Friday, April 12, 2013

Friday, April 12

He spoke more English this morning, but sometimes he spoke of his work, and sometimes of other places.  He had mixed up memories. I was sure he knew who I was this morning. He spoke of stairs, and he had concerns about the painting on the wall of the canals of Venice in Italy and other things in the room.

He told the doctor that we were in Chile. He said his mother had asthma and that he has inherited it. I was glad to hear that he is receiving asthma medication four times a day. Dr. Rivas said it is good to remember, and everything is improving. Elder Babcock tried to write something for the doctor on the white board.

He ate all his breakfast. He tried to sing O My Father and Onward Christian Soldiers. He just took off the strap on his catheter. That was the problem he was talking about. So sometimes he is very present, but other times he is worried about a baptism or a lesson he thinks he should be preparing.

From time to time, Elder Babcock spoke phrases I'll include here:

Jane you see the problem here.

I'm still here.  Another dog is what we need.

One of the great ironies of support...I ...with an exclamation point

Your arms are cold. I'm going to put this in the back room...

He has finished drinking liquid food and yogurt. I did not ask them about the surgery, but he is stronger, better. He spoke of the stairs this morning.

President Martinez was here. He shaved Elder Babcock with the new electric shaver. Elder Babcock expressed his desire to be baptized and receive the priesthood, and he is at peace now. While the President was here, Elder Babcock realized the enormity of the situation and that he did not want to be a burden. He had real awareness and emotional pain. The President had great compassion and gave Elder Babcock another blessing of peace and comfort and promise. Again the President and Sister Martinez asked me if Elder Babcock wanted to go home to Salt Lake City or to a hospital in Santiago. I thought “here” because we have felt the great blessings of the Lord while we have been here.

Elder Babcock’s conversation with himself continued:

She is good at the piano.

I like that style.

I would have fun....
She...at the airport.

...for example.

Las Hermanas Henderson, Sittner, and Fonseca were here.

I asked that they sing O My Father and Onward Christian Soldiers, the songs Elder Babcock tried to sing in the morning. Then I sent them to the market to buy a notebook to record the names of the missionaries and their impressions of their experiences with us, what days they came, and their email addresses.

His blood sugar remained high. Writing down what was happening was a help to me. He spoke a mixture of Spanish and English, definitely more English than before. It was easier for me to understand him. Sometimes I had to translate what he was saying into Spanish for others.

Elder Babcock was talking about something at the side of the road.  I put the sleeping mask over his eyes.

Stuff in the kitchen, dining room.

Are you satisfied with this policy, ya existe?

Can you figure it out?

He showed me how to do something and wanted to know if I understood.

Oh Boy.  Vamos demasiado rápido.

The nurses did not bring water or juice. I tried to brush his teeth with tap water. He swished the water around and spat as usual.

… Zach’s truck…

Do you remember the scene in the film about...

Oh wow, they are...

I was writing with one hand while holding Elder Babcock’s hand with the other. It was a little complicated, especially when he tried to take off the catheter strap.

Do you want to use my Joseph...?

You know the picture...

Going fast…

Did you get the ... seat?

Good.

Can you take it, Michael, a picture of Ella?

He was in a different memory.  He was moving rapidly through time.  The sisters had just returned with a notebook for me. 

Oh you’re going to hit it Jane.

Oh oh bicycles.

In his hallucinations Elder Babcock was very worried about my driving.

Walk to the right.... Becca...

Hi Owen.

Smiling now.

Ho ho ho ho . Busy busy.

He said more, but I couldn’t always understand.

         hu hu

He smiled, nodding his head in agreement.

What do you suggest you need­?

ah sí. 

...to the right.

Sometimes he was living the moment, responding to me and the nurses and others. This confusion was since I put the sleep mask over his eyes. But when I arrived in the morning, he had concerns about the team and how things work and numbers.

I was impressed with.

When I took his hand, he began to squeeze it.

Open up the window. You have to do it pretty quick since the police...do you want me to stop.

Thank you for telling me how connected...

I don't want to get stabbed.

On this next street over a good place to...

La seguridad aquí muy bien whoops.

