Missionary Journal-Archive-Spoelhofs in Brazil

Wednesday night, June 9, 2004

I'm in the hospital lobby at a computer. There's a big soccer game at the stadium right next door between São Paulo and some team from Venezuela, and no way I'm going to get a taxi out so will write a short entry. It's been a month since the last entry.

On May 12, Ben and I drove in to São Paulo to pick up his dad and brother for a visit. Back home, during the night, Sue started having strong pains in her left side, to the point that she thought we'd come home and find her dead on the floor. By the time we got home, on Thursday, she was feeling better and wouldn't hear of my taking her to emergency. By Friday morning, the pain was so bad she couldn't get out of bed and we called an ambulance to get her to a heart hospital considering pains on her left side. To make a long day short, she went through three hospitals and a ton of tests and finally emergency surgery around nine at night to remove what was left of her spleen. We were told that if we had waited another twelve hours, she wouldn't have made it. By Sunday she was released and started to recover at home, had stitches removed and began a series of vaccines.

Moving ahead to Saturday, May 29, intense stomach pains returned with vomiting and diarrhea, by Sunday she was back in the hospital for more exams, but released with plans for 24 hour nursing care at home. Monday things got so bad that she was back in the hospital, and by Tuesday the lack of care was so bad that if I could have walked her out, I would have gone to the nearest plane to the States to get proper care. A friend who is a nurse visited that afternoon and seeing Sue's condition called the doctor and said she had to be moved to a place with proper care.

That night she was transported by ambulance accompanied by a doctor and nurse, to the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo-- definitely a first world place. Getting here at four in the morning we were met by friends Joe and Meta Arthur. Sue was cleaned up (it was a rough trip for her) and immediately taken in for a CAT scan. When the doctors here saw her deteriorated condition, they said she must have immediate surgery but gave little hope for survival.

By noon she was in surgery again. She survived and started recovery with two days in ICU. By Friday she was moved to semi-ICU (a private room with all ICU equipment). Then it was up and down with fever and vomiting and breathing problems.
Yesterday, after more CAT scans, she went into surgery again. This one ended up lasting almost six hours to put two drains in to drain off the area around the lungs and where the spleen had been. It was at that time discovered that in her first surgery, back in Bauru, the surgeon had cut the pancreas during the removal of the spleen. This morning she had more CAT scans since she had a fever and problems breathing, but finally this afternoon, the doctor said things are getting back to "normal" (though I'm not sure what that is anymore).

Now she is back in ICU, very heavily sedated, with two more drains in, but again surviving. Tonight she recognized me and responded to me for the first time since yesterday morning.
I've passed my fifteen minute limit on the computer, but that gives you an overview of what's been happening. It's pouring rain out now, but the games started and hopefully I can get over to Arthurs' to sleep. So, I'll sign off and see if I can get a taxi and get to bed. Please continue praying, we both need it. But we know so many folks are praying and God is answering in His way and in His time.

Tchau.

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