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kelvin and heather's spaceFebruary 12 Hospital adventures...Well, my latest adventure here in Egypt has involved surgery. Doesn’t sound like fun, or much of an adventure, does it?? But let me begin:
About four (five) weeks ago, I finally did something I’d been putting off for at least six months. I’d been having some nasty stomach and abdominal pain off and on, and some not so nasty but not nice abdominal discomfort for a while that I was attempting to ignore. Finally I went to see the doctor, thinking I would have to go on a strict healthy diet, and give up all that is good in life (namely, chocolate and coffee. I was feeling a bit hard-done-by, as I’ve already given up diet coke, and the problems weren’t going away…)
It was discovered that I had two monster cysts taking up room in my abdomen, and pressing on the bladder. Explained a lot of my symptoms, and gave me relief, thinking that maybe an entire life-style change wouldn’t be called for!
After a VERY expensive CT scan, and several ultrasounds (one of which was very cool) it was decided that surgery was in order, and pronto. Well, actually, the Arabic equivalent…something along the lines of “yesterday.” It was a total of twelve days from the time the cysts first showed up on the ultrasound screen to the time I was going under for surgery. Completely unheard of in the Canadian medical system…there are some benefits to paying for medical care. The other is that test results and xrays actually belong to the patient, so I have some pretty cool pictures of the inside of my body…kinda weird, too. I’ve learned a lot about my insides…
The week before surgery was a bit crazy. I got my date Tuesday evening for the next Sunday. So I began preparing for someone to come in and take my class. I also felt an urgent need to get my house in order, as I didn’t know whether I’d be out for two weeks, or six weeks or longer. I was a little bit concerned that all the dust bunnies and kitties would revolt and take over the house if I was out of commission for too long… Saturday was the longest day…I was at the school from 12 noon until 8pm trying to get the last of my planning and photocopying done, and trying to prepare my room for someone to come in and take over. But somehow, it got done, and I was able to go home and have a quieter evening after a crazy week.
Sunday we went into the hospital at 10am, and ended up waiting until 1:00pm for the doctor to show…he had a baby to deliver, the nerve! But by 1:15 they were wheeling me into the elevator (and into several doors and doorstops, I must say) in my sexy, drafty gown, and cozy pink blankets. Within 10 minutes the anaesthetic was going into my arm, and my eyes were shutting….
Apparently the surgery went very well. The doctor was able to do the “diet” version of surgery – the laparoscopy – which left me with four tiny incisions, and a belly full of gas, but no cysts. He said that the surgery took about three hours, due to the size of the cysts and the fact that they found a third one, (and if he had done the full abdominal incision, it would have taken about 30 minutes!) I am SO thankful that the doctor is a very patient man - patient enough to do the surgery with the scope. Which means smaller scars, and a MUCH shorter recovery time!
The really neat thing about the whole situation, is the way that God has been looking after me, and us. Before I even knew about the cysts, people in the congregation were aware that someone was having problems and were praying for us. A number of people “felt led” specifically to pray for me, and to pray for healing. Two men in the congregation fasted and prayed for me for three days (thank you so much, guys!) The night before surgery, I kept checking my belly to see if my “two bumps” were gone.