Ok you guys slow down. Don't kill anybody. .. Ooh ooh got close. Oops

Still in Temuco.

He he

If I have you promise Jane not to be in this lane. I have been pursued as...

I go into that building. Phillips...
Sunday also.

I'd stand in the movie.

o voy a regressar.

Does that leave you…?

Chuckle. Huh huh

That fecha is not correct. I'll show you what I ...

Hmmmmm hmmmmm

[incredulous]

 Nooo?

 Stop calling people... Oh boy too fast here.

He was lying quietly with his sleeping mask. Sometimes I squeezed his hand. But he occasionally spoke very quietly too.

How can I help with the hermano?

Here he comes. Cuidado.

Ooh that's scary, oh.

I should have got a receipt on that transaction.

Oh,... Rebecca.

I lost some murmurs. The sister missionariess had just going to lunch.

Serving una otra misión.

Hmmmmm hmmmm hmmmmm

Now he sang a song. A long song, no words, but humming. I could not recognize it.

That's as much as is in it...

Another song.

....access to money.

I'm here in this semester.

Blood sugar was still very high: 273. His temperature was 37.3 [99.14 F]. He chuckled. He asked a question about our son, David and Julie and his family.

Are the scouts back from their trip?

Officer... hope you found a solution.

Core ... He doesn't want to. ¿Le gusta cantar?

Ya, I see that. You look like...

I expected to have him do that.

Terminar la project.

His job... He's got his red hat on... Whoa,

Oh I've got to take off this hat.

[He tried to take off the sleeping mask.]

Thank you Jane.

I suggest that you get the room number.

He still talked about other times and places. He was singing again while I rubbed his stomach. He said he was worried about me having free time, but admitted it felt good that I was rubbing his stomach. He was quiet for a long time.

Did I tell you, your spirit is spiritual?

I can recognize the message.

I think that’s why we have been called as missionaries.

We spent a lot of time in the temple in Washington DC. I was trying to figure out how to say that.

He spoke more about the family in another time and then became more present.

The physical therapist was here for exercise. Exercise time was entertaining. The therapist taught me new words and explained things. Elder Babcock said that lifting the leg would be much more efficient without the catheter.

Elder Ferwerda and Elder Valenzuela

Elder Ferwerda de St. George, Utah:

Miercoles 27 marzo

The last time we were here [Wednesday the 27 of March] we were with your daughter Luanna.  She showed us pictures of you and the family. When we were here last time they were running a lot of tests and Elder Babcock was still in a coma.  We were fasting so he’d get better and it looks like God answered our fast with a miracle. 

Viernes 12, Abril

Today when we got to the room Elder Babcock was singing to us.  He responded to us when we came in, shook our hands.  We left so that they could bathe him.  When we came back Elder Babcock was trying to teach the nurse.  After that we talked to Hma. Babcock.  At the end we sang “I Am a Child of God.” Elder Babcock thanked us for singing and my compañero gave a prayer in Ingles.  Elder Babcock is getting a lot better and is communicating lots better. 

Shampoo today with the bath. He needed it. Temperature 98.4, but the blood sugar was 301.

Elder Babcock just gave a prayer in English and Spanish: 

Nuestro Padre Celestial, te damos gracias por tu espíritu, help us overcome the world, en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

He also wanted to conquer the catheter with prayer. We had buried the catheter under the pillow but he intended to win. Dinner was good. He took his shots and pills. Then things got worse.

18:48 [6:48]    Hallucinations now.  Difficult.  He is acting things out physically more, trying to do things with his hands.  He is ready to leave.

20:22 [8:22]    There is too much to explain.

23:15 [11:15]  I just got home.

Elder Babcock was finally asleep. He worked hard all night to save me from being hit by a train and save our children. I had told nurses at 8:00 that he had been hallucinating, but I guess they did not understand the problem. A cleaning woman came to do something and realized how bad it was and told me to call the nurse. I did. They gave him something to sleep and called Dr. Rivas. The doctor said that he had canceled drugs to prevent hallucinations because he thought it was a complication Elder Babcock had not had. He was very impressed that Elder Babcock hallucinations were about love and fear of losing me and trying to save everyone. A new group of elders came and helped us through a difficult couple of hours. It was the first time they had helped us. In a quieter moment, I took pictures and asked them to write in my notebook.

