Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Getting Stronger
I had a good check up with the doctor today. He said that the tests today showed no traces of malaria in the blood sample, high iron, out of the danger zone for hemorrhaging, no adverse signs in my liver or pancreas, and healthy all around. I still lost a lot of weight, being on only IV's for several days, plus the heavy wear that malaria puts on the body. He said that I was out of the danger zone for anemia, but that I still have a ways to go to get to normal.
Lord willing I will have about a month to get this growth and rest done that is necessary. In this sense, I will be taking a brief medical furlough to get my full health back. The doctors and medical professionals that I asked (many), said that after treatment, it is best to be out of a malaria zone to recover for about a month to avoid a relapse. I wish I could visit everybody, but I would defeat the purpose of rest, and for that I am really sorry. Lord willing, though, I will be able to spend a month with family before getting back into language and culture study. I will miss an evaluation, but I am talking with my language and culture consultant, and doing what I can to not lose ground.
Please pray for the Lolo people as they continue to hear God's Word. Please pray for me, since my heart is to be there preparing the soil for the planting of the Gospel with the new friends and contacts that I have made, and since that awaits my culture and language acquisition as well, this delay seems a bit discouraging. However, God is in control and has a plan, and He is far wiser than I. Most of all, praise God for the way He drew so many people to pray and care for me while I was so sick (so far I count 14 countries on five continents, and I suspect more: wow). God is working in this world.
Lord willing I will have about a month to get this growth and rest done that is necessary. In this sense, I will be taking a brief medical furlough to get my full health back. The doctors and medical professionals that I asked (many), said that after treatment, it is best to be out of a malaria zone to recover for about a month to avoid a relapse. I wish I could visit everybody, but I would defeat the purpose of rest, and for that I am really sorry. Lord willing, though, I will be able to spend a month with family before getting back into language and culture study. I will miss an evaluation, but I am talking with my language and culture consultant, and doing what I can to not lose ground.
Please pray for the Lolo people as they continue to hear God's Word. Please pray for me, since my heart is to be there preparing the soil for the planting of the Gospel with the new friends and contacts that I have made, and since that awaits my culture and language acquisition as well, this delay seems a bit discouraging. However, God is in control and has a plan, and He is far wiser than I. Most of all, praise God for the way He drew so many people to pray and care for me while I was so sick (so far I count 14 countries on five continents, and I suspect more: wow). God is working in this world.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Sinking And Rising
Praise the Lord!!!!!!
After a couple of weeks of very serious health problems, I am weak, but up and around. It started with a cold. I had a sinus headache, and drainage. It must be a cold! Soon, I began to feel weaker and weaker. I started getting a high fever. I had a conference to attend for the team of missionaries here. I went, but began to feel so poorly that I missed most everything at the conference. Later, I blacked out. My colleagues found me in my room. They evacuated me to the city of Nampula, where the local clinic did a blood smear and found me fully infected with cerebral malaria. I was placed on IV's of quinine, and soon stabilized. In a couple of days, I began to gain consciousness.
My health just kept getting better, and in less than a week, my blood tests showed no traces of malaria. My other symptoms were all disappearing rapidly. I soon was able to get around and take care of myself. I am now out of the hospital, and taking medicine to boost my immune system and rebuild my blood count.
All of this in about three weeks. My recovery is amazingly quick. The doctors said that I had an abnormally high iron level in my blood, which probably helped in the quick recovery. In all of this, I can only say that God was caring for me the whole time.
The symptoms were not normal malaria symptoms. The malaria was just as serious. Many others have not survived such a thing. I can only give the glory to God.
God is always in control, and seeks my best. In doing this, He gets all the glory. This a fundamental part of the Christian faith. Clearly, it is not time for me to go. God has other things for me. What they are, I do not see.
In the mean time, I will need to take a short medical break. I will miss an important language evaluation. I do not even know where I will be this next month. Please pray for continued strength. Please pray for me to see God's wisdom clearly and follow His leading.
After a couple of weeks of very serious health problems, I am weak, but up and around. It started with a cold. I had a sinus headache, and drainage. It must be a cold! Soon, I began to feel weaker and weaker. I started getting a high fever. I had a conference to attend for the team of missionaries here. I went, but began to feel so poorly that I missed most everything at the conference. Later, I blacked out. My colleagues found me in my room. They evacuated me to the city of Nampula, where the local clinic did a blood smear and found me fully infected with cerebral malaria. I was placed on IV's of quinine, and soon stabilized. In a couple of days, I began to gain consciousness.
My health just kept getting better, and in less than a week, my blood tests showed no traces of malaria. My other symptoms were all disappearing rapidly. I soon was able to get around and take care of myself. I am now out of the hospital, and taking medicine to boost my immune system and rebuild my blood count.
All of this in about three weeks. My recovery is amazingly quick. The doctors said that I had an abnormally high iron level in my blood, which probably helped in the quick recovery. In all of this, I can only say that God was caring for me the whole time.
The symptoms were not normal malaria symptoms. The malaria was just as serious. Many others have not survived such a thing. I can only give the glory to God.
God is always in control, and seeks my best. In doing this, He gets all the glory. This a fundamental part of the Christian faith. Clearly, it is not time for me to go. God has other things for me. What they are, I do not see.
In the mean time, I will need to take a short medical break. I will miss an important language evaluation. I do not even know where I will be this next month. Please pray for continued strength. Please pray for me to see God's wisdom clearly and follow His leading.
