Saturday, August 9, 2008
India from the Dental Chair.......
I hate the dentist I don’t care what country I am in. A dentist is a dentist. They have shots they have drills they all say this wont hurt a bit open wide. I have so been there done that. I had this all planned out Debra would go first and if I didn’t like what I saw I would run. Well she did go first but then they switched us up and she got to go out of the room. They had me in the chair! Mask on spray bottle in hand ready to get started on ME! Wait a dang minute this is not how I planned this. Anyway it’s squirt squirt and more squirts of this numbing spray and then oh yes a needle a big big needle. Didn’t he say there would be no needles? Oh he meant for Debra there would be no needles. Then like every other dentist on the planet he said it “Open wide this wont hurt a bit” I think it’s part of their fee for you to hear those words. Well it did hurt a bit but the spray kicks in the popping noise of them breaking the old crowns loose keeps your mind right on task. I am soon asking hey can I have another one of those shots? It wasn’t so bad. They did the prep work made some impressions and sent me out to get started on Debra. Now I know that my daughter has a very high pain thresh hole but when she said “if I don’t need a shot don’t give me one.” I like to have died. I said honey you want the shot take the shot! She didn’t. They pulled off crowns, drilled, prepped for new crowns all with just the numbing spray. I was horrified! You could hear them breaking the old crowns and she was as calm as she could be. I stayed in the room I couldn’t believe my daughter was not getting a shot to deaden her mouth!! A few times he bumped another tooth and she would let him know to be careful but other than that her whole deal was done only with the numbing spray. I have video. How many U.S. doctors would let you stay in the room with your daughter and video while they were working? They thought it was funny. I was glad it was over because they had given me some pain pills and said Debra was fine she wouldn’t need anything! I ran to the RX to fill mine and she said she was indeed just fine. She said all the teeth they worked on were already “dead” teeth and it’s not that bad. For me to watch it was murder! Our driver picked us up and came for us and got us back to the hotel. No fussing with that. I am glad that is working out okay with them coming to the hotel. The cars are a lot more than the rickshaws but it is a long way to the hospital and back so the car is a better choice for women traveling. Also, the heavy rains make it very messy to even think of riding in a rickshaw there is not much to keep the splashing mud off of you.
Debra has done a rickshaw ride as of yesterday. She can get in and out if she moves slowly. She didn’t want to walk and we had to find food so she said she thought she could do it. We went to the mall and was going to eat out but decided that there was nothing we could eat. Had a very interesting time at the market and all the pushing and people was a little madding. People do tend to move away from us if we make eye contact with them. I guess it’s a way of saying your getting to close if you look at them. The guys at the restaurant here at the hotel are helpful in the morning for breakfast but as it was in Italy if you ask for a glass of milk they will bring it to you in a bowl not a glass. With our dental work I don’t think we will be eating in the morning, maybe some warmed milk with sugar is it. They didn’t put a temp crown on my live tooth so it could breath and seal its self. So pain killers will be my best friend and I will not eat anything solid until Monday after 4:15 P.M. It doesn’t even seem to matter to me. Debra found a powdered strawberry mix that we are putting with her protein drink mixes and it’s very satisfactory so we’ll both be enjoying shakes for breakfast lunch and dinner. Should trim off a couple of pounds easily.
Another thing at the hotel that I really enjoyed that was in our treat basket were these chocolate cookies. Kind of bland but good. Something that wasn’t hot so yummmmmy. They were called digestive biscuits. Well if that doesn’t just say it all! If you should find some in your room during your travels abroad trust me don’t eat them. Bad things can happen. Wait till 7:30 when this guy in a black and white stripped outfit comes to your door with a nice dessert. Some type of lovely cake with a hunk of thinly sliced chocolate on it. Now they are getting with the program. But wait you just had dental work you can’t eat cake! Tears……
Well enough about me. Debra is working in the book of Exodus and we are trying to have an in dept conversation on the topics of the laws of the old testament. I am going to have to stay on top of things to keep up with her active mind. She is into the Old Testament right now and I stay in the New Testament most of the time. She might give me a run for my money after a while. It’s good to see her opening that bible every day and taking in what the good Lord has to offer her. I feel very blessed that she has taken notice that prayer works and doing what you need to do can be of much benefit to your normal everyday life. She is doing her medications with much more care and concern. Even got on the Internet and looked up every thing she was given to make sure there was no doubling up or drug interactions that might be a problem for her. She is walking the floors in the room, doing her breathing exercises and going to bed at a normal time. That means she also wakes up at a normal time. No more sleeping all day or being just totally worn out. She seems to have a ton of energy.
