RECOVERING - SLOWLY

After two weeks of feeling pretty bad health-wise, I (Eileen) feel like I have finally turned the corner.  While I was sick, except for while in the hospital, I continued to answer medical calls.  This past week I started doing half-day apartment inspections with Russell on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, I went into the office and then we traveled to Binangonan to do an apartment inspection and look at some potential new apartments. By Friday night I was totally beat. I am recognizing that you don’t bounce back from an illness quite so fast when you are older. 

Many of the missionaries within our mission have heard about the Coronavirus from their parents or from local ward members and have concerns regarding the illness. I watch the news carefully so as to know how to advise the missionaries.  It has been really sad to see how fast the disease is spreading in Asia, even affecting cruise passengers and a church group from another faith. Two temples were recently closed in Asia, and missionaries serving in several Asian countries have been instructed to stay inside as much as possible to avoid potentially contracting the illness. While the Coronavirus hasn’t been an issue in the Philippines, we have been encouraged to have missionaries fist bump rather than shake hands, and to avoid people who are sick.  That is pretty challenging to do considering how much people in our church shake hands and hug each other. 

We have had a lot of illness among our missionaries the last two weeks. It has been difficult, but necessary, for me to perform my nursing duties over the phone rather than being with the sick missionaries in person. While I was in the hospital myself as a patient, I had an elder call me at 3:00 a.m. telling me he couldn’t breathe. There wasn’t anything I could do to help him. Russell suggested to him that he call our mission president, who then met him at a local ER. We had a sister get bit by a dog which required Rabies shots. We had 3 elders in 3 days go to the ER with pretty significant flu-like symptoms. One had Dengue and was put in the ICU. He was in the pediatric ward because he was only 18 years old and still considered a child.  Another elder had Dengue with pneumonia, the third elder had Dengue and has struggled with strep throat on top of that.  The cases of Dengue have all been a surprise as it hasn’t even rained here for several weeks and Dengue is usually worse in the rainy season. 

What is readily apparent to me as I work with the sick missionaries is that there is a huge disparity between missionaries in their level of pain tolerance, ability to cope with illness, and willingness to follow instructions. I know many of the missionaries quite well.  There are some who panic and “cry wolf” with very insignificant problems. Other missionaries can be quite ill and yet the most they will admit to me is that perhaps they aren’t feeling their best. The night before I got sick, I spent several hours with a sister who went to an ER on her own after telling me that she had experienced 3 minutes of pain and disregarding the advice I had given her. The doctor in the ER put a cool compress on her head, did basic lab tests and then we took her home. The next day we took her to a different hospital, and she was diagnosed with a tiny kidney stone several days later.  With each missionary I try to do the best I can in giving them advice. Some listen better than others.

Today in church Grace gave her first talk. She was very nervous but did a great job.  I felt like a proud parent watching her deliver it.  We are so grateful for the association we have with Grace and Lance.

As part of the housing coordinator position Russell has been tasked with teaching all the missionaries how to use a fire extinguisher and then distributing them to each apartment.  The facility management people made sure Russell knew how to put out a fire by starting this fire in the parking lot and having him extinguish it. 

Eileen and Russell in front of an old lighthouse. 

This was was the view of the lake and Manila in the background from one of the apartments we looked at. Unfortunately it didn't meet any of our requirements, but the view was nice.

Below is a video of dogs going crazy as we are doing an apartment inspection. Is it any wonder that we have had 3 missionaries require Rabies shots since being here?

THE NURSE BECOMES A PATIENT

Last week I (Russell) mentioned that Eileen came down with a respiratory illness.  She saw a doctor a week ago yesterday and started on a five day antibiotic.  Sunday and Monday were very difficult ones for her as she was coughing most of the time, running a fever and not sleeping.  I asked if she was going back to see the doctor and she told me, “No, I don’t want to be put on another medication, and I am afraid I will be admitted to the hospital.”  I have found arguing with her over her medical care has been an unprofitable venture over our married years so I backed off.  She didn’t want to go into the office this week and risk getting anyone else sick (good call).

Wednesday, about 9:30 AM, Eileen called me at the office and asked if I would take her into St. Luke’s hospital to get checked out.  I was surprised at her change in attitude and asked what prompted it.  She said that she prayed about it and the feeling came to call Elder/Dr. Dahle (the Area Medicare Advisor (“AMA”).  Elder Dahle told her to not just go and see a doctor but to go to the Urgent Care clinic at St. Luke's, the best hospital in the Philippines.  