Although the healing wasn’t instantaneous, I still see very clear evidence of God’s hand in the whole situation. For instance, the fact that others knew about the situation before I did and were compelled to fast and pray. Also, a wonderful friend who is also a wonderful nurse came with me to one of the initial appointments, and at every step helped me to understand the “medi-speak” and to navigate the Egyptian medical system. Thank you, Mary!! You have made this journey soooo much easier and less scary! You are very good at what you do. Blessings on you! In spite of all the possible problems in an Egyptian (or any) hospital, my stay was relatively uneventful, and the care was reasonable. I also had wonderful friends come and care for me (thank you Samia and Irini!) In spite of surgery, pain, and a slightly scary vomiting episode the morning after surgery, healing has been rapid, and mild discomfort more the norm than pain. Painkillers worked, the incisions are healing cleanly and quickly, and I can see big changes from day to day. (Aren’t our bodies amazing??) The community has cared for us and shown us sooo much love. People have taken my classes (thank you Felicity, Marty, Lesley, Melinda, April, Freddie, Josie, Dorothee, Wendy, and everyone who has stepped in to look after my kiddos!) People have generously helped us by providing meals, helping with finances, visiting, calling, bringing flowers, and just encouraging us each and every day. Thank you to all of you…your generosity is amazing. This is when the Body is what it is meant to be, I think. The most clear sign to me, however, of God’s care in this situation, is the complete and total absence of fear. In what had the potential to be a scary and lonely time, there was not a moment where we felt lost, abandoned or despairing. Emotions were a bit up and down, but at the bottom, under it all, was this rock-solid peace that God has us in the palm of his hand. There was (and is) a certainty, that no matter what happens, and I mean no matter WHAT…we are going to be okay. Even if the worst happens, we are safe in His hands, and whatever comes, we have strength from Him to face it, and go on. Even when the origin of the cysts was unclear, and the possibility of malignancy was in the air, the rock-solid peace and certainty was there. I have never known it this solidly before. I also wonder if God has allowed this to show us His hand so clearly. Merciful, graceful, wonderful Father! (It is also exciting to wonder what He might do next??) Anyways, I am healing rapidly, and am starting back to school partial days. I’m so glad to see my kiddos again…I sure get attached to them. One little guy told his dad that I had two “potatoes” removed from my belly…not sure how that got lost in translation! Shortly before I left we read the story “Owl at Home” and the story of Owl’s strange bumps. Well, I made the mistake of calling my cysts “bumps” and the kids made the connection…it might be quite amusing to hear pint-sized interpretations of the last couple of weeks!
The other interesting development is I have developed a curiosity to see the cysts…so I asked the doctor about photos or footage. He is going to make a CD for me of the surgery.
Popcorn and home video, anyone????? November 10 Not enough coffee lately...Well, I just spent an hour and a half typing up a brilliant new entry...and now it is lost. I'll do it later...I'm too frustrated now. I HATE computers sometimes!!!!!!!!! July 17 Morning Light Brings Clarity, and Diminishes Genius Yup, I was right. I'm only a genius in the middle of the night. Somehow, clear light of day reduces it to fervent ranting. Interestingly enough, I did stumble upon an article about taking risks today. I'll post the key and interesting points next time. For now, I think I've said enough! July 16 Random ThoughtsAdventurers?
Okay, it is officially the middle of the night (at least where I am - the clock on here must be on Ontario time...it is eight hours behind!) Why do I get inspired in the middle of the night, when normal people are sleeping? I knew I shouldn't have had that mochaccino at 9:30 - although it was completely worth it at the time, Adiam! Here are a few random thoughts from the last few days...
I sometimes wonder what people think of us. I don't mean in a self-conscious, "do-you-like-me" sort of way, but how do people picture us in their minds? Especially people back home in Canada? Some sort of see us as these wild adventurers braving new frontiers. Others see us as absolutely insane. Still others think we are somehow other-worldly (that somehow we've gained extra insight into life...) And still others think that we are wasting our lives.
We live in Egypt because of a choice that we made a few years ago. Yes, there are some things that take some bravery - the first few months were pretty scary. Not knowing Arabic and the culture was difficult, and figuring out where to shop and how to get around was also scary, heightened by the fact that we couldn't communicate or read road signs. Everything was new - our marriage, our jobs, our church, our friends (or lack thereof) and our country were new. But, after a while, you learn to do these things, and you discover that you CAN do them. It can be difficult, but when you do them, you learn more about yourself. For instance, I've always been a bit of a softie - easily pushed around and always wanting to please. I've learned to stand up for myself here. I've learned to stick my elbows out and push to the front of the line, or into the metro car, or scream at someone who is harrassing me, or to tell someone off in Arabic. In other words, I've grown a backbone!
I find it interesting that people say "Oh, I could never do what you are doing." No, I don't think "can't" is the right word. "Won't" or "I'm afraid" are more accurate. I know that modern life is expensive, and raising a family complicates things, and I do admit that at one point I thought we should travel, and then settle down in Canada and have a family. However, I think it is possible to travel, or live a different life than suburbia dictates, even with children. It may not be easy, and it may mean some sacrifices along the way, but it can be very rewarding. Also, what we do may be far outside of someone else's comfort zone, but once we do something for a while, it actually becomes a comfort zone for us. We get used to it, and it isn't so strange after a while.