Better close for now I think the India pain killers are a lot stronger than the ones you get in the states. I had better lay down. More later…….V
Debra has done a rickshaw ride as of yesterday. She can get in and out if she moves slowly. She didn’t want to walk and we had to find food so she said she thought she could do it. We went to the mall and was going to eat out but decided that there was nothing we could eat. Had a very interesting time at the market and all the pushing and people was a little madding. People do tend to move away from us if we make eye contact with them. I guess it’s a way of saying your getting to close if you look at them. The guys at the restaurant here at the hotel are helpful in the morning for breakfast but as it was in Italy if you ask for a glass of milk they will bring it to you in a bowl not a glass. With our dental work I don’t think we will be eating in the morning, maybe some warmed milk with sugar is it. They didn’t put a temp crown on my live tooth so it could breath and seal its self. So pain killers will be my best friend and I will not eat anything solid until Monday after 4:15 P.M. It doesn’t even seem to matter to me. Debra found a powdered strawberry mix that we are putting with her protein drink mixes and it’s very satisfactory so we’ll both be enjoying shakes for breakfast lunch and dinner. Should trim off a couple of pounds easily.
Another thing at the hotel that I really enjoyed that was in our treat basket were these chocolate cookies. Kind of bland but good. Something that wasn’t hot so yummmmmy. They were called digestive biscuits. Well if that doesn’t just say it all! If you should find some in your room during your travels abroad trust me don’t eat them. Bad things can happen. Wait till 7:30 when this guy in a black and white stripped outfit comes to your door with a nice dessert. Some type of lovely cake with a hunk of thinly sliced chocolate on it. Now they are getting with the program. But wait you just had dental work you can’t eat cake! Tears……
Well enough about me. Debra is working in the book of Exodus and we are trying to have an in dept conversation on the topics of the laws of the old testament. I am going to have to stay on top of things to keep up with her active mind. She is into the Old Testament right now and I stay in the New Testament most of the time. She might give me a run for my money after a while. It’s good to see her opening that bible every day and taking in what the good Lord has to offer her. I feel very blessed that she has taken notice that prayer works and doing what you need to do can be of much benefit to your normal everyday life. She is doing her medications with much more care and concern. Even got on the Internet and looked up every thing she was given to make sure there was no doubling up or drug interactions that might be a problem for her. She is walking the floors in the room, doing her breathing exercises and going to bed at a normal time. That means she also wakes up at a normal time. No more sleeping all day or being just totally worn out. She seems to have a ton of energy.
Better close for now I think the India pain killers are a lot stronger than the ones you get in the states. I had better lay down. More later…….V
Friday, August 8, 2008
THIS POST WRITTEN BY DEBRA SIMS
If ever I found an over exaggeration in my existence it was today, Mom had me straight up wigged out about this place and walking the streets as if every one out there was a mugger or freak of nature, well they aren’t to be honest they are just hotter (not in the sexy context) sweater Texans. It’s not hotter here it’s more humid if that is humanly possible? It’s only like 86 degrees but has a humidity index of like 90 or higher, you can taste the air when you breath it’s so laden with saturation. Put the chaotic and almost insane amount of commotion compares with West Fest before they moved it, sweaty hot people cramped together pushing and hollering to an extent that is somewhat deafening when added to the continuous honking and vehicle noise.
It’s an experience and an awesome one at that, if I weren’t carrying 30 something stitches there would be no worry to be found around me and I’d be gawking at everything like everyone ogles and points at us.
WE ARE NOT NORMAL SIGHTS HERE WE KNOW!!! Children will point, women seem to look at us with sheer disgust or open awe, men put on their ‘I’m too sexy face’ and run their hands threw their hair, while dogs even seem to notice and follow us (and yes we can’t help but feed the sad excuses of existence nothing should have to live like that). Damn AMERICANS, I’m sure it’s been thought more than once even if we didn’t do anything.
It’s strange how inexpensive stuff is over here, rupee is the money name, and it’s 42 rupee equals a dollar in USD. You can get a rickshaw ride for 10 rupees just about anywhere, awe the lovely extremely bazaar type of motorcycle/taxi ever, kind of frightening but such a part of this place (like taxi’s in New York). The food market absolutely amazes me, Wal-Mart can’t touch it even if it lowered it’s prices by 7/8 or more.
Now finding me food is an yet another experience, jez begot the holy cow, how hard is it to find some foods that aren’t freaking fry your tongue off and liquid? FOOD IS HOT HERE, EVERYTHING IS FREAKING HOT! You think you’ve had Hindi food in America, ha, let me introduce you to their freaking breakfast menu, you would die! But we found some stuff that resembled yogurt and chocolate milk and some of those just add water soup things. F-R-E-A-K-Y. Read the labels folks if it says spices and condiments with out any list of what those spices are just put it down and walk away slowly. But who can ever get enough chocolate milk? Not I said the fly!