St. Luke’s is in Metro Manila, just a few miles west of our mission boundary.  The triage nurse in Urgent Care asked Eileen just a few questions and then marched her to the Emergency Room (“ER”).  The ER doctor and other medical staff were great.  Within the first two hours, Eileen had been examined by a doctor, had blood drawn for testing, an EKG test, a chest X-ray, and an I.V. started and a nebulizer treatment.  During this time Eileen told me that she had become resigned to her likely being admitted to the hospital.  Eileen was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted shortly thereafter.

Eileen did get to choose her level of room (see room rate picture below).  She did not want to share a room and there were no regular private rooms available; so we got a deluxe private room.  It was the size of a one bedroom apartment in the building where we live, and it had both a TV with western news stations and a recliner.  Between the efficiency of the ER and the hospital room, I was impressed.  

The attending pulmonologist looking after her on the floor changed her to a stronger antibiotic as he felt her pneumonia was “hospital acquired.”  I guess there was a price to our being in two hospitals with young missionaries the week prior.  

By Friday Eileen was feeling better, not great but good enough to be released.  She still has a bad cough, which scares people with the Coronavirus all over in the news.  She has been staying in the apartment and will do so until the cough subsides.  The cost of our Valentine’s Day celebration/romantic getaway this year was under $1,300 (including the nebulizer we got to take home).

The windshield of the mission van cracked when "helpers" were assisting Russell trying to  fill the van with supplies for new apartments.

Waiting in the ER for the verdict as to what would happen to me.

In the ER, struggling to breathe.

Room rates for the hospital, I didn't want a ward room, and they were out of small and regular rooms so we chose the deluxe. The room far exceeded our expectations based on other hospitals we have been in while in the Philippines. To determine the rate in US dollars divide by 50.  I qualified for the senior rate so a 4 person ward room would be about 23 dollars/night. The room I ended up getting was about $100/night.

This room was bigger and nicer than expected.

The food definitely wasn't very good. This is my dinner tray. Everything was ice cold including the broth, the mashed potatoes, the veggies and the tiny piece of fish.

Definitely not the heart healthy meal. We don't get American food here often. Russell saw a Shake Shack near the hospital and thought I could use a diversion from the hospital menu.

A Valentines Day concert was held in the lobby of the hotel.

JUST ANOTHER WEEK

Recently I (Russell) was reading a letter written to the friends and family of of a senior missionary couple we have known for several years and served with in Europe.  The sister is a mission nurse and the elder is in charge of missionary housing in the U.S.  The elder is in many ways a lot like me, just ten years older.  As I read about the things he was doing, I could readily identify with his daily tasks.  But I also started to ask myself if anyone else could relate; or would it just sound mundane?  Contemplating this, I looked at the last email I wrote our mission president and his wife.  I was asking for their opinion on whether we should start equipping each apartment with toilet seats and bed frames!  No, not all have those.  In fact, probably a third to half do not, and many of the young missionaries don’t care.  The two experiences reminded me that very few people are going to be able to relate to or appreciate most of what I do here.

This past week five young missionaries went home and 14 arrived, mostly sisters.  One of the new sister missionaries is the friend of our oldest granddaughter.  To accommodate the increase in sister missionaries, I opened up two new apartments.  One is in Taguig and the other in the complex where we live.  While furnished with the same things, the apartments themselves are on opposite ends of the “niceness” scale.  Decent apartments in Taguig are very hard to find, while the apartment in our complex (which we got a great deal on) is a corner unit that Eileen would have chosen over ours if it had been available seven months ago.  What has surprised me is that the sisters in each apartment (all from SE Asia) were equally appreciative and happy with their new apartments.  It was a reminder to me that I should be more appreciative of my accommodations.  

On Tuesday we attended the temple with the outgoing missionaries.  The air-conditioning was functioning well and the temperature was probably in the mid-60’s.  Between this and going to two hospitals with a young missionary on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Eileen has become sick with a bad cough and respiratory issues.  She saw a doctor yesterday who put her on an antibiotic and told her to stay home for awhile (no, she does not have Coronavirus).  Thursday and Friday I spent driving alone to locations in the eastern part of the mission, delivering a washing machine and renting a new apartment.

