BOTH ALBROOK MALL, AND DR. LEVY JUSTIFY ME!

I am going to be backwards in this post a bit, since I can't remember what really happened a few days ago.  I am pretty sure many readers of this blog "get this".  I do remember what my last post ended with, and it has been bothering me for days.  I will get to that first by saying today started with me going to a general physician to discuss with him my recent blood work results.  I just wanted someone that speaks very good English to explain ALL the numbers to me.  And while I understand why Ray was questioning why I was questioning the other doctor (or second guessing his treatment for me), after consulting with my uncle (retired surgeon) and talking this through with others, I just wanted to hear it from someone else.  Whether I liked the answer or not, I wanted two professionals to tell me the same thing.  And yes, I was really hoping they differed in opinions.  Which they did.  Dr. Levy is an excellent English speaking physician who comes with rave reviews from many expats.  He left the San Fernando Clinic Coronado to open his own practice in The Village at the end of last year.  He is very young looking (a few gray hairs here and there), but he is extremely intelligent and his explanations are clear.  I had with me my test results as well as the prescription I was given for medicine to start taking for my high cholesterol for three months.

Let's start with the appointment, or lack of appointment, that I had with Dr. Levy this morning.  Ray and I walked into the office at 9:30 (opens at 8:00), and I explained to the English speaking receptionist why I was there.  We took a seat, and within two minutes (long enough for Ray to still be questioning why I wanted to be there), we were in Dr. Levy's office.  He was the one to call us back to the consultation room.   The bottom line is that I was right.  haha  While he agreed that the numbers were high, he also took my blood pressure, asked me a few health history questions, listened to my heart, listened to my story (took just a short time, I promise, since I can talk fast) about by numbers in the past and made his recommendation of me "doing what I normally do" for the next two months and revisit this with another blood test.  He said the prescription I was given is great to lower triglycerides (a type of fat found in our bodies that we use for energy), but my problem is LDL's (the lipids that collect in walls of blood vessels causing blockages).  So while the prescription would have done some good on the cholesterol number, he didn't feel it would address the problem with the LDL's.  After twenty or so minutes, Ray also had an order to have his cholesterol numbers checked (only if he wants, but it was recommended by Dr. Levy).  In Panama, we don't need this order, but on the paper, it was spelled out for us.  I asked Dr. Levy about Vitamin D testing in Panama.  This is not done here too often, mostly because Panamanians get enough sunlight and do not lack Vitamin D.  They tend to be completely covered up though, as Terry has noted.  But also, it is an expensive test.  I told him before leaving the States, many friends were on Vitamin D to raise their levels.  Sunscreen and being indoors all day at work are too blame apparently.

So off we go, me with a big smile on my face, and Ray just happy that I am happy.  I am perfectly content with both appointments and both physicians.  I just understood Dr. Levy's explanation, and I didn't really give the other physician a chance to explain thoroughly (our phone conversation was too brief, in my opinion).  Without the Pensionado Visa that we have, the appointment would have been $15.  We paid $12.75 for this consult.  So enough about me!

Before this appointment, Ray and I stopped by Truly Nolan.  This is a pest control office.  With this rental, we have to make sure we call for the owners to schedule the quarterly spraying of pesticides (no judging here, it isn't my house, and we are just doing what is asked of us).  We knocked on the door (the gate was open, but it seemed to be closed).  Two women came to the door, and we started to explain in Spanish (we had practiced) why we were there.  One woman had Ray follow her to the computer where I could see that she had opened up Google Translate.  She had Ray type in what he needed, and she typed back an answer.  Then we spoke in broken down Spanish and scheduled an appointment.  We were a little discouraged that she didn't want to even try to listen to us in Spanish, and it wasn't that much faster with the computer.  But after about the same amount of time that we would spend with the doctor appointment that was ahead of us, we were done.  We checked that off the to do list.

Going backwards to Wednesday.  What I remember about this day was that when in Panama, I never really do know the weather forecast.  I know that it will rain during rainy season, but when or for how long I don't know.  I don't check it on my computer either.  I just figure it will sunny or cloudy when I wake up, and then it might be sunny all day or there could be a heavy rain (had a few of those this past week) or an intermittent shower.  I love when it rains early in the afternoon, because it cools the day and night down.  Tuesday (a little farther back, since my memory is coming back a bit) while at the gym, it was sunny with a few white puffy clouds in the sky.  Ray commented that we should have had our bathing suits with us, so we could just jump in the pool.  This is why we set it up to do this on Wednesday.  We packed a cooler but the two differences here though were that Ray didn't exercise with me, and it rained as soon as we arrived to the gym.  I worked out, and he chatted with someone that was trying to get a little sun.  They stood under the bohio and chatted the 45 minutes that it rained.  Then we floated, Clyde and Terry showed up to float, and life was good.  Clyde invited us over to try some of the tuna he had caught in Cambutal.  He was recreating the tuna and zucchini dish he had really enjoyed at Hotel PlayaCambutal last week.  Not knowing the time of day or having a care, we left the pool only to have a quick turn around of about an hour (if that).  All good, because we only needed a quick shower and change.  The tuna was grilled perfectly, the zucchini salad he made as a topping added just the right zest, and Terry's cole slaw was one of the best I have tasted (along with my Lake Anna roommates slaw, too).  It was all so good, and even Ray enjoyed the tuna.  We had an early start on Thursday, so we cut the night short.