No real pain, actually this is the least evasive thing I’ve ever had done to me (and folks I‘ve been a suicidal cutter bent on personal destruction now that was painful), I’m stiff and sleeping is still kind of hard but pain wise, none can you believe that? I never even had to go to ICU when I got out of surgery, three days later and I’m discharged, even the doctors seemed stunned by me. What can I say I am blessed! Oh and I had half of Texas praying for me I am pretty sure that had something to do with it. To look at the stitches kind of makes me feel a little FREAKED OUT but that’s it. Oh and the little stitches stab me now and again. What to know what absolutely is a miracle from God, the pain patch, it’s exactly what the name says (just stay away from a shower or they come off easily) slap it near the place that stiff or sore and 5 minutes later relief.
Oh and even cooler is the dental, I am having just about every little thing fixed in my mouth (including those two hideous crowns one of which is drilled threw already and needed to be replaced) and not one shot will be needed because they have a spray that does the same thing. Oh and getting my teeth whitened considering I am into week two of a smoke free Debra, so be prepared to be dazzled! Mom is getting a new denture plate which is state of the art latest material available for less than three hundred dollars, I have no idea how much that is in the states but I know it’s well over a thousand. Her teeth will look more real and won’t chip or grind her lower teeth anymore than they already are.
I have totally begun to realize David and Kim might have saved my life by their experience and recommendation, now who could deny God didn’t have something to do with that? (crickets chirping in background, yeah dont think anyone could deny that) You know for years I never could think of the Ellis’ as anything other than a minister and his family, so serious and (I’m so sorry but honestly I don’t think this anymore) up tight in an almost scary type of way. This experience brought them down to “my level,” they were in the same situation as I was in, that will knock someone out of or off of their soap boxes that I thought they were on. They are real people just like the rest of us, with real problems of their own. God bless them both for what they have done for us. I read Psalms 23 about 800 times before I went into surgery, I said what I could remember of it while waiting to go out for the surgery… the lord is my Shepard, I shall not be in want, he lays me down in green pastures, and walks with me beside calm waters… I woke up, not too freaked out and started humming “As a Deer” to divert my attention from all the noise in the room and people rushing around as other patients came in. By the time I got to the room I knew my situation was going to be much better than most others even though the first night was HELL.
I wasn’t scared as they rolled me back but rather relieved the waiting was ending. Outside of Psalms 23 I thought to myself, if I die I’ve lived the fullest life that I could.
I’d loved one man,
I’d had one great friend,
I have had the most loving family,
I know how warm a dog can make you feel when you are down,
I know what it’s like to graduate,
I know my Dad has been proud of me once or twice,
I’ve lived with passion and cause (depression and educating people about it),
and I’ve know exactly when God took my hand.
I woke up and thought how odd it was to over look such great things and focus only on the pain it took to know those things going in and coming out.
Oh and I knew what it was like to love someone that doesn’t know how much you love them until they need you, my brother taught me to never stop loving because someday will become today eventually.
Ok this paragraph is getting tear jerking and crying actually hurts as much as laughing right now (my chest has stitches in and when you laugh or cry your lungs expand, I have to try to avoid it at all cost.)
Bonus features of surgery: quit smoking not by force but situation and personal drive, great posture, learning that walking will make the chill of tears welling up go away, I can go for quite some time without the shakes of not eating, energy that I don’t really know where it comes from, the inability to swallow large amounts of pills (if you didn’t know I have a huge addiction to over the counter sleeping pills, have for years like 6 years I think), periods will come and go like a normal woman, weight loss of course, a really cool adventure to India (which was not one of the top destinations of my personal vacation preference, oh but I’d come back with no problem), I’ll be able to see the shock on peoples faces when they are dazzled by my perfect diviner smile, oh and the added bonus the “I told you so (there was so much more to me than you thought…)” that will also shock people eventually. Oh the doctor said I should get down to 120 lbs, WOW folks I have shoes that weight more than that, I know I have luggage with me right now that weights more than that right now! Oh my eyes are due to be magically altered on the 12, I am so excited and pray to get to come home much earlier than expected, pray for me and I’ll see ya’ll all soon.
