, I felt better so back to the kitchen and we finished cooking. The family had lunch and I went to bed. Later I developed fever and decided it was time to go see Dr Candy. She said I was severly dehydrated and had a serious infection. Three hours later, after serveral medicines being administered via IV, we were on our way home. I felt a bit better, but still pretty weak.
On Sunday afternoon I developed a very high fever so the hubby decided that was enough and off to the hospital we went. I had been communicating with my orthopedic doctor via emails over the last day or two because my pain had intensified so much. Dr Mauricio said he would be at the emergency room waiting on us. We arrived and I was quickly admitted to the CIMA hospital, which in my opinion is like checking into Hampton Inn, except with great medical care.
After multiple tests I was told that indeed I had a very nasty infection, which was exacerbating my back pain. On the second day of my four day stay, an MRI was done and it indicated one of my disks was completely gone and I had a pre hernia on another disk. Doc Mauricio said the back issue could be addressed with physical therapy, hydrotherapy, losing a couple of poumds, and leading a life style that involves no heavy lifting, learning to bend with the knees, etc.
I was released Wednesday, but was banned from flying for four weeks. I was supposed to accompany my dad on a trip the following Sunday, so that trip had to be cancelled.
On Thursday, my hubby took my dad for his cardiology checkup since he was still planning to leave Sunday. I was laying on my stomach getting physical therapy when hubby calls and says "possible bad news." Really? My dad had to be sent home with a holter to monitor his heartbeat for 24 hours. Just as they were arriving into Atenas, about 35 minutes from the hospital, the hubby gets a call from the hospital that there is a problem with the holter so they have to turn around and come back to the hospital. The problem turned out to be installing a AAA battery!
On Friday, hubby and my dad head back to the hospital to leave the holter. But just as our streak of bad luck would have it, my dad had to be hospitalized for 24 hours, in the room adjacent next to the room I had just occupied earlier in the week.
So now my dad has been banned from flying for a week.
On the upside, we have had the most wonderful support from friends and neighbors. My sort of adopted daughter stayed by my side 24/7 so my hubby could be at home taking care of his mom, my father, and the doggie.
I am now home doing much better and grateful not to be in pain. I am also grateful that my dad's problem is being taken care of by a wonderful doctor.
I cannot say enough about the medical care system here. If you have private insurance like I am blessed to have, you can feel like a celebrity. The physical therapist comes to your home, as does the phlobotomist to draw blood, doctors will personally answer phone calls, and correspond with you via email.
Hopefully, our bad luck has come to an end and all will be better from this point forward.
The next day though the perfect storm began to brew in our home. I had my second physical therapy session and was feeling sort of okay. That afternoon, however, I developed a fever and my back pain seem to be intensifying at a rapid pace. I went to bed and prayed things would be better in the morning.
On Saturday, I woke up feeling kind of weak and the back was hurting a bit, but tolerable. My sweet husband offered to make me an extra large watermelon smoothie for breakfast. I sucked it down and decided I was feeling well enough to go to the kitchen to prepare four different meals at once so my hubby would not have to worry about cooking for at least a couple of days. Surely, I would be better by then.
I was in the middle of peeling potatoes when I became weak and felt I was about to pass out at any minute. I headed with my cane toward the bedroom as fast as I could, but midway I felt the urge to vomit so I told the hubby to bring a bowl. Just as he turned the corner, the vomit came out like I was Linda Blair in "The Exorcist." I felt so awful about nearly showering him with the smootie he had lovingly prepared for me just an hour earlier.
A few minutes later, I felt better so back to the kitchen and we finished cooking. The family had lunch and I went to bed. Later I developed fever and decided it was time to go see Dr Candy. She said I was severly dehydrated and had a serious infection. Three hours later, after serveral medicines being administered via IV, we were on our way home. I felt a bit better, but still pretty weak.
On Sunday afternoon I developed a very high fever so the hubby decided that was enough and off to the hospital we went. I had been communicating with my orthopedic doctor via emails over the last day or two because my pain had intensified so much. Dr Mauricio said he would be at the emergency room waiting on us. We arrived and I was quickly admitted to the CIMA hospital, which in my opinion is like checking into Hampton Inn, except with great medical care.
After multiple tests I was told that indeed I had a very nasty infection, which was exacerbating my back pain. On the second day of my four day stay, an MRI was done and it indicated one of my disks was completely gone and I had a pre hernia on another disk. Doc Mauricio said the back issue could be addressed with physical therapy, hydrotherapy, losing a couple of poumds, and leading a life style that involves no heavy lifting, learning to bend with the knees, etc.
I was released Wednesday, but was banned from flying for four weeks. I was supposed to accompany my dad on a trip the following Sunday, so that trip had to be cancelled.
