My Garden Peacock & Health Update

And of course you do know that I mean Peacock BUTTERFLY!  🙂

There are two species that I see here, the more common is the Banded Peacock that I see all over Costa Rica and shared one from last week’s visit to Xandari, but maybe my preferred is the simpler but elegant  White Peacock Butterfly, Anartia jatrophae. Click that link for my gallery photos of them. They are also found all over Costa Rica, though not in the abundance of the Banded Peacock. These are the only 2 “Peacock” butterflies in Costa Rica, while Panama and south into South America there is also a Red Peacock Butterfly which is similar to the Banded but with thicker bands of red where the Banded has thinner white bands.

¡Pura Vida!

A Health Update

Someone just emailed, asking about my health and how my eye was doing, encouraging me to do a “health update.” So here it is!  🙂

I am generally in excellent health and more active than many 82 year-olds (and younger) that I know here and I’m very happy with my simple life in Costa Rica focused on nature. That left eye will never again have a facial nerve to make it blink or otherwise be easy to control, but that is okay! I have adapted and of course depend on my right eye more now and need glasses to read or use the computer, which is also okay! At two different doctors’ suggestions, I seldom use the black eyepatch now to help avoid atrophy of the left eye if never used. So though watering most of the time and not as helpful in seeing, especially reading, I leave it uncovered during the day and use it as much as possible to keep it alive and active.

Because I had three serious falls last year (all on wet rocks or wet metal where young people slip too!), I decided to start walking with a trekking pole (not an old man’s walking cane! ). 🙂 My gerontologist said I don’t have a balance problem (yet) and thus don’t “need,” nor is he prescribing that I walk with a cane, but he said it can be good for “peace of mind” or “confidence” in walking, thus I use a hiking pole when I go out.

Other minor irritations of old age are taken care of with modern medications and I’m a “happy camper!” 🙂

¡Pura Vida!