So I have been in bed all day again today…thinking about EVERYTHING. I just realized I can sign a 7 to 12 months lease on an apt in my complex. Should I just stay there? Hmmm I don’t know.

Ok, back to bed. My leg hurts.

-mlea

11 days in country

Chinese computers and hospitals-

I’m not gonna lie. I’m totally breaking a lot of ELI rules by updating this thing without sending my address to them. Hmmm…well here is what I think. I’ve been alone in my room since noon, and I’m still alone and will be alone until tomorrow (Wednesday evening) when my team gets back from school. Long story short, I had surgery on my leg and am on bedrest. Hmmmm should I tell you all the story? Ok, it’s kinda long, but here it is!

p.s. sorry this is default colors- this Chinese computer won’t let me do anything else!

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS GRAPHIC (or graphic for me)- IT’S ABOUT A HOSPITAL VISIT I HAD TODAY- IF YOU DONT WANT TO READ IT THEN DONT…JUST LIFT ME UP AS I HAD TO UNDERGO DAYSURGERY ON MY LEG

 

Well, I suppose there is a bit of an update about my health. Some of you may or may not know that I went to the hospital here on Sunday evening. I had three bites of some sort on my leg that had become severely infected. My walking was inhibited and my legs were swollen. Well, I was given an antibiotic and creams and used them; however, I had to go to the emergency room again this morning. I remained home from school yesterday as my leg was still swollen and red, but I tried to go to school. my leg was pounding with a heartbeat of its own though, and I could barely walk once more. The swelling was larger or about the same, and my leg was starting to turn blue around the bite. So, I broke down when we hit school. I started crying; the pain and stress were too much. Well, once at the doctor, I was told that my leg was more infected and the antibiotics were not helping. They needed to drain all the fluid and puss (sorry that is nasty I know) from my leg and cut out the infection. They still did not know what bit me/ do not know. Anyway, I was told to come back at 2 p.m. for the surgery. At this point, I began to cry because I knew that I would have to come back by myself. I didn’t have anyone to call really, and my teammates would be teaching. I just wanted Steve or Mom or Dad or anyone. I wanted someone to stroke my hair or my arm and tell me it was going to be ok and not to fear the Chinese doctor. Horor stories from previous teammates (Amy Young!!!!) about Chinese doctors flooded my mind. I wanted someone’s hand to hold when the impending scalpel made its way into my soar and bruised flesh. I wanted…someone.
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I started to walk out to return hours later when I was met by a nurse who told me that they could actually perform the surgery then; the doctor was in. I was told to wait. I continued to cry as I went back to surgery moments later. The doctor was nice; let me reiterate that. He was amazing and took pity on me, a little Western girl crying her eyes out and apologizing (so Chinese of me) for crying so much. He explained the process of what he was going to do. He gave me numbing cream and then a shot to numb my leg. The shot hurt so badly though because my leg was so tender that the local cream did not work. He injected the shot directly into the bite; I have never had a shot that bad in my life. I think it lasted like 2 minutes; it was agonizing, the worst thing in the world until….well, then he started cutting and digging. I had to wait with a large incision in my leg for the fluid to drain. Then he cut out some skin that was infected. About this time, the antestetic began to wear off and the intense pressure I had felt turned into shooting pains. I could have died I thought. Finally, he was finished. He said I needed to come back in 1 or 2 days to have the wound cleaned. Then, I would have to come back on Friday and have it sewn up. He did not sew it up then because he wanted to let it continue to drain. Instead, he bandaged my leg up. I look like I have a cast. Well, I sat up only to see to my horror about 10 square clothes (maybe n2.5 by 2.5) drenched in blood. I nearly fainted, not at the site of blood but at the revelation of what the heck just happened to me. Then, I saw a chunk of skin sitting on the table with bloody scalpels. HELLO PEOPLE…….throw that crap away before the patient sees it. Anyway, at this time I started crying again as I am doing even as I write this. I think it was mainly out of shock and trama and just pure being freaking worn out. I then went to the waiting room to wait to get my pain meds, new antibiotic, and pay. That whole process took another grueling half hour during which time the anesthetic completely wore off and I felt like someone was taking an ax to my leg repeatedly. I cried a lot in front of many Chinese people and had tons of them point and talk to their neighbors in Chinese. By this time, I didn’t care. I waited and finally heard "Williams" pronounced over the loud speaker. I paid my total of 1200 or so n”,1]
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I started to walk out to return hours later when I was met by a nurse who told me that they could actually perform the surgery then; the doctor was in. I was told to wait. I continued to cry as I went back to surgery moments later. The doctor was nice; let me reiterate that. He was amazing and took pity on me, a little Western girl crying her eyes out and apologizing (so Chinese of me) for crying so much. He explained the process of what he was going to do. He gave me numbing cream and then a shot to numb my leg. The shot hurt so badly though because my leg was so tender that the local cream did not work. He injected the shot directly into the bite; I have never had a shot that bad in my life. I think it lasted like 2 minutes; it was agonizing, the worst thing in the world until….well, then he started cutting and digging. I had to wait with a large incision in my leg for the fluid to drain. Then he cut out some skin that was infected. About this time, the antestetic began to wear off and the intense pressure I had felt turned into shooting pains. I could have died I thought. Finally, he was finished. He said I needed to come back in 1 or 2 days to have the wound cleaned. Then, I would have to come back on Friday and have it sewn up. He did not sew it up then because he wanted to let it continue to drain. Instead, he bandaged my leg up. I look like I have a cast. Well, I sat up only to see to my horror about 10 square clothes (maybe 2.5 by 2.5) drenched in blood. I nearly fainted, not at the site of blood but at the revelation of what the heck just happened to me. Then, I saw a chunk of skin sitting on the table with bloody scalpels. HELLO PEOPLE…….throw that crap away before the patient sees it. Anyway, at this time I started crying again as I am doing even as I write this. I think it was mainly out of shock and trama and just pure being freaking worn out. I then went to the waiting room to wait to get my pain meds, new antibiotic, and pay. That whole process took another grueling half hour during which time the anesthetic completely wore off and I felt like someone was taking an ax to my leg repeatedly. I cried a lot in front of many Chinese people and had tons of them point and talk to their neighbors in Chinese. By this time, I didn’t care. I waited and finally heard “Williams” pronounced over the loud speaker. I paid my total of 1200 or so
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D(["mb","Hong Kong dollars and got my meds. They gave me six pain pills for the next three days. I took one immediately because I was afraid I might pass out from the pain. I know that when I was a child I did not take pain or shots very well, but in my growing up years I have learned to do so. I have received many shots and such by myself, and I deal with pain quite well or at least like the average person, so believe me when I say that this pain I experienced today was top of the line pain. LW, I don’t think I’ll experience anything that bad again until child birth, but I could be wrong. n

