"Is There Any Sick Among You?"

My Mission Blog would not be complete without some reference to dealing with the health of the missionaries. This was the area I was most concerned about when we got the call. Let's face it. I'm not the best at this. I'm the mom who took two days before realizing that her two year old son had broken his arm after falling down the stairs. I'm the mom who patted her daughter on the head when she said she wasn't feeling well and told her she'd be just fine and to get ready for school right before she threw up everywhere. So I went into this mission knowing I wasn't the best at healthcare.

We had our baptism by fire three weeks after we arrived in the field when we had an American sister who had been in the field for about 9 months have a severe emotional crises. I learned early how wonderful the resources of the Church are for the health of their missionaries. With the help of the Area Physicians and Mental Health Specialists as well as a local member who is a Physician she was able to receive the proper care and was able to be accompanied back to the United States with the help of the Area medical doctor. She is home now and is married and doing very well. Thank goodness!

I also learned that some missionaries coming from very poor areas of the world arrive needing dental work or eyeglasses. The Church is very compassionate in helping them to receive help with these things in the mission. As always, we are asked to have our family help, our local leaders and then if they still cannot afford care the Mission will pay for it. Also, if a missionary develops a health problem during the mission the Church insurance will stay in effect three months after they return home.

One very interesting thing I learned from the Area Mental Health Specialist is that they have a 95% success rate in helping most  missionaries overcome emotional issues just through talking to them on the phone. They say that professionally speaking, this is truly miraculous and unheard of in their profession. The Lord loves his missionaries!

I'm happy to say that the rest of our health issues have not been nearly as unnerving as that first one was. Most of them I have been able to take care of pretty much with the Portuguese equivalent to "Just take two aspirin and call me in the morning..."

The majority of complaints are about pain in the legs, knees, and feet due to having to walk so much  in very hilly areas. Our missionaries have no cars or bikes. For this reason we encourage all prospective missionaries to exercise and do stretching to build up the strength they need. It has been good to see several missionaries who arrived in the mission with a problem with obesity end up leaving the mission in great shape. Of course, I always make sure that they are not losing weight for the wrong reasons (parasites, stress, or stomach issues) but all of them have experienced a healthy weight loss thus far. Ingrown toenails are also a common challenge due to the amount of walking and in shoes that don't fit well, but these problems are easily remedied.

Here's a list of some of the other health issues we have experienced on our mission thus far:

*A sister got burned when a hard-boiled egg she put in the microwave exploded in her face when she tried to eat it.
*We have had two missionaries need their gall bladder removed. (They were both able to stay in the mission to do it)
*Several have dealt with kidney stones
*Two hernia surgeries (They were able to stay in the mission)
*Two emergency appendectomies (They stayed in the mission)
*A variety of skin rashes
*hemorrhoids
* A very serious condition of the rectum requiring surgery in the mission and an eventual return home to do subsequent surgeries.
*Issues with an American missionary running out of meds for his Epilepsy
* Issues managing Diabetes- one elder's companion woke up in the middle of the night and noticed that his companion didn't seem right. He woke him up to realize he was about to go into a coma due to not monitoring his insulin properly. He was rushed to the hospital where the doctor said it was very fortunate that his companion got to him when he did. His companion said that his father had diabetes and he recognized the dangerous symptoms. Coincidence? I don't think so.
*Stomach issues usually caused by stress or drinking unfiltered water.
*A need for circumcision
*Swollen testicles (they usually ask to talk to President Lisonbee about these last two items)
*ovarian cysts
*mishaps like stepping on a sea urchin on Pday (broke the rule about not being barefooted)
* A worm that gets under the skin in the foot due to being barefoot on sand contaminated with cat or dog feces. Yes, you heard me right. A worm gets under the skin and starts mapping its way through your foot! My biggest nightmare! This has ruined me for walking barefoot in the sand! EVER!
*Yeast infections
*Dengue and/or Zika virus
*Fungal rashes and Skin problems
*broken leg from falling off a curb
*getting hit by a motorcycle. (She was fine, thank goodness.)
*Chemical burns on the hands due to touching cement mixture to help a member build a house.
*Common flus and colds.
*One sister came with a very serious disease and needed regular trips to the hospital.She wasn't able to serve for the entire 18 months, but she had a great experience during the time she was here.
*Asthma
*Allergies
*Dog bites
*Monkey bite
*Human bite (Don't ask)
*Sinus and ear issues. (I highly recommend regular nasal cleansing with a Neti pot for any sinus issues.)
*Anxiety
* Heart problem that needed regular monitoring
* A sleepwalker who would walk outside and into other people's houses during the night.

On the one hand I have been surprised at how many of the problems seemed to be things I would imagine in senior citizens, but I have realized that they are at an age in life where if they have had any previous health challenges they tend to surface or get worse under the challenge of mission life. And sometimes problems they did not necessarily notice before the mission can manifest themselves after they arrive.

But I have also been amazed at how when they get the help they need for the most part they are very resilient and can overcome these problems and get back to work. I have seen the power of Priesthood blessings that help them to recover quickly and overcome their challenges.

One elder from the USA that came into the mission on medication for Depression really touched me. He understood his limitations and challenges and so did the missionaries around him. They recognized that he had a great desire to serve a successful mission, but also that at times he would need help. He knew he could call me or other missionaries when he was having bad days. By having a great support group and the proper medication he was able to serve a very successful and satisfying mission. It was very touching to see the other missionaries rally around him to give him encouragement and support.

I have also gained a profound appreciation for the doctors that serve missions as the Area Health Specialists. They are true ministering angels. I really need to write a separate blog about them. But time is running out fast! I might have to catch up on this blog AFTER we get home

I know the adversary works hard to try and keep this work from going forward. And one of the ways he can do this is through sickness and discouragement. But I have also witnessed the power of the Lord to heal, strengthen, and uplift His precious missionaries so that they may go forward with the mandate He gave them to take this Gospel to all the ends of the earth. It has been a privilege to witness this up close and personal. Very personal!

"Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down,and strengthen the feeble knees." Doctrine and Covenants 81:5

Onward, ever onward!