Costa Rica - San Jose, Jaco, and La Isla Tortuga

As mentioned in my previous post, Costa Rica is WILD--not wild as in crazy but wild because of its rich biodiversity.  It's estimated that Costa Rica is home to nearly 500,000 plant and animal species, which means although this tiny country is only 0.03 percent of our planet's landmass, it sustains about 5% of our planet's total wildlife.  

When looking at a map, we can see that Costa Rica, part of Central America, sits at the center of an isthmus, which joins the continents of North and South America.  This part of the world is super diverse because the isthmus has served as a natural migration route for thousands of species between these two continents.  The country boasts 10,000+ types of plants, 900+ types of birds, 9.000+ types of butterflies, 500+ mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, and 300,000+ insects!

After landing in Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, and going through customs, we took a shuttle to the Eurocar rental office.  Immediately, we felt like we flew into a different universe. The roads, cars, streets, traffic, and street signs looked vaguely familiar but with a strange twist. The roads were narrower and bumpier, the drivers were more aggressive, and the stores, particularly the supermarkets, were tiny. At the rental car place, I almost got stuck in the bathroom because the handle was loose and the door sealed itself shut with all the dampness and humidity.  (Oh no! Am I really going to begin this trip by needing someone to break down the door? I thought. My anxiety was already running high because we were in another country where everyone spoke broken English, and I hadn't practiced Spanish in years.)

Without hesitation, I let Lew take over the driving. While the rules of the road were basically the same, driving in the city required a certain confidence--one that I lacked. It was clear that the only way we were going to pull out of the parking lot was if we cut someone off, and that's exactly what Lew did, swerving unapologetically between lanes to first get to a market and then to the highway.  Lewie's first impression of Costa Rica was the market. He followed me into the stuffy building only to discover that the entire store consisted of four narrow aisles, mostly filled with canned goods.  "Do they have chocolate milk?" he asked. There was water, juice, soda, and more soda--no chocolate milk. We left with a few water bottles, a bag of chips, and a generic package of cookies.

After the market stop, our destination was our hotel, Docelunas, in the city of Jaco.  We had to load Waze onto our phones and hope for the best. We were told that while its directions were pretty reliable, the timing was another story.  What "should" take an hour and a half, for example, could easily take two or more hours because of traffic conditions, disabled cars, or accidents. Since most roads and highways were two-lane roads (often without shoulders or breakdown lanes), traffic could easily come to a stop and did.  (In fact, one time we encountered an accident that took up the entire highway. The police officer directed everyone to drive down into a field and follow a little cow path before connecting to the main road again. I cringed at the thought that our rental vehicle might suffer a flat or get damaged while driving into a ditch. At the same time, the large tour bus in front of us looked like it might tip over sideways as it drove down the embankment. I said a silent prayer to myself and closed my eyes. Thankfully, we emerged from the rocky farm field unscathed.)

Hubby took the entire drive to Jaco while I tried to avoid being a backseat driver. I kept looking at my old-school map for reference because I wanted to make sure Waze was directing us to the right location.  What if there was another Docelunas, and it took us to the wrong one?  All travel sites forewarned us that we would want to avoid driving anywhere in Costa Rica after dusk, so getting to the hotel during the day was essential.

As predicted, the hour-forty-minute drive took about an hour longer. Still, we arrived at Hotel Docelunas in plenty of time to get checked in.  The hotel was gated with a tall fence surrounding the entire property.  Once we presented our hotel reservations, we were warmly welcomed and given the keys to our room.  I LOVED this hotel.  It had several long, two-story, motel-like buildings with a beautiful garden-like courtyard.  It also boasted a beautiful pool next to our room, which never got busy. In fact, during our three-night stay, I only saw about five people use it the entire time. My husband and I went out there several times. During the day, we were enchanted by all the beautiful birds, plants (like banana trees), and squirrel monkeys (who, I think, were throwing coconuts down at us).  At night, we had a big frog that came to greet us by the pool waterfall.  He somehow knew not to jump into the pool, but he nonetheless, rested by the poolside as if he were on vacation, too. It truly felt like it was our own hidden oasis.

