Not for the Faint of Heart

Mauri!  (hello) Dear family and friends,

 

Not a whole lot to report on…

3 weeks in bed with a very bad respiratory viral infection…

It got scary there for a few days and then I made a turn for the better.

There was one exciting day I should tell you about. On Saturday I received a phone call from a senior missionary, Elder Youngberg. He told me that he had cut his finger pretty bad and asked if I would get his wife, who was at their house and bring her to the hospital. He hadn't told Sister Youngberg so she was surprised when I showed up at her house. We got to the hospital and when I walked into the room where Elder Youngberg was, the nurse’s aides were just starting to wrap his hand and I told them that I needed to see it.   WOW!

I told them that this had to be stitched up. They said, "Are you sure?" I said, “Yes, I'm positive!” Then they informed me that there were no doctors available. I asked them to call the surgeon and have him come in. They came back and said that there were no doctors available.  The nurse in charge looked at me and asked, "Don't you know how to do it?”  I said, "Well, I've never done it before, but I think I can do it.”  The other nurse just looked at me like I was crazy. I told her to give me the surgical kit; that I would do it. And the fun began!

The Holy Ghost is truly an amazing gift! I was calm and steady, for a first timer. It was not a clean cut...  There were pieces of his skin that were missing and other parts that were jagged. It was just like putting together a puzzle!

Elder Youngberg was a real trooper. I don't know who was worse - him or Sister Youngberg. They were both pale and she had to walk out of the room a couple of times.

When I opened the kit,  which consisted of an old sheet with, (what I hoped were stains all over it), I assessed his hand movement to make sure that he could make a fist and move all the joints in his left middle finger. Yea! That was a blessing! But more than that, it was a miracle!  After I numbed it with lidocaine and pulled back the skin, I could see the tendon. There were cuts and tears on both sides, up and down his finger, but there was not even a nick in the tendon.

Here is what happened. Elder Youngberg was working with another young man and they were trying to move a large metal corrugated door. It slipped and the weight was too much for a bare hand. He's lucky that it didn't cut his fingers all the way off!  Elder Rasmussen gave him a wonderful blessing and he was told that he would not have any pain. God truly is a God of miracles!   I love Him!

I love being a missionary! It's the best!  The Spirit is so strong and wonderful. There are hard days too, and on those days, I just have to say what my best friend always says: “One more Day!”

Have a wonderful day! I love all of you so much more than when I left on my mission. My heart is changing for the better and that is because I know each one of you. Thank you for all you love, support and encouragement! 

Love always,

Sister Cassita