Miss K has six hours of surgery…

September 20, 2018 /  Richard Eglese  /  4 Comments  /  Featured, News - Thailand, Prayer

… but she is recovering so much better.

On Monday 17 September 2018, Miss K had her surgery as I waited for her to be brought back to me. Six hours waiting was hard and the late afternoon and evening quite scary. She needed bloods as her colour was wiped out, oxygen as her sats were low and suction because her secretions were bothering her. It was scary as she groaned and was in and out of consciousness  due to the anesthetic not having fully worn off. The cast is from above her belly button and fully down one leg and and down to the knee on the other leg, with a cut out for the nappy. She had a bar cast in to hold the position.

I did my best to help her that day  with talking to her and stroking her hand and hair. She knew I was there, but when it was time for me to leave, she did not fight to complain, although she turned to me with a slight pout.

I placed her recovery in the prayers to God of many warriors and spent Tuesday checking on everyone else at Bann Feung Fah and the local hospital for Mr C. He seemed well apart from being uncomfortable from the positioning the staff were using to keep him still. I adapted that and gave him some cuddles and his milk. I also got to look in on another from the orphanage who had to have an invasive treatment on his leg. The ward mum needed to change the sheet, so I took the chance to offer to hold him and give comfort… it really was a God chance.

After this and because I’d managed to stay in Pakkred and not head to Bangkok, I was able to rush home, change and head to Bible study for women. It was the first in two years and I was super encouraged to be around these ladies and once again have a midweek Bible focused fellowship. It’s been as if Satan wanted to keep me isolated and drained and God has made this group of 14 ladies who also work here and can’t go to daytime groups. It is such a blessing, even if it’s starting in my craziest, maddest time of chaos.

That night I also started with a sore throat and cough again, which is annoying and often happens when I visit the local hospital because the air con is so cold.

Today I spent the morning till 12 noon with the ward kids and we did well on feeding Miss A, snacks for Miss N and Mr G and stretching and playing. Today I was blessed with Jessica’s help in driving us over to the hospital. Due to the large cast, we took Mr C’s stroller to switch with Miss K’s so she could be reclined and I’m so glad we could. Just before Jessica arrived to get me, I dropped my phone and it would not turn on at all. I was so frustrated as this is my contact to you and all others for support, my alarm clock which I can’t wake without and my connection in so many forms.

The journey there was lovely to get conversation, the parking challenge was fun. We found the only space and got her beast of a car in it and then walked from the top floor spotting two very easy spaces that had come free.

Then we got some lunch to have after water and coconut water. As I manoeuvred the chair, the cup dropped from its lid, splashing everywhere. We got another and headed up to the 6th floor and found a happy Miss K. As the nurse was dealing with something for her, she nudged the coconut water we had put on the side and the second was spilt. We looked at each other saying, “Wow, Satan is prowling today.” It was just so many things all on the same day which was shocking, but I explained to Jessica that this is how things have been for the last month, issue after issue, broken thing after challenge. She definitely got some clear examples of this.

As we saw to Miss K getting her feed, changing nappies, positioning her legs and considering her blood transfusion and swollen feet, we noticed that there was a significant amount of air in the tube which was carrying the blood to the vein. Jessica is a nurse and she was able to advics me that this was a real bad thing. We shared this with the nurse and she corrected it. I’m so glad for her experience in that. We tag-teamed on changing the bedding and Miss K coped very well.

Then the physio came to check on her, saying she was chesty and that the swollen feet were something she would mention to the doctor. We also pointed out the blood stains on the outside of the cast where it was coming through. She did some ankle exercises for Miss K, arm stretches and said she wanted her to be more upright. I said could she go in the stroller and she was impressed that we had something that she could go in. We put the backrest at a 45 degree angle and were permitted to take her outside to the courtyard. She was in her element. This was nice and an answer to prayer, as I was longing to give her a change of scene.

We got her back into bed, changed her nappy again and moisurized her lips to feel fresher. She contentedly played with her little dog with Jessica and was even able to giggle and smile today. It was a lovely visit.

After this we drove back with the other stroller (which is too small for now) and got back to Jessica’s to relax and have tea: a lovely meal of tasty chicken salad and mashed potatoes. She and some other church ladies had made meals for me to freeze to go with the ones I’ve steadily been eating from Sunday’s kind delivery. I feel so much healthier and energized on these meals. Her wonderful husband managed to get my phone back working, giving me back my support system and morning wake up calls, so I could not have been happier. The expat ladies are seeking a new second hand one to relieve the stress of other breakdowns.

So today I feel Satan has been attempting to wind me up so much, but due to the kindness and support around me I’ve been able to laugh at it all and value all the kindness from others and the joy that Miss K was in a much better state of health.

Tomorrow is the community girl’s appointment, so an early start to get an x-ray and in the waiting queue quicker and when we are sitting around waiting, I’ll check on Miss K and feed her or change her. After the appointment, the family will head home and I’ll invest yet more attention on Miss K. Please pray my bad throat doesn’t last long, that timings work out tomorrow for talking with doctors and visiting Miss K, that the concerns about Miss K’s cast can be addressed and that she will continue in good spirits and even better healing.

God is good and even in challenging seasons with spiritual warfare, we see him working for our good and for his glory. I praise his works and power in these things. Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Nicola Anderson

P.S. Thursday 20 September – I now feel physically rough… sore sinus and throat, useless cough, drained energy and in the night a feeling of being sick. Seems Satan changed tactics on me. I’m going to limit life to the must do tasks and try and rest, but as you can imagine, that’s not easy. Please support in prayer.