The apartment we signed up on Friday is in Pakil, at the far southeast end of our mission.  Good housing is very hard to find in Pakil as there is little in the way of new construction.  The former zone leaders found this place several months ago when we had to vacate another apartment because it’s bathroom/sewer facilities were not functioning or repairable, and the elders were using public restrooms to meet their daily needs.  The apartment could easily accommodate four missionaries and was large by local standards.  However, the owner was asking an unreasonably high a price and we eventually found another apartment.  At zone conference a couple weeks ago, I had the thought that I should ask the elders if that apartment was still up for rent.  They said it was and I had the impression that we should try and secure it even though we did not have an immediate need other than to upgrade where the zone leaders are currently staying (not a great place).  We were able to negotiate a price less than half of the original asking amount; to which  President Alder said to get it and we will discuss later how best to use it.  It turns out that the Pakil Branch had approximately 180 people attend church last week and they are considering splitting the branch.  If they do, it would be great to have a place where we could put sister missionaries.  

Grace said the closing prayer is stake conference yesterday.  I felt like a proud parent!

Russell and Eileen at the Manila temple

Its not a very good photo because this motorcyclist was moving fast, but that is a dog on the back of his motorcycle.

The guards are always very polite to us and salute when we come in and out. They know our name, our unit, and our license plate number by memory. It is kind of freaky considering how many units are in our complex.

Departing missionaries with one last temple visit before going home.

This little girl was going to be sealed to her family.

Russell training the new missionaries

Sister Torkonoo and Eileen. This sister is a very close friend with our oldest granddaughter. 

OPENING WINDOWS

We have been in the Philippines now for seven months and today for the first time we opened the windows of our apartment to enjoy the fresh air.  Usually the temperature is warm enough that we keep the windows shut and the air conditioning on.  Even at night it rarely gets below the high 70’s.  Today it was overcast and 72 degrees for much of the day.  When we left for church at 1:30 PM it actually seemed cold to me.  Tonight the forecast is that it will get down to 69 degrees.  Break out the blankets and sweatshirts, it’s gonna be a cold one!

It was also announced in the news today that the first Coronavirus death outside China occurred today in Manila.  It was only earlier this week that the first confirmed cases in the country were confirmed.  All flights into the Philippines from China were canceled earlier this week.  Since the virus’ symptoms are fever, sore throat, runny nose, cough and shortness of breath, it looks a lot like a bad cold to begin with.  The virus is also transmitted person-to-person before any symptoms are manifest.  We and all the missionaries have masks we can wear but medical experts are still saying that the most important thing to prevent spreading the disease is good hand washing.  I (Russell) feel bad for the mission nurse who has to deal with this.

On Friday, Eileen and I drove to the eastern part of the mission delivering wardrobe closets and clothes drying racks to a couple apartments.  On the way we saw two traffic accidents and one near miss that would have been potentially fatal for the bicycle rider.  The first accident occurred at a cross walk.  The two lanes of traffic were stopped to allow the pedestrian to cross.  I was in the van going the other direction and slowing to stop.  Facing me on the road’s center line was a motorcycle just coming to a complete stop protruding a few feet into the crosswalk.  The pedestrian, a young woman, decided to run rather than walk across the road.  Sudden moves in traffic rarely work out well.  I guess she was watching the cars so intently that she did not notice the motorcycle and hit it broadside, taking down the bike and both it’s riders.  It was a tackle that would make any football coach proud!  We were relieved when all three got up unharmed.  Each day when we return to our apartment complex after doing apartment inspections or going to the hospital Eileen says, “Another successful day of driving without killing anyone!”  

Filipinos line up in Manila to buy face masks. Photo by  Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Lance and Bree before church starts. Many people in public are wearing masks because of the virus.

The view on the road to Malaya. The missionaries live about 1 km from here. Those are  rice fields with the lake in the background.

We were late for our appointment with the missionaries because of some kind of parade.

It looked like a 4th of July parade back home.

The elders are not carrying a coffin. They are hauling wardrobes into the Malaya apartment.  Previous to getting the wardrobes the elders were using  rope strung between windows to dry their clothes and then storing them in their suitcases.

We were very surprised to see this trike with the name of the church on the back.

The sunset from our apartment complex on Saturday night.

Eileen had a spot taken off her arm. Fortunately it was just precancerous and not cancer.

The doctor told me to get the stitches out at 7-10 days post biopsy. Russell removed the stitches after 10 days. At 12 days post biopsy I was swimming when I felt a ripping in my arm. OOPS. I guess it wasn't all healed up.

Tonight was the first time we have ever opened our windows. The breeze felt wonderful, and no bugs came in (we hope).