Once Ray and I arrived home, we finally saw what all the hoopla had been about in Chame.  In the past week, green and yellow banners and have been put up on the municipal buildings along with green and yellow flags lining the street that takes us to our development.  It is Chame's Independence Day on September 18th.  Happy birthday, Chame.  The schools are closed for a week of of "spring break", but the children were in uniform Wednesday night carrying torches and marching in different bands from the PanAmerican highway to the center of town.  Once there, we were treated to a spectacular fireworks show right out our front door.  Gus had even warned us earlier in the day that there would be a lot of activity at our gate and on the main street into town on Thursday (because he knows "we come and go a lot").  Too slow and too lazy to grab my camera, I stood there in the street in my pajamas and bare feet watching the show and listening to how loud they really are around here (they seem to echo).

In the field by our development getting ready for the parade.

Buses line up along the highway, and people start crowding the field towards the platform where speeches will be heard as they close off our road. 

Just an added bonus of the day!  PriceSmart is coming in closer!  Awesome!  45 mins away vs going to the City

Yes--me, myself and I actually bought this $2.00 tank top.  

Bright and early Thursday morning, Ray and I were at Clyde and Terry's house ready to start the big day.  For Terry and I, it meant a day of shopping at Albrook Mall (and perhaps me finding a shirt or two).  For Clyde and Ray, it meant a day (they thought a few hours) trying to get Clyde's car tags for another year.  Ray would drive, so he could learn the roads a bit more.  First stop though was in La Chorrera at the SYMSA building to schedule appointments for our mammograms.  This can also be done in the city or Penonome (as I found out today).  Terry and I crossed the busy street risking our lives to get into the building (there wasn't any parking).  Once inside the small reception area, we encountered the non-English speaking receptionist.  This is okay though, I thought.  I had Terry with me.  With the loud television playing in the background, the noise of  the people waiting, the soft speaking receptionist, and the man behind us trying to help us but also hurry us along, we just couldn't hear a thing.  Long and short of the story is that we do not need appointments, for me it would cost $40, but for Terry, she will have to go into the city.   This office no longer performs mammograms on women that have implants (and yes, Terry knows I am writing this).  Good to know, since it has done so in the past.  I will follow her along into the city.

Back in the car, we arrived to Albrook Mall at the penguin entrance (remember this mall, depending on what you read, has 400-600 shops) at ten am.  And off Ray and Clyde went into the city.  They were first stopping by our insurance agent's office to pick up our newly done, and correctly so, insurance cards.  Clyde also had papers to pick up.  The rest of their story has to do with things being done very quickly in one office, and then the brakes were put on when they arrived to the same office (Centro de Placas or a Panamanian DMV) we had been to with Monica trying to get the title to our car.  Ray put extra money in the meter for a two hour stay, and it took three hours with Clyde being told "come back in thirty days".  And he doesn't know why.  They also had a fine and filling lunch at Pomodoro's.  Perhaps they will blog about it.  hahaha

Back to my day with Terry.  I have not really shopped with a girlfriend or even my sister in a very long time.  I usually shop with my daughter, or I go at it alone.  I browse the aisles, spend a lot of time in the dressing room, and with any luck, I have emptied our bank account a bit.  With Terry, it was an easy day of browsing the stores, sharing stories, people watching, and I will say we made it to more than five stores, I think. Along with lunch and stopping for a beverage, we shopped till we dropped for six hours.  Disclaimer here:  many visits to Panama ago, Clyde and Terry were showing Ray and I around town.  We browsed produce markets, ate in off the beaten path Italian restaurants, had a flat tire fixed, and we browsed clothing stores.  I told Terry then, and I told her six weeks ago, "I will not be wearing that to any stores ever."  I was pointing to a "looks like it's for the-beach type" sundress (with tube top) at the time.  I also never wear tank tops.  Now here I am in El Costo having no clue what size it is (one size fits all perhaps) trying on a pretty purple and pink (favorite colors here) above mentioned sundress.  For $2.99.  And then I was trying on tank tops.  $1.99/top.  It gets warm in Panama. And I was super appreciative of that $1.99 tank top (from the Gap but really bought in the store called Dorians) today when writing this post and eating lunch.  After El Costo, we found some tops in Titan.  What happened was that Terry saw a cute shirt (a little dressier than I was looking for), held it up and put it back on the rack.  It was also $1.99.  I told her if I found something else to try on, I was also going to try on that shirt.  I came out of the dressing room liking the top.  And for that price (hey, it came with a belt), Terry tried it on, also.  And did I say before for that price we decided to buy the tops in the two colors they came in promising not to wear them to the same events.  A little over $7 in cash no less, I have now spent on three items.  We wandered and browsed the mall some more and made our way to the smaller food court for some lunch.  We found something that reminded me of Chipotle in the States.  It was a very good meal for $5 with our discount.  Ray then messaged that he was stuck at that building with Clyde, and I knew they must be hungry! While eating, I noticed a woman carrying a large bag with the store name Dorian on it.  I knew I had to go back to the Dragon entrance of the mall that we had just passed and check out the store.  Terry had never been in it before.  It would be a new store for the two of us.  I loved it.  Alright, same stuff, different store perhaps.  But not really.  There were Old Navy Shirts, Croft and Barrow shirts (Kohls that I am very familiar with), Gap shirts, and shirts that weren't polyester.  They were the familiar cotton, but they were lightweight, too.  This is wear I broke the bank and for seven tops, I spent $28.  Two tops were tank tops again, and yes, one does say "I Heart Me" on it, but again, I need some cool sleeveless tops for "around the house".  And the Old Navy polo shirt was marked down to $3.99 from $5.99.  It was a very good day.  I was left with thinking I should be looking for a new purse.  But then Ray messaged me.  They had arrived back to the Penguin entrance.  Six hours later, and breaking the bank at under $32, I left the mall happy, tired and a little hungry.

