Chance Encounter with a Bird!

This past weekend after I got out of the hospital, my dad flew in to visit us and bring down our homeschool supplies. We took him all over the place and during one of our trips Doug had a chance encounter with a bird. The bird was HIGHLY interested in Doug's hat and eventually pulled off the top center piece of his hat.

It had been a nice shiny blue, but the bird tried to eat it. We finally got the bird to drop the piece he had so that he wouldn't be hurt. However, Doug's hat is now missing a piece and will be a wonderful memory ever time we look at his hat.

After the bird stole a part of Doug's hat, he went after Doug's backpack. Maybe the bird was attracted to red hair or something.

My Hospital Stay

was great! I know most people wouldn't say that any hospital stay was great, but the hospital that I was at for FIVE days, was REALLY great!!! Clinica Biblica (http://www.clinicabiblica.com/) is the best hospital in Costa Rica. We are priviledged to have a doctor who practices there and also has hours at the language school! I truly believe that I received the same quality of care, if not better care, as I would have in the states. Dr. John Longworth, our doctor here, was born in Canada, but was raised here as an MK. He came back here to work at Clinica Biblica, but he has a special heart for missionaries, so he also has an office at the school where he sees ILE (Instituto de Lengua Espanola) students and their families at a discounted price. WHAT A BLESSING!!! And boy does he take care of us. While in the hospital he visited every day and got a TOP NOTCH endocrinologist involved in my case. What a comfort! Doctora Loria spoke English and I learned more from her in less than 1 hour than I have learned from any doctor. God was truly watching out for me! The nurses and staff at the hospital were wonderful, very friendly, and you could tell they truly love their work in a Christian hospital.

On Saturday I went into emergency with a friend from ABWE, Heidi Gott. She is here with us studying and then will head on to Colombia. I will miss her dearly when we head to different fields! Saturday was the day I felt the worst. I didn't know why, but I knew that by staying at home, I was not getting better, only worse, so while Heidi checked my into the hospital they attempted putting in an IV port. While they did this, I was so exhausted I couldn't even make a strong fist. I also almost passed out while sitting up on that gurney. After I laid down for quite a while they got me into a room on the 3rd floor. Then began the tests and tests and more tests. Until my dad called Doug on Sunday AM telling him of a familial history factor, that was KEY to determining what was wrong with my body, did we know which way to go with the MANY blood tests, X-rays, CAT scans, and a tilt test. The tilt test which tested my blood pressure and heart rate in various positions, was the worst test for me. I told Dr. Longworth of the familial history of Addison's Disease on Sunday at 11:00am when he visited me. By 4:00 pm there was an Endocrinologist in my room explaining issues. She connected SOOOO many dots from my past and current medical history. I praise the Lord that she was there to explain things and give me hope that I really did have a reason for being in the hospital.

They determined through the tilt test and multiple blood tests that indeed I do have Addison's Disease. For more info go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addison or www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/addison/addison.htm . My grandfather and my aunt on my dad's side of the family also have this disease. This is "fixed" by cortizone pills, but even though I am out of the hospital, it will take a few days for my body to adjust to the meds. I'll return to school next week and then I have a HUGE oral exam on Wednesday and then a 3 hour written grammar test on Thursday. Please pray that I would have enough energy to take these tests so close to starting the medicine and that my body would hold up for such a long and emotionally nerve racking day.

Thanks to each and every one of you who prayed for me and who continue to pray for me! I still need it. We still need it. The kids had a REALLY hard time with my being in the hospital and cried themselves to sleep at least once if not more than once while I was gone. Doug is exhausted from running a household, being sole provider for the kids, full time student, and visiting a sick wife in the hospital. Pray this long weekend that is upcoming, with my dad visiting, will be a relaxing one and would give us family unity and security for the kids once again!

Diagnosis

(This is Doug posting for Heather)

For those of you who do not get our email updates, I wanted to get you updated on the latest results.

Heather went to the hospital here in San Jose on Saturday (July 18th) and thoroughly had the doctors stumped trying to figure out what was wrong. On Sunday Heather's dad called with some historical family information and that provided the clue for the doctor's. Heather met with an endocrinologist (spl?) and she asked all types of questions. They did a test on Monday called the tilt test (otherwise known as how fast can you vomit test), which Heather thoroughly enjoyed (notice the sarcasm) but the good thing was it matched what the doctor's were expecting.

Entonces, we met with the doctor tonight (Tuesday), and he said that their working conclusion is that Heather has Addison's disease. Basically her adrenal glands are not functioning correctly, but thankfully it can be offset and corrected with medicine.

Lord willing the plan is that Heather will come home tomorrow (Wednesday) which is none to late as her Dad will fly in on Thursday afternoon!!

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Hopefully Heather will be back with her own blog story very soon!!

Off to the Hospital

Off I go... Will write more when we know more and or when I'm home. Keep praying!!

Next Step - Hospital

I just got off the phone again with the doctor and because my low grade fever has continued today, he has said that it isn't unreasonable to wait out the weekend, but then in order to run more tests and such, I have to be admitted into the hospital. His main reason for this is that we've already spent around $300 in out patient tests and doctor visits, which we have no insurance for, so he would rather be able to admit me so as to run more tests with our 100% coverage in patient medical insurance.

Not sure what we'll do. Maybe I'll wait it out a bit longer, I still have to talk to Doug and make a decision. I'll keep you all posted. Just keep praying!!!

This is SOOO foreign to me! I've never been this ill. I've never missed school for this long. I've never had to have meals brought in, except when I gave birth. It's amazing how much identity I find from the things I "do" for my family, for my teachers, for my mission, for God. It's really hard to apply the Be Still and Know that He is my God verse.

So we know...

What Heather's sickness isn't. It isn't mono, although to my surprise the Doctor said I have had it in the past, which I truly don't remember nor was I ever diagnosed with mono. It isn't Hepatitus. It isn't Dengue fever. The blood tests 8 or 9 in total revealed some kind of heightened blood level that leads the doctor to believe that I have some sort of virus, but he doesn't know what. If this persists past the weekend, we're looking at more tests, the consideration of Lupis and/or some kind of immune dificiency disease. Just keep praying!!! We'll update you as we know more.

Amundson Prayer Request from Doug

Dear Family & Supporters,

I would like to ask that you pray for Heather over the next couple of days. Heather has been running a fever since last Thursday (July 10th) and has been extremely tired. We have had two visits with doctors and we took our second trip to the hospital. Her fever has been running around 100/101 since Thursday and she only has about an hour or two of energy before she is wiped out for the day.

1) Please pray for Heather that her body would fight off the disease or virus that she has
2) Pray that the Doctor would have wisdom in looking at the blood tests from today (8 in total)
3) Protection for the rest of the family (if it is contagous)
4) Quick recovery

Thanks so much!!!

Doug