Let's All Play Wheel of Diagnoses!

 Sister DeVictoria writing:

Another week, another diagnosis.  Our mission has a new health advisor, Elder Clemons.  He and his wife did some research and found a neurologist who specializes in headaches.  We went to see that doctor on Tuesday.  She talked with us for a few minutes, then said that she wanted to put Elder DeVictoria in the hospital.  Frankly we were very happy with the suggestion because we knew this meant that Elder DeVictoria could finally get some relief!  They admitted him right then.  Yesterday and today his headache attacks have been significantly reduced!  Whereas for the past few weeks he has been suffering with 10-12 attacks during the day, and more at night, yesterday he had one at 11:00 a.m., then didn't have another until midnight!  I was there until 5:00 this evening and he hadn't had any since that one at midnight.  This is wonderful!!!  His head is still sensitive to the touch, but he has been able to sleep a lot.  The doctor told me today that this was never a cluster headache, it was always shingles, and he isn't quite over the shingles, although the other doctor thought he was.  Also the other doctors weren't being aggressive enough with the medication, so he didn't take the anti-viral medication long enough.  So he is back on that medication and finally is making improvement!  He will be in the hospital until he can go two days without a headache.  I'm so thankful I got the immunization for shingles.  My understanding is that he can get it after he isn't having any more symptoms, like maybe in 6 months.  The don't give the vaccine until you are over 50 I think, so if you are over 50 and haven't had it yet, RUN, don't walk to your doctor to get one!!

Here is a picture of Elder DeVictoria sleeping.  He doesn't like to sleep in the bed because his head hits the pillow which causes a headache attack. 

We are also in the midst of a typhoon right now.  The winds have been pretty strong today.  It reminds me of the "microbursts" we get in Utah valley.  We also have rain, but the winds are incredibly strong.  Because of the typhoon, the government called for 2 days of no work or school, so many businesses are shut down.  On my way to the subway today I heard some ladies joking with each other.  They work at two businesses that are side by side.  One is a restaurant, and the other is a little open air breakfast shop that is under the awning of a building.  The restaurant lady came out and teased the other ladies and said, "You are supposed to be taking a break today, don't you know there is a typhoon!"  The other ladies said, "You are working too!  And look, you are standing out in the wind and we are under a roof!"  They all laughed together.  I don't know how the coastal regions fared during this typhoon, but here in Taipei it has been okay, although quite windy.  I am learning how to hold my umbrella just right so that it doesn't break in the wind....famous last words.

Here is a picture I took out the window of the hospital.  Pretty scenery

 

So every day I take the subway to the city where the hospital is:  Shipai.  The nurses told me about a shuttle that runs back and forth from the subway to the hospital.  So I walk a little ways down the block from the subway and line up for the shuttle.  It can take 24 people at a time.  It drives right up to the front door of the hospital.  At lunch I go downstairs to an AMAZING food court!  They also have some people selling bento boxes right outside the food court.  I bought a couple to bring home because the mission president suggested we make sure we had food for the days that the typhoon would hit.  Also I had one of these bento boxes for lunch and it was really good, so I was happy to stock up.  This picture is a little blurry, but you can see the crispy yummy chicken.

Well, today is Saturday and Elder DeVictoria was able to come home.  The Clemons drove us home, it was very helpful because Elder DeVictoria is experiencing a lot of dizziness because of the medicine.  They sent him home with 11 different medications.  Much of it makes him really drowsy.  I think the hospital was a little too noisy for him, so I think he will sleep better here.  He will be taking the anti-viral medication for another week, then we will evaluate how he is doing. 

There was one nurse at the hospital who witnessed one of Elder DeVictoria's headache attacks.  I noticed her watching us with a meaningful look on her face.  She asked where we live, and when I told her, she told me she had taken "lessons" there before.  I told her about the English classes that are in every city.  I told her that they are free.  Actually they are English conversation groups, not really classes.  She sounded like she would be interested in going.  The next day she thanked me for telling her about them.  I texted the office elders and asked them to send me a picture of the flyer that has all of the chapel addresses.  They did, and also sent me a link to the website. I shared all of that information with her.  The nurse asked me if the classes involved Bible study.  I told her that they are just english conversation groups, but that the missionaries are also willing to teach people religion if they are interested.  Once again she mentioned that she had taken lessons before.  I really think she took the discussions at one time and seeing us reminded her of that experience.   I could tell that she would really like to talk to us more, but was unsure about how to do it.  Plus she was working and had duties.  Today, our last day there, I found her and gave her a pair of earrings that I had made. I told her I really appreciated the care that she had shown to us.  She thanked me.  Later, as we were waiting for the elevator to go home, she came running to the elevator and thanked me again for the earrings.  I told her again how much we appreciated her care, and I also told her that I just found out that the english conversation groups will also be changing to include scripture study.  I wanted her to know ahead of time.  She said she will go when she has a day off.   

 I think I will go ahead and post this for now.  I think Elder DeVictoria is just too drowsy to write this week.  Thank you for all of your prayers!