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Well, I got my meds and made my way out to the curb to get a cab. The thing was that my leg seriously felt like it was going to fall off. Plus, I couldn’t walk even more so with the bandage and large chunk gone from it. I got a cab and called the people I needed to call including the ELI director HK side. I finally made it home and up the elevator and into my room where I just let go and cried like a baby. I mean, I had been crying up to that point, but I then sobbed my friends, a lot. n

n

 

n

Laying here in bed, the pain medicine has finally kicked in. Now, my leg does not hurt unless I try to walk to the bathroom which I’ve managed to only have to do once. I am on bed rest and doped up on Chinese pain pills which aren’t as affective as Western ones or even Tylenol pm. The more I sleep the better. I cannot run, obviously, while my leg is hurt, but the doctor said it could take weeks to feel good as new again. I don’t know. I must say that I feel I have been brought to the breaking point. The level of despair and lonliness I felt in the hospital today was intense. I found myself wishing to be home like I have never before wished in my life. I felt inadequate that I had for two days now left my team alone at school to teach and would have to leave them again for possibly 2 full days this week and another half day on Friday. I felt really helpless as I couldn’t walk without intense pain and wanted someone there just to carry me. I am used to having control. I like control. I don’t like to need people. I felt lost and out of control, and to tell you the honest truth, I felt fat. ( i think that might be a girl thing- but at least you can laugh at that- I know that’s random). n”,1]
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Hong Kong dollars and got my meds. They gave me six pain pills for the next three days. I took one immediately because I was afraid I might pass out from the pain. I know that when I was a child I did not take pain or shots very well, but in my growing up years I have learned to do so. I have received many shots and such by myself, and I deal with pain quite well or at least like the average person, so believe me when I say that this pain I experienced today was top of the line pain. LW, I don’t think I’ll experience anything that bad again until child birth, but I could be wrong.

 

Well, I got my meds and made my way out to the curb to get a cab. The thing was that my leg seriously felt like it was going to fall off. Plus, I couldn’t walk even more so with the bandage and large chunk gone from it. I got a cab and called the people I needed to call including the ELI director HK side. I finally made it home and up the elevator and into my room where I just let go and cried like a baby. I mean, I had been crying up to that point, but I then sobbed my friends, a lot.

