Friday, October 10th started out normal enough. It was a holiday here in Ecuador, and Dick went jogging as usual. He didn't feel well through the morning and by 2:00 in the afternoon had a quickly rising fever and severe shaking chills. I asked him what he would do if a patient of his was shaking this badly and he replied "Ddddo a bbbblood ccccculture." We called our longtime missionary doctor friend Roy Ringenberg who advised that we get Dick to the emergency room right away. Roy met us there and exams confirmed that Dick was heading into septic shock due to prostititis. Dick was admitted to the hospital, and even with getting immediate treatment to turn things around, his blood pressure got very low in the night. He was transferred to "Intermediate Care" which in our small hospital is in the Intensive Care Unit. He was out of danger enough by Saturday noon that he was moved back to a regular floor. Sunday, he was well enough to come home. He has a ways to go yet to be infection-free and back to 100%.
It is hard for a doctor to be a patient, especially in his own hospital, surrounded by his own students and colleagues. Throughout the time, I was thanking God for all these caring, sharp, well-trained medical personnel! When we first arrived in Ecuador in 1990, it was not uncommon for an Ecuadorian doctor friend to boast that he hadn't cracked a medical book since medical school! Now, our colleagues are skilled at doing online searches for the latest treatment. Now, the first doctors Dick helped to train are training other doctors and starting other training programs. Now, some of them pray with their patients. Thank you for your prayers for Dick's full recovery!
Serving a great God with you,
Marian
