Whoever gets to live on temple square??? Well if you arrive in Santiago, Chile, and dont have a home to go to, you get to live on temple square! There is an apartment building used to house people from far away who go to the temple here. Some have come from Argentina because it is closer than Buenos Aires. There are a few temple missionaries who get to live here too. We are in room 401 and have four security keys to get there. Even the elevator has a security key because some floors are private.
The apartment is really nice. We have been told more than once that our real apartment wont be so nice. There is even air conditioning (which we also wont have). The living/dining area is about 25'X15'. There are a couch, two leather chairs, a flat screen tv, desk, computer desk and a small table. The dining table is round, and has six chairs with padded seats. The kitchen is a closet, about as big as the area of our big bathroom at home, with stove, cupboards, sink, fridge, microwave.The fridge and cupboards had enough food for a few days. It is fully furnished, but the knives are not Cutco.The bathroom is half the sizer of the middle bedroom at home, the tub is deep like the European tubs. The toilet's flush handle is a knob on top of the water closet. You pull it up to flush. Nice sink with large counter around it, nice big mirror. Towels are furnished and they are thick and big. I guess people here dont use washcloths because there arent any. Now for the bedroom: two nice closets with built in drawers on one side. Shelves between the closets. Full length mirror. Picture of Christ above the...............KING SIZE BED!!!!!!!!!! Last night Jay was snoring and I put my arm out to poke him and I couldnt reach him! WOW!
Church this morning was also on temple square. We walked out the front door of the apartment, down the sidewalk about half a block and into the chapel. It was a LOOOONG day, as it was all in Spanish. Sunday School was a relief, though, as there is a Brother Sorge who taught our class in English. This brother used to live in Smithfield, and was our home teacher many years ago. He moved to Chile with his Chilean wife and we lost touch with him. We did see his daughter when we went to the bank, though. And about two years ago, his son moved into Louise's ward in Eau Claire, Wisconsin! Small world??? He came to our apartment after church for a while and we had a wonderful visit with him. We hope to see him and his wife more as time goes on. We will be permanently here in Santiago as far as we know, although, we may be invited to other branches outside Santiago to present our workshops.
We have been called as Welfare workers, mainly to assist in the job placement area.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
navigating Santiago Airport
While on the plane, fill out the immigration and security papers. Use ink. Use the tiny table. Hope the person in front of you hasnt reclined his chair so the table is cutting you in half. Find a pen in your carry on that has been safely stowed beneath the seat ahead of you. Grunt and groan while you grope beneath the reclined seat, the table that is cutting you in half, retrieve your impossibly stowed carry on, dig for the pen you know is in there. Oops! You forgot to get out your passport that is safely stowed in your safely stowed carry on.
Plane lands, person in front has returned his seat to the upright position just in time to be obedient to the pilot's request. Retrieve your carry on, somehow stand up while 1000 people file past you to be the first ones off the plane. Never mind that the doors havent opened yet! Open overhead bin, remove soft stuff like your coat that was too big to go into the suitcase that is exactly the measurement required to be considered a "carry on" when is in actuality is a SUITCASE!!! Tighten your stomach, reach above your head and do the weightlifter's HUH and gently remove your SUITCASE without dropping it on someone. Grab your purse (whic h is actually the real carry on, your carry on that is actually a SUITCASE , your coat, check again for anything you might have dropped in your pleasant trip aboard Delta. Move forward slowly, bumping your carry on SUITCASE on everyother seat all the way from waaaayyyyy in the back, correct the position of everything b ecause they will all be oppositional till you get to the door. Smile at the uniforms who dont even look you in the eye as they thank you for flying with Delta.
The airport should be much better. After all, they have all those cute little shops...... No, we have to go through all these little stops before they will let us have our real suitcases (the ones we paid them $240 to first let them snoop through and then throw into the bottom of the plane. Thanks Saddam. Follow the arrows, follow all the people, follow where uniforms tell us to move. We all move at the same speed in the same direction. First stop: Pull out U$240 cash for the reciprocity fee. Apparently the USA charges Chileans this much to enter, so Chile does the same. The bills have to be perfect, no tears of ANY size, no ink, no writing, no folds. She rejects half our bills. We dont travel with lots and lots of perfect $20 bills. Luckily, with the help of the two sister missionaries we travelled with, we came up with the right stuff. The line to show our passports and get the official stamp was very long. Jay went to sit on a bench nearby and to wait till we were nearly at the front of the line. A uniform came over and wanted me to get out of line. Great! we're about to be sent back on the plane for another 12 hour flight. Mission over! But he was doing us a favor, as he escorted us directly to the booth where nobody was standing. We breezed on through. NOW we can get our real suitcases!
