Category: Places

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First Visit to Hospital Mexico

Hospital Mexico Entrance
It is the largest public hospital in Costa Rica and where most serious
surgeries, tests, and treatments take place; “The Mother Ship” if you please.
There’s a tall building behind this with all the rooms, etc. 

My primary hospital is Hospital Alajuela where I have been seeing a cardiologist (cardiólogo) who now wants a picture of my arteries, an angiogram. Well the only public hospital with equipment for that is the main hospital, Hospital Mexico (named that because it is located in the Barrio México or neighborhood called “Mexico”). It is a huge hospital with lots of doctors, specialists and the ability to do just about anything any hospital can do! And it is paid for by the government healthcare program! I will never have a co-pay or any bill from either on of my two government hospitals. I’m very pleased with my healthcare here and my private options should I ever need them. Just be happier when I can speak better Spanish!  🙂

TODAY – 3 April
I had an appointment to get an appointment. I had to wait and go to three different people which only took an hour which is not bad in a bureaucratic government hospital. One of those was a lady who just created a file on me at that hospital, just like I had to do at Alajuela Hospital to get started there. I’m now one of their patients.
17 April
I have an appointment there with one of their cardiologists who will review the files I have from Alajuela and see if he agrees that I need an angiogram. If so, I assume he tells one of the girls to schedule it. That is two weeks from today which is really not bad. 
Later – Maybe this year or next
I go in for an angiogram (if approved) – Actually I think it will be earlier because I’m gathering that cardiology is considered more urgent, but it could still be 2 months away. We will see.  🙂
Technically, this is my second visit to Hospital Mexico, I did go there briefly in January 2016 on the Healthcare Tour of Costa Rica – which I recommend!

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A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book

Even if the book is on my Kindle Fire!
My favorite place to read: on terrace at table or in rocking chair.

And for my friends on “Goodreads” note that they usually only show 2 books being read at a time and I almost always have more in process as my interests change, plus one is a daily devotional book which will take a year. My biggest escape right now is another re-read of another Harry Potter book, then I’ll go back to another mystery unless I find an adventure book that appeals to me. I have television only because it comes with the best price for internet which I must have. I seldom watch television. I’m mostly a “doing person” who is now “doing” things with my photography or simply making more photos! And of course the doing the essentials of life that can take a good bit of one’s time! But in my reading I think I am expanding some the types of books I read, though at my stage of life the most important is reading for fun! Which I do!  🙂 And I no longer feel guilty starting a book and not finishing it. That’s okay!  
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Roble de Sabana

Roble de Sabana
Tree across cow pasture from my house, seen from street.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Roble de Sabana
Zooming in through my trees
Atenas, Costa Rica

It is still dry season and trees that lose their leaves immediately burst out in flowers. This week it is the Roble de Sabana, which is a type of oak tree they say, but nothing like a north american oak!

Rainy season officially starts in May, so just a month away and I will be glad! I prefer the “green season.”

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New Bug in My House

Unknown Insect
Inside my house, Atenas, Costa Rica

There are thousands of species of insects in Costa Rica and I came back from Bijagua with bites from half of them!  🙂   But this one waiting on me at home was a new one for me. I swept him out. Don’t know if this is one the geckos like. But the geckos go outside some during the day, so they still may get him!

Like bugs? Check out my Costa Rica Other Insects photo gallery for all I’ve photographed here other than butterflies that get their own gallery! There are some really interesting bugs!

MEDICAL UPDATE
At Alajuela Hospital today I received a big manila envelope of reports from my cardiologist on the various tests he has done. I am to take the envelope to the Cardiology Department at Hospital Mexico in San Jose Monday morning where he wants me to get an angiogram. I am assuming that they will give me an appointment for  a time to do it if they like all the documents in my big envelope.  🙂  I’ll report back on that Monday night.   ~Charlie
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Doctor Visits

CARDIOLOGIST
Monday I had my first follow-up visit with my CAJA (government healthcare program) at Alajuela Hospital where my cardiologist did another EKG and a ultrasound of my heart. Then he personally monitored a treadmill test of my heart followed by another ultrasound he monitored. It was amazing to me that I was in and out of there in 45 minutes. He told me that the only other test he would like to have on me is an angiogram which he could not order until he consulted at least one other cardiologist there in the Alajuela Hospital because there is not much indication that I would have any blockage. He said he would call if it was approved and then I would have to go to Hospital Mexico in San Jose, which is the only one with the equipment to do an angiogram. It is the primary or main hospital for Costa Rica CAJA or government healthcare.

Well, his technician called me today y hablando sólo en Español. We both struggled through but basically I have to go back anytime tomorrow and get some “documentation” or paperwork from them in Alajuela to take to Hospital Mexico for an appointment for the angiogram. If I understood her correctly, my Mexico appointment is April 10 at 10 AM, but not clear yet if that is when I get the angiogram or, if like most things here, I may just be making an appointment for one much later. I should find out tomorrow.

This is how “single payer” or government or what Americans like to call “socialized medicine” works with priorities given to more serious things, emergencies, etc. It took two months for my first appointment with my cardiologist. No problem for me to wait for this as I don’t believe I have a serious problem. Best of all: No more cost for me now that I have a CAJA card, even if it led to the unlikely case of heart surgery.  I will keep you posted. Dr. Hernandez is basically building a file on me and my heart for any future needs and trying to be responsible for my heart. I appreciate that!

