Hit the Wall

 Elder DeVictoria writing:

This week we hit the hardest wall of our mission yet.  On Sunday the pain from my head and eye was so intense that I had to go to the hospital.  I went to the Seventh Day Adventist hospital which is open on Sundays (because of course they think the Sabbath is on Saturday, so Sunday for them is a normal day of operation).  So we went in and it was kind of miraculous.  They have a special department that treats foreigners that aren't on the National Health plan (we aren't yet) and therefore we are paying cash.  They took us to a special intake lounge that is super comfortable.  Everyone speaks English.  They scheduled us to see a general practitioner.  An aide walked us down, opening all the doors, pushing all the elevator buttons, showing us the way.  When we got to the station, we didn't have to get a ticket and wait our turn in line, we went right to the front of the line and within a few minutes we were sitting in front of the doctor.  The doctor said, "Well, you may have sinusitis/a sinus infection, but that would require antibiotics that would be best taken intravenously, and that would require being admitted to the hospital.  Why don't I refer you first to the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist right now to check you." So we walked to the next department and again we got the same treatment, went straight to the front of the line and went right in. The doctor looked in my nose, looked at my eyes, looked at my throat and teeth and said, "Okay, let's get an x-ray of your head."  Away we went to the x-ray station in the basement.  Again we went right to the front of the line.  They took the x-rays and we went back to the ENT.  When I got back he was reviewing the x-rays on the screen, he spins around and says to me "You have no infection, there is no mucus problem, I suspect this is a neurological condition, you need to be referred to Neurology."  So off to the Neurology department.  Again we stepped right in, in front of 15-20 patients waiting in the lobby.  Within 2 minutes of explaining my symptoms, when it started and what's going on, he said, "I think you have a cluster headache."  We went though on-by-one all of the typical symptoms and I had all of them. Stabbing pain that comes in waves.  All on one side of the face.  Centered on the eye on one side, going up to the forhead and down to the cheeks or upper teeth.  Going out to the temple area.  And generating a lot of tears in the eye, with the eye really red and swollen.  Then he whipped right around and wrote out a prescription for about 7 different medicines that included steroids, anti-inflamatories/pain pills, stomach protectants, and as an option an anti-seizure medication.  And that was it.  Upon check out we were presented a bill for about $600 dollars which I paid with my credit card. That includes all the x-rays and medicines and diagnoses.  I took altogether about 2.5 hours

That night the pain was extreme, and the next day too.  On Tuesday I decided we needed to go see him again.  When we went in he was surprised to see us.  But this time he could see that I looked much worse.  I was much worse.  I was so miserable Sister DeVictoria had to push me in a wheelchair.  

 

I explained that I had not been able to sleep and was in unbearable pain, the worst pain of my life.  He said, "Okay, I can increase the dosage of the anti-inflammatory medicine / pain meds to the maximum, and I can also give you a "shot".  I said, "Okay, give me the "shot" and he said, "Okay but I'm also going to do a blood test to make sure there isn't anything else we might have missed."  And I was already scheduled for a brain MRI on Thursday.  He gave me the shot and we went home.  By the time I got out of the taxi I was so dizzy I could barely stand up.  I lurched upstairs and crashed in to bed and slept for about 6 hours.  It felt so good!  I made it through to the MRI experience which was fine.  By this time in fact the pain had started to subside with the one "shot" and with the increased dosages. Slowly, gradually it went down and down.  On Friday I finally went in to the office to do some financial work for about an hour.  It had been over a week since I had been back in the office.  Then I spent a couple of hours in the office on Saturday.  That brings us to today, Sunday and I feel a lot better.  My next doctor visit is tomorrow.  I think I'm nearing the end of this.  About 10 days of misery.

Sister DeVictoria:

Elder DeVictoria said this was the hardest week of our mission, but I think it was the hardest week of our  marriage!  As we traced this illness, I remembered that it kind of started with tooth pain.  I was very worried that he had an infection in his teeth that had spread to his brain!  I felt this could be life threatening!  I prayed a lot for help.  When the doctor said there was no infection, I was so relieved!  And when the neurologist immediately said it was a cluster headache, I felt so grateful that we finally had a diagnosis!  I felt the Lord helped us all along the way to get good care, even though Elder DeVictoria suffered for one long week.  He didn't eat, he couldn't sleep.  He was reaching the end of his rope.  Now I finally see the old Paul coming back.  Today I notice a big difference in the rash, swelling of the eye, and his overall state of being.  

 

One thing he didn't mention was that along with the pain in his eye, the large nerve on that side of the face, the triseminal nerve, probably was causing the tooth pain and caused the left side of his face and head to be covered with a rash.  With cluster headaches they happen on one side of the head, and with the rash you can see almost a dividing line.  Our health advisor in our mission said that with cases like this, it is important to get immediate care.  Because he didn't, the nerves got inflamed and it took awhile for them to calm down.  Even though this was a terrible trial to get through, I have felt the Lord's help and guidance.  

Throughout this ordeal I have often thought of the words of this hymn, "How Firm a Foundation":

1. How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

 

2. In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,

In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,

At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—

As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

 

3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

 

 4. When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

The word "succor" in this hymn kept coming to me. The one thing I have learned in my life is that true relief and comfort come from the Savior.  Even when what we have to experience is terrible, there can be a ray of peace and hope that helps us have the strength to get through it.  Trials like this refine us and as the song says, "sanctify" us.  They also help us to turn to God for help, which helps us develop a closer relationship with Him. 

At the very end of the pain for Elder DeVictoria, I developed tendonitis in my shoulder.  For whatever reason, my body just always chooses tendonitis.  This is the 5th time I have gotten it.  I kind of know the drill and just tried to immobilize it.  Elder DeVictoria helped me dress because I couldn't raise my arm.  Our health advisor in the mission coached me on how much Ibuprofen to take.  Yesterday on P-day I suddenly felt a sort of release in my shoulder and since then it has started feeling better!  I am very thankful!  I questioned whether I would be able to play the organ for church, but I kept practicing to see if I could raise my arms and found that I could.  I was able to play without any problem.  My healing is also happening!  

We got in new missionaries and the 7 new Elders stayed at our apartment for two nights.  Some of them looked a little shell shocked.  Mission rules, a new culture, leaving home for perhaps the first time, learning a language etc. can be very stressful.  It's amazing how quickly they adapt to this mission pace though.  We also have two missionaries leaving.  I snagged a couple of pictures that the President shared with the mission.  One is of the group inside the entry of the temple.  One is of the group on a bus headed to the Grand Hotel to discuss that this was the place where Taiwan was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel.  They also went to the night market.  

And finally, no food pics this week, but I have another flower pic.  :)  

Alma 7:12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.