Still Learning After Fourteen Years

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we have and use the public health care system in Costa Rica (Caja). We also have the choice to use private health care and so we use a mix of the two as needed.

Every six months, Lance and I have routine (control) medical appointments at our assigned Ebais. These appointments include seeing a doctor, requisitions for blood work and prescription refills.

Last month (December 2024) we were due to make appointments for the bloodwork. At the same time, our Subaru was with our mechanic for some needed repairs. So we called our friend and driver Alex (506-8752-3311) to take us for groceries, etc.

On one of these trips, I asked him to stop at our Ebais so I could make the appointments. He looked at the requisitions, stopped his vehicle and talked to someone he knew who apparently said the appointments were actually to be made at our Grecia hospital (San Francisco de Asis). Alex took us there right away, navigated me to the laboratory appointment window and dealt with  everything. He came away with two appointments for us (January 20, 2025) and an empty gallon jug for me to be filled with 24 hours worth of urine before my appointment. This jug is so embarrassing because everyone knows what it is for.

Alex even WhatApp’d me yesterday to find out if we managed everything at the hospital on Monday. He is a good friend. But wait! There’s more! He has a beautiful voice and sings karaoke. On one of our drives, I was sitting in the front seat. He had karaoke lyrics up on his phone and I was serenaded! Now I have a singing barber and a singing taxi driver.

Here is a short video of Alex of him singing in his taxi:

Blood work at the hospital is done between 0600 and 0700. We were there around 0600. It is a chaotic place, lineups everywhere. I knew where the lab appointment window was so we went and stood in that lineup. As usual Costa Ricans are very helpful and one patient directed us to the correct line. Eventually we got to the receptionist window. She takes the requisitions and gives them to someone else who calls your name for the next available blood technician. 

I had three requisitions, one of which required my height and weight. My listed height was incorrect so she indicated I needed to go somewhere “down the hall” with the requisition and get measured. Had no idea where that might be. I was misdirected a couple of times but finally cornered a nice fellow who understood what was needed. Off to the nurse’s office, he put me at the front of the (long) line and the nurse measured me right away. Back to the lab waiting room, gave the receptionist the corrected requisition and stood in the area where you wait for your name to be called. At least I was able to be rid of the by then heavy gallon jug my first time at the window.

While doing this, a lovely lady in the “wait until it’s your turn” lineup spoke to me in English and said I was in the right area. I apologized for my babyish Spanish and she said her English wasn’t much better and we had a laugh. I didn’t have long to wait for my turn. Meanwhile Lance sailed through the whole process and waited for me in the hallway. All in all, it didn’t take longer than an hour.

I have an app called EDUS (https://www.issa.int/gp/197720) and today I was able to see the blood test results which I WhatsApp’d to my ortho doctor (who is in the private system) for his info. I have already heard back from him and he is comparing the results with previous tests that he ordered.