DENTIST
Today I visited my dentist who also speaks only Español and we managed fine for my annual teeth cleaning and checkup by the dentist herself and not a technician. She says once a year is fine and not the every 6 months U.S. dentists request to increase their income. She found the need for one tiny filling which I’m scheduled to get next Tuesday. And that is it for a year! And cheap! Many Americans come here for dental work to save thousands of dollars in what is sometimes called “medical tourism” or even “dental tourism.” A friend in Tennessee has come here twice for his dental work and saved a lot more than his plane ticket and hotel bill. That is for big work like bridges and caps.

Someday I will think about taking a photo at one of these places! It just hasn’t been on my mind with everything else to do like getting there and communicating!  🙂

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Celeste Mountain Lodge, Flowers, Insects

A “Catch All” post except for Rainforest Trail I’ll share tomorrow.

Each night many came early for dinner to visit & use the wifi.
In addition to this dining room there was a lounge area below, all open-air,
simple, rustic, and ecologically sound structurally.

After breakfast with friends from France, Italy, & New York City.

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Chestnut-sided Warbler with Caught Insect in Rain
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
I did not include this photo with the other birds at the lodge. 

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hibiscus
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

The real highlight was the Birds at Celeste Mountain Lodge, link to earlier post
Or you might want to see the lodge’s website for more about their services, great food, etc.

Tomorrow I share the last of my trip to Bijagua, “The Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail.”

For more photos of Costa Rica, see my gallery called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA
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Tenorio Park & Rio Celeste

Charlie Doggett crossing Rio Celeste 
I sure have a lot of “Jungle Fun” for an old man! Its why I’m here!
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 
Welcome Sign 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 
They are known for Tapirs (the image) but we saw none. 
We did see 5 Peccaries (like wild hogs), probably a family.
And photos below of 3 other animals.

Merging of the Waters 
 
2 streams merge & their minerals mix & turn the water blue. Fun!
30 meters upstream from the bridge photo above. 
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Trailhead to Waterfall I Missed 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
Strong winds had knocked some trees over trail. Closed all 3 days there.
It was interesting to learn that Bomberos (Firemen) would clean it up. 
And yes, some people went around the yellow tape anyway. Not me.
Sendero Cerrado – Trail Closed

And Every Tree is a Work of Art! 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Brown Wood Turtle 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

White-nosed Coati 

 Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Yellow-eared Toucanet 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Yes, Much of Trail was this Muddy! 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
I always take two pairs of hiking shoes & one is still drying from cleanup!
¡PURA VIDA!

You may be asking how it could be so wet when you are still in the “Dry Season.” Well, in a cloud forest like this it is always humid, misty, and sometimes raining, year-around. Maybe more so during the rainy season. Same goes for the coastal rainforests, while we in the Central Valley have two very distinct seasons. That is why the majority of the population lives in the Central Valley.

LITTLE CR EXTRAS:

History of Gallo Pinto (beans & rice in Costa Rica)

Starbucks Coffee Farm in Costa Rica

Another Reason to NOT have a Car in Costa Rica  (Besides the high cost)

Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!   (Dry Season problem around the world!)

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Cañon Negro: People & Other Wildlife

The Jacques Pellé’s
From France at my lodge and decided to join me on Cañon Negro trip
A very enjoyable couple!

 

Alex, our guide
Explaining this interesting plume plant
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Me
Thanks to the Pelé’s
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Red-eared Slider Turtle
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Green Iguana (male in mating orange)
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Spectacled Caiman
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Unknown Frog (Smilisca?)
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Red Seed of a Fruit used to Color Rice
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Dry Season Flowering Trees
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

And many other interesting trees!
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

A Big Boat for just 4 of us!
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

 

Jacques captures the river ahead – Rio Frio
Cañon Negro, Costa Rica

Obviously, Cañon Negro was a highlight of the trip! Assuming that you saw the 19 different bird photos from the last three days’ posts. Harris’s Hawk,  Cañon Negro Birds 1, and Cañon Negro Birds 2

Tomorrow I will share shots from the Tenorio Volcano National Park, the closest place to Celeste Mountain Lodge and then more from the lodge another day.

And my general Costa Rica Photo Gallery is always available!

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Today’s Bus Trip

Return trip was on a Double-Decker, air-conditioned bus, painted cool!

Going and returning we stopped about halfway at Baranca, a little village
near Puntarenas, at this super-bus-station, restaurant, stores, huge bathrooms,
for our needed potty break and snacks! 20 minutes!
Our tourist van stopped here on all the Visa Runs to Nicaragua my1st year.
And John & I stopped here on our trip to Tamarindo.

On the return trip I got off the bus in Alajuela (before San Jose) to speed up my

return to Atenas by more than an hour, maybe two! At the bus stop in Bijagua were three young adults from North Carolina on their adventure trip (2 girls & 1 guy) and I enjoyed visiting with them. They had been all over the country by bus from coast to coast for 16 days! Ahhhhhh! Youth!  Yet I probably have as much adventure as an old man, just at a much slower pace in little short trips! What a life!