Our First Day on our own in India
I woke up it’s about 5:30 in the morning. I just found out what it is like to run out of energy in a foreign country. I think Roland calls this hitting the wall. Seems now that everything has moved to this point I am crashing. They had a nice basket of snacks in the room when we arrived. I was so tired I thought I would skip dinner and just eat a few of these treats. Big mistake. A bag of what looked like potato chips called “wafers” set my mouth on fire. I personally know I will never be the same after that experience. It turned a perfectly normal woman into a fire breathing dragon in 5.2 seconds. So I gathered my self together after drinking a full bottle of water and thought I will try the Jim Jam cookies. Not bad after your taste buds have been burned away by the deceptive looking potato chips. These fire chips are called Balaji Wafers. Magic Masala is the flavor. Haldiram’s Bhujia Sev another snack food that will make your eyes roll back in your head. Balaji Namkeen Shing Bhujia will set your face on fire and make your tongue bleed. Debra says to me : Are the protein shakes all she’ll have? I said… no have some of those chips. Not really just joking but that was my evil mind working again. The protein drinks are the only thing we have in the room for her right now so we will begin the task for finding some foods she can eat. No nice guy from the hospital to bring us a tray every meal, morning, noon, tea time, and night. No more coconut water or rice water on demand. Here at the hotel we will become scavengers. Looking for small bits of food to sustain us for the next seven days. We do have a breakfast coupon for the restaurant here in the hotel. Trouble with that you have to go to the restaurant to get the food. They do have room service but that would not work with the coupons. Another reason not to do that is you have no idea what they would be bringing. Yikes it means facing the world outside of our inlayed marble floors and beautiful sweeping drapes that hide that world outside our window. Speaking of windows ours open and there in a ledge where you could actually crawl out on and sit. We are on the sixth floor. Is this their form of a balcony? The view from the room is amazing, you have these tall buildings, a gym across the way with a jogging track on top of the building. There are trees and grass up there it looks like a park on top of a building. Also, a few blocks away there is a city park. It might be a good place for Debra and I to take walks during the day. With the adjustments to her medications she is well-structured during the day and sleeping at night. If this works for her long term I foresee a good thing already happening for us. They gave her a 6 month supply of the medication so she could see if she liked the affects of it on her system. If she does then she can contact a doctor in the states and get it here or they will try to send it to her if it’s not possible or affordable in the U.S. Very helpful. It’s a very low does and I am very pleased with the results we are seeing already.
Roland is trying to call me on Skype and the funniest thing is his Internet connection keeps dropping out and cutting off our call. Mine here in India is perfect and never drops. Isn’t that odd. Don’t worry Rollie Bear I know your out there somewhere. Call tech support and see if you can get them to help you out. They have in the past been able to fix it short term. Upon putting on the Skype headset I have realized it will block out a great deal of the road noise. I can put on some music, work on typing up my post and not have constant horns blowing all day and night. I have enjoyed the singing of Wyatt Rushing and David Ellis on this long journey. If I remember right wasn’t the group called “The Master Brothers” ? I am pretty sure that was it. Those Christian songs have comforted me on this long trip. Wyatt has the best bass voice there is ever. We all know that David’s gift come in the form of music. Thank you guys for the recorded music that I could bring with me to this place. What a blessing you both are to the Lord’s church. There will be some relief from that music playing in the background while Debra and I take these steps. I gave Debra the eye covers and ear plugs from the plane. They seemed to do the trick for her. Plus, her medications on top of that she’s getting plenty of stress free rest. She could care less that we have been reduced to rodents in India, scavengers for tiny bits of food.
We are freezing at night burning up by day. The weather here is very tropical. It’s raining today so we are in the room we can watch the action on the street from our vantage point here on the sixth floor. When it breaks off we are going to try to make it to the market. After our breakfast we knew we were in trouble. Debra got yogurt but it taste like sour cream so we got some jelly to go in it. That made it better but if you try sour cream with jelly in it you will see it doesn’t have much appeal for long. One thing they do have is corn flakes and milk. I can make it on that. You can get cold milk or hot milk which ever you like. Debra did like the warmed milk with sugar in it. Really that was pretty good. They have this really course sugar that is great. The guys running the buffet at the restaurant kept bringing us over things to try. I had to be careful I didn’t end up with a plate full of goodies I couldn’t even touch. One of the guys speaks good English so he helps us to order. We could get toast they thought we would love that but we said no and they thought we were crazy. Bandit’s don’t eat bread. Yes that’s what we are called now “bandit’s”. After breakfast we came back to the room as it was windy and rainy. Gives me time to up date this as we go through the day. Just outside the reception area here at the Tip Top they sell Italian ice cream scoops in waffle cones. Debra tried a mango and I had butter scotch. Down side to that was all of them have nuts of some kind in them. They are topped with nuts, fruits, and sauces. Debra cannot have nuts! I have to be very careful eating nuts. They can ruin a perfectly good day quickly. It is best to order some thing you know as they have stuff like kesar pista, shahi badam, angeer badam. Also something called Golden Marry. I am not going there but I think it’s vanilla. We had our taste but no more. It is so tempting to buy a bite here and there but really that’s not a good idea so we don’t. If I drawled attention to myself you should see the looks I get now with Debra in tow. We are a sight to see.