We found our luggage already being removed from the belt by a uniform. It had been there long enough, I guess. The four of us had a LOT of bags! We watched the uniform stack them onto the cart till it was nearly eyelevel. I motioned to him that he must be a weightlifter with lots of muscle. He smiled. He was probably thinking of the nice tip he'd get at the door. Follow more people, walk slowly, follow the tower of luggage as people stare, get to the baggage check to get OUT of the airport. My carry-on purse was taken aside and opened. Oh, man, I forgot about the orange in the bottom. He looked very displeased and stern. In Spanish he asked me if I spoke Spanish. I said no, cuz I dont. I attempt it. Anyway, he said that if he threw the orange away, it would be a U$240 fine, but if I did, there would be no fine. Guess what my decision was!!!!! Earlier, down at the baggage claim I watched a service dog get friendly with one of the sister missionary's purse. Apparently the dog is trained to smell fruit, cuz she had had a banana in there just a few hours earlier. But the dog must not like apples or oranges, cuz he didnt find the apple the other missionary had, nor my orange. Probably too much fruit isnt good for dogs, either. Numbs their noses????
Well, we made it. We were met my a missionary couple who heaved our suitcases into the back of the Mission van and they drove us to our apartment.
Plane lands, person in front has returned his seat to the upright position just in time to be obedient to the pilot's request. Retrieve your carry on, somehow stand up while 1000 people file past you to be the first ones off the plane. Never mind that the doors havent opened yet! Open overhead bin, remove soft stuff like your coat that was too big to go into the suitcase that is exactly the measurement required to be considered a "carry on" when is in actuality is a SUITCASE!!! Tighten your stomach, reach above your head and do the weightlifter's HUH and gently remove your SUITCASE without dropping it on someone. Grab your purse (whic h is actually the real carry on, your carry on that is actually a SUITCASE , your coat, check again for anything you might have dropped in your pleasant trip aboard Delta. Move forward slowly, bumping your carry on SUITCASE on everyother seat all the way from waaaayyyyy in the back, correct the position of everything b ecause they will all be oppositional till you get to the door. Smile at the uniforms who dont even look you in the eye as they thank you for flying with Delta.
The airport should be much better. After all, they have all those cute little shops...... No, we have to go through all these little stops before they will let us have our real suitcases (the ones we paid them $240 to first let them snoop through and then throw into the bottom of the plane. Thanks Saddam. Follow the arrows, follow all the people, follow where uniforms tell us to move. We all move at the same speed in the same direction. First stop: Pull out U$240 cash for the reciprocity fee. Apparently the USA charges Chileans this much to enter, so Chile does the same. The bills have to be perfect, no tears of ANY size, no ink, no writing, no folds. She rejects half our bills. We dont travel with lots and lots of perfect $20 bills. Luckily, with the help of the two sister missionaries we travelled with, we came up with the right stuff. The line to show our passports and get the official stamp was very long. Jay went to sit on a bench nearby and to wait till we were nearly at the front of the line. A uniform came over and wanted me to get out of line. Great! we're about to be sent back on the plane for another 12 hour flight. Mission over! But he was doing us a favor, as he escorted us directly to the booth where nobody was standing. We breezed on through. NOW we can get our real suitcases!
We found our luggage already being removed from the belt by a uniform. It had been there long enough, I guess. The four of us had a LOT of bags! We watched the uniform stack them onto the cart till it was nearly eyelevel. I motioned to him that he must be a weightlifter with lots of muscle. He smiled. He was probably thinking of the nice tip he'd get at the door. Follow more people, walk slowly, follow the tower of luggage as people stare, get to the baggage check to get OUT of the airport. My carry-on purse was taken aside and opened. Oh, man, I forgot about the orange in the bottom. He looked very displeased and stern. In Spanish he asked me if I spoke Spanish. I said no, cuz I dont. I attempt it. Anyway, he said that if he threw the orange away, it would be a U$240 fine, but if I did, there would be no fine. Guess what my decision was!!!!! Earlier, down at the baggage claim I watched a service dog get friendly with one of the sister missionary's purse. Apparently the dog is trained to smell fruit, cuz she had had a banana in there just a few hours earlier. But the dog must not like apples or oranges, cuz he didnt find the apple the other missionary had, nor my orange. Probably too much fruit isnt good for dogs, either. Numbs their noses????
