THE QUEZON QUIBBLER: Freezing in the Tropics

Dear Family,

I am writing from the hospital where I’ve been staying with an
American sister since last night. I’m pretty sure this hospital’s
strategy is to induce pneumonia by exposing visitors to sub-par
temperatures after living in a tropical environment. Fortunately,
they heat the room in the ICU unit where our missionary is. Her
companion called Saturday morning to report her excruciating headache,
and I could hear her crying and moaning in the background. I assumed
dehydration, with her refusal to drink and vomiting, and told them to
go to the nearest ER by jeep. When I called the zone leaders to ask
which hospital was closest they recommended having someone with a car
pick her up since the travel would be up to 90 min in crowded
jeepneys.

So I rushed to a near-by baptism I knew Elder and Sister Ogden were
attending and asked them to pick her up. They made it in under 40
minutes and took her and her companion to the hospital where after
blood and urine tests they did a CT scan to check for a sinus
infection and found a pool of blood in her brain. Fortunately, Elder
Ogden has worked in a hospital and in ICUs for many years and knew
what questions to ask and was able to plow through the insurance
bureaucracy. An ICU nurse getting off her shift recognized them as
missionaries and offered her help, as she was just ending his shift.
We decided to move her to a better hospital in Manila, so the nurse,
who is a member, rode with her in the ambulance and the ER doctor
drove the ambulance!

The nurse stayed with her until we arrived and at 10pm were told she
would “soon be admitted”. Her memory was sketchy and had difficulty
moving her hands and feet and doing simple math problems. And she was
scared. She’d always been healthy and this was her first experience
in a hospital. The companion went home. Dad went home with the
promise that if I stayed I would not have to speak at stake
conference. I thought it would take another hour or two (they left
about 1am) but it was about 5am when she was finally admitted. I
slipped home in miraculous traffic at 6:00am and showered and got my
phone cord and headed back, leaving Stewart to take my ten minutes in
SJDM conference. It turned out he only had two minutes, but it was
good for me to be here because I talked with the interventional
radiologist about the four vessel cerebral angiogram they are doing
right now—catheter up her femoral after from thigh to neck then dye in
the brain to see which vessel is bleeding. Hopefully they will know
what to do next in a few minutes.

The only person more happy than me when the new nurse (who came this
week) takes over is Stewart, who realizes a panicky, stressed nurse
(me) if not ideal. We also had zone conferences this week, so no
nursing notes got done. The good thing is the new nurse doesn’t know
how to access her computer, so she doesn’t know what a slacker I am.
We also got a new AMA this week, whose first day was a call from me
asking what to do with a possible stroke victim? He actually had no
idea, but he will catch on.

Our mission leaders taught well at zone conference. My favorite quote
came from tiny Sister Dumdum teaching about Using Technology Wisely:
“Elders and Sisters! No monkey business!!” Dallin’s power point and
the game he designed were a hit with the missionaries. And Stewart
taught powerfully about always keeping your word and doing what you
say you will do. I’m sorry we missed Derrick’s trip to Manila, but
that was the day Elder and Sister Sommerfeldt came who have already
declared they will NEVER drive here. And revealed themselves as the
King and Queen of Bedbugs, so I’m glad I won’t have to deal with that.

Tuesday morning:

I just remembered about not sending this letter. Waiting in hospital
for results I f repeat CT scan. The angiogram Sun showed bleed caused
by a congenital malformation. We are hoping she stabilizes soon so she
can get the surgery/help she needs. Stewart keeps in contact with her
family is the USA and has deep sympathy for the fear and pain this
already fragile sister is going through. All the time I've been at
the hospital, he's been speaking at meetings, interviewing baptismal
candidates, meeting, speaking on phone with missionaries or reading
their letters, and driving through traffic.

We’re very blessed to be close to one of the best hospitals in Asia. I
know her mom would like to be here, and I remember how grateful I was
for the Szabadkais when Dallin was in the hospital, so it’s a
privilege to serve. I just wish they would turn the thermostat up!

Love,
Mom