Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wednesday April 10

The family responded with blogs and photos, but it was a difficult day for Elder Babcock. He was sleeping and very tired. He didn’t greet me in the morning. He couldn’t exercise. When he arrived, Dr. Rivas talked about too much medication and low sodium in the blood.

They took Elder Babcock to have an MRI in the afternoon, but after a while came to take me to the place of examination. Elder Babcock had the shakes, and they couldn’t do the MRI. He was almost totally insensitive. About 3:00 pm the eelders gave Elder Babcock a blessing, and things calmed down. I remembered that the Elder said nothing will happen that is not the will of the Lord.

Dr. Concha came in. She heard the nurses talking about Elder Babcock and wanted to see what was going on. The electrocardiogram in the morning was good, and the cardiologist gave permission for ear surgery tomorrow.

Fever of unknown origin in spite of Tylenol was a concern. I was confident that they were doing what they should do to help. Elder Babcock opened his eyes enough to know that I was there and for me to know that he was still there.

That night Dr. Rivas came and made another intracranial Doppler scan. Elder Babcock’s body was doing better, but he wasn’t. Dr. Rivas said it was not the drugs but something else. He said surgery is essential. He was doing everything he could, but he needed the help of other doctors.

Elder Ramírez and Elder Vall 

There were three companionships of elders today, but in all the confusion, I took only this one photo. It was good to have the elders there in the clinic with Elder Babcock. At night they walked with me to the hostel.

They also did some translations for me when Dr. Rivas spoke about his treatment of a Russian ambassador who had lots of bodyguards. After the exam one of the guards told him he should have his wife stop buying cheap cigarettes. They had made a thorough background check on him and knew everything about him, habits, family schedules, hobbies, and they trusted him with their ambassador. I trust him too.

Dr. Rivas asked me to sign the consent form for surgery for the surgeon because, he said, “Dr. Suazo’s English is not so good.”

I played music on the iPad:

"Yea though I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."

It was hard to leave tonight, but the doctor said that sometimes it is not convenient to have family in the clinic overnight. During the day, I sent an Email to President Martinez and the Mission doctor, Dr. Mikesell, entitled “Temporary Setback”:

"They have overmedicated Elder Babcock with drugs for hallucinations and other problems he doesn't have. He couldn't wake up enough to eat or talk except for an “I love you”. Dr. Riva understands and is cutting the medications. They are planning another ear surgery for tomorrow and will do a lot of tests today. 37.3 [99.1] fever just now.  Yesterday he interacted well with the nurses and missionaries, with much progress. He continues to sleep but knows I am here." 

Later, I sent another difficult report to President Martinez and to my family in an Email written in English. When I'm tired it is very difficult to write in Spanish. The President was very concerned about the letter and asked Elder Benson to talk to me about the situation. (This is the letter in English and then in Spanish as I should have written it.)

"Sorry, it may not easily translate into Spanish. 

Today has been a difficult day.  For the last few days I have been vividly reminded of the power of Satan and his desire to have me become disheartened and discouraged.  A trial of my faith.  

The first thing that happened, while Luanna was here, was that my Visa card was rejected.  Then Monday, when I tried to get gas, it was rejected again.  Then, when I tried to get out some US dollars to give to Luanna in Exchange for her excess pesos, my money was gone.  Lots of money, our security stash.  I had had it in a safe in the other room before Luanna came, but the safe in this room kept giving me error messages, and I thought the small thin security purse was invisible, flat in the pocket of an empty suitcase.  I should have taken it with me or kept it in the car or a lot of things, but “if onlys” don’t work.  

Luanna and I decided I should tell the hostel staff, so they would be aware.  Well, they called the police, and this morning I got a call to come back to the hostel for an interview with the investigators.  It was a long process, and I was away from the clinic while Ken was having a hearing test. The elders were there, but didn’t go with him to help translate English to Spanish, and it didn’t go well.  I called Michael, and he cancelled the Discover card which was with the wallet thing, and that causes more problems, because it takes care of all of our automatic payments.  

I had to decide that money isn’t important.  And focus on what matters.  It was an interesting opportunity to talk with the two investigators and discuss whether or not to file a complaint.  People are very kind to me as they try to understand me and I try to understand them.  

I mentioned Ken’s short term memory loss this morning.  There are more holes than I realized, another temptation to be discouraged.  

“Is my mother still alive?” was a question that hurt. 

He is so excited that Hannah is on a mission and wanted to tell everyone.  

It is like reliving the highs and lows of a life in a few minutes. 

I had to remind him of the embarrassment his Dad felt as he was being cared for in the last months of his life.  Diapers are terrible.  Living is hard work and complicated.  It took four and sometimes five strong people to deal with what ordinarily is a simple task.  Discouraging if I let it be.  

But the sweetness of his goodness and his love for me and his love of being a missionary is stronger than the negatives.  Dr. Concha continues to be a blessing.  Dr. Riva continues to be funny with his weird English and now happy personality.  The Elders are kind.  They bought me chicken and vegetables at Jumbos, enough for today and tomorrow.  The car will be a refrigerator.  They watched my computers and purse when I had to leave suddenly to help with a repeat of the hearing test.  It was about 7:30 tonight and Ken was tired, but I was able to help him cooperate.  The elders walked me home.  They helped with translations and little things, like finding my iPad charger.  It is sweet to be able to talk with them and share my experiences and testimony of different things.  I am tired tonight, and my cold continues to be a challenge, but not enough to get me kicked out of the hospital. 

