Helping Elder Lazo - Thursday, June 15, 2010

Last night about 10:30, Elder Lowry, one of the assistants, called saying that Elder Lazo, the other assistant, had been really ill all day with severe pains in his stomach. They had complied with what was required and read in their carpeta health section about abdominal pain. Several symptoms pointed to possible appendicitis. Even though it was late, I told them I should call Dr. Snell and discuss it with him. If it was appendicitis, waiting until morning might not be the best thing to do. After discussing it with the doctor, he recommended that he get it checked out tonight.

Austral Hospital was the place of choice to go. Luckily we had a car at the office, so Elder Lowry and Elder Lazo drove to the hospital which was about 45 minutes away. An authorization from our office needs to be faxed to them for payment purposes, but usually when it is something late at night like this, they will allow it to be faxed in the morning. Not so this time! They needed it before they would even look at Elder Lazo, so at 12:15 Rich went with me up to the office to fax the authorization to Austral. It was freezing outside so we bundled up and walked fast. We got home at 1:00.

When morning came, we were informed that the diagnosis was inconclusive for appendicitis. If he has it, it is in the beginning stages and too early to tell. He was told to come back in 12 hours to be checked again.

One of our elders from Argentina, Elder Rauch, who was to leave for home last night had a big disappointment. When he got to the airport, he found out that the airline he was flying on went on strike so no flights were leaving. He was brought back to San Fernando and stayed the night with our office elders. They already had Elder Cano staying overnight as his flight left today. A remise from Bonpland came to get Elder Rauch early this morning because arrangements were made for him to go by bus to his home which would be a 15 hour ride. But, when he got to the bus station, they were on strike too!! Good grief! Will the poor missionary ever get home? So Bonpland found him another ticket on an airline which would leave this evening. He had to stay all day at the Area Offices until they took him to the airport tonight. Poor guy!

In protest of how cold our office is, Elders Peterson and Hales ham it up by wearing the hoods to their coats. We keep the heater pumping hot air into the room, but the cement walls just suck it out. The elders wear their coats a lot, Elder Kroff wears his thermal underwear some days, and I have my little heater under my desk blowing hot air on my legs. If just our hands would stay warm.

President Gulbrandsen doesn't have authorization yet to sign checks, so Rich found out that every time he needs a check signed, he will have to drive it to Bonpland to have some finance guy sign it. Today he needed one signed and I couldn't let him drive alone down there, so I went along. We accomplished our task, and then on the way out we saw Elder Rauch still waiting, and met a senior couple, the Davidsons, who just arrived a couple days ago. He will be the Executive Secretary to the Area Presidency and she his assistant. I'm sure we will get to know them better as we socialize with the group.

Elder Lazo stands in front of the Austral Hospital. President Gulbrandsen called us and asked if we could take Elder Lazo back to the hospital for his follow up appointment with the doctor. He said he would go teaching with Elder Lowry tonight until Elder Lazo returned. Elder Lazo was much better after sleeping most of the day. By the time he saw the doctor, the pains had subsided and were almost gone. The doctor said he did not have appendicitis, but does not know what caused the severe pains.

The Austral hospital is very modern and high tech. It is the best one in Argentina, so for anything serious, we send the elders there for evaluation and treatment. They have several clinics in the hospital to deal with various illnesses.

Elder Lazo had not eaten anything for about 24 hours, so he was starved. When we told him we would treat him to McDonald's, he thought that would be great. I guess the fast food didn't upset his stomach because he downed a huge burger.

Elder Lazo is studying medicine. He graduated from high school at age 15 and worked a year to help support the family when his father was out of work and his mother was sick with cancer -- better now. Then he went to college for a couple years before his mission. He is very intelligent and wants to be a neural surgeon. He said it would take 13 years. He is from Lima, Perú, speaks good English, and has a fun personality. He makes us laugh.

It was around 8:00 when we finally got home. When I started this journal entry I kept falling asleep at the computer, so I gave up and went to bed. There is always another day!