The hotel's restaurant served delicious American cuisine while we sat on their outdoor patio. There, we were charmed by one of the owner's dogs, Coqui, who pranced over to us each day with her sweet brown eyes. She was such a well-mannered dog, knowing not to beg, jump, or bother any of the guests unless called.  Seeing her run around the courtyard and play all day helped fill the void in my heart, for I was starting to miss our own pup, Bruce, who we left at home.

While staying at Docelunas, we drove to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio one day and then took a boat trip to La Isla Tortuga the next.  When traveling to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, we drove through a darling beach town called Quepos, which had quaint restaurants, art galleries, and souvenier shops in a village-like setting. I marveled at its cuteness, and while we only had time to explore the National Park, I'm glad we did get a chance to have lunch at one of its restaurants. (If I ever go back to Costa Rica, Quepos would be on my list!)

At Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, our guide provided a 1.5 hour tour, stopping along the way to show us any interesting wildlife. It seemed like each time we took a step, there was something new for him to show us. We saw two different types of sloths, three different monkeys (white faced monkeys, howler monkeys, and squirrel monkeys), a Toucan, a Jesus Christ Lizard, several bats, a snake, and a spider. We even saw some white-tailed deer like the ones from home--proof that Costa Rica is a place where animals of North America and South America merge so that animals like deer and iguanas coexist. I LOVED this park and could have easily spent the whole day meandering on its main trail and many side trails.

Can you see the snake eye?

This is a spiny fruit that's called a "monkey comb." Monkeys
actually use it to groom one another.

A sloth...The picture is taken from a telescope.

Fun fact: The cafeteria in the park is surrounded by a fence to keep the white-faced monkeys out. 
They are aggressive and will take food right out of your hand or backpack.

The following day, a tour company picked us up at our hotel, so we could go to la Isla Tortuga (Turtle Island). They dropped us off at a swanky beach club and then had us board a boat for a full day of sightseeing, snorkeling, lunch, and swimming. Since Costa Rica is hot and steamy, the boat ride provided a cool reprieve. We sat under a canopy and let the wind hit our faces, all while getting a chance to see dolphins, birds, and cool rock formations. Our guide knew a lot about wildlife, but he also shared interesting historical facts about Costa Rica. For example, the country used to be the number one exporter of coffee in Central America. Now, their economy relies on three main industries: 1) Toursism, 2) Cosmetic Surgery, and 3) Coffee. 

The guide fed us watermelon and pineapple and then helped us get into our masks and flippers for an hour of snorkeling (before arriving to Turtle Island). It was Lewie's first snorkeling experience, and although he wasn't crazy about the flippers, he did enjoy seeing all the beautifully colored fish.  We all swam around a rock formation while the guide spread breadcrumbs to lure the fish up close. I had trouble with my mask continually fogging up and filling up with water until the last ten minutes--UGH! Still, I did enjoy seeing the fish and was secretly hoping to see turtles--there weren't any in that location.

When we arrived on the island, the boat driver and tour guide brought us to a rustic pavilion to eat lunch.  There were beautiful views from every angle--beach, forest, trees, and rocky outcrops.  Rummaging in the forest behind us were deer, wild boars, and iguanas--what a mix!  After lunch, the two Lews relaxed on the beach a bit. Meanwhile, I explored the cute gift shop, which also held the pass to the island bathrooms.  

By the time we were done on the beach, we were tired and grateful we didn't have to drive back that day. We watched the views from the boat and then the van, mostly in silence until we were dropped off again at Docelunas. It was the perfect excursion offering just enough adventure, education, and relaxation rolled up into one.

Costa Rica - Pura Vida!

Early during the school year, we learned that Lewie's high school was planning a trip to Costa Rica. The timing couldn't have been better as I was already intrigued by this country thanks to watching the 2023 season of The Golden Bachelor. (Yes, I do enjoy a good reality TV show every now and then.)