For instance, I hear people say "we could never afford to do that..." Actually, it comes down to choices. When we first came to Egypt, we were making an EXTREMELY small salary, and we still managed to pay off debts and live a little. We still live in a rented flat with someone else's furniture, and we still make less than a quarter of what we would make in similar jobs back home, but we still manage (most days) to enjoy our life. I don't know if we'll ever own our own home (I hope someday, but not for now) or if we'll ever have the latest style clothes or decorating, but we have what we need. We have a roof over our heads, rewarding jobs, good friends and more than enough to eat. We can take simple holidays and live a little. Our lives are full.
We are not somehow braver than other people. We have just made the decision to keep our lives fairly simple, and be a bit different than the typical. I don't think it is wrong to live well, or to have nice things, but I think in Western culture we focus too much on having the perfect house or garden, really nice cars, and all the latest gadgets, when they don't really make us any happier, and getting them sometimes costs us more than we realize. I also don't think that it is absolutely necessary to travel to foreign countries to live an adventure. We can do that in every day life by making little decisions to be different, and to do the unexpected. We're so focused on making ourselves a "comfort zone" and then wonder why we feel bored and stifled. We're made to thrive on adventure!
Okay, so that came out sounding a bit more preachy than I intended. Just reflecting, and thinking about things I can do about pushing the borders of my comfort zone! In some ways being here has done that, and in other ways there is a lot more I could do...
True Beauty
Okay, I am really on a roll tonight. Definitely too much caffeine! Maybe I will want to delete this in the morning (just like Jerry Maguire!!) Anyways, this is the other major theme on my mind at the moment!
Beauty. What is it? Who decides what is beautiful and who is beautiful? I've been on facebook a lot lately (I will NOT mention exactly how many hours in the last two days!!) and have managed to reconnect, and to see some people from college, high school and elementary school, even. Now, I have to admit, I had a number of very awkward years - glasses and braces in the same summer, a lot of hand-me-downs as well as a real fashion handicapp, in addition to hair that went from wavy to almost frizzy-curly pretty much over night. I always felt a bit like a gawky giraffe, and I was clumsy, too. But looking back at old school photos, I wasn't THAT bad...(except maybe for grade seven! And yes, at that point, it really was that bad...)
The point is, looking at all the other students in the class, and teaching little ones myself, I've been reminded again just how difficult growing up is, and how hard we are on each other. So much of life is about establishing a "pecking order" - who has the coolest clothes, or the latest toys,the best job, the most seniority, or the greatest jokes. It rarely has much to do with who people are on the inside. Even in KG and Grade 1, students start comparing themselves with others, and it absolutely breaks my heart. These absolutely BEAUTIFUL little kids think that somehow they are less important because they don't have Barbie on their backpacks, or have brown eyes instead of blue. Where on earth does this come from????? Why can't we celebrate each other, and our kids, for who they are and their unique talents and gifts? Why do we have to take each other down, or brag about ourselves in order to build ourselves up? It's pretty messy, and completely unfair, especially for people who don't fit it in the tiny little list of criteria that is beauty to us.
Ever notice that once you get to know someone, they become more beautiful or less beautiful based on their actions, and how they treat others? Hmmm, this is really starting to sound like a sermon. I think I really need to stop!
And finally, a little bit of frustration humour for your reading pleasure.
How to dispose of garbage:
1. Place a large garbage container (the kind that you can lift with a truck) on a street, preferably blocking at least one lane of traffic. (If you block someone's parking space, you get extra points!)
Also, make sure that container is adjacent to at least four eucalyptus trees.
2. Bag garbage, and take to nearest container. When you are within three feet of the container, drop it on the ground in front of the garbage container. (Do not, under any circumstances, throw the bag of garbage into the container. This is incorrect handling. Also, make sure you leave the bag untied, to allow local cats, dogs and rats easy access to the garbage within and ensuring easy dispersal in a 1 kilometre radius.)
