Nancy & I took it easy the first, which was supposed to be the only, day at the spa-hostal in Olón because both of us had upset stomachs. We both thought that perhaps what we ate in Agua Blanca did not agree with us. During the night, not feeling well, I fell in the bathroom, got back to bed, but found that something was terribly wrong with my legs when I tried to get up again. I could not stand or walk without feeling horrible pain. It was worse the next day so we decided to stay because I was becoming increasingly immobilized. A doctor came 2 times to the hostal, giving me an injection for pain, but it wasn't enough. The following day, 3 men carried me in the sheet from the bed to a car because I could neither sit nor walk. I laid across the back seat of the car and we were driven to a hospital in La Libertad, which was 1 1/2 hours away. The pain was excruciating. Nancy, my guardian angel, stayed with me, helped me, anticipated my needs, and was supportive beyond words. After 4 days of hospitalization in La Libertad, we took a 5 hour ambulance ride to Cuenca. This was through Cajas National Park, which has steep, treacherous winding roads that I find scary in the best of circumstances. I had to holler to the driver numerous times to slow down.
We went straight to a hospital in Cuenca, where I remained for another 14 days. The pain was off the charts. I could go on & on about all the trauma of this experience, but the worst was the pain and the ensuing fear of the pain. I had and still have a wonderful doctor and there were many good nurses, but Nurse Ratchett and her twin sister, unfortunately, were there too. I also had Esperanza, with whom I live in Cuenca. She stayed with me in the hospital overnight the 1st 5 nights. I don't know how I would have managed without her, just like I don't know how I would have managed without Nancy. In addition to them, I never knew how many wonderful, dear friends I have here--both Ecuadorians and Gringos. The support that I received and continue to receive overwhelms me. My recovery has been slow, but steady, and I don't think I would be doing as well as I am without the constant supportive visitors, who have done so many things to help. As I get more distance from the acuteness of the situation, the memory of the intense pain is subsiding, while the outpouring of help, support, true friendship continues to warm my heart. I don't think I ever knew what true happiness was until the day I started walking independently again. My first steps in the hospital were with a walker. I couldn't lift my legs, only slid them an inch or 2 on the floor. I believe that I looked like I was over 90. When I was able to walk again I told the doctor that I wanted to hug him. Before I finished my sentence he hugged me! This is the kind of memory that I want to keep, not those of the pain.
I've been home for 1 week, since July 16. I get physical therapy daily at home. Esperanza is unbelievably wonderful and I am getting better. Although slowly, I can walk without assistance. I can sit without pain. The word pain is no longer in my vocabulary. At worse, I have discomfort and my energy level is not what I'm used to, but I do believe that after almost 3 weeks flat on my back, this is to be expected.
I'm happy to say that mostly I've had a positive attitude and even was able to crack jokes on occasion. No doubt all the support has helped me to be positive. I will add that of course no one in either hospital spoke English, and although most of the time my Spanish is adequate, it is far from perfect. It took more mental work than I wanted to use to communicate and understand what was said to me in Spanish, but somehow I did it. Technical medical terms are hard enough in English and trying to describe the nuances of my pain was at times quite challenging. I never thought that I would learn the words of bedpan or catheter in Spanish, but I did!!
So our trip to the coast did not end on a high note. I lost my job as a result of not being able to work, but recuperation is more important. Six people from my school visited me in the hospital, including several more than one time and many of my students with whom I am Facebook friends, have sent wonderful encouraging words. My memories of my students and the entire teaching experience leave me with a smile. I do have some good memories of the trip, but more importantly, I will look back on this experience and recall all the wonderful people I have met here. This has been a life-altering event. My priorities have changed. I am so aware of all the things that I have to be grateful for and my perspective on what is important is not what it was. I believe that I have come out ahead and feel very good about that.
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