After attending a few school meetings about the trip, I was hooked! The tour company promised rainforest hikes, horseback riding, ziplining, and so many other unique experiences. Even more, family members would be welcome to attend, too!  I started reading through the materials, getting more and more excited by the minute until I realized I just couldn't make our finances work. By mid-December, I was positive we didn't have enough money for all three of us (Lewie, Daddy Lew, and me) to go, and Lewie was not interested in going alone. I was almost ready to throw in the towel, but then I started planning our own trip. Once I started booking our own plane flights, hotels, and rental car, I saved nearly $2,000! Sure, we would have to do all the driving, dining, and sightseeing ourselves, but I was up for the challenge!

After buying a Costa Rica travel book, reading lots of blog posts, and visiting numerous Costa Rica websites, I carefully planned our trip for the "dry season" during Lewie's April vacation--April 14th through the 21st. We would fly into San Jose, pick up a rental car from the airport, and spend the first three nights in Jaco (on the coast) at a hotel called Doce Lunas and then the other four nights in La Fortuna (near the Arenal Volcano) at a resort called Los Lagos. Similar to the school tour, I booked activities like rainforest hikes and ziplining, but I also tailored day excursions to our likes as well, which included snorkeling, bike riding, and river tubing. 

On paper, our trip looked like the perfect vacation with just the right balance of adventure and relaxation. AND if we were twenty-something, it would have been!  Unfortunately, when booking our trip, I didn't take into account certain limitations, such as my husband's bad knee, my incredible fear of heights, or our lack of experience when it comes to things like snorkeling, biking, and ziplining. Thus, while we still gave them all the good old college try, we often struggled, sometimes pulling muscles and other times flat-out injuring ourselves. 

In the next few posts, I want to highlight our experiences--first in the Central Pacific of the country and then in the tourist area called la Fortuna and Monteverde. Am I happy we went?  YES! Visiting Costa Rica was magnificent with its rainforests, wildlife, waterfalls, volcanoes, food, and culture. However, would I have enjoyed myself more on a tour--probably--for traveling in an unknown country and especially driving in unknown terrain induced anxiety--the type that stayed with me throughout the trip. I'd like to think my twenty-year-old self would have embraced the adventure more, but then again, I have always been a worrier and so that I did--worry about the road conditions, the rental car, getting lost, having enough gas, finding a place to eat, missing our plane, and the list went on an on.  Still, I did find some moments of peace and enjoyment. I look forward to sharing them next!

An Update on My Teen's Spontaneous Pneumothorax (Spontaneous Lung Collapse)

Five weeks ago, I didn't know what a Spontaneous Pneumothorax was, let alone how to pronounce it. Today, the disorder has become part of our everyday conversations, especially with doctors, teachers, family, and friends. Nevertheless, we are in the home stretch. After Monday of next week, we will only need to focus on one thing: Lewie's full recovery.

After Lewie's hospital stay, we needed to visit Yale twice more. The first visit was a checkup. Lewie's surgeon examined the site of the chest tube incision and let us know it was healing well. He told us Lewie's pain would last 3 to 6 weeks, but the healing itself would take 6 months or more. The good news was that he was safe to resume physical activity as soon as he felt better.  

Eating at one of our favorite restaurants after Lewie's first checkup.For both hospital visits,
hubby and I decided to take Lewie together--there's no one more important than him.

The second visit, which took place this past Thursday, was to check his heart. At first, I thought it was a mistake. Aren't they supposed to check his lungs? The doctors explained that sometimes spontaneous lung collapse is associated with a disorder called Marfan Syndrome. If Lewie had it, he could potentially have other life-threatening concerns primarily related to his heart. They did an ultrasound and then questioned us about Lewie's health. In the end, while he did have some characteristics of Marfan Syndrome (scoliosis/flat feet), he didn't have the other telltale signs such as poor vision, joint pain, disproportionately long arms, legs, and fingers, or heart problems. The ultrasound concluded that Lewie's heart is healthy--whew! (Fun fact: Some geneticists and historians think President Abraham Lincoln may have had Marfan Syndrome, but it's hard to know since the disorder wasn't named or characterized until 30 years after Lincoln's assassination.)

