This is my first blog y'all, so I hope you enjoy it! There are so many wonderful things going on here that get too long to share on the face book news feed. Hopefully, this will make it easier for those who want to follow our Costa Rican adventures.
The last two days have been eventful for us as we had our first experience with having to see a medical doctor here in Costa Rica. Here's how it all began....
In January I began having some left shoulder discomfort which I attributed to overworking of the muscles during my swim and weight room time at the YMCA in BENBROOK, Texas (we live in Fort Worth when we aren't in Costa Rica). I have seen my medical doctor and chiropractor with this issue, but mostly received trigger point manipulation, told to ice it, etc.: All the typical advice in spite of the fact that I have mentioned numerous times that the pain was sufficient to make me wonder if I was having a rotator cuff issue. The rotator cuff is a very important part of the shoulder because it is the center in the shoulder from where all the ligaments ad tendons, etc., connect and rotate. For some reason no one really thought any further diagnostics needed to be done. Once again, trusting the professionals after numerous visits, I decided that I was going to trigger point manipulate and work that shoulder out until it submitted to stop hurting!
Well, needless to say, my shoulder was not in board with this abusive treatment, and back in Costa Rica for only one week now, my shoulder showed me who's boss by going into total revolt after a vigorus work out I put it through in the pool! I could not lift my arm or move it hardly at all without excruciating pain, so off to town we went on Monday to see Dr. Jose Jimenez (Yes---that really is his name!)
Our landlord here sees him, along with the greater percentage of the populace of at least Grecia, if not the Central Valley. He has taken over his father's practice and has been a huge help to us already, beginning with our first visit here from May to the end of June when I needed to get compounded thyroid meds filled. He spent a total of an hour and a half of his time over the next 4-5 days helping us get a prescription from my USA doctor rewritten by his hand (required by the pharmacy) and faxed to the only compound pharmacy in this area, which is in San Jose. He never charged us for his time, and was in contact with us immediately from his own cell phone to make sure this matter was completed efficiently!
Naturally, we went to see him when my shoulder flared up. We spoke with the ladies who work his reception area --- only one of whom speaks a little bit of English. What happened next seems to be true to the Costa Rican lifestyle here: A lady in the waiting room close to my age, obviously a native Tica (female Costa Rican) came up to the desk speaking very fluent English, and asked if we would like her to help translate since she could tell they weren't quite understanding me fully. We were thrilled to have her do so!! Thank You Jesus!
After she related things to them for me, and his staff responded, she told us that as soon as Dr. Jose finished with the gentleman he was currently with in his office, we would be be next to see him. GREAT!
I then asked if I needed to fill out any "informacion". Their reply was, "No, no!" We spoke for a few minutes with our kind translator (whose name I am sad to say I have forgotten! It was an unusual name, but I hate that I cannot recall it!) In any case, she is from Houston, TX, but was born in Costa Rica, moved to Nicaraugua with her family, and then to the United States. She has 3 citizenships! She married and raised her family in the USA, and is now living back in Costa Rica. She and her husband maintain a home in Houston as well for now. It is not unusual to find the people here to be this kind, or to have them go the extra mile to serve you without expectation of recompense!
About that time Dr. J walked out of his office with his previous patient, and called us in before we even had a chance to have a seat in the waiting room. After he asked me several questions about the pain and discomfort I was experiencing, when it hurt, what aggravated it, when the onset began, etc., he asked me to get up on the exam table so he could manipulate it and feel the joint. It took him only a few minutes to tell me that it was indeed my rotator cuff and wanted to have an ultrasound done to determine the extent of damage and making assesment of proper treatment much more accurate. He called the Clinica Sanchez himself and made an appointment with Dr. Naranjo (like the orange), a radiologist, for the next day to perform this study. He then wrote a prescription for me for anti-inflammatory medicines and a steroid shot to be administered by a doctor at the Farmacia (say farMAcia). These two things were given to reduce the pain, swelling and inflammation going on inside the shoulder. That's when he got my name and age for the prescription. Since we had no phone he got our email address, which he found he already had from our previous correspondence with him about our stays in Costa Rica. He told us if there was any change in the appointment he would notify us right away. They did indeed move the appointment up to an earlier time the next day!
