So, Ryan's first week in the mission field didn't go exactly as planned or expected. Whatever does, right? I will include his email and as well as a follow up email from his Dad. This should give you a good idea of what has been going on. Don't let the craziness fool you though. It was a really rough week. Ryan's sickness is very serious. It has taken a toll on him physically, mentally and emotionally. We are so grateful for prayers offered in his behalf as well as the amazing Mission President and his wife for their concern, care and love for Ryan. It is hard to be a mother and feel so helpless to care for and comfort your son. These people have been my saving grace and for this I am forever grateful.
Group Email:
So the first week in the field definitely wasn't all I imagined it to be. So the day before I left the ccm I ended up contacting something and it made me way sick. So for the entire day of travel I was entirely sick. And then the next few days began consisting of ER trips and feeling awful. It turns out I got a bad case of salmonella. So sorry for those I wasn't able to respond to today, I am currently in the hospital as well. So for the past days, no food, 6 and a half liters of liquids and 3 hospital trips thus far and that's my mission experience here in the beginning. But God does everything for a reason, so it'll work out. If I didn't get sick and go to the hospital, all those sick down in the ccm wouldn't have had the knowledge of what they needed to treat, so everything works out and every Trial will strengthen us! Well look for real missionary work in next week's email.
-Elder Pickering
Follow up from Dad:
Let Dad step in and add a little color to it all. I hope you will permit me a little creative license here. :) Let me give a few more details for those just begging for more information.
So we knew he was sick from his brief call home from the airport, so I emailed the mission home and told them
what was going on and they would be coming in hot, so to speak. They
were ready for him. Let me just say we are so fortunate to have
President and Sister Barney as his mission president and mom. They are
outstanding, just so loving and caring. Could not be any better for
Ryan. They could tell he was in bad shape. President Barney called us
that night to let us know that they got him to the mission home, gave
him a blessing, gave him fluids and sent them straight to bed.
He
was doing worse the next morning, so they took him to the ER to get
fluids. Over the next few days, he bounced between the mission home and
the ER, getting fluids and trying to get him stable. We have been
called a few times between President and Sister Barney and they have let
us talk to him twice. He is weak but remains positive. Sister Barney
says he has been such a kind and gracious young man facing the pain he
has.
Yesterday we got the call from
Sister Barney that the stool sample testing was in and that it was
salmonella. I had been texting my friend Jason (who is very high up in
the missionary dept.) about it and he said they were thinking it was a
norovirus that was taking all of these missionaries down. Once I told
him it was salmonella, he started emailing the Mexico City MTC directors
and presidency, general authorities over it all, as well as mission
presidents with sick missionaries from the MTC. He was grateful that
now they knew what they were dealing with. I have told Ryan via email
that he and his poo are true heroes in this story, saving a lot of
missionaries a lot of pain. I might have even compared him and his poo to Finn from the cinematic classic Sharknado, only instead of Finn fending off the Sharknado with an awesome chainsaw, it was Elder Pickering fending off a Poonado from harming other missionaries. Quite the visual I might add.
Got another call
from Sister Barney this morning that things had gotten worse for Ryan,
though. He was in a ton of pain last night and his sodium levels
continue to drop. He is back in the hospital but has been admitted this
time. They have him on a sodium drip and more fluids as well as a lot
of antibiotics. We will hear more from them later, I am sure.
It is hard to know your child is going through so much pain, but we are
grateful for so many things. We are grateful that we have both served
missions, so we have faith in the system, in the process. We know he is
being cared for, and we also know his mission is the medical center of
the universe with the Mayo Clinic just a few miles away. We are so
grateful for President and Sister Barney and the love and care he is
getting there. We are grateful that we have been able to talk to him a
couple of times and hear his voice. It is weak, but there is a laugh
still there ready. Sister Barney said he is amazingly positive there.
We are grateful for the blessings he has received, to know he has a work
to do there, that he will be healed and recover and serve an honorable
mission. He and we just need to be patient and continue in faith.
So
there you have it. Less than a week in the field but already a great
big story for the journal. It will be another week or two to get him
back on his feet, but hopefully it will come soon and he can regain his
strength and not forget the Spanish he learned in the MTC.
Hope that was enjoyed by all and OK'd by Elder Pickering.
Dad
And here is one of the updates from the Mission President:
Thanks for your note, Brother Pickering. Elder Pickering is doing a bit better today. I have been here in the hospital with him today and I am glad they admitted him. He just
wasn’t improving, but he seems more alert today and feeling a little stronger.
He has such a positive, kind attitude, despite his physical ailments. He is an inspiration to us.
Love,
Pres and Sister Barney
No comments:
Post a Comment