Well, we made it. We were met my a missionary couple who heaved our suitcases into the back of the Mission van and they drove us to our apartment.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
words of Wisdom
Do not mistake glue stick for chap stick.
Read the label. Hairspray is not a good substitute for spray deodorant
I a pinch you can use KY gel for hair gel.
Never eat yellow snow
Sugar has square crystals, salt has irregular corners
Increase the length of time you can wear a shirt by using all four sides as the front
Walk slower and take smaller stride when walking on snow and ice
Run a crayon over a stubborn zipper to make it slide
Read the label. Hairspray is not a good substitute for spray deodorant
I a pinch you can use KY gel for hair gel.
Never eat yellow snow
Sugar has square crystals, salt has irregular corners
Increase the length of time you can wear a shirt by using all four sides as the front
Walk slower and take smaller stride when walking on snow and ice
Run a crayon over a stubborn zipper to make it slide
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Help!
I have to give credit to my same girls who packed Jay's suitcases. As the evening of Jan 1 grew later and later and I had not packed, they volunteered to help me. And help me they did. I was so thankful. They did such a good job. They even decided for me that a few things I had ready didnt need to go. They removed these and put them on a closet shelf to be mailed or delivered to the MTC if needed. In the morning of the day we were to leave, I found it difficult to get dressed. They had packed EVERYthing I had out. I pulled out a skirt and blouse but couldnt find the other things. I found an old slip, old bra (both ready for the garbage), second choice stockings, and pulled my shoes out of the garbage! It really didnt look that bad, but I felt a little self-conscious that first day in the MTC. Nobody seemed to notice (they couldnt see anything but the shoes, and it was just that the soles were cracked).
When we had been here a day, it was time to take a shower. I got out the shampoo and conditioner, but did not have hair gel. What to do? Being the resourceful person that I am, I looked around for a solution. Then I spied the KY gel on the sink counter. Well, gel is gel, isnt it? I thought so, so I squeezed some out. It felt like gel. Hey! It works like gel, too. So if ever you get into a pinch and cant find hair gel, try personal gel!!!!! But keep it a secret, afterall, it is personal!!!!
Tomorrow we go to the MTC 53rd ward. Monday we go to Welfare Square and Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake for the day.
When we had been here a day, it was time to take a shower. I got out the shampoo and conditioner, but did not have hair gel. What to do? Being the resourceful person that I am, I looked around for a solution. Then I spied the KY gel on the sink counter. Well, gel is gel, isnt it? I thought so, so I squeezed some out. It felt like gel. Hey! It works like gel, too. So if ever you get into a pinch and cant find hair gel, try personal gel!!!!! But keep it a secret, afterall, it is personal!!!!
Tomorrow we go to the MTC 53rd ward. Monday we go to Welfare Square and Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake for the day.
Our First Karren Reunion
In preparation for our mission, we wanted all of our children and grandchildren to consider being here for the Christmas holiday just prior to our leaving for the MTC and Chile. We were thrilled to learn that all would be able to make it.
Richard had just returned from Afghanistan and was planning a trip to Utah.He was bringing his dress uniform for the farewell talks at church. Louise had just taken Stephanie to BYU-I and would come with Nathan and Patrick. We hadnt seen Pat for about eight years. Stuart is serving his mission in Ohio, so wouldnt be here in person. Leighann and family were going to drive, but ended up flying here. Lori and family drove up from San Diego. The other five live in Utah and volunteered to share their homes with the out-of-towners.
In preparation for the large gathering, everybody came over and cleaned out, cleaned up and rearranged furniture in the family room. We were able to comfortably hold 41 of us for a nice surprise birthday party with sambusas and fanta for Jay on the 22nd of December. On the 23rd Belle was baptised and most of our family was there. Lynette and Randon hosted a really nice potato bar supper afterward. Two days later, after church, we had dinner at the church for family. All but three were there. Lori's family and Roger, and the young girls entertained us with music.
All during the month of December Jay and I were Skyping with the MTC Spanish tutor three days a week, and studying the reams of reading material. We started seriously thinking about packing suitcases. Not only did we do this, but were trying to empty out the house so that Lorna and family could move in. It was hard to find the time to do it all, and we failed in completing the task. We left quite a bit for her to do and sorry for that.
The last week went by too quickly, visiting with family, tutoring, packing, and emptying. Jay got desperate, and his daughters packed his suitcases for him. What a relief! I struggled along, trying to pack up three rooms plus all the above.
