Life has definitely not been dull the last month. In fact, I long for a few non eventful days!
After being released from the hospital, my infection returned so I was ordered to receive a daily shot of antibiotics for five days. The second night the Red Cross doc in training came up to the house, we even managed to get a "group consult" since my brother-in-law, who was visiting from a recent stint on the beach, had ears full of sand and a sinus infection, and a couple of other friends who were visiting had ailments. The doc lined us up, assessed each one and after three of us received shots, and the other a pill, the doc was on his merry way. I wonder what the doc must of thought of the crazy gringa with all the sick guests?
On December 3rd, my husband went to the Nicaraguan border to reset his 90 day visa for driving privileges. I was unable to go because I was still suffering back pain.
As my husband and his companions arrived at the border they noticed an extraordinary large crowd of people waiting to cross. They soon discovered that a new road exit tax had been implemented just a few days earlier by the Costa Rican government that had to be paid at a certain bank. However, the nearest "certain bank" was at least an hour and a half away.
The government eventually plans to install machines at the border that will be able to accept payment for the tax, but in the meantime, the staff at the border have no way of accepting the payment.
One of my husband's friends called to tell us about the problem and suggested we send someone to San Jose to make the payment and then fax proof to the border so they could get across the border. We quickly dispatched someone to the big city to make the payment, however, before the payment was made, we received another call from the group at the border telling us that a border official, upon realizing a potential riot was about to ensue at the border, announced to everyone that the tax was being temporarily suspended!
The group managed to get home with all the passport stamps in hand and some of their sense of humor still intact. The next day, I also found out that three hours into the trip one of our friends told the friend driving the car to pull off the road immediately. Apparently, an uninvited passenger, a large scorpion had joined the group en route to Nicaragua, and was on the headrest of the sear near my husband's head! Fortunately, the scorpion was tossed out the window and aside from the near riot at the border, the trip went off without a hitch.
Since both my dad and I managed to land in the hospital and were grounded from flying, my sister and her husband rerouted their trip to visit us. We had intended to fly to Acapulco to meet my sister and her husband there for a few days. In the end, we all managed to be together and enjoy a nice Thanksgiving here in Costa Rica.
On December 9th, we celebrated our one year anniversary here in Costa Rica. While the last couple of months have been filled with challenges, we do not regret our decision to move here. We have learned to appreciate the blessings of our new lives here.
I especially have learned to appreciate my health. Being hospitalized for the first time in my life was a difficult experience, but at least the medical attention and service I received was first class.