I feed Ken everything he eats, and he is getting a lot of really cold applesauce and hot hot soup and warm wheat drink and yogurt.  I’ve started putting the applesauce in the soup to equalize the temperature.  He didn’t get shaved tonight and his face chin need washing, but I left him as he was.  They won’t bring his plain water without doctor orders, so he gets this thick fruit water.  Chileans don’t drink water.  They understand about no tea and coffee now.  Ken eats and drinks everything they bring.  His blood sugar was down to 153.  Ken’s arms and hands and legs are much less swollen now, practically normal, but his belly is swollen.  His belly button is all closed up.  

But I will not shrink.  Con amor, Hermana Babcock 

In Spanish:

Hoy ha sido un día difícil. Durante los últimos días he estado recordado vívidamente del poder de Satanás y su deseo de que me convierta descorazonada y desalentada. Una prueba de mi fe. 

La primera cosa que pasó, mientras Luanna estaba aquí, era que mi tarjeta Visa fue rechazada. Entonces el lunes, cuando traté de comprar gas la tarjeta fue rechazada de nuevo. Luego, cuando traté de dar algunos dólares a Luanna a cambio para pesos chilenos, aquel dinero había desaparecido. Mucho dinero, nuestro alijo de seguridad. Yo había tenido la moneda en una caja fuerte en la otra habitación antes de que llegara Luanna, pero la caja de seguridad en la habitación nueva mantuvo dándome mensajes de error, y yo pensaba que el pequeño monedero de seguridad delgada era invisible, plano en el bolsillo de una maleta vacía. Mejor que yo debería tomarlo conmigo o lo mantengo en el auto o un montón de cosas, pero [si solamente] no funciona. 

Luanna y yo decidimos que debía decirle al personal del hostal, para que estuvieran al tanto. Bueno, ellos llamaron a la policía y esta mañana recibí una llamada para volver al hostal para una entrevista con los investigadores. Fue un proceso largo y yo no estaba en la clínica, mientras que Elder Babcock estaba teniendo una prueba de audición. Los élderes estaban allí, pero no tradujeron inglés al español muy bien. Llamé a Michael y él canceló la tarjeta Discover, que fue con la cartera y lo que causa más problemas, ya que se encarga de todos los pagos automáticos en los Estados Unidos. 

Tuve que decidir que el dinero no es importante y centrarme en lo que importa. Fue una interesante oportunidad de hablar con los dos investigadores y discutir si debe o no presentar una queja. La gente está muy amable conmigo mientras que ellos tratan de entenderme y yo trato de entenderlos.

He mencionado la pérdida de memoria a corto plazo de Elder Babcock esta mañana. Hay más agujeros que me di cuenta de otra tentación de desanimarse. 

¿Es mi madre sigue viva? Es una pregunta que duele. 

Él está tan emocionado que Hannah [nuestra nieta] está en una misión y quería decirles a todos. 

Es como revivir los altibajos de la vida en pocos minutos. 

La necesidad de los pañales es terrible. Vivir es un trabajo duro y complicado. Le tomó cuatro y a veces cinco personas fuertes para hacer frente a lo que normalmente es una tarea simple. Desalentando si dejo que lo desalentarme. 

Pero la dulzura de su bondad y de su amor por mí y su amor de ser un misionero son más fuerte que los negativos. Dra. Concha sigue siendo una bendición. Dr. Rivas sigue siendo divertido con su inglés raro y personalidad feliz ya. 

Los élderes son amables. Ellos compraron pollo y verduras en Jumbo para mí, suficiente por hoy y mañana. El auto será un refrigerador. Miraron mis computadoras y bolsa cuando me tuve que ir rápidamente para ayudar con la repetición de la prueba de audición. Fue alrededor de las 19:30 de esta noche y Elder Babcock estaba cansado, pero yo era capaz de ayudarle a cooperar. Los élderes me acompañaron a casa. Nos ayudaron con las traducciones y las pequeñas cosas, como encontrar el cargador de mi ipad. Fue dulce para poder hablar con ellos y compartir mis experiencias y testimonios de diversas cosas. Esta noche me sentía cansada y mi resfriado sigue siendo un desafío, pero no lo suficiente como para que me echaran del hospital. 

Esta noche él no se afeitó su barba y su barbilla necesita del lavado, pero lo dejó como estaba. En ETI tienen la expectativa que un paciente puede hacer más cosas por sí mismo. 

Yo alimento a Elder Babcock todo lo que come y él está recibiendo una gran cantidad de puré de manzana muy fría y sopa caliente y bebida de trigo caliente y yogur. He empezado a poner el puré de manzana en la sopa para igualar la temperatura. Ellos no van a traer su agua pura sin órdenes médicas por lo que obtiene esta agua de fruta espesa. Chilenos no beben agua. Ellos entienden que él no le gusta ningún té y café ahora. Elder Babcock come y bebe todo lo que traen. Su azúcar en la sangre se redujo a 153. Los brazos y las manos y las piernas de Elder Babcock son mucho menos hinchada ahora, prácticamente normal, pero su vientre está hinchado. Su ombligo está todo cerrado.
 Pero no voy a desmayar. Con Amor, Hermana Babcock "

There are still many errors in my Spanish.