Lewie celebrating his last hospital visit with some warm chocolate lava cake.

During the latter part of May (May 20th, to be exact), the focus was on Lewie returning to school. Would he do half days or full days? Would he have to complete missed assignments or have them excused? Would he have to take finals? I had hoped the poor kid wouldn't have to worry about finals. After all, the last lessons he had in school were before his April vacation. The outcome was mixed--on the one hand, Lewie would be excused from any tests, assignments, or projects he missed. On the other hand, he would still be expected to take finals and advocate for himself when he encountered test questions on material that wasn't familiar. Some of his teachers were wonderful as they provided tests with questions crossed out. Other teachers expected him to "try" the whole test even when he hadn't learned the material. "Neurotic mom" came out and ended up advocating for him. We're still waiting to see final test results as we speak with some being fair and others that were, in my mind, unfair and needed adjusting. 

Since returning home, Lewie's general routine has changed as well. He couldn't play tennis, go on walks, or bounce on our trampoline. Even riding in a car was difficult for him as he complained that his left side hurt every time we went over a small bump. (For this reason, my mom and I took turns bringing him back and forth to school since the bus ride was too much.) 

Lewie was sad about missing tennis, especially spending time with the new friends he made on the team. He wanted to stay after school a few times to watch them play, but his pain got the best of him. During those first few weeks of returning to school, he would be holding his side and utterly exhausted by the end of the day. It was so hard to watch him like this when, only a short month earlier, he seemed to be the healthiest kid we knew!

This week, I think, might be our turning point. Lewie is finally feeling less pain and in much better spirits. He only has two more finals to go (this Monday). He was able to spend some time with his friends outside of school, and on Wednesday, he was invited to attend the banquet for the men's and women's tennis teams. Everyone had a good laugh when his coach made a comparison chart between the men and women. He included "Collapsed Lung" as a category, and of course, the men earned a checkmark over the women. Lewie was so happy to be invited to the banquet, even though he had to sit out for the last half of the season. He laughed at the joke right along with everyone else, which may have provided the closure and healing he needed.

As I sit here right now, I am ready to begin a new chapter. Lewie's freshmen year of high school had both good and bad moments. The positive is that he made lots of friends and got involved in two activities I never expected--skiing and tennis. The challenging parts were getting through tough classes like Spanish, Biology, and Geometry, which only became harder after his spontaneous lung collapse. After Monday, we don't have to look back. Lewie will be able to spend the summer giving his body the rest it needs, and we can start planning some fun, long-awaited activities with family and friends. I can hardly wait!

A Mother's Day to Treasure (Now that My Son is Home from the Hospital)

Where do I begin? I thought my next blog post was going to be about Costa Rica. (We went from April 14 - April 21.)  The trip, which included activities like hiking, snorkeling, rafting, bike riding, and ziplining, was fun but exhausting, and each of us (including my fifteen-year-old son) arrived home feeling like we had just run a marathon. Our flight arrived in Hartford early Monday morning, so I told Lewie he could use the day to sleep in instead of going to school. (I still had to go to work.)

We all arrived home a little banged up. I had a few minor bruises from rafting, Lew's knees were swollen (he had to use a wheelchair at the airport), and Lewie had an injury from bike riding (he took a header) and felt sore from ziplining. On Monday, Lewie's arms, back, and shoulders continued to hurt, and he said he felt some type of 'pop' in his chest.

As the week progressed, Lewie's soreness was getting worse instead of better. By Wednesday night, he said his chest hurt, and it was hard to breathe. Being the great parents we are, we told Lewie to stop exaggerating. "Lewie, you probably pulled a muscle," I told him repeatedly. "Doctors can't do anything for pulled muscles." My husband, too, kidded him--"Toughen up, fluffy!" Surely, my husband had a right to tease him as he was hobbling around on crutches with not one but two bum knees.

My mom was the voice of reason. "I think he should get checked out." It was decided that Lewie would go to school on Thursday, but instead of going to tennis practice in the afternoon, my mom would drive him to the walk-in. There, they could take a chest x-ray if needed. 