On New Years Eve day, we drove to Brigham City to Maddox' for lunch with Robert and a few other family people. On the way back, we received a very frantic cell phone call from Leighann. She said Richard had fallen and was having a hard time breathing, and we should go to the hospital. We rushed there to discover that Richard had fallen 20 feet out of our dead tree. He was using the chain saw to cut it down and in the process, had sort of been knocked off his perch. He tried to check his fall, but it didnt work. He then gave the saw a shove, tucked his shoulder and fell to the ground. Leighann's family and Jadyn had driven up just in time to see him fall. Richard sat up but was having a little trouble breathing. It didnt get better, so Jamie took him to the hospital. When we arrived, he had had x-rays taken and it was found that he broke and rib and punctured his lung. The medical team inserted a chest tube and he was admitted for observation. He was on morphine for pain, and it seemed to help. Then the itching began. He couldnt get relief. They clamped the chest tube, he didnt do as well as they liked, so did not remove it.
This is where we had to leave for Provo. Our son is in the hospital, things are getting complicated, and we have to leave. It turned out that the sent him via quiet ambulance to Ogden to the lung specialist. Now, Richard had received a blessing two days before. When the Ogden Dr. saw him, he found nothing wrong, and wrote a discharge from the hospita, and removed the chest tube. Richard's recuperating just fine. We were able to set up Skype a tchurch and at the hospital so Richard could hear the talks and musical number by Lori, Arianna and Samantha.
Gradually our children have now left for home and the house is being prepped for Lorna and Ryan's moving in. We are flying out at the end of the week and will be gone for two years. We are glad for Skype so we can stay close to whats happening at home and family.
Richard had just returned from Afghanistan and was planning a trip to Utah.He was bringing his dress uniform for the farewell talks at church. Louise had just taken Stephanie to BYU-I and would come with Nathan and Patrick. We hadnt seen Pat for about eight years. Stuart is serving his mission in Ohio, so wouldnt be here in person. Leighann and family were going to drive, but ended up flying here. Lori and family drove up from San Diego. The other five live in Utah and volunteered to share their homes with the out-of-towners.
In preparation for the large gathering, everybody came over and cleaned out, cleaned up and rearranged furniture in the family room. We were able to comfortably hold 41 of us for a nice surprise birthday party with sambusas and fanta for Jay on the 22nd of December. On the 23rd Belle was baptised and most of our family was there. Lynette and Randon hosted a really nice potato bar supper afterward. Two days later, after church, we had dinner at the church for family. All but three were there. Lori's family and Roger, and the young girls entertained us with music.
All during the month of December Jay and I were Skyping with the MTC Spanish tutor three days a week, and studying the reams of reading material. We started seriously thinking about packing suitcases. Not only did we do this, but were trying to empty out the house so that Lorna and family could move in. It was hard to find the time to do it all, and we failed in completing the task. We left quite a bit for her to do and sorry for that.
The last week went by too quickly, visiting with family, tutoring, packing, and emptying. Jay got desperate, and his daughters packed his suitcases for him. What a relief! I struggled along, trying to pack up three rooms plus all the above.
On New Years Eve day, we drove to Brigham City to Maddox' for lunch with Robert and a few other family people. On the way back, we received a very frantic cell phone call from Leighann. She said Richard had fallen and was having a hard time breathing, and we should go to the hospital. We rushed there to discover that Richard had fallen 20 feet out of our dead tree. He was using the chain saw to cut it down and in the process, had sort of been knocked off his perch. He tried to check his fall, but it didnt work. He then gave the saw a shove, tucked his shoulder and fell to the ground. Leighann's family and Jadyn had driven up just in time to see him fall. Richard sat up but was having a little trouble breathing. It didnt get better, so Jamie took him to the hospital. When we arrived, he had had x-rays taken and it was found that he broke and rib and punctured his lung. The medical team inserted a chest tube and he was admitted for observation. He was on morphine for pain, and it seemed to help. Then the itching began. He couldnt get relief. They clamped the chest tube, he didnt do as well as they liked, so did not remove it.
This is where we had to leave for Provo. Our son is in the hospital, things are getting complicated, and we have to leave. It turned out that the sent him via quiet ambulance to Ogden to the lung specialist. Now, Richard had received a blessing two days before. When the Ogden Dr. saw him, he found nothing wrong, and wrote a discharge from the hospita, and removed the chest tube. Richard's recuperating just fine. We were able to set up Skype a tchurch and at the hospital so Richard could hear the talks and musical number by Lori, Arianna and Samantha.
