Accidents happen

I got in super late Sunday night to Lima, Peru. The scene outside the airport after you clear customs was a complete madhouse and I was glad I had booked a ride ahead of time. Jonathan and Kirsten were up waiting for me with Malbec wine-perfect. The next morning Jonathan went to his fourth day of paragliding class and Kirsten and I strolled around Miraflores. Miraflores is the nicest district in Peru, it is on the ocean and very safe. It has 24-7 security guards and cameras along the streets. We went to find out information about flights and tour packages up to Iquitos in the Amazon and later went to find Jonathan along the bluffs where the paragliders were but didn't see him. We figured we lagged too long and made our way back to the hotel.




A few minutes later his paragliding instructor pulled up with some other guy but without Jonathan. He had gotten into an accident paragliding and had broken his vertebrae (first lombar if you have any idea where that is). We met him at the first clinic where he got transferred to another, bigger hospital in Lima more equipped to deal with this kind of situation. We had to wait for the titanium screws and rods for the surgery which needed two hours of sterilization. The guy wanted $3000 cash up front for them and wouldn't take a credit card. We were like look dude, are you telling us because we don´t have $3000 cash on us our friend is likely not going to walk again? He finally agreed to a wire but then we had to wait for all these other hijinks at the hospital and finally he got into surgery around 2am. Here if they don't get cash up front they sometimes get screwed over plus latin american families will form like voltron and come up with cash on a moment´s notice, it is just another way of doing things. The following day we had to go across town to get his brace paid for and wondered where the person helping disappeared to. Suddenly there was an eruption in the next room and all of this yelling. Italy had scorred its first goal against Germany. Soccer is everywhere as you might imagine. It´s in every hospital waiting room, it´s in every taxi you ride and every restaurant you eat in.



A few days prior to my arrival, Kirsten had connected with an old friend that was a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Peru. He has been super helpful and opened his house to us to come and go, use the internet, etc. Plus because of his connection he was able to get an emergency contact to contact Jonathan´s family Monday night. Let me just tell you his place is fat. He has ocean views out of every room. If I am super old and have enough money to die somewhere where I look out of the ocean, I want a place like that. Above is a picture taken from his living room.

It is fortunate this accident happened when I got here because Kirstin doesn´t speak any Spanish and I have been able to translate what the doctors are saying, the waivers being signed and insurance forms, etc. Jonathan is having a little bit more movement in his feet every day and hopefully that will progress to his legs. Right now the doctors want him to practice moving his legs together which is very difficult. I am thinking he will in fact walk again but this kind of recovery takes a lot of time.

I will be leaving Sunday after we get the results of the MRI to squeeze in a trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu for a few days and then returning to Lima to check on my friend before I depart on my own for Ecuador.