Christmas in Colombia 2011 - First Days (Luella)

Since I needed to leave before Luis in order to make it to my first dentist appointments, I traveled alone on the fifteenth.  After days of crazy activity, prepping both the house and work responsibilities for my time away, I mentioned to Luis that I was getting pretty nervous and stressed.  He told me that we had to prepare ourselves for something to go wrong, even after all of our lists and plans.  That way when something did go wrong, we could chalk it up to something we expected and move on.  (That didn't necessarily calm my nerves.)

Wednesday, 12/15/11 - Travel day (night, mostly) started with immediate culture shock at LAX.  As we drove by the international terminal, all we could see were hordes of people with triple and quadruple high stacks of luggage on carts in lines that extended out of every door. (How my luggage can sometimes exceed the 50 lb. limit, but those huge stacks with each suitcase/duffle bag double the size of mine make it though is beyond me.) Normally Luis would have just dropped me at the curb and I would have been fine, but we parked and he came inside to see me off.  He helped me manage the lines and the language issues and got me through most of the security line before he left.  I don't think I've ever loved him more.

Made it onto the first leg of my flight and unfortunately, even after checking Seatguru and changing my seat assignment to a "better" option, I found myself in a seat just in front of the exit row - one that doesn't recline.  Five and a half hours to Costa Rica on a red eye and I had to sit straight up the whole way.  Well, I tell myself, this must be "the thing".  I'll manage through and everything will be fine after that.  All in all, other than pretty tired, I arrived in Colombia in good shape and to the smiling faces of my in-laws. 

Thursday was the first "dentist" day - 11:00am x-rays and then the work began at 1:00pm. with Dr. Ruiz (who is handling most of the dental work).  Dr. Gabriel Jaime Cadavid (our family's friend who has so generously helped to direct all of the work to be done, including arranging all of my appointments at the various doctors - himself included for the oral surgery) came by to check on me numerous times. I think it was to check with me to see how I was holding up, to check with Dr. Ruiz, to see the progress, and to see how we were communicating.  Between Dr. Ruiz's limited English and my limited Spanish-speaking ability, we actually communicated pretty well. Six hours later we called it the end of "day one" and said "hasta mañana."  Defininitely a very tough day, but Gabriel was there to take me home and I could not have felt in better or more caring hands.

Friday was my first appointment with Gabriel. He did the first of two sessions of gum surgery.  It only took about an hour and then we sat around his office catching up until Francisco came to pick me up.  Later that afternoon it was back to Dr. Ruiz for three more hours of work, plus bite adjustment.  Another grueling day of dental work, but at the end of it I had both doctors telling everyone that I was the "best patient ever" (probably because I didn't cry while they used the hammer and chisel...no joke!)  Both have been so patient, gentle and kind.  Oh yeah...if any one needs help translating instructions from their Spanish-speaking dentist, I'm your girl.

After reading through this first entry, I don't feel I have properly communicated how well I have been treated by everyone since I arrived.  For all that Luis's parents have done to make me comfortable in their home, chauffering me back and forth to appointments and making sure that communication isn't a problem, comforting me when I'm either nervous pre-appointment or in pain post-appointment; for the patient and gentle care of Dr. Ruiz during the long hours in his chair; for all that Gabriel Jaime and his wife Margara have done to not only make my new smile possible, but also make me feel like a family member, I could not be more grateful.  My mother-in-law said on Friday, "There isn't enough money to buy the kind of care you've received so far.  Where else do your doctors take such good care of you, meeting you with gifts, saying goodbye with hugs and kisses, taking you home after appointments while offering to take you to dinner and even to stay with them in their home so that they can care for you?!"  I have only one answer... here with my family in Colombia.