The Inside Peak - Buzz Around Town

SAFETY FIRST

There’s a lot going on in Nosara, new stuff everywhere! The staff interviews will have to wait another week, my fin hit my leg and now I’m out of commission:
injured thigh

Welcome back friends! I had planned to continue with my instructor profile series this week but had an unexpected “anomaly” occur. I was surfing fun small cruising waves a week ago when I had weird accident. I caught a wave and upon standing I must have hit a slippery spot and suddenly proceeded to slide to the front of the board (both feet) at a brisk clip. I didn’t intend to hang ten at this point but found myself on the tip of my surfboard anyway. With all my weight up front, the board became unbalanced and suddenly flipped over and I was deposited right on top of the fins with great force. The impact nailed me on my lateral right thigh, and sent me to bubble land. Luckily it was a mellow day with super clear water. When I surfaced the pain was blinding, so I treaded water until it abated, and of course kept surfing. Upon exiting the water, as I strolled up the path to my vehicle I glanced down and saw the grapefruit size lump on my leg.

OUCH!

My wife diagnosed my wound as a hematoma, which required constant ice and elevation. I laid low for 4 days and followed her advice, and on day 5 thought I was healed. Therein I felt it appropriate to resume my pre-surf exercise regime of walking up and down our steep driveway swinging dumbbells. After that I decided to give surfing another go, and was stoked to find there was really no pain or restriction. Turns out I was the dumbbell. When I left the water this time the damn thing was badly swollen and black and blue. So I headed home and propped the leg up on pillows once again. My thigh was swollen and deeply bruised and the pressure of the hematoma impeded circulation to my lower leg and foot, which was turning blue. After a couple more days of no improvement the inevitable became apparent: bite the bullet and go to the hospital in Nicoya. Since we have our residency and associated social insurance there would be no cost, but no surfer I know wants to go to the doctor!

Costa Rica is known for its high standards of healthcare and all citizens are covered by the national socialized medicine system. There are also excellent private clinics and hospitals and people come from all over the world for dentistry, cosmetic surgery, etc. There are even programs called “medical tourism” where folks come down, have a facelift, and then go on tours around the country. But this costs money!

THE HOSPITAL IN NICOYA

The drive to Nicoya takes about 1.5 hours, half of it on bumpy dirt roads. Since this is a social security hospital the place is a madhouse; screaming babies, elderly folks, soccer players holding limbs, and on and on. Trying to navigate the admission process is mind boggling and it’s good to have a helper. Our Tico gardener was with me and saved the day. It took all day, but I got in.

I received excellent care and was released early the next morning. The staff was friendly, sincere, upbeat and professional. BUT there are NO amenities like we are used to in American hospitals. But I won’t go into that! You leave feeling like you were “of the people” and I like that. When we decided to move here we were looking for “a more interesting life”. Man did we ever get it!

Best thing – I will surf again!

BLACK SHEEP PUB

Many of our return alumni have had the chance to visit an original Nosara creation called the Black Sheep Pub. Located in the coastal mountains about 30 minutes from Playa Guiones, the pub is the creation of Joe and Helena Wygal originally from Boston. Joe travelled extensively throughout Europe in search of “Pub Culture”, collecting memorabilia from far and wide, and shipped it all here in a container. The pub is an amazing little working museum of sorts. They are only open for special occasions, New Years, 4th of July, St. Patty’s day, and anniversaries. They celebrated their 8th anniversary on Saturday. If you are here for any of these openings you should go!