I have arranged for a car to pick us up for the dental work that will start tomorrow. We will get a lot of it done that day and impressions made for the crowns. They don’t give you shot to deaden your mouth here. They gas you! Even for a cleaning so you are calm and comfortable they give you this gas. I am not worried as no drilling is involved for me but Debra will have fillings done. They said it is totally pain free. We are a trusting lot are we not? God be with us as we face the dentist. He is a funny guy that likes to tease and cut up with you. Makes it a bit more pleasant.
Well we are back in the room. They bring tea and put it in a basket in the room that is labeled Taj Mahal by Brooke Bond. It’s great tea I am going to get some at the store if I can find it. It’s lovely with creamer and a little of that chunky sugar. I will write more later Debra wants to use the computer for a while and we only got one lap top that has Internet access.
Love you guys and came wait to see you all again.
Roland is trying to call me on Skype and the funniest thing is his Internet connection keeps dropping out and cutting off our call. Mine here in India is perfect and never drops. Isn’t that odd. Don’t worry Rollie Bear I know your out there somewhere. Call tech support and see if you can get them to help you out. They have in the past been able to fix it short term. Upon putting on the Skype headset I have realized it will block out a great deal of the road noise. I can put on some music, work on typing up my post and not have constant horns blowing all day and night. I have enjoyed the singing of Wyatt Rushing and David Ellis on this long journey. If I remember right wasn’t the group called “The Master Brothers” ? I am pretty sure that was it. Those Christian songs have comforted me on this long trip. Wyatt has the best bass voice there is ever. We all know that David’s gift come in the form of music. Thank you guys for the recorded music that I could bring with me to this place. What a blessing you both are to the Lord’s church. There will be some relief from that music playing in the background while Debra and I take these steps. I gave Debra the eye covers and ear plugs from the plane. They seemed to do the trick for her. Plus, her medications on top of that she’s getting plenty of stress free rest. She could care less that we have been reduced to rodents in India, scavengers for tiny bits of food.
We are freezing at night burning up by day. The weather here is very tropical. It’s raining today so we are in the room we can watch the action on the street from our vantage point here on the sixth floor. When it breaks off we are going to try to make it to the market. After our breakfast we knew we were in trouble. Debra got yogurt but it taste like sour cream so we got some jelly to go in it. That made it better but if you try sour cream with jelly in it you will see it doesn’t have much appeal for long. One thing they do have is corn flakes and milk. I can make it on that. You can get cold milk or hot milk which ever you like. Debra did like the warmed milk with sugar in it. Really that was pretty good. They have this really course sugar that is great. The guys running the buffet at the restaurant kept bringing us over things to try. I had to be careful I didn’t end up with a plate full of goodies I couldn’t even touch. One of the guys speaks good English so he helps us to order. We could get toast they thought we would love that but we said no and they thought we were crazy. Bandit’s don’t eat bread. Yes that’s what we are called now “bandit’s”. After breakfast we came back to the room as it was windy and rainy. Gives me time to up date this as we go through the day. Just outside the reception area here at the Tip Top they sell Italian ice cream scoops in waffle cones. Debra tried a mango and I had butter scotch. Down side to that was all of them have nuts of some kind in them. They are topped with nuts, fruits, and sauces. Debra cannot have nuts! I have to be very careful eating nuts. They can ruin a perfectly good day quickly. It is best to order some thing you know as they have stuff like kesar pista, shahi badam, angeer badam. Also something called Golden Marry. I am not going there but I think it’s vanilla. We had our taste but no more. It is so tempting to buy a bite here and there but really that’s not a good idea so we don’t. If I drawled attention to myself you should see the looks I get now with Debra in tow. We are a sight to see.
I have arranged for a car to pick us up for the dental work that will start tomorrow. We will get a lot of it done that day and impressions made for the crowns. They don’t give you shot to deaden your mouth here. They gas you! Even for a cleaning so you are calm and comfortable they give you this gas. I am not worried as no drilling is involved for me but Debra will have fillings done. They said it is totally pain free. We are a trusting lot are we not? God be with us as we face the dentist. He is a funny guy that likes to tease and cut up with you. Makes it a bit more pleasant.
