I guess what I've already recounted were the highlights. There were a few lowlights too.
The baby did get sick...It started one day with a little diarreita. I can handle a little diarreita, I thought. I mean, the change in climate, the new foods, the sand and rocks that were eaten...But then, one morning we were at Cabarete beach and he started vomiting. We packed everything up (after some strategic negotiating/bribery with our elder son, who was completely oblivious to the emergency at hand) and jumped into the car, back to Sosua.
If there's one person I did NOT want to see on this trip, it was my old nemesis Dr. Quiroz, the pediatrician in Charamicos. We have butted heads many times over many things. Oral antibiotics vs. injected ones, the need for antibiotics at all, the vaccination schedule...Sigh. But it's the nearest clinic to us, and we all know how fast a baby can dehydrate, so directly to Quiroz we went. They gave him the injection to stop the vomiting and then Quiroz said that he recommended Justin spend the night
. I was ready for this - I knew he would at least try. I said I didn't think it was necessary, I pointed out that Justin's diaper clearly showed that he was urinating, I pointed out that he was crying WITH tears and that any treatment prescribed could be adequately followed at home. "Bueno", he said. "Usted es la que sabe. Mi temor es que el niño sufra un colapso de las venas..." Again, I was ready for some intimidation and guilt trip. Nice try, Victor. With Pedialyte and the medication prescribed Justin was back to normal the following day.
This was probably what I found most difficult while living there - not being able to trust doctors. Even at la Clinica Bournigal they once tried to have Liam stay overnight because they saw I had insurance. I declined, and as we were leaving the doctor said to me, "Si hubiese querido un suite...hubiese tenido un suite..." Like it was a freaking hotel.
Anyhow, Justin is all better and we carry on with our beach activities and then the night before we were to leave....the highest fever I have ever felt on anyone! It was midnight, Friday night, the Tempra was doing nothing....back to Quiroz. The nurse that I most hate was on duty. She made us wait while she beeped him, and beeped him, and beeped him. Finally, she decides to give him an anti-pyretic injection, but she screws up the dose (she based it on his age, rather than the weight) so he has to have two needles. This makes me mad because it's so traumatizing for kids. Luckily, Quiroz never arrived and we went home. I say luckily because if he had had to have come at 1am on a Friday night, I'm sure he would have done his darndest to make it worth his while. The fever went down and never came back. Phew.
On to the foods! It's no secret that I love to eat. And there were many, many things I was looking forward to having...Our first comida was pescado guisado con coco, with a moro de guandules and tostones. Damn, was that ever good! I made a point of having my lambi - once a la vinegreta, and once guisado, and several times from the lambicero ambulante. I bought a queso de hoja from the quesero, but I didn't get a good one - not enough squeak for my taste. My sister-in-law makes the most amazing albondigas, which she served with arroz blanco and guandules. My fave. We had chivo, thanks to our Palo Verde connection. Pan judeos in the morning with butter - mmmm. What else, what else...I had pastelitos, chulitos, empanadas, riki taki, bofe (blech), street hot dog, carne frita...I had a lot of jugo de cereza, agua de coco, I had a yun yun. I think I did quite well, huh.
Well, (sniff sniff), that's it. That was my vacation. If I think of anything else, you KNOW I'll be back.
Adios!
Jane J.
PART DEUX
Jane J...
...handsome husband
, and beautiful Ditz!
