Monday, the first of April
At the same time my sister Betty volunteered to fly to Chile with her son Kirk, our daughter Luanna received financial help from a friend to come to Chile to support me too. The three planned to travel together, but Luanna decided not to wait, but to come earlier alone.
She left her home on Easter Sunday with a two day flight. My sister and nephew had problems with their flight on Tuesday and decided that with Elder Babcock improving, Luanna might be enough family support. President Martinez sent elders from Concepcion to pick her up at the airport and take her to the clinic. It was a big blessing for her because it was very difficult to fly alone for two days, especially without understanding the language of South America.
On Facebook I expressed my faith:
We are waiting with hope and faith between two mountains. On one mountain Elder Babcock recovers in this life, and on the other he goes without us to continue as a missionary in the Spirit World. I feel a great peace and confidence in the love and wisdom of our Heavenly Father.
Sometimes I'd only had the hope that my husband would wake up and say goodbye before leaving. Climbing the mountain of full recovery seemed an almost impossible dream.
The first of April was a day of awakening. When I greeted Elder Babcock, he squeezed my hand, just one time, a very small movement.
In the morning Dr. Rivas came to the room to use an intracranial doppler scanner. In Chile there are only five of these machines, four in Santiago and one in Clinica Alemana with Dr. Rivas. The machine showed epileptic brain activity.
The doctor explained that the thrombosis was not in a vein but in an artery. Also the doctor said Elder Babcock at this time had no sleep medication so it was possible he could wake up. And with Dr. Rivas shaking him and shouting, Elder Babcock opened his eyes and tried to look at us. Elder Babcock followed the instructions to raise his head and make a fist. He smiled and seemed to be trying to respond.
Now doctors could do many different things to test and try to help. Elder Babcock was not tied to the bed any more. Sometimes he opened his eyes, but to me, his eyes were like the eyes of a sick child. Dr. Rivas said it was a miracle. He was very happy and hopeful, but as a physician he remained uncertain.
Elder Babcock did not speak and was in a minimally conscious state. He seemed to have a lot of pain, and I thought he was suffering. Maybe it was difficult to speak after many days with a tube in his mouth. I started playing music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for him.
Missionaries from Victoria, Curacautin, and Tolhuaca came to the clinic with three new sisters and two new elders. They brought bittersweet chocolate and candy and sweet cards.
I did not know the names of all the elders and sisters who came and did not take photos, but I love them still. For me the visits of the missionaries were very important, but perhaps boring for them. Because Elder Babcock was in the ICU, the elders and sisters could do nothing but sit in the waiting room, a silent service to show the support of the mission. But sometimes, especially with the sisters, I needed to talk about our experiences as missionaries. I could share happy times and discuss the lessons we had learned as a couple.
The Mission President sent me an Email in English:
Dear Sister Babcock,
Thanks for the constant information. I am very optimistic that we are facing a good situation. We will continue praying and fasting and specifically ask for a miracle.
3 Nefi 17:7
¿Tenéis enfermos entre vosotros? Traedlos aquí...Traedlos aquí y Yo los sanaré, porque tengo compasión de vosotros; y mis entrañas rebosan de misericordia.
¡Todo estará bien!
Often the nurses told me I would have to leave the room. I started listening to the Young Women General Conference.
Early in the afternoon, I was visiting with the elder’s quorum president of the Victoria branch when my daughter, Luanna, came with the elders from Concepción. My joy to find my daughter in the clinic was incredible, with hugs and kisses and gratitude. Having a personal companion to support me again, brought tears to my eyes.
We went out to buy lunch for us and for the elders that brought her. At three we went to the hostel. When we returned to the clinic we had visitors from the Victoria District Presidency. Elder Babcock was very agitated, but it seemed that he recognized them. All the time, he was looking at me to help. The nurses asked us to get out and gave Elder Babcock more drugs to calm him.
When we left the clinic at night to go to the hostel, we felt a lack of information, and I called Dr. Concha. (Sometimes doctors visit the patients very late.) She said, “I'm almost at the clinic now.” We immediately went back to the clinic to talk to her. The guard was closing the fence and the front door when we arrived, but one of the cleaning ladies helped us get into the ICU quickly.
We told Dr. Concha she was a gift from God. We could explain important things to her. I could explain that Elder Babcock recognized me and responded to me with love and gratitude. I explained that the nurses gave him sedatives in the afternoon because he was very agitated and uncomfortable with visitors from the Victoria District of the church. It seemed that he recognized them.
After our talk, Dr. Concha could explain more to the other physicians. She also gave us more information to communicate to the Mission President and to family and friends.
I relied heavily on information from Dr. Concha. She explained: Elder Babcock’s liver and kidneys were now functioning. He was breathing on his own, but definitely needed the respirator. She showed me a red line on the screen representing Elder Babcock’s respiration.
She explained that Elder Babcock could not be moved from the ICU until he was more conscious and until the brain was prepared to assist the body's breathing automatically. The infection and the fever would also have to be controlled. The doctor said there was a small hole between the brain and the ear that had allowed infection to spread rapidly. Doctors were watching this and thinking about surgery to close the hole.
Dr. Concha said the procedure to remove pus from the ear was essential. Doctors were also concerned about the level of pressure in the front of the brain. The antibiotics seem to be working. He was put on painkillers and drugs to raise his blood pressure. Both ears were infected. Elder Babcock had almost no hearing.
Doctors were planning more tests and remained reluctant to give a positive prognosis. They didn’t want us to get too excited, because they knew that Elder Babcock’s condition could also change for the worse.
Now doctors could do many different things to test and try to help. Elder Babcock was not tied to the bed any more. Sometimes he opened his eyes, but to me, his eyes were like the eyes of a sick child. Dr. Rivas said it was a miracle. He was very happy and hopeful, but as a physician he remained uncertain.
Elder Babcock did not speak and was in a minimally conscious state. He seemed to have a lot of pain, and I thought he was suffering. Maybe it was difficult to speak after many days with a tube in his mouth. I started playing music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for him.
Missionaries from Victoria, Curacautin, and Tolhuaca came to the clinic with three new sisters and two new elders. They brought bittersweet chocolate and candy and sweet cards.
I did not know the names of all the elders and sisters who came and did not take photos, but I love them still. For me the visits of the missionaries were very important, but perhaps boring for them. Because Elder Babcock was in the ICU, the elders and sisters could do nothing but sit in the waiting room, a silent service to show the support of the mission. But sometimes, especially with the sisters, I needed to talk about our experiences as missionaries. I could share happy times and discuss the lessons we had learned as a couple.
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