Well we are back in the room. They bring tea and put it in a basket in the room that is labeled Taj Mahal by Brooke Bond. It’s great tea I am going to get some at the store if I can find it. It’s lovely with creamer and a little of that chunky sugar. I will write more later Debra wants to use the computer for a while and we only got one lap top that has Internet access.
Love you guys and came wait to see you all again.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
We are headed to the Tip Top Hotel....Oh Joy
Well today is check out and there has been a lot of activity. Did my packing last night and man our bags weigh a ton! I don’t know what we hauled to India but it’s heavy. Got to do some more shopping at another market over by the Tip Top. I got some Indian Music CD’s but I don’t think I will open them until I get home. They reworked our dental visits as outpatients and now they still owe us money back! So I got some more of the magical dental creams, mouthwashes and 6 months worth of medications for Debra. I just can’t believe it. Roland I am trying to spend that money but it’s just harder here. Seems like I am getting more and more and paying less and less. We are on the other side of the world that’s for sure no doubted in my mind about it now. The hotel has a room ready for us, the car is coming, and the dentist is coming up to our room to see us instead of us having to go see him. I didn’t like the price on one of the things for Debra on her dental so they dropped it by half the original price and I said oh okay, sure, fine. She was happy, as it was a teeth-whitening procedure.
They have taken her IV Port out and she is eating a soft diet, broth, Jell-O, custard. Oh no she is not to have custard! It didn’t hurt her she just wasn’t supposed to have any milk products yet. She is holding everything down, a little sore, and no nausea. All in all things couldn’t be better on her behalf. Yes, a little different from the states but still a perfectly good surgery with benefits to be reaped as time goes on. She looks good, acts good and I am very proud of her right now. She is pacing around the room right now walking out the soreness. It’s hard to walk in the halls with all the construction work going on in the hospital. Seems they are painting, building and cleaning 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Seems there will be a bit of delay with the dentist. So in the mean time order lunch, watch Debra pace. I have done pretty good with the food and have started joking around with the people here. They seem to enjoy my humor and my accent. I have given out gifts today for my favorites and tips to all of them. Marshia is the only one that could not accept the necklace I had brought her from Texas. She works in the business office so it’s not allowed but she did like the card and took it. I gave them all Lakewood Church of Christ ink pens. The blue ones we had printed for the Ladies Day of Prayer they really liked them. I pointed out where it was printed on the pens “Prayer Angels on Assignment” I think for any nurse that is a compliment where ever you are in this world.
I had a little blanket that the ladies had made in the blanket ministry aka Linda Allens group. I gave that and a card to one of the nurses here that had gone to Harvard. She said no she couldn’t take it at first then she felt of it and changed her mind. It was the blue one with the white teddy bears on it that was kind of an odd shape. It was super soft felt. It had the Church of Christ tag on it that said it was from the prayer ministry.
We got the call the dentist is coming so I am going to post this now and I will write more late. Love you all.
They have taken her IV Port out and she is eating a soft diet, broth, Jell-O, custard. Oh no she is not to have custard! It didn’t hurt her she just wasn’t supposed to have any milk products yet. She is holding everything down, a little sore, and no nausea. All in all things couldn’t be better on her behalf. Yes, a little different from the states but still a perfectly good surgery with benefits to be reaped as time goes on. She looks good, acts good and I am very proud of her right now. She is pacing around the room right now walking out the soreness. It’s hard to walk in the halls with all the construction work going on in the hospital. Seems they are painting, building and cleaning 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Seems there will be a bit of delay with the dentist. So in the mean time order lunch, watch Debra pace. I have done pretty good with the food and have started joking around with the people here. They seem to enjoy my humor and my accent. I have given out gifts today for my favorites and tips to all of them. Marshia is the only one that could not accept the necklace I had brought her from Texas. She works in the business office so it’s not allowed but she did like the card and took it. I gave them all Lakewood Church of Christ ink pens. The blue ones we had printed for the Ladies Day of Prayer they really liked them. I pointed out where it was printed on the pens “Prayer Angels on Assignment” I think for any nurse that is a compliment where ever you are in this world.
I had a little blanket that the ladies had made in the blanket ministry aka Linda Allens group. I gave that and a card to one of the nurses here that had gone to Harvard. She said no she couldn’t take it at first then she felt of it and changed her mind. It was the blue one with the white teddy bears on it that was kind of an odd shape. It was super soft felt. It had the Church of Christ tag on it that said it was from the prayer ministry.
We got the call the dentist is coming so I am going to post this now and I will write more late. Love you all.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tremendous, astonishing, awe-inspiring Days Thank you Lord for Loving Me!