On Thursday, my hubby took my dad for his cardiology checkup since he was still planning to leave Sunday. I was laying on my stomach getting physical therapy when hubby calls and says "possible bad news." Really? My dad had to be sent home with a holter to monitor his heartbeat for 24 hours. Just as they were arriving into Atenas, about 35 minutes from the hospital, the hubby gets a call from the hospital that there is a problem with the holter so they have to turn around and come back to the hospital. The problem turned out to be installing a AAA battery!
On Friday, hubby and my dad head back to the hospital to leave the holter. But just as our streak of bad luck would have it, my dad had to be hospitalized for 24 hours, in the room adjacent next to the room I had just occupied earlier in the week.
So now my dad has been banned from flying for a week.
On the upside, we have had the most wonderful support from friends and neighbors. My sort of adopted daughter stayed by my side 24/7 so my hubby could be at home taking care of his mom, my father, and the doggie.
I am now home doing much better and grateful not to be in pain. I am also grateful that my dad's problem is being taken care of by a wonderful doctor.
I cannot say enough about the medical care system here. If you have private insurance like I am blessed to have, you can feel like a celebrity. The physical therapist comes to your home, as does the phlobotomist to draw blood, doctors will personally answer phone calls, and correspond with you via email.
Hopefully, our bad luck has come to an end and all will be better from this point forward.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Gratitude
I have been in a reflective mood this week. Perhaps being down on my back in bed with lots of pain was divine intervention to encourage me to take an inventory of the many blessings in my life.
Moving to Costa Rica has been such a transformative experience for me. While our situation is far from perfect having to care for an elderly person with advanced dementia, there are still so many blessings to acknowledge. I have really learned to appreciate new friendships we have made and the generosity of our community.
For almost 20 years I worked for a government correctional institution which seemed to encourage mediocrity, or at least blantantly tolerate it. Initiative was a pretty much non existent trait in most of the employees who were more likely to be conditioned into accepting the status quo. In my naivety, I believed that with even a small group of rebels like myself, the agency could be transformed. In the end, I came to the realization that just like the Titanic, the ship could not be saved.
Now, far away from the nonsense of working for an agency that does not have to be held accountable for the lack of productive processes, I love mentoring a new young friend from Nicaragua. She absolutely has the highest values and shows so much initiative to better herself. I have always loved to cook, and love anyone who shares the passion. My new young friend is so excited to come and learn how to whip up new dishes. I could not believe she had never tasted apple pie! We decided to make mini apple pies in muffin pans and a separate apple crumb dessert. Her enthusiasm is certainly infectious and has really made it a joy to mentor her cooking skills. She has even developed a craving for spicy Mexican food, which is a favorite type of cuisine in my household. We have found it very easy to grow our own tomatillos and serrano peppers. Since our crop of tomatillos has been so successful, I am even going to try making green enchiladas next week.
I have become very close to my Nica friend, so much so, I feel like she is like is akin to an adopted daughter. Her background is one fraught with many difficult and painful events, but somehow she has managed to grow into a strong, independent, and hard working young woman. I think she feels blessed to have someone here that can be like a family member to her since all of her family is in Nicaragua struggling to overcome economic challenges. What she does not realize, is that her friendship has been transformative for me in so many ways. I have learned to be grateful in a purposeful manner for the multitude of blessings in my life.
Moving to Costa Rica has been such a transformative experience for me. While our situation is far from perfect having to care for an elderly person with advanced dementia, there are still so many blessings to acknowledge. I have really learned to appreciate new friendships we have made and the generosity of our community.
For almost 20 years I worked for a government correctional institution which seemed to encourage mediocrity, or at least blantantly tolerate it. Initiative was a pretty much non existent trait in most of the employees who were more likely to be conditioned into accepting the status quo. In my naivety, I believed that with even a small group of rebels like myself, the agency could be transformed. In the end, I came to the realization that just like the Titanic, the ship could not be saved.
Now, far away from the nonsense of working for an agency that does not have to be held accountable for the lack of productive processes, I love mentoring a new young friend from Nicaragua. She absolutely has the highest values and shows so much initiative to better herself. I have always loved to cook, and love anyone who shares the passion. My new young friend is so excited to come and learn how to whip up new dishes. I could not believe she had never tasted apple pie! We decided to make mini apple pies in muffin pans and a separate apple crumb dessert. Her enthusiasm is certainly infectious and has really made it a joy to mentor her cooking skills. She has even developed a craving for spicy Mexican food, which is a favorite type of cuisine in my household. We have found it very easy to grow our own tomatillos and serrano peppers. Since our crop of tomatillos has been so successful, I am even going to try making green enchiladas next week.
I have become very close to my Nica friend, so much so, I feel like she is like is akin to an adopted daughter. Her background is one fraught with many difficult and painful events, but somehow she has managed to grow into a strong, independent, and hard working young woman. I think she feels blessed to have someone here that can be like a family member to her since all of her family is in Nicaragua struggling to overcome economic challenges. What she does not realize, is that her friendship has been transformative for me in so many ways. I have learned to be grateful in a purposeful manner for the multitude of blessings in my life.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Get me out of bed!
