I am SO glad to be here in Panama!

On Tuesday my back tooth was bothering me and Wednesday it was worse, even waking me up in the night. Thursday morning I called our dentist.  I was hoping I could see my regular dentist but in case I couldn’t, I heard about another dentist who was open for emergency visits.

So, I called our dentist at 9:30 and got an appointment for 10:30! No – can you come in next week? next month? we’re not seeing patients. None of that. Just come on in right now. This was last week when we were still under very strict quarantine, and Thursday was men’s day. I wasn’t allowed out at all but this was a medical need, an exception.

The tooth was indeed on its last legs and the sensible thing was to pull it. So, after an X-ray to confirm his opinion and a good dose of Novocain, this is just what he did.

He said their office had been closed for months, but they are seeing anyone with an emergency problem so if we need anything, don’t hesitate to call. What peace of mind to know that help is available, and at an affordable price. My visit cost me $40.

And, luckily, I didn’t even see any police on my short trip.

This week started stage 2 of lifting the quarantine. We are now allowed out from 5AM-7PM, both men and women, and more people are working. It’s a relief to have more freedom but the whole country is worried about increasing cases, and everyone is urged to continue to take all precautions. Masks, frequent hand washing, and social distancing are required at all times. We continue to be contented at home and have everything we need, but it’s nice to go biking anytime I wish, and if we need to go out we can go together.

For people needing to get back to work though, this forward step is really important. As much as Panama would love to lock down the whole country and keep anyone from getting sick, they realize that they can’t shut down the economy any longer. That could be even more dangerous for the many people who depend on an income to feed their families. There are no easy answers and I don’t envy the people who have to make the decisions.

The news from the US is totally distressing. I don’t have to review what’s going on. It’s all over the news. I just hope you all, wherever you are, are staying safe and doing ok. It’s really tough times right now. There have been tough times before and we have worked through them, and we will this time too but in the middle of it, it’s so difficult. When bad things are going on I always find these words comforting, and true.