Today is a day I will never forget. It started off like all the other days. Debra has a blood shot place in her left eye I was concerned about so we went to the eye clinic for a check on it but they said it was fine just a little clot. Nothing that would not heal on it’s own. When we were going down to the third floor workers banged, sawed, painted, toyed with electrical wires by just sticking the raw ends of the wires into the plugs to run their power tools. Is that done? Well I guess it is. Debra is walking well, getting around better than I ever though she would. They had been giving her the medications from home in shot form I thought she was off them but no she was taking them in another form. Tonight they crushed the tablets and she had to drink them with some juice. I can’t imagine what that was like. Anyway there was no complaining about it she just did it. In fact complaining is at an all time low. Not that she doesn’t pick but she’s not getting too fussy. The doctors here did change things up a bit in the way she was to take them and it seems to help. She has been able to get a lot of rest despite all the construction. They are working at a fiery pitch and things are coming right along. I think they know they got a good thing going here to bring in much needed funds to this area.
Debra will be discharged in the morning and by noon arrangements will be made for us to check into the Tip Top Hotel. It’s odd that’s the only thing I can say about it. It looks plain Jane on the out side but its pretty nice on the inside. When we drove to it we took a rickshaw it’s a good ways from the hospital so my longest ride in the rickshaws. Yes, my escort was with me. You can’t just jump in one of those things and bolt away they have area’s they can work and when you change a city area you have to change to another rickshaw. If you didn’t know that it could cause you some grief. They just pull up and stop tell you to get out. You pay them walk under a bridged area and you can catch another one and keep going. Funny part is the hotel is only about 3 blocks from the point where you have to change drivers. Upon getting there my heart was racing. Many near misses, tons of honking horns, people were everywhere. It was rainy so lots of mud puddles to splash into which they seem to love to cover the walkers in water and mud. Bharat my ever so kind escort was trying to hold an umbrella over me walking to the outside he got splashed pretty well several times. He really didn’t like that because we were going to the hotel and he was working out a deal for me and didn’t want to be covered in mud doing it. We drove by it and had to turn around and come back he pointed and said there it is……..what? Where? Oh yeah I guess that’s a hotel. He had our driver stop right in front of the door which is a no no. We went up some pretty steep steps then took a left into a huge door. The place was nice inside but you could not tell that from the street front. Bharat was having a good time enjoying my discomfort during the rickshaw ride but when I told him I wanted to see the Leela before booking with this hotel he told me the traffic from the Leela into the city was not reasonable or do able during the daytime hours. It would be much better to stay here. He had the manager introduce himself and they gave me a tour of the room. Marble inlayed flooring, green and cream color theme. Clean, lot’s of space and a good place to take a bath. Also, the room is on the seventh level of the hotel to get you away from the street noise. Yes there is a lift for your bags and they are more than willing to help with them. They have connections for the Internet as well. There is no Ice Box in the room, which may make things harder in keeping items for Debra. Bharat was told in no uncertain terms we would require a car for Debra and our luggage. When I told him we had 4 suitcases he just blinked his eyes then said okay yes fine. He is arranging for a driver right away. Poor Debra in a rickshaw right after surgery I don’t think would be a very good idea. A car is not a very good idea. They have given her tomato soup and juice for days so her energy level would never make it. I give Indian Jones a run for his money but Debra is not like her mother and after all she has faced so far oh please! I could just see getting her through the districts in one piece where you have to get out and walk with luggage to boot in heavy rain. It is not happening. Bharat is pretty protective of me and does pretty much whatever I ask except for buying some things. Like sanitary napkins in the Always brand name. Yes I want an American brand. Some how in all our shopping we never got that item bought. Debra is not comfortable with what they have here at the hospital pharmacy and neither am I. I will have to tell that story later in private. Best to have that kind of thing with you when you come. It was so funny Bharat would say tell me “what you want I will find it for you.” Well I got some handkerchiefs, I got some Indian music background music CD’s I got some cards and writing paper a gift for Denise and Debra………..I don’t got no pads. He offered to come and get me late at night after he had done some singing with some people he knew then we could go later in the evening. It’s 10:30 p.m. and I have not seen or heard from that man. I think this is something I will have to work out on my own. I would have loved to gotten a picture of his face when I asked that question. That tipping the head from side to side was out of control. At any rate after the hotel was decided upon we relaxed the tone a bit and got some Baskin Robbins’ Ice Cream at the mall near the Tip Top. Bharat is pretty comfortable with me and I guess he trust since I passed the exams from the shrink that I am not some crazy freaked out white woman and I can handle a little excitement. We board another rickshaw and head for the open downtown market place. This is a place where good deals can be had for very cheap prices. I did a little video of our ride it was amazing. If I hadn’t been in such awe I would have been scared to death. All the sights and sounds just astonish you it is overwhelming. Bharat thought it would be good if we went to a place they get fresh milk at a dairy right in the middle of town. Oh My! I might add that rickshaws are like covered motorcycles. They don’t protect you from much of anything including smells. I was rendered speechless. Do I like milk do I drink fresh milk?………that was the question I was asked but if he had of said lets stop and get some. Forgive me Lord but the answer would have been oh hell no… don’t you dare stop this rickshaw. Cattle were here right in the middle of everything and you would just have to see it and smell it to believe it. Bharat didn’t pick me up until late in the day so it was starting to get dark and they were building fires along the roadside for cooking and to keep warm. No headlights were used as it got darker and darker not that they don’t have them they just don’t use them. After a wild ride back, jumping potholes, watching out for splashing mud, fast changing lanes, rain, weaving through people and dogs all of a sudden we are back at the hospital. Talk about awe-inspiring and a tremendous experience! Then as I walked calmly back to our room on the seventh floor of the hospital reality hit me that’s the trip I will be making everyday for the next seven days coming back and forth to the hospital with Debra (who doesn’t do well in crowds) in tow for dental work. God be with our driver and us.