Yesterday morning around 3:00 am, my hubby sprung out of bed like a jack in the box. Just as finished asking him what was wrong, I felt a sting on my right wrist. He saidm "something just stung my back." Upon examination of the sheets near our pillows, the obvious culprit was evident. There it was, tail up in the air ready to sting another victim. Yes, indeed we had both been stung by the same scorpion! What were the odds that would happen? I flung the attacker across the room and the hubby grabbed a shoe, the preferred weapon of choice around here to eliminate creepy, crawly critters.
The last four days I have been hardly able to walk due to some sort of lower back muscle or nerve issue. However, when I too felt the sting on my arm, I shot out of bed rather quickly. I have been stung before by scorpions so I knew what to expect. The hubby, on the other hand, seemed a bit freaked out by the experience. I reminded him that he had allowed our friend, Julio, to put live bees on his hand just a couple of weeks ago with sole purpose of having the bees sting him, so the scorpion thing was not even worth discussing, especially at 3:00 am! I almost wish the scorpion would have stung me on the butt instead of the wrist to see if maybe the poison might have some type of healing elements for my back pain.
Since the literal "pain in ass" was more present than ever all last night and causing me extreme pain this morning, I bit the bullet and called our doctor. She answered the phone (I am still shocked that a doctor actually answers a phone) and suggested I go to see an orthopedic doctor she recommended from the CIMA hospital.
I quickly Googled his name and found his contact information. The web page indicated he did consults on Mondays and Fridays from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. I decided to try to call him anyway, but did not have luck reaching him or his office. Since his email address was listed, I drafted an email to him. Less than 30 minuts later he responded suggesting some meds and indicated he could see me today at 12:30 pm.
The hubby dashed off to town to get the meds, which really helped alleviate the pain quickly. We then got ready to head to the big city, Escazu, a suburb of San Jose, to see Dr. Mauricio. About an hour later, I left his office feeling 100% better after receiving two shots. He had evaluated me with a series of questions and tests and suggested we try the shots and meds for five days before ordering a bunch of other tests.
I was feeling so good when we left the office that I insisted my hubby and I go indulge in a tasty hamburger at one of our favorite restaurants, Hamburgesia. The fact that. I was very hungry and feeling so much better made the lunch extra special.
I have learned that good health should never be taken for granted. Due to intensity of pain I experienced over the last 48 hours I came to realize how easy it would be to become dependent on pain killers. The other lesson is the gratitude I feel to have great access to such good doctors here in Costa Rica.
I think everyone was happy, except my dog, to see me feeling so much better. Being bed ridden for the last few days meant my overweight doggie did not have his hydrotherapy sessions. Not to worry, tomorrow we are back in the swimming pool.
The last four days I have been hardly able to walk due to some sort of lower back muscle or nerve issue. However, when I too felt the sting on my arm, I shot out of bed rather quickly. I have been stung before by scorpions so I knew what to expect. The hubby, on the other hand, seemed a bit freaked out by the experience. I reminded him that he had allowed our friend, Julio, to put live bees on his hand just a couple of weeks ago with sole purpose of having the bees sting him, so the scorpion thing was not even worth discussing, especially at 3:00 am! I almost wish the scorpion would have stung me on the butt instead of the wrist to see if maybe the poison might have some type of healing elements for my back pain.
Since the literal "pain in ass" was more present than ever all last night and causing me extreme pain this morning, I bit the bullet and called our doctor. She answered the phone (I am still shocked that a doctor actually answers a phone) and suggested I go to see an orthopedic doctor she recommended from the CIMA hospital.
I quickly Googled his name and found his contact information. The web page indicated he did consults on Mondays and Fridays from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. I decided to try to call him anyway, but did not have luck reaching him or his office. Since his email address was listed, I drafted an email to him. Less than 30 minuts later he responded suggesting some meds and indicated he could see me today at 12:30 pm.
The hubby dashed off to town to get the meds, which really helped alleviate the pain quickly. We then got ready to head to the big city, Escazu, a suburb of San Jose, to see Dr. Mauricio. About an hour later, I left his office feeling 100% better after receiving two shots. He had evaluated me with a series of questions and tests and suggested we try the shots and meds for five days before ordering a bunch of other tests.
I was feeling so good when we left the office that I insisted my hubby and I go indulge in a tasty hamburger at one of our favorite restaurants, Hamburgesia. The fact that. I was very hungry and feeling so much better made the lunch extra special.
I have learned that good health should never be taken for granted. Due to intensity of pain I experienced over the last 48 hours I came to realize how easy it would be to become dependent on pain killers. The other lesson is the gratitude I feel to have great access to such good doctors here in Costa Rica.
I think everyone was happy, except my dog, to see me feeling so much better. Being bed ridden for the last few days meant my overweight doggie did not have his hydrotherapy sessions. Not to worry, tomorrow we are back in the swimming pool.
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