Gradually our children have now left for home and the house is being prepped for Lorna and Ryan's moving in. We are flying out at the end of the week and will be gone for two years. We are glad for Skype so we can stay close to whats happening at home and family.
East is East and not West
Louise had told us that the son of our former home teacher, Martin Sorge, had moved into her ward in Wisconsin. Martin had been living in Chile for a while and we wondered where he was. The son was able to give us the e-mail address for Martin in Chile. We told him of our call and he answered quickly. He said he was in the Santiage East Mission area and maybe we could get together sometime.
Two weeks later we received a letter from Salt Lake telling us that our mission had been changed to Santiago East. When Brother Sorge was informed of the change, he mentioned that maybe it was because he had talked to the mission president, ha ha. We dont know, but we will now be in the same mission, and probably in the same ward. Coincidence? I dont think so.
We entered the MTC in Provo on January 2, 2012, and are half-way through our training. We will fly to Santiago, Chile, on 13 January and arrive there on the 14th. Santiago is four hours ahead of Utah, which isnt too bad as far as jet lag is concerned. We will try to continue with blog updates.
Two weeks later we received a letter from Salt Lake telling us that our mission had been changed to Santiago East. When Brother Sorge was informed of the change, he mentioned that maybe it was because he had talked to the mission president, ha ha. We dont know, but we will now be in the same mission, and probably in the same ward. Coincidence? I dont think so.
We entered the MTC in Provo on January 2, 2012, and are half-way through our training. We will fly to Santiago, Chile, on 13 January and arrive there on the 14th. Santiago is four hours ahead of Utah, which isnt too bad as far as jet lag is concerned. We will try to continue with blog updates.
Mission:Impossible?
I've always wanted to serve a mission since I joined the Church. It wasnt possible, considering how my family reacted to my being baptised a Latter-day Saint. I didnt really know much about the doctrine, like any new convert, but began learning. I didnt understand how a ward works and was rather lost while attending the Manavu Ward in Provo. I was too shy and wasnt able to make friends to sustain me.
It wasnt till we moved to Lawrence, Kansas, that I began to bloom. I was needed. There were callings to fill, and I was called to be a counselor in the Young Women's program. The YW president encouraged me and had confidence in me that I could really conduct a meeting! She introduced the Golden Gleaner program to me. This was an award that women, ages 18 to 35 could work with to progress in various ways to become a more adept leader. I wanted that award so much, that I forced myself to do things that I was afraid to do. I forced myself to carry through with commitments, even though they were so difficult for me. It took me about two or three years to complete, as some of the requirements took that long. When I wrote the letter of application, I remember saying that I had learned so much and had developed so much confidence in myself that the award itself was no longer that important.
From that time to the present, I have developed more confidence, and have learned so much more about our Heavenly Father's plan for us, that I wanted more than ever to share my experience with others while preaching the Gospel.
Jay had a knee replacement in preparation for serving a mission three years ago. There were several complications related to his surgery, and this set us back with our plans. Finally we decided the time was right and we'd better not put it off any longer. We started the process of applying to Church Headquarters for a call to serve a mission.
This is a process that is rather involved with interviews with our local church leaders, medical and dental exams, x-rays, treatments, etc. to be ready for at the most, two years away from home.
Some of the immunizations take a year to complete, others are just a one-time poke.We were pronounced healthy and immunized by the doctors and dentists, and the Bishop and Stake President found us to be worthy to serve the Lord full time.
We submitted our applications via e-mail to the First Presidency in Salt Lake and began the wait for the "LETTER" which would arrive in the mail. Jay checked the mail every Wednesday as that is the day we thought it would come. Six weeks went by without a letter. We were beginning to wonder what was wrong. On Thursday, Jay left to go to Logan. The phone rang and it was an Elder Adams calling from Salt Lake. He introduced himself and asked if we has received our call yet. I told him that we had not. He said, "It will come very soon," and to call him as soon as we had it. I hung up the phone, glanced out the window to see the mail truck just leaving our box. I wasnt in a big hurry to go out since the day for the call was yesterday. After arguing with myself, I lost and went out to check the mail. I thought, probably junk and lots of catalogs, as usual. I opened the box, pulled out the mail and spied a large white envelope. I looked at the return address and saw that it was from the Office of the First Presidency of the Church. OMIGOSH!!!!!! it's here! Should I open it? No, I have to find Jay. Oh, I hope he took his cell phone! Oh, please answer! Hello? ITS HERE! You have to come home NOW! He was here in five minutes. In that short time, Lorna had come over. She went home, got her video camera, set it up in our living room and went into another room. Jay and I opened our letter and scanned the page for the place and length of time. I couldnt believe my eyes. I started to cry. We are being called to Chile Santiago West Mission for a period of 23 months! We just looked at each other because neither of us could speak. The began the phone calls, nine of them, to our children. The bishop was next to know, then friends and relatives.