3. Cut down a few (healthy, preferrably green and blooming)* trees, and dump one third of branches into container. Scatter the rest around the container in two foot radius. (Remember, extra points for blocking traffic!)
4. Set fire to contents of container.
5. Realize that eucalyptus trees have a very oily and combustible sap, and they tend to explode during forest fires. Realize, also, how many eucalyptus trees are near the container.
6. Call fire department to put out fire.
7. Park fire truck in centre of street, preferrably blocking at least two lanes of traffic. Have eight men stand around supervising, and one poor slob pouring water on fire.
*See previous post on "How to Prune a Tree."
And I have no idea how to end this. I think the caffeine has worn off! Good night, all!
Summer, ho hum.... I am convinced that the internet is a tool designed to produce immediate addiction, and to prevent us all from engaging in real life. It is ridiculous to email someone that I could call on the phone just as easily. A friend introduced me to "Facebook" about a month ago, and now I could spend all day every day looking up friends and acquaintances from my past. It is actually a bit scary to have such an effective procrastination tool at hand...as if I need any more of those in my life!
Well, we managed to survive the school year. The last month was pretty trying, but we made it! After the students left, Kelvin and I took a short jaunt to Dahab, to join some of our friends and then vacation on our own for a few days. Snorkelling at the Red Sea is a great cure for whatever ails you, and lots of iced-coffees and chocolate shakes make the world a better place. It was great to have a chance to unwind, and to spend some time just soaking up beauty and clean air. And, friends of ours loaned us their car, so we didn't have to have a puke-fest on the local bus. Thank you sooooo much, B & L!!!
After we returned to Cairo, Kelvin kept busy painting the school with a team of parents. Great job, and many thanks to Dem, Debbie, Kim, Samuel, Marie and Nathan. You folks are great, and you were a fantastic help! I ended up spending the majority of that time sorting and entering new library books with a colleague. It was tedious, but we were able to put on the a/c, listen to music, or watch TV. Which got me hooked on yet another procrastination distraction - the new series "Bones." After watching approximately 12 episodes over three days, I was hooked. Thankfully, it is summer and I can afford to veg a bit.
Going Buggy:
Okay, time for a couple more gross Heather stories. Becky, are you reading this?? We have been having some issues in our house with ants. Very common here, especially in the warmer weather. I would rather deal with ants than cockroaches, but they were literally everywhere...in the sinks, my face-towell, etc. The other day I spent fifteen minutes picking ant carcasses out of a cup of rice. Well, I finally got desperate, and sprayed our kitchen and bathroom (yes, the bathroom was just crawling with them...I like to think of ants as clean creatures, but I'm starting to question that...) with the local version of Raid - the kind of stuff that melts critter bodies and I'm sure causes many different types of cancer. The next morning, I went into the bathroom, and the floor was littered with hundreds of little shrivelled ant bodies. That went on for two days (ew, gross!) It looked like a little insect battlefield or cemetary. It makes me shudder to think how many live ants were making their homes there....blech! So, after a couple days of sweeping, I think we're through the worst.
The kitchen wasn't so bad, thankfully. BUT, I was making dinner the other night. I decided to make chilli, and had browned my meat and added veggies, and then added a bunch of hot chilli flakes. Then, I happened to look in the top of the jar. It was black and moving. There were a host of little tiny weevil-like things crawling around on top. (Just thinking about it is making my skin crawl!) Decision time: do I pitch the meat and veggies and start over, or do I try to fish some of the little pests out of the meat? I decided since meat is expensive, I would try to remove as many as I could. So I carried on, and finished the chilli. Second dilemma: do I tell Kelvin or do I just serve it to him, and hope he doesn't notice? I finally have an attack of conscience, and decide to tell him, giving him the chance to choose. End result? He says "I wish you hadn't told me." We both eat weevil-chilli, and no one dies from the experience. Anyone wanna join us for dinner? Chilli on the menu!
Well, I can't think of anything profound to say, which isn't surprising, considering my most recent activities. (I think I've fried a few thousand brain cells...) I lay in bed at night writing wonderful, descriptive and witty entries, and when I actually sit down and write, it all runs out one ear. Oh well. I'll try again later, when I need another excuse to procrastinate!
Happy summer, all!
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