Will Travel for MRI

Andy has been flat on his back for six or more weeks. He considered not coming to Costa Rica, but couldn't bear the thought of not. So he braved the trip, hoping the warm weather would help. It's been a month and he is no better.
Not only did he try warm weather, he bummed multiple drugs, consulted three different doctors and loved a good dog. He has now been convinced by the last doctor, the famous Mauricio from my father's house call, that he needs to get an MRI to take the best steps to avoid permanent consequences.
That involves a six hour drive to San Jose, raising many questions: is he covered here; can his records get to the neurological and orthopedic surgeons in SJ; can our car make it?
Easy enough, just call Medicare supplemental program he bought specifically for international coverage, fax permission for his MRI to be faxed back and ask Bobbi about the car.
The day started out beautifully with our internet working!!!!! Skype even worked from our house, which meant we didn't need to go to the Beach Dog for telephone service. That was great because the wind today is wild. Saw funnels of dust traveling up and down the roads. Beach Dog is at an especially dusty intersection. So we were thrilled that Skype was working, so we could proceed from the sick bed.
Much to Andy's consternation, I made the call to the medical insurance company, pretending to be him. I've learned in the past that some government agencies need notarized permission for me to inquire on his behalf. He couldn't make the call cause he was so dopey from the medication. He has been amazingly up through all this.
Then the worm turned. His policy was no longer in force!!!! Leave that for the moment and request the transfer of his original MRI.
Called the company that did it and gave the number to FAX the release form. Went to pick it up a couple of hours later, giving everyone time to send and receive. The Frog Pad's FAX machine is not working. Might be fixed next weekend. Didn't know any other machine in town. Found a couple listed in phone book. The first didn't speak English. The second said the one in her office wasn't working, but she would check with accounting. After three disconnections and several Tico offers of help, she said the one in accounting wasn't working either. Called the MRI place and explained.
Face to face might be the best approach. Drove to Cafe de Paris, the first place, where Beverly was very helpful and spoke English. Phoned that FAX info to the MRI place, where Elise said it might not work cause it is not hard copy she's faxing, but electronic info. So she e-mailed me an attachment, which I forwarded to Beverly so she could print it out. You may be thinking, why not just use the doctor's Fax. He doesn't have one!
But now I did have the release form for Andy to sign. We did a victory cheer, five hours after we began the day. The FAXed version never did reach Cafe de Paris.
Andy realized that FAXing the medical records back would be a problem. We decided to ask the doctor for a FAX at the hospital in San Jose. He knew Dr. Mauricio had it's FAX number because he, the doctor, had tried dozens of times over Christmas to call that hospital. No human being answered! Just the FAX machine after seven rings.
Dr. Mauricio would expect that in the jungle where we are, but not in the capital city. He seems almost American in his sensibilities.
I used a little window shopping therapy to recover from the morning and ended up chatting with Noam, the clerk in a very upscale Yoga shop. We discussed the Pura Vida attitude here. It basically means don't expect anything and you won't be disappointed. I told him that I knew manana doesn't mean tomorrow. It just means not now. No hint about when it might happen.
A little description about how the appointment system works for the doctors. Ether call or drop in to schedule time in the next 24 hours. Or drop in and wait. No appointment book, just a little post-it. 8 - 5 are the hours. Very sleek, clean offices. But in both (Dr. K and the other two partners) places, the floors sport worms crawling about. Even with the maid just finishing her rounds, the worms explore, unfazed by people and visa versa.
The day was very fattening for me and a forced diet for Andy. I had to have a pastry at the Cafe. Unbelievable. Then a sandwich when I returned to FAX the release form back to the US. (Of course, that didn't work, so Beverly will try from the surf shop where she also works. If not, maybe she can scan it and e-mail it to me.) Tried calling the supplemental insurance company from the Cafe, where I bought an amazing chicken sandwich (so I could use its internet and thus Skype, which didn't work there.)
Went across to Marlin Bill's where our dear friend Angie (see photo) greeted me. Her internet and Skype were better and only cost me 2 gin and tonics and french fries. I did ascertain that the insurance company made a mistake, but I needed to get transferred to make the correction. The Skype became less effective as noisy patrons arrived and the wind picked up. I'll finish the correction in the AM and check on the MRI release form.
Now it's way past bedtime and the wind is demonstrating its power. It's a very different experience this year because we have a tin roof, with a branch of ripe lemons resting atop. Each gust rattles the tin and the lemons bounce violently on the roof. My work table is totally blown apart. But, for us, it is thrilling, not annoying as hell as it is to locals.
Pura Vida and goodnight.