We took the bus into town and walked to the brand new facility, which I have posted the pictures of for you to see, along with some of the front office staff. Dr. Naranjo is well-spoken in the English language, though he is a Costa Rican. He said he actually took some of his radiological studies in the Dallas area, and had a very amicable conversation with Mark about his time there while he was performing the ultra-sound on my shoulder. They are not in a hurry here, so he would pause and tell us things of interest about his days in training for his career while I sat half dressed from the waist up and my arm in a very odd position! :) He examined my right shoulder as well for comparison, and when he finished, he asked that we give them about 5-10 minutes to complete the report to give to us personally. His assistant then came to the front desk with the bill for $3000 colones ($60 USA dollars) and the full report for us to hand carry to Dr. Jiminez for a treatment plan.
The Ultrasound showed NO SEVERE TEAR in the rotator, but extreme inflammation, which would repair with rest and the meds. Through my attempts to strengthen the shoulder (since none of the docs in the USA thought it was my rotator cuff) had severely traumatized it, requiring at least 2-3 weeks of rest and recuperation. Dr. Jimenez suggested a sling to make sure that I don't forget and stress it accidentally. How can one forget your in pain? Well, the steroid shot and the anti-inflammatory meds have reduced that quite a bit, so it would be easy to do, except that there is a certain position when I try to raise my arm to dress which reminds me quite well!
We left his office the first day with the Rx for the shot and meds. We went to a Farmacia he told us to go to and within a few minutes I was in the back with a female doctor, leaned over a table to get a shot in my behind. I didn't even feel it.....seriously! The doctor's visit was $50, since this was a first time evaluation as tourists, so that is the first time he charged us to see him. The meds at the Farmacia were $29 US dollars.
I had made myself a make-shift sling on Monday evening, and then tried to just rest my arm through my purse slung over my shoulder when we went to town, but that was pulling it in the wrong position making it hurt worse, and Dr. J really wanted me to have it cared for in a better way. So, after seeing him for the ultra sound results (for which by the way, we did not need an appointment. His receptionist saw us come in...told us to wait....knocked on his door and ushered us in immediately. THERE WAS NO FOLLOW UP CHARGE FOR THIS VISIT!) DR. J gave Mark instructions to do the dishes and cleaning and laundry and help me get dressed and undressed. Mark told him he would pay him extra for that advice! :)
We left there and went to a different Farmacia which was on the way to where we were planning to have lunch. The little Tica behind the counter helped me, and though she spoke no English, communicated with us very well. The only sling she had available was too small....child sized...and the strap wasn't long enough to go over my shoulder and attach. She asked us to wait, and then picked up the phone and called another Farmacia. She indicated to us that in about 5 minutes someone would bring a sling in the right size for me. She asked us to sit in a waiting area they had there. Sure enough - about 5 minutes later, or less possibly, we saw HER come hustling back into the store with the correct size sling for me. She had left the store and went and got it for me. She fit it on me to make sure it was the right size: $7 approximately US dollars. We kept telling her "Gracias Senorita" "Eres muy amables" (you are very kind) cuz we just couldn't believe this excellent customer service! I asked if I could take her picture with me in my sling that she had obtained for me with such loving care, and of course she agreed! Then she wrote down her email and asked if I would send her a copy of the picture! We sent a copy of it to Dr. J as well so he could see that I was being an obdient patient! He responded immediately to my email from his iPhone with "excelente!" :)
We have been highly impressed with the top quality and speedy care I received here in Grecia, the loving care taken by the care givers - both at Dr. J and Dr. N's offices and the Farmacia's, and the minimal cost for this type of procedure. In the USA the cost would be in the thousands, and even with Federal BC/BS we would have to have paid co-pays and deductibles on top of the nearly $500 a month we spend just to have the insurance so they can reject things they don't find "medically necessary"!
This is not how I wanted to spend the first few weeks back in Costa Rica, but it has been a pleasant learning experience, and I am happy to say that our daughter Shelbye has also suggested the use of some essential oils that reduce swelling and inflammation and help the bone heal according to the advice of a Doctor who spoke at one of Young Living's recent seminars. In fact, his son broke his leg and they applied Valor and Panaway along with Pepperment oil, and when they arrived at the Emergency Room, his leg was indeed broken, but there was no sweling or bruising! I am applying these oils in addition to the pharmaceuticals from Dr. J.
God has been gracious and kind to me as I have rubbed shoulders with all of these wonderful folks in the medical field here in Costa Rica. What a blessing to know we are in such good hands medically should the need arise!
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Adios til next time!
Gracia y pas de Costa Rica
Jeanie
