Happy 90th Birthday to my Grandma Emma Costa! Sorry I missed it, but I'll see you soon enough. Now everyone knows why my stage and film name is Brad Costa, the secret is out.
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| Grandma and OLDER brother Bill |
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First Script. Well it's what I've been doing down in Argentina the last two winters amongst other things.
I have been writing a script for a film loosely based on my trip from Canada to Argentina. This is actually the 2nd draft that I completed at the beginning of the month, but 1st complete draft and of course there will be a 3rd draft and probably a 4th. It's hard, but satisfying every time I solve a problem with a scene making the script a little better. I would like to say it's my calling, but really I think I'm more a producer than writer. I'm trying.
To honour the day and occasion I cracked open a bottle of Latitude 33 Malbec which I hope becomes a tradition...plus its cheap stuff so I can afford to write lots of scripts!
The Latitude 33 bottle of wine turned in to a long night out, but a deserved one. Later at Club Niceto during the final days of Carnival which is not nearly as grandiose in Buenos Aires as Brazil and other Latin countries.
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| Carnival face painting |
Multiple doctor visits, tests, paying for everything individually and readying the apartment for a couple weeks of solitude and crutches was all part of the Argentina Surgery Experience all for about $2500 USD.
WHY NOT have the surgery in Canada? Unfortunately the amazing free health care system that the world believes Canada has is not even close to what it once was. A free surgery that you have to wait 1 year for is not worth it. I truly feel sorry for anyone who is in high amounts of pain waiting for a surgery and hope they look at options of doing what I did.
No one knows how bad their medical system is until they need to use it.
Another option in Canada. Note there is another knee surgery option in Vancouver for $10,000 plus flights (getting on a plane after surgery, yikes). Look up Cambie Clinic who's surgeries are considered "illegal", but this is not enforced at the moment.
Doctor Eduardo Abalo. A doctor at Cemic, one of the better facilities in Argentina and more expensive, who I found very confident and concerned for his patiences giving me his email and mobile to contact any time. And he spoke English!
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| Busy office for the Cemic Specialists |
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| Doc Abalo using prescription paper for as a notepad. Funny to me. |
Tests. Before I could go under the knife I first had to confirm that I was healthy enough to receive anaesthesia. A standard blood test and something I had not experienced, an EKG which tests your heart function. Passed both.
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| EKG |
Final Days. Separately going to and paying for the hospital, medical team and the $1000USD biodegradable screws!!
First time seeing a money counter in action!! 100 x 100 pesos.
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| Money made in surgical screws!! |
Apartment prep which included buying food and water (6 x 6 litres!) and preparing the apartment for easy mobility. Putting the motorbike away until my next summer in BA, and of course a last day at the pool.
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| By the time my wounds heal pool season will be gone |
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| Tough carry from the store, but easier before crutches - 36 litres! |
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| My studio perfect for recovery. |
Another border run. Since I'm on a tourist visa I need to leave the country every 90 days which is how it's done and not a problem. Until you go by moto having to once again deal with those aduana (moto permit) agents who give me a different story every time. I won't say which country is difficult, but I will say the other country is delightful and I hope to live there some day.
Long story short, I left Arg at Fray Bentos, where I also took out USD from the Uruguayan bank (can't do that in Arg) and returned to Frays to be denied, by ONE individual, the usual 8 month permit. I told them I wanted back in to Uruguay which they allowed and went north to the next border at Paysandu where I had no problems. The round trip was extended to 750 km in one day from the usual Fray Bentos 500 km.
The key to borders - Don't speak Spanish! A little more to the story is that I had to play dumb at the second border, Paysandu, claiming I forgotten my camera in Uruguay and that's why I had a cancelled permit reactivated. I just said a few words "Camara... Olvido...Lo siento (Camera, forgot, sorry) and they didn't bother to ask more questions.
It's always nerve racking to be stuck in one country when you need to get to the next one.
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| Early morning start, left city at 7:30. |
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| Always try to get this shot as I ride across the bridge |
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| Hi Fray Bentos |
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| Quaint town with friendly people like all of Uruguay |
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| Another riding shot I always try for |
Relieved in this video at the Paysandu border crossing receiving my fresh Aduana. Even the toilets were better in Paysandu, bite me Fray!
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| Extra 250 km to get the permit |
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| Nice place to hang for 6 months |
Day of the Surgery. Surgery is like a long haul flight (10 hours plus), you go in to it thinking I can do this and you can, but after it's all over you think, "There is no way I can do that again tomorrow!"
Walking in to the hospital 30 min to ACL replacement surgery. Thanks for the ride Nati.
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| Older hospital, hopefully with the latest tools |
A little scary going in to the operating room considering the only one who spoke English was Dr. Abalo nwo very focused and and not so chatty. I was ok with that. Better than a doctor clowning around dropping things on the floor. I just want to point out I have my underwear on at this point.
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| Oh no, here we go... |
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| Photos during surgery |
Post Operation. Awake for 2 or 3 minutes as the orderlies apparently needed my help to shift me from the brutally hard operating table to the nice cushy Day Recovery bed, so goooooood! Then I was out again for another 3 or 4 hours waking with an incredible urge to pee, at least I thought so even though I couldn't feel anything from my waste down, yikes! And where the hell is my underwear!!
Thanks for the ride home Sole!!
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| In English this could be "NO" or "ON", but only "NO" in Spanish. That's a good thing. |
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| Great, but where's my right leg?? |
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| Filled the bottle (l litre) and more |
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| My lovely Argentinian nurses |
Recovery (3 weeks before you walk with out a brace).
Week 1 - On crutches full time with a leg immobilizer. 3 days had passed before I even looked out my window, haha.
Video showing bruising and wounds, nothing too gross.
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| Taking a look 4 days after surgery. |
Week 2 - Weight barring with crutches, leg still in immobilizer full time.
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| Lots of icing |
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| As soon as I get my shoe on I can walk on it |
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| Ab work out for sure in the shower |
Trying to walk in my apartment with only the brace at a nice slow pace, no crutches.
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| Allowed to remove the brace during exercises. |
Walking in the busy streets with only my brace on. NO crutches, if I trip on the uneven side walk it's going to be ugly.
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| OMG, taking a packed bus to Physio Therapy. An experience for sure. |
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| Pretty happy to take my first standing shower |
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| Appreciating a toilet for Disabled. Seriously, Nice!! |
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| Not loving the access though |
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| Must be the haircut that makes them look different |
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| It's true my physio is not the most modern place, but it's the best... |
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| The best? Well they take care of a lot of knees anyway. |
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| Knee magnet action |
So far so good. Only 4 more months before I'm back on the ice playing hockey!!!
Other Stuff
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| Armenian meatloaf |
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| What's this piece of rubber doing in my Babaganoush? |
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| Club de Milanesa - Americano |
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| While I'm pigging out some one is looking for food :o( |
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| Back on parrillados |
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| From my "Rear Window" view I got to see safe work habits in practice |
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| Tight parking |
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| Two tier toilets at the theatre |
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| My favourite sandwich out of all the delivery I had over the last 3 weeks in my apartment. Pekin's Chicken Bacon with Fried onions!!! |
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