Dear Mom and Dad (and everyone else),
I'm sorry to hear that Dad has been so sick. It was kind of funny though, because I had a little bit of a cold last weekend, and I thought, oh how interesting that we are all sick at the same time! It must be our family's way of staying connected or something even though we're a thousand miles apart. And then it wasn't so funny anymore - and it wasn't just a cold. And so here is the story of how I ended up at the ER and all the accompanying aftermath:
Tuesday morning, 1:30 am. I wake up in excruciating pain coming from every single muscle in my body. My arms, my legs, my back, even my fingers and toes. Every movement sent sharp pains throughout my body. After 2 hours of this, I finally accepted the fact that things just weren't getting any better. I was about to wake up Sister Stewart when she actually woke up on her own, because the pain was so bad that my breathing had changed enough to tip her off that something was wrong. We decided to call someone for a blessing. I can't tell you how grateful I am to be serving in an area where I know that I can call someone for a blessing at 3:45 in the morning and it will be no problem at all. We were able to get a hold of Brother Brown, and he and his son came right over. The two things I remember from the blessing were that 1) those caring for me would be creative in the methods they used and 2) there would be no lasting damage from this, whatever it is. Then we called Brother Ioannou because he is an MD to get his opinion on what we should do. Anyway, we called him, and he said to go to the ER because he was afraid it might be something that could turn really serious really fast.
4:30 am ish we arrive at the hospital. Brother Brown and his son had helped me get into my coat, down the stairs and into the car, then led the way as we followed them to the ER. I could barely walk, so they got me a wheelchair at the hospital, and helped us get inside and started on the checking in process. I am so grateful for them!! We could not have done it alone.
I got checked in and the nurses and doctor asked me a few questions and then determined that it was probably just a bad virus, so there really wasn't anything they could do. They took a sample just to check if anything showed up but when they didn't see anything, they released me. They had given me some Motrin so the pain wasn't so bad by that point, but it was still pretty bad. All day Tuesday I slept. Every hour or so I would wake up and eat something, but then just went right back to bed. Sister Stewart was great and would bring everything to me, because I didn't have the strength to get up. Not only did my whole body hurt, but I was very weak. That night I got a fever (even while on ibuprofen) but it eventually broke and that seemed to be the worst of it. Then Wednesday I started noticing a tightness in my chest that hadn't been there before. I called Brother Ioannou just to make sure it was nothing to worry about. After describing to him what all had happened, but that I have been having some aches in my wrists and knees for several months now (just never to that magnitude) he suggested I go see a doctor. His guess was that this is more than just a virus and based on the blessing Brother Brown gave me, that's what I was thinking too.
Thursday I called Dr. Weinberg's office and they happened to have an appointment available Friday morning. I took it! Her office is in Naperville, just west of us. We went Friday morning, and I explained the situation to her. I don't remember exactly how she said it, but basically her point was that yes, there are a lot of viruses going around, and my body is entitiled to one just like everyone else's, but that there are about a million OTHER things that could be causing this, and she thought we should find out what it is. She ordered a BUNCH of crazy blood/lab work to be done including checking my thyroid, as well as an ultrasound of my heart (2D echo) and an EKG. I'm having that done on Wednesday, and then I'll have another appointment with her after the results are in.
I'm doing much betternow, and I can move relatively pain free, though my fingers and toes are still swollen and I feel like I've jammed them. It's weird too because it's worse in the morning and gets better throughout the day.
Conveniently her office is in Naperville which is where I just got transferred to. That's right, I'm being transferred tomorrow. I will still be in the Joliet Stake, and in fact I will still be in the same District! Just a new area... It will be nice to get updates from Sister Stewart on how everyone is doing. She will be training - so Woodridge gets two greenies in a row!
We got the call late Saturday, so Sunday at church I had to tell everyone I would be leaving. It was really hard to say goodbye to Don and Rose, and Rose got teary, which then made me teary (because we all know I'm just a waterworks waiting to happen). I've promised them like 17 times that when I'm done with my mission I'm coming back to visit - and I intend to keep that promise. They have become so special to me! It breaks my heart that I won't get to see them, and Jasmine and Cierra and Tina (who also came to church yesterday!) continue in their journey of progressing in the gospel. I feel like they're mine - It's not that I don't trust Sister Stewart and other future missionaries to take care of them, because I do, it's just hard to leave them behind. They're all special too because they are my first few investigators and the ones that I have gone the farthest with. Yes, we've taught a lot of other people, but these few are the ones that have stuck, and they will stick with me.
Oh! I forgot to add, that in the midst of all my crazy health issues, Sister Stewart has been having her own lovely array of complications. She is going to the doctor for a few things. So this week has been ultra crazy between my ER visit, her doctor, my doctor, her bloodwork, and scheduling more work for both of us. Coordinating all that with Sister Doll AND the mission doctor Elder Craner. And we had to get a new phone because ours was going berzerk.
So, while we didn't get much work done this week as far as usual missionary work goes, we still ended up with 9 lessons (the mission standard of excellence is 20) and FIVE investigators at church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's the part that makes me most excited. That's the most we've ever had, and they all had a really good time.
So yeah... I think that about covers it. It is starting to get colder, but still not much snow. When it gets in the teens though, and the wind blows, I like to call it "March of the Penguins" Cold.
I'm just really excited to work with Sister Sorensen. She is in my district, so I already know her pretty well and she's great :). Sheonly has one transfer left though and will be going home at the end of March.
I'm glad to hear theTenney household is doing better! And I hope Dad gets doing better soon as well! I told you I got Sue's package, right? It was so fun! And how are the New Yorkers doing? I love hearing from you all! And tell Grandma and Grandpa thanks for the letter a few weeks ago! I haven't gotten to writing them back yet...
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! miss you! But mostly, I just really really love you.
Love,
Sister Hatch
No comments:
Post a Comment