We are in Panama City, and have been for a couple of weeks now. In that time, I have visited two doctors and a dentist. The doctors were seen because my elbow swelled up with a sac of fluid on it, and I went to a GP who referred me to an orthopedist. The orthopedist told me I could have it drained, but it was likely to go away by itself. Having no desire to be cut on, and experiencing no pain whatsoever, I elected to wait and see, and lo and behold it IS going away, just like he said it would. Total cost for both appointments: $110.00. Then I got a REALLY bad toothache and had to see a dentist. He ended up removing an old filling (probably the oldest one I still have that hasn't turned into a root canal ), got rid of some decay, and refilled the tooth. He also fixed this denture I have that never fit right. All of that for a whopping $60.00. And all three offices were clean, there was no waiting time, and the equipment is exactly the same as that used by my doctors and dentists in the US. Since I left the US almost three years ago, I have seen doctors in Mexico and dentists in El Salvador, and now both here. I have had no problems with getting affordable, good care down here.
Our replacement water pump has traveled many miles to get here. It was "returned to sender"' no less than two separate times, for reasons only UPS can fathom. I can't even blame it on international shipping issues, because it never even makes it to the address of our shipper in Miami. Two packages were originally sent, both to the exact same address. One made it without a hitch, and the other has been traveling from San Diego to Florida (once making it as far as Fort Lauderdale before it was turned back) since early September. It finally arrived in Miami, and our shipper has promised to deliver tomorrow. I sure hope so, but I now have no faith and will not believe it until I see it
The day before yesterday I finally cooked the jack cravalle the way I learned in El Salvador, from our friend and landlord Santos's mother. Although I have eaten hers several times and found it delicious, and followed her around like a tail for an entire morning taking notes on the process, I had not yet made it myself. I was worried I would not be able to turn that awful tasting fish into something good. Well, the recipe is accurate and the dish was delicious. Absolutely delicious. I am going to make empanadas out of it, and those will be to die for.
We have to eat up as much of our frozen food as we can, because Mike needs to fix the fridge. He spent a small fortune and bought some equipment just for that purpose. It is the sort of thing we may \not need to use often, but if he can fix the fridge ourselves, it makes us that much more self sufficient. Besides, it is hard to find someone to work on these boat fridges, and when you do find someone, it is very expensive. And other people need help periodically, and Mike could pick up some extra change if he wanted to. But I know him and he would fix stuff for free. He has already determined the fridge has a leak, and knows approximately where it is, and I believe he will fix it. Once that is done, and the water maker is back up to snuff, we will go back to the islands and then off to Costa Rica. Or at least that is the plan so far.
Otherwise, we have been simply getting things done, visiting medical personnel, and just kind of winding up our stay here in Panama. I am looking forward to seeing a new place, but I really like it here and feel like I could stay here happily. So who knows? No pressure, no schedule.
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
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