Tuesday: We had conferences and it was great. President talk to us a lot about obedience and going back to the basics about how we should be studying personally and with our companions. I loved it. I have loads to work on. So I am excited to get started with that. So ya it was really great and we learned some great things. We ate lunch and it was delicious, and then Hermana Packer (Mission Nurse), me and Hermana Astorga and some of the office Elders went to the Hospital for my surgey!! We I was doing great I changes into my sweat pants and a T-Shirt before we went to the hospital and when we got there the first sight was a man being wheeled on a gurny through the hallway without a shirt on....I was like alriiiiiight. So we keep walking and keep in mind this is a public hospital and not very clean and a little old.....yep....it was great. So as you can imagine my nerves we a little bit on end...So the nurse calls my name and has me come back. So I said goodbye to the Elders my comp and Hermana Packer....The nurse took me into a little room where she told me to change into this little gown and put this hairnet thing on and little slippers. I came out when I was done and she had me follow her. So this was pretty funny. I had to step over a 2 foot ledge to get into the hallway that led to the sugery room and as I am doing that I am trying to keep the back of my gown shut! hahaha. It was pretty funny. So the nurse walks me into the room and the first thing I see is about 6 different machines and a bed. So I hop up on the bed and she is just preping the surgery and asking me for some information. So as I am laying there I look up and see this light with about 14 light bulbs and I was like oh geez...I felt I was about to be experimented on....So finally the doctor walks in....yes this was a good part. First of all he is wearing pink scrubs and these scrubs are not like the ones back home. They are sort of older looking and they dont have like tee shirst under them..so he had his pink scrubs and the other doctor has on blue ones and all I can see is a forest of chest hair popping out and a gold necklace to top it off. I was thinking to myself at this point. Why do I have to wear a hairnet he has more hair coming out of his chest then I do on my head...but I then remembered that he would be holding the knife and didnt say anything. So before I could even start to get mentally prepared in goes the needle to freeze my foot. OUCH! Just like I remembered it. The pain was intense and I had this hard pillow thing that I was just hugging trying to stay still. So they just got right to work at cutting and unscrewing the screws. I felt....a lot.....and several times they needed to put more freezing in because I was in pain. I will admit I was crying a good part of this sugery. It was really weird. Not just from the pain and uncomfortableness of the sugery (as I think every muscle in my body was tensed a fighting so I wouldn´t move my foot.) but I felt extremely alone! It was so weird. I am just used to having a companion or someone there to help me when I need that support but there wasn´t anyone. I prayed a lot and just asked God to help me. I remember the nurse walked by me a few times and would ask if I was in pain and how I was doing and tell me to relax (like I can relax when they are pulling screws out of my feet.....and it was gently.) She would put her hand on my should or on my head and I would instantly feel calmed. It was a tender mercy from the Lord I know that. But I also thought it was funny how much just a physical touch can help a person and I understand now a little bit between that bond between mother a child how really sometimes all you need is a hug or something. Anyways so finally they finish up the surgery and I wasted no time in inviting them to church. hahaha. So then they all left and I was just laying on this bed trying to relax and process what had just happened. Then some other nurses come in and tell me to get on this gerny and they push me out into the hall so they can prep the room for someone else. As I am being pushed out into the hall there is a man on a gerny against the other wall. So as I passed I said Hola! He looks back smiles and said hola back to me and we both just went back to staring at the ceiling. He had no shirt on either and had a hair thing on and a white sheet on him. I then began feeling sort of like we were both waiting for our turn to go into the morgue or something. It was a little funny. Finally a nurse came and was like okay your done...so she helped me get down and I walked back to the room where my clothes were.....ya that was a long walk. My feet were really really sore. But once again I stepped rather clumsily over the ledge as I was trying to keep my gown closed so the group of male nurses behind me wouldn´t see anything. So I get into the room and sit down and start crying again...more just from shock as the surgery took a lot of my energy physically and emotionaly. So I change and Hermana Astorga came and helped me into a wheelchair...oh by the way I asked the doctor for my screws and he gave them to be right after the surgey...blood and all...so I might need to clean those up a bit...gross. So I got wheeled out and the first thing I see if the face of Hermana Packer. Now she is basically like my mission mom and since my own mom wasn´t there, as she asked me how it went and I imediately started crying again!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!! Those were the words in my head at this moment. I usually can control my emotions especially here in the mission but for some reason it was all just coming out. So I composed myself and luckily the elders went for the car so I didnt look like a baby. So we wheel down the hall and out the door. The elders being the gentlemen they are wouldnt let me try to get into the car by myself and litfted me up into the car.....They were so concerned and made sure I was okay with everything. So we went back to the offices and they were just finishing up conferences so President came and saw me and made sure I was okay. Hermana Richins and Hermana Gutierrez came too and gave me a hug and made sure everything was okay. So then I went to Hermana Packers pench and hung out with her for the night. She made crepes which was good! I also got to call mom which was good too! So then the Elders came to pick me up later to take me back to my pench to sleep and I hobbled out with crutches and got into the van and Elder Duran turns around and is like here Hermana this is for you! A liter of ice cream from Grido!! (Grido is a icecream place here...the best) Plus two bottle of sauce carmel and strawberry! I wanted to hug them both but we cant do that so I just said thank you. They seriously are sooo kind. So I got back to the pench and the helped me up the stairs and then left. Anyways that was Tuesday and that night was lovely as the pain really set it then. But I finally got to sleep. So Wednesday through Saturday kind of followed the same pattern the elders would pick me up and we would go to the offices and they would take me home at night. In the office they brought me McDonalds one day (mmmmm) and ice cream haha. And Elder Duran set up a little desk with a laptop with a beautiful picture of the Nauvoo temple and music playing for me to work at because I was helping Hermana Packer with some things. I really felt spoiled and for the first time in my life I just went with it. Usually I have a really hard time accepting help because I am so prideful and always feel silly. So I know God was trying to teach me something there too. Friday I got my dressing changed and the doctor was a little rough as he just pulled the gauze off fast and was not being gentle. Hermana Gutierrez was with me because my comp had a lunch apt. So she was just watching me trying to hold back the pain and was like oh my word! haha. She wanted to hit the doctor! But everything is good now! haha. So that was basically my week of surgery. I helped a lot in the offices and read a little bit and it was good. I am definitely ready to get back to work and am excited to do so. Walking is a little awkward as the stiches are right where my shoe is on top so I wear my flats that are all open on top but they are really thin so my feel hurt a bit while walking but its better that the pressure on the stiches.
Well geez. I feel like I learned a whole lot this week. I have some really great goals for this next week and I am excited to get started with it. I am going to need a lot of prayers as I know this week is going to be really hard and I am going to really work hard on being as obedient as I can...and praying that God will bless us accordingly. I am learning patience, charity, and the importance of prayer (we are always learning as missionaries..) I love you all and want to say thanks for the support and love. I feel it. I need it. Thank you again!
Love Always,
Hermana Anderson
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