Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Miracles

SOOOO this week was... interesting...

I think God still hasn't forgiven me for saying that "we didn't have trials." haha.

But, I also feel like He took really good care of me this week, and I saw a lot of miracles in the way things worked out. On Monday, I woke up feeling kinda sick, but I was supposed to go to Teotihuacan with all the missionaries that are going home with me, and I was bound and determined to go. So my comp and I got all ready and left the house to get on public transportation.

It was a very bumpy ride, which was absolutely miserable, because if you have heard something about appendicitis, you know that it doesn't really get along with bumps and movement. BUT I also felt like it was a huge blessing because it made me realize that I was really sick. So that was the first miracle.

The second miracle was that He helped me get back to my house (pyramids weren't going to happen, we got off and went back home.) I like, actually thought that I was going to pass out in the combi from the pain... but somehow we survived... haha.

We got home and I went to sleep for like 4 hours, and when I woke up, I was actually feeling better, overall... but I also noticed that the pain was more concentrated in the lower right hand corner.... which made me think that it may be appendicitis. This was the next miracle - I feel like God told me what was wrong with me... I didn't even actually have all the symptoms of appendicitis. I went through all of the common ways to check for it and made my comp hit my leg and lift it up and see if I had rebound pain, but I really didn't... And yet, for some reason, I still felt like it might be appendicitis. 

I wanted to call the mission doctor and talk it over with him and see if he thought I should go to the hospital or not... but, I couldn't get a hold of him. So I called President and started to tell him, "I don't feel very good... I feel like it could possibly be appendicitis... it's probably not, but I'm not sure...." And he told me later that he felt strongly that they needed to get me to a good hospital, quick. So he told us to pack an overnight back, just in case, and he sent an Uber for us. Our overnight bags were pretty lame... we only had like 5 minutes to pack, and I wasn't super mobile, so I basically packed a toothbrush, lotion, and deodorant... ALLL the essentials haha... Also, we were pretty sure that this was just a precautionary measure, and that we weren't actually going to be staying at the hospital.

There was a ton of traffic so it took us 2.5 hours to get to the hospital. The next miracle is that I did not die, nor did I feel horrible during the Uber ride. I was starting to convince myself that we had overreacted...

The next miracle is that we got into the clinic and we saw the NICEST, most thorough doctor ever. I told him that I was in a lot of pain and wanted to check to make sure it isn't appendicitis. We were talking, and he told me that it would be very strange with appendicitis to be feeling better and not worse, and that it probably isn't. But, when he pressed on my stomach, he realized that I really was in a lot of pain... and so he decided to send me in for tests at the emergency room to make it faster, just in case. Which was really really awesome of him because a couple months ago I went to the doctor with another Hermana who had appendicitis, but who also didn't have the whole rebound pain in her leg. The doctor that checked her, didn't take those kinds of precautions and they just sent her home with medicine... only to have her return later and find that it really was appendicitis. So it was really awesome that he sent me in for tests. 

At first, everything was pretty easy-going. They look some X-rays and put me on an IV, and everything was pretty calm. And then they did an ultrasound. I was watching the doctors faces and I saw their brows furrow and then the lip-purse that said to me, "This doesn't look good." So I asked them if everything looked okay. Which is when they told me that my appendix was about to rupture, and that they were going to call the surgeon so that they could take it out before things got more serious. At this point, I started to cry because I just felt super alone. My comp wasn't with me at that point because they wouldn't let her into the ultrasound room, and my family was so far away.... 

They took me back to the emergency room and I called President to let him know that I was going into surgery in less than an hour... and he told me he was going to do his best to drive quickly to make it there on time, before they started my surgery... Then everything started moving really fast. Before the ultrasound, everyone was super calm and taking turns talking to me and touching me and then all of the sudden, there were like a bunch of people coming in to get my consent to do surgery, having me sign things, talking to me about the surgery, and who knows what... 

I was trying to sort out all of my emotions and come to terms with all that was about to happen, when in came the nice doctor who had first seen me - such a good guy. He talked to me about how the surgery was going to go, even though he wasn't actually the surgeon who was going to operate, and then he asked me about my family. I told him that I hadn't been able to tell them, and then he lent me his phone to be able to call you all (President gave me permission, of course). Another miracle.

Only like, 40 minutes had gone by since they did the ultrasound and made the diagnosis, when they told me that it was time, and that I had to go into surgery right now! But, President still hadn't gotten there and I was really hoping to see him first.... but they said they couldn't wait. I was trying to convince them to wait for him to arrive, but they told me that they couldn't wait. They were literally wheeling me into the elevator to take me into surgery, when my mission president came RUNNING up to the elevator... and all he did was put his hands on my head and gave me a super short blessing. The doctors were all so confused, but they didn't understand anything because he gave the blessing in English. And then he took his hands off my head, waved, and let the doctors take me... Maybe my favorite miracle of all. It's always better, going into surgery, to know that you've received a blessing with God's Priesthood.

And everything turned out great! I had laparoscopic surgery, that involves just the 3 little incisions, so I don't have any huge scars or anything and so I am healing much quicker. I think this is the standard surgery in the States, but I've met like 3 people, in these last few days, who had appendicitis just within a year or so, and went to the hospital that is closer to where we live now. They were all cut open and have like a 10 cm scar. This would have been a lot harder to recover from. I am so grateful that we had time to get me to a really good and medically advanced hospital, with a skilled surgeon. I'm feeling a whole lot better now - I can walk again and I will get my stitches out tomorrow. After the surgery, the rest of the week was pretty boring... We just hung around in the hospital, and after that, in President's house. Getting back to our area on Saturday was SO exciting. I missed it here! The only lame thing was that when we got back, our house didn't have water. Huge difference from presidents house... Haha. But we got it sorted out and we have water again.... YAY SHOWERS!!! Also a miracle.

I love you all so much. Thanks for all your love and support. Hope you all have an amazing week. Look for all the miracles. God gives us trials, but He also helps us through them. 

Love,

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts

Recovering at President Stutznegger's house. I am so grateful for Sister Stutznegger and him!


Back home again!

1 comment:

  1. What a story! I'm so glad you got checked out and then got such excellent care. Your mom texted all of us and we were all down on our knees praying for you and the doctors right away. We love you Sister Wolferts, and are so proud of you and the work you are doing! Thank goodness for our Heavenly Father's tender care. There are times it feels very personal. Love you! Aunt Wendy

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