On being the patient

I just have to start there, because this video is worth every minute.

So it went like this:
Burke goes on a trip. Burke comes home from a trip. Burke says, "I have pain in my abdomen, and it's not going away." Burke can't sleep. Neither can his wife. Burke decides to ask for a priesthood blessing and go to the Emergency Room. Jess drops Burke off at the Emergency Room to park the car (see 1:43 of the video). Burke and Jess wait in the waiting room for an hour. Burke and Jess spend 3 and a half more hours in the ER. After much deliberation, Burke says 4 or 5, sometimes 7 or 8 (see 5:19 of the video). Burke gets diagnosed with appendicitis. Burke gets wheeled into the Operating Room. 1 hour later Burke's surgeon says everything went well. Two hours later Burke is settled in his hospital bed. Three hours later the resident tells him he can go home. Two hours later Burke is home in his bed, recovering from a very long night/day.

A few reflections on the whole experience:
-ER nurses are very special people. Nurses in general are very special people. I know that the ones Burke met made a big difference in his experience.
-When they brought in "the surgery team," we met a medical student and 2 residents. I didn't even meet Burke's surgeon until after it was all over. Burke met him right before going in for the surgery.
-It does not feel good to be sitting in that freezing cold waiting room all alone at 6am after staying up all night, hoping all goes well with the surgery. It was very lonely.
-It felt really good when the surgeon came and found me and told me that everything went well and Burke was doing great.
-Ever since being in PA school, every time I have gone to the doctor, or heard about the experiences of my family members, I have been very disappointed in how they/I have been treated. This was the first time since starting school that I felt satisfied by the history-taking and physical exam that was done. This was the first time they actually did it the way I was taught. Props to the student and the residents!

Burke is well on his way to a full recovery. Less than a week after surgery he hopped on a plane to Wisconsin to go spend some time with his mom. Tomorrow night we'll both be home again and taking the week off. We haven't figured out what we'll do yet, but we need a very relaxing vacation!

Happy...uh...Pascua!

In our apartment, if anyone is talking outside anywhere near us it sounds like they are sitting right next to you. So yesterday morning at 9 am someone knocked on our Puerto Rican neighbor's door (he's 2 doors down from us, and he doesn't speak English well, but he always tries) and he said, loudly, "Good morning, lady!!! How you doing!?! Happy...uh...Pascua!!!" It made my day. Because, the Spanish word for Easter always  escaped me. And I wouldn't have remembered it now unless I had heard him say it. Apparently, sometimes it goes the same way for Spanish-speakers remembering the word "Easter." 

On Friday I was asked to teach Relief Society today and I am really grateful I had the opportunity. I taught the lesson called "The Immortality of the Soul" from the George A Smith book. It was perfect for Easter too. I was so touched by the Holy Ghost and by the experiences and testimonies shared by the sisters in my ward. 

‎"The Savior's righteous life is a perfect example to all, and His resurrection was the first assurance to humanity that we, too, shall come forth from the tomb....

Jesus Christ was a man without sin. By reason of His purity, His uprightness and His virtue, He was able to unlock the doors of the prison, to overcome death and the grave, and pioneer the way...unto that heaven where we expect to go.

The Lord has not left us without hope. On the contrary he has given us every assurance of eternal happiness, if we will accept his advice and counsel while here in mortality." 

-George Albert Smith

I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives, and He loves each of us. I know we have hope through Him.

Feliz Pascua!

Ankle Sprain #3

Poor, poor Burke. A little over 2 years ago, he sprained his ankle for the first time. It was his left. We were enjoying Christmas break in NC. Burke hobbled around the airport as we traveled back to Utah. Then we returned home just to find that our apartment was flooded.... which set off a couple of weeks of staying with Burke's aunt and a several month process of getting our home back in order. All while Burke hobbled around all over campus on a sprained ankle.

Sprain #2 was only a few months later... about 2 years ago. Burke's cousin was getting married, but he had a very important intramural basketball game to play (he had just recently started playing again after sprain #1). We had planned to leave after the first half, but he couldn't leave his team! So he kept playing. When he came down on his right foot this time, I almost felt mad.... we should have left when we had planned!

Two whole years of no sprains! But with those awesome new bball shoes, Burke stopped wearing his ankle braces. He texted me Tuesday night to let me know that although it was later than he usually stayed, he was going to play 1 more. 15 minutes later when he called, I shoulda known.

So Burke's laid up with another ankle sprain. Just in time, too, because we just made 3-month exercise goals starting this last week. Well, with the turn of events and the resulting CRAZY busy week, I thought I was off the hook. But nope. Burke motivated me to at least do a yoga video last night, and he even joined me, with some modifications, obviously...now that is true love. His motivation even got me out of my rut enough to go for a run today.

I don't know how our 3 month exercise goals will work out with
Burke's injury, but apparently he's still in.