Really?

Hola famillia!

Well if you thought parasites were exciting, have I got a story for you:

I spent 24 hours in the hospital this week!

WHOOOHOOOOOOO!

It all started Thursday night while we were teaching one of our recent converts outside of his house.  During the closing prayer, I got stung by a bee.  No big deal right? It stung me on my finger.  Hurt like crazy, but I really didn’t think it was anything to be concerned about.  It swelled a little bit, but just like any typical wasp sting.

Everything was normal for 24 hours.

Then, Friday night it began swelling..... and swelling..... and swelling some more.  I popped some Benadryl and went to bed.

Woke up Saturday morning with a paw.  I couldn’t bend my fingers, or my wrist.  My hand was burning hot and still swelling.

I called the nurse.

The nurse called Hermana Markham.

Hermana Markham called the doctor.

He told me to take some allergy medicine and an antibiotic.

After a heavy dosage of that, things kept going downhill.  So Hermana Markham made the call that I should probably go in.

I can’t even begin to number the amount of miracles that we saw in getting me into the hospital.  We were able to meet up with the nurse and her companion and all four of us took off for the ER in the capitol.

The waiting room was packed, but the moment the doctors saw my (now purple and losing feeling) hand they pulled me right into the back and started an IV before even getting my ID.

It really was a miracle how everything worked out.  The doctor told me that had I waited any longer this easily could have complicated into a situation requiring surgery and "skin scraping"

Whatever that means. 

Let me tell you, it is terrifying to have to listen to someone tell you what is medically wrong with you in Spanish.  It’s hard enough to understand that kind of thing in English.

"Hermana Wise. afhh ahfhasf afhhof  ahsdfhsd SKIN SCRAPING"

I just trusted that Hermana N_________ understood what the heck was happening.

Hermana N________ explained to me that I had a slight allergic reaction to the sting, but that later an infection entered and began attacking the already irritated cells in my hand.

So they started pumping me with medication, and our companions went back to work in P________. 

Then I called my parents! (That was weird)

Being in the hospital in a sketchy 3rd world country was a strangely faith-promoting experience.  The whole time, through it all, I just felt so at peace.  I just knew that The Lord was there taking care of me.  I really do know that the atonement has the power to strengthen us in moments of fear. 

That night, I was reading my Book of Mormon when I found this passage in Alma 10:5

"Nevertheless, after all this, I have seen much of (The Lords) mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people."

I have definitely passed through a lot of trials in this change.  We still haven’t baptized yet, and my companion resents me more and more every day.  Things are hard.  Really hard.  But, I know that all of this is The Lords will for me right now.  I am a better person for it.  Even though it has been hard.

I am back working now, taking a load of medicine. My hand is almost back to normal.  The doctor told me it was a miracle.

He was right.

Oh! Funny moment of the week:

Our 88 year old recent convert, P________ proposed to me this week... That was awkward.

That’s all I got, folks!

Thank you for all the prayers and love coming my way this change.  It’s hard.  But I have faith it will get better.

Changes are next week, let’s see what happens!

Stay pilas!

Con amor,

Hna Wise

PS darn computer won’t read my chip.... Pictures will have to wait for next week