On Thursday afternoon, time stopped. It's as if our normal life was paused and a dramatic movie took over. It started with my mom's phone call at work. "Annette, it's Mom. I'm here at the walk-in clinic with Lewie, and the doctor wants to talk to you."

Before I could respond, a sweet, angelic voice took over the phone. "Hello, are you Lewie's mom? We just finished taking an x-ray of Lewie's chest, and he has a collapsed lung. There's no need to panic as I have a smiling kid looking at me who otherwise appears normal, but we need to rush him to the emergency now. Do I have your verbal permission to send him to Yale Children's Hospital?"

"Of course," I said in shock. There was some confusion about whether the ambulance would actually take him to Yale because the drivers were typically instructed to take him to the nearest hospital; unfortunately, the closest hospital didn't have the capacity to deal with a collapsed lung. I called Daddy Lew in the meantime and asked him to rush over to the clinic.

The next phone call came in while I sprinted to my car to leave work. "The ambulance is taking him," my husband blurted, "I'm driving there now. I'll keep you posted."

The next 48 hours were a blur. Upon his arrival at Yale, Lewie's medical team had to puncture a hole between his ribs to insert a chest tube. (My husband, who was allowed to stay in the room during the procedure, nearly fainted as blood was spurting everywhere.) When one incision didn't work, they made a new one. Lewie received a dose of Ketamine to be used as a short-acting anesthetic, but it gave him bad hallucinations, and he remembered waking up out of the hallucination only to see his blood everywhere. "Two bodies, one brain, two bodies, one brain," Lewie said over and over again while waking from one of his hallucinations.

When the procedure was over, there was a sigh of relief. His lung had filled itself back up with air--hooray! The doctors kept taking x-rays and monitoring him only to explain that Lewie wasn't in the clear yet. "We need to perform another surgery. His lung is losing air, and if we send him home right now, he'll be back again in the same situation."

I can't say exactly what they did. It sounded like they needed to scrape the lung to create scar tissue so it would attach itself to his chest cavity. It wasn't until after the procedure that the doctors and nurses said this surgery was a particularly painful one. My mom and I were there when he woke up from his anesthesia. When he first woke up, he seemed almost like normal Lewie, but within twenty minutes, he became violently ill. The poor kid was miserable--an intravenous in one arm, a chest tube in his side, and a sensitive stomach that was rejecting the anesthesia. I wanted to sob.

On April 29, Lewie was released from the hospital. We would need to bring him back for follow-up visits, but his surgeries were considered a success. He received a huge outpour of love and support from his friends, family, and high school. (In fact, some friends visited him in the hospital!) Now, we are in rest and recovery mode. His side, especially the area of his chest tube incision, is sore, and it hurts him to ride in cars, walk, and do simple tasks. It appears he won't be able to play tennis for the rest of this season, and only now have we been talking about him getting tutoring and seeing if he can attend the last few weeks of school. One mistake I will never make again is to downplay Lewie's physical feelings. If he says something hurts, I believe him, and if he says he's not ready for school yet, then he's not ready.

Lewie leaving Yale with one of his favorite nurses.

As for the cause, it appears that Lewie had an air blister (a bleb) on his lung that ruptured and caused a spontaneous lung collapse. (He thinks the rupture happened on Monday when he felt a "pop" in his chest.) There is no known reason for this happening, and it appears that our trip to Costa Rica wouldn't have caused it in any way, but I am so glad this didn't happen while we were there. Would they have had the technology to take care of him? Would we be charged out-of-pocket for the whole thing? Would he have been able to fly home? The doctors tell us we should avoid flying for the next year, so how would Lewie have been able to come home? 

We are supposed to eat at a restaurant this Mother's Day, but we'll see if Lewie feels up for it. Right now, I just thank my lucky stars that I get to celebrate Mother's Day with my precious "Little Lewie" (and my mom and Daddy Lew, too). As parents to teenagers, we think our kids are invincible. I won't take this fragile thing called "life" for granted for any of us again.