It wasnt till we moved to Lawrence, Kansas, that I began to bloom. I was needed. There were callings to fill, and I was called to be a counselor in the Young Women's program. The YW president encouraged me and had confidence in me that I could really conduct a meeting! She introduced the Golden Gleaner program to me. This was an award that women, ages 18 to 35 could work with to progress in various ways to become a more adept leader. I wanted that award so much, that I forced myself to do things that I was afraid to do. I forced myself to carry through with commitments, even though they were so difficult for me. It took me about two or three years to complete, as some of the requirements took that long. When I wrote the letter of application, I remember saying that I had learned so much and had developed so much confidence in myself that the award itself was no longer that important.
From that time to the present, I have developed more confidence, and have learned so much more about our Heavenly Father's plan for us, that I wanted more than ever to share my experience with others while preaching the Gospel.
Jay had a knee replacement in preparation for serving a mission three years ago. There were several complications related to his surgery, and this set us back with our plans. Finally we decided the time was right and we'd better not put it off any longer. We started the process of applying to Church Headquarters for a call to serve a mission.
This is a process that is rather involved with interviews with our local church leaders, medical and dental exams, x-rays, treatments, etc. to be ready for at the most, two years away from home.
Some of the immunizations take a year to complete, others are just a one-time poke.We were pronounced healthy and immunized by the doctors and dentists, and the Bishop and Stake President found us to be worthy to serve the Lord full time.
We submitted our applications via e-mail to the First Presidency in Salt Lake and began the wait for the "LETTER" which would arrive in the mail. Jay checked the mail every Wednesday as that is the day we thought it would come. Six weeks went by without a letter. We were beginning to wonder what was wrong. On Thursday, Jay left to go to Logan. The phone rang and it was an Elder Adams calling from Salt Lake. He introduced himself and asked if we has received our call yet. I told him that we had not. He said, "It will come very soon," and to call him as soon as we had it. I hung up the phone, glanced out the window to see the mail truck just leaving our box. I wasnt in a big hurry to go out since the day for the call was yesterday. After arguing with myself, I lost and went out to check the mail. I thought, probably junk and lots of catalogs, as usual. I opened the box, pulled out the mail and spied a large white envelope. I looked at the return address and saw that it was from the Office of the First Presidency of the Church. OMIGOSH!!!!!! it's here! Should I open it? No, I have to find Jay. Oh, I hope he took his cell phone! Oh, please answer! Hello? ITS HERE! You have to come home NOW! He was here in five minutes. In that short time, Lorna had come over. She went home, got her video camera, set it up in our living room and went into another room. Jay and I opened our letter and scanned the page for the place and length of time. I couldnt believe my eyes. I started to cry. We are being called to Chile Santiago West Mission for a period of 23 months! We just looked at each other because neither of us could speak. The began the phone calls, nine of them, to our children. The bishop was next to know, then friends and relatives.
Pressure Cooker Second Round
omigosh! So much has happened since my last blog! The pressure cooker didnt give up! We went through Christmas and New Years with even more anxiety. Jay had complications of his complications of the knee replacement surgery. He ended up in ICU, a rehab center and with a home health nurse because of all the medical intervention.He developed an infection in his gallbladder just two days after being released from the hospital. The perimedics came with the ambulance to take him back to the hospital. Because he was on blood thinners for the blood clot in his leg, he couldnt have the gallbladder surgery till the clotting factor increased. The Dr. waited as long as he could and did the surgery on a Sunday night. Jay bled out a lot and was near death. He developed infection in that wound and it had to be opened to drain. It never was re- closed and had to heal from the inside first, making an ugly scar. Then his molar started hurting and the dentist discovered an abcessed tooth.This is probably the source of the infection in his body. The tooth was extracted, and because of he blood thinner, it wouldnt stop bleeding. Back he went to the dentist for cauterizing. Finally home, he convalesced with home health nurses coming for a month of treatments. Meanwhile, his knee wasnt getting the exercise treatment and is still stiff and painful! He did finally get "better" but didnt have a garden this year.
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