Elder Ramírez wrote:

Elder Ramirez Pedro de Guatemala

It was my first time here.  I hope u understand my English.  I’m working on it.  But really I feel the Espirit true here that your wife have for you, Elder Babcock.  This Experience will help me in my mission and in my entire life.  I want the true love that you have in your family at the end of my day.  Thanks for let me use my priest [priesthood] and give you a blessing.  The opportunity that I have for bless people like it not have price.  I’m the missionary with the hats that you like. I always remember that.  Be strong, and I know that you would be in the Celestial Kingdom. Amen.

Elder Vincent wrote:

Elder Alexander Vincent (Texas)

This is my first time passing by and I didn’t know y’all before today.  But the moment I walked in I felt the love of the room and the love of y’all.  And I know it was a love eternal.  There isn’t anything better than seeing the smile of Elder Babcock.  I’m thankful for the opportunity to share my love for y’all Elder y Hermana Babcock.  And I am thankful that I was able to be an instrument in hands of God and give a bless to you Elder Babcock.

The next day Elder Vincent wrote:

I was here just yesterday night and Elder Babcock you were so much better it was great to see the power of God working and helping you every day.  You are talking great and you can hear so much more.  It is just so great for me to see that change in your health.  Yesterday was really powerful for me because I have you a blessing and Elder Ramirez gave a blessing to Hermana Babcock and she had you lay your hand [Elder Babcock’s hand] upon her head too during this prayer.  And then last night your wife Hermana Babcock said that “we are going to finish this mission together.” And in that very moment I felt the Spirit really strong and I know that the Holy Spirit of God only testifies of the truth.  And she also said that “we are going to follow the will of God because He is in charge.”  And that was another moment very spiritual for me.  It was such a good experience for me to be part of this hard but powerful moment of y’alls life.  But today you both are completely different than yesterday.  Such much better and lots of smiles.  My prayers will continue for both of y’all and your family. I know things will get better because the spirit testified things to me.

Now I have you a shave so you look a little better than me.  Keep going strong you and your family are a inspiration me. Thanks for everything that you do. 

Because he had been speaking Spanish for so long, it was hard for Elder Vincent to write in English.

Elder Vincent and Elder Ramirez

I wrote a summary of the day for President Martinez and my family:

Querido Presidente Martinez,

Most of the day yesterday was peaceful after you left.  I had to hold Elder Babcock’s hand all the time to keep him calm, and we played a lot of music.  He had music in his head and tried to sing a lot of different songs.  He ate all his meals and took his pills by mouth. The missionaries that came during the day sang for him.  He was many different places and at different times remembering things.  He seemed to be going very fast and was concerned about my driving, warning me about things.  As it got later, he got more agitated and started doing things with his hands, trying to get out of bed. 

When it got bad, he said, we need to pray and prayed: Nuestro Padre Celestial, te damos gracias por tu espiritu, help us overcome the world, en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.  He wanted his garments and his clothes.  He tried to leave the bed.  And then came a time of terrible hallucinations.  He said a train was coming and was afraid that I would be killed.  He kept trying to save me and our children.  He was trying to do things to stop it and failing and trying again and again.  It was as if he was facing all his fears and terrors.  It was terrible, but full of love and pain. 

The Elders came and helped me through a couple of hours, gave Elder Babcock a blessing, sang for him, and helped me.  Before they left they asked if I wanted a blessing and I put Elder Babcock’s hand on my head with theirs and told him that he was also an elder and they blessed me also.  The hallucinations continued after the elders left for another couple of hours and the nurses finally realized how bad it was and called Dr. Riva.  About 10:45 they gave him medication to make him sleep and Dr. Riva came and talked to me.  He explained that that was the first night without the anti-hallucination medication.  He had been cutting it gradually because he thought hallucinations were the one side effect he didn’t have. But Dr. Riva was impressed that his hallucinations were full of love and about saving me and said Ken is physically better.  I think that is why the nurses weren’t worried about us earlier.