 

Laying here in bed, the pain medicine has finally kicked in. Now, my leg does not hurt unless I try to walk to the bathroom which I’ve managed to only have to do once. I am on bed rest and doped up on Chinese pain pills which aren’t as affective as Western ones or even Tylenol pm. The more I sleep the better. I cannot run, obviously, while my leg is hurt, but the doctor said it could take weeks to feel good as new again. I don’t know. I must say that I feel I have been brought to the breaking point. The level of despair and lonliness I felt in the hospital today was intense. I found myself wishing to be home like I have never before wished in my life. I felt inadequate that I had for two days now left my team alone at school to teach and would have to leave them again for possibly 2 full days this week and another half day on Friday. I felt really helpless as I couldn’t walk without intense pain and wanted someone there just to carry me. I am used to having control. I like control. I don’t like to need people. I felt lost and out of control, and to tell you the honest truth, I felt fat. ( i think that might be a girl thing- but at least you can laugh at that- I know that’s random).
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Anyway, I ask that you remember me as I heal. I request fast healing because this pain is really incredible. Time is short here; I don’t want to be frustrated. I ask for my eyes to be opened to the blessings. On top of that, I would like to leave my team alone as little as possible, but I am on bedrest. Still, I am in ok spirits. I don’t say good b/c they aren’t good, but I don’t say bad either. I mean, obviously there are reasons I am here in Hong Kong, and I have even seen some of them clearly, especially concerning a specific student. If the whole trip was just for her, it is worth it completely. In addition, I couldn’t help but think today while in the emergency room that I was so greatful this was happening to me and not one of my other team members. I am not the only one who has been bit by these strange bugs that infest our rooms and beds. Yet, I am the only one who has had an infection like this. I praise him that the others have been spared. This is not my first time overseas, and I feel that I have strength to handle this. I mean…hello I’m still alive, and I also and rejoicing that this is really all that has happened to me in my overseas trips. As tramatic as it feels, how much worse it could be! AND, what if this had happened in Tibet; I’m afraid it would have hurt a LOT more even if I can’t imagine that right now. n

n

 

n

Well, I am going back to sleep. Sorry if this email completely disgusted you or was really long. I didn’t know who would really care to know and who wouldn’t so I just sent it to a lot of people. Take care; I’m home in 12 days. n

n

“,1]
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Anyway, I ask that you remember me as I heal. I request fast healing because this pain is really incredible. Time is short here; I don’t want to be frustrated. I ask for my eyes to be opened to the blessings. On top of that, I would like to leave my team alone as little as possible, but I am on bedrest. Still, I am in ok spirits. I don’t say good b/c they aren’t good, but I don’t say bad either. I mean, obviously there are reasons I am here in Hong Kong, and I have even seen some of them clearly, especially concerning a specific student. If the whole trip was just for her, it is worth it completely. In addition, I couldn’t help but think today while in the emergency room that I was so greatful this was happening to me and not one of my other team members. I am not the only one who has been bit by these strange bugs that infest our rooms and beds. Yet, I am the only one who has had an infection like this. I praise him that the others have been spared. This is not my first time overseas, and I feel that I have strength to handle this. I mean…hello I’m still alive, and I also and rejoicing that this is really all that has happened to me in my overseas trips. As tramatic as it feels, how much worse it could be! AND, what if this had happened in Tibet; I’m afraid it would have hurt a LOT more even if I can’t imagine that right now.

 

Well, I am going back to sleep. Sorry if this email completely disgusted you or was really long. Take care; I’m home in 12 days.

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Love,

n

a wounded meginlea-

n

im reminded of a verse from our friend roman- what can seperate us from the love of Him…and then a list is given….no, none of this can seperate us from His love- come what may…nothing n

n

amen

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—
"Being a woman doesn’t make me a different kind of Christian, but being a Christian does make me a different kind of woman." -Elisabeth Eliot nn

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Love,

a wounded meginlea-

im reminded of a verse from our friend roman- what can seperate us from the love of Him…and then a list is given….no, none of this can seperate us from His love- come what may…nothing

amen

 

(ok, that was a copy of the email I sent out today…)

 

comments; questions…send them to meginlea2001@gmail.com or comment on this incredibly long xanga. I suppose I’ll take more pain pills and….sleep?????