Clyde and Terry knew of a pizza place in La Chorrera that was "off the beaten path".  When Ray pulled up, his comment was "this isn't the place right"?  Yep.  Under the hut we sat (there is a large restaurant inside as well), and they even cut out some of the straw so when you duck under the hut, you know where to put your head.  The restaurant offers more than pizza, but we split a small one which was plenty.  Panama has some good pizza.  Yes, I know all about the cheese and the clogging of the arteries deal.  I think I have written this before that I have eaten more pizza here in six weeks (three times so far, I think) than all of last year!  We took some pizza to go, stopped at the El Costo in La Chorrera to look for a purse (no luck), and then we made it home.  What a day!  A really good, successful day.  I actually fit into clothes!  I didn't fit into size small shirts like I do when in the States (like the shirt I was wearing), but I found Medium and Large one's that worked, and if they only last a few months, I can spend another $30 then to replenish!

Terry is where the cut out for the head is, and Ray is thinking "what the heck".

The path to the restaurant reminded me of Fred Flintstone's feet.

In case I didn't remember the name (restaurant on right, huts on left)

My loot for $30 (purple sundress on left).

Interesting thing to see and note is that yesterday in one of the stores there was a boy mopping the floor.  And as he mopped he would take a large piece of cardboard and wave it at the floor to dry it.  No cones up or caution signs saying "wet floor", but just a teenage boy waving the floor to dry it as he mopped.  Basically, if you slip on a wet floor, or trip over uneven ground or fall into a pothole or large crack in the sidewalk, you just weren't paying attention.  No need for caution signs.  You can't sue anyone in Panama.  Another thing is that if you are in the restrooms upstairs at Albrook Mall (or usually by any food court in a mall here), you will not have to pay a quarter.  But if you are downstairs, and even though there is a food court here, you have to pay a quarter.  But when we paid the quarter yesterday, we didn't put it in a slot on the door with the door then opening up for us.  We had to give it to the woman at the turnstile (like entering or leaving a stadium, there are turnstiles to count the people).  She was the bathroom monitor.  Once the bathroom line was short enough inside where the stalls are, she would then have you drop your quarter into the slot.  Then you could "pass go" and enter the bathroom.  Ray told me what he finds odd about the men's bathroom is that in the States, a MALE employee is usually cleaning the bathroom (although usually they will close the bathroom to do the cleaning).  Here, twice now, he has had a FEMALE employee walk in and clean the place.  Odd to him, but now accepted and even expected.  The mall bathrooms tend to be very clean.

Well, if all of this wasn't enough excitement and busyness for the week, tonight we had a Sangria mixer to attend at Louise's bohio.  Louise is the President of CASA, and she owns a beautiful home in Coronado with gorgeous gardens and a beautiful swimming pool (oh, a rainforest, too).  We were to her house one other time for a St. Patrick's Day party eighteen months ago.  This is when we joined the association.  We arrived to the party one hour early, since Ray was helping Clyde return the tables and chairs he had borrowed for his birthday party two weeks ago.  We had a chance to catch up with Louise and her husband, and we also met the other board members.  We drank Sangria, chatted with the "old friends" we have made these past six weeks, and we were able to meet new friends as well.  After the party, Ray and I were going out for dinner, and Clyde and Terry came along.  We stopped at Nueva Gorgona for Chinese food.  I could get my fill of fresh steamed vegetables.  And Ray could have his usual fried rice.  He mixed it up a bit by getting it with pork tonight (he has lost ten pounds since our arrival to Panama).  Although I am confused about what day it is, I am not too confused to realize there is yet another event just around the corner on Sunday.  Sometimes I am asked what my hobbies and interests are, and I realize I haven't had time to figure this out.  Actually, I can say I want to make going to the gym a priority (when in town!), and we have a few things up our sleeves that are coming soon.  What I can write for now and what I know is that we are finding the days slip by, and whether it is being lazy at the pool, working out at the gym or running those errands, we are still enjoying our 24/7 retirement in Panama.