Well it’s late and if we are going to the hotel by the afternoon on the 7th I will need some rest. I know you guys think I am kidding but I have pictures and I have video. I just thank God everyday for keeping us safe and for having Aquafina water available every day for our consumption. You would never know how really important that is every need is met and as crazy as it sounds it’s tremendous that such things can really happen in one’s lifetime. Every moment of this screams to me Trust me I am the Lord your God and I have a plan for you. Nobody should ever try something like this unless they were trusting in the love of God every hour. It’s intense but it’s going to make our lives better so it’s worth it. I am trusting in the Lord for that.
Debra will be discharged in the morning and by noon arrangements will be made for us to check into the Tip Top Hotel. It’s odd that’s the only thing I can say about it. It looks plain Jane on the out side but its pretty nice on the inside. When we drove to it we took a rickshaw it’s a good ways from the hospital so my longest ride in the rickshaws. Yes, my escort was with me. You can’t just jump in one of those things and bolt away they have area’s they can work and when you change a city area you have to change to another rickshaw. If you didn’t know that it could cause you some grief. They just pull up and stop tell you to get out. You pay them walk under a bridged area and you can catch another one and keep going. Funny part is the hotel is only about 3 blocks from the point where you have to change drivers. Upon getting there my heart was racing. Many near misses, tons of honking horns, people were everywhere. It was rainy so lots of mud puddles to splash into which they seem to love to cover the walkers in water and mud. Bharat my ever so kind escort was trying to hold an umbrella over me walking to the outside he got splashed pretty well several times. He really didn’t like that because we were going to the hotel and he was working out a deal for me and didn’t want to be covered in mud doing it. We drove by it and had to turn around and come back he pointed and said there it is……..what? Where? Oh yeah I guess that’s a hotel. He had our driver stop right in front of the door which is a no no. We went up some pretty steep steps then took a left into a huge door. The place was nice inside but you could not tell that from the street front. Bharat was having a good time enjoying my discomfort during the rickshaw ride but when I told him I wanted to see the Leela before booking with this hotel he told me the traffic from the Leela into the city was not reasonable or do able during the daytime hours. It would be much better to stay here. He had the manager introduce himself and they gave me a tour of the room. Marble inlayed flooring, green and cream color theme. Clean, lot’s of space and a good place to take a bath. Also, the room is on the seventh level of the hotel to get you away from the street noise. Yes there is a lift for your bags and they are more than willing to help with them. They have connections for the Internet as well. There is no Ice Box in the room, which may make things harder in keeping items for Debra. Bharat was told in no uncertain terms we would require a car for Debra and our luggage. When I told him we had 4 suitcases he just blinked his eyes then said okay yes fine. He is arranging for a driver right away. Poor Debra in a rickshaw right after surgery I don’t think would be a very good idea. A car is not a very good idea. They have given her tomato soup and juice for days so her energy level would never make it. I give Indian Jones a run for his money but Debra is not like her mother and after all she has faced so far oh please! I could just see getting her through the districts in one piece where you have to get out and walk with luggage to boot in heavy rain. It is not happening. Bharat is pretty protective of me and does pretty much whatever I ask except for buying some things. Like sanitary napkins in the Always brand name. Yes I want an American brand. Some how in all our shopping we never got that item bought. Debra is not comfortable with what they have here at the hospital pharmacy and neither am I. I will have to tell that story later in private. Best to have that kind of thing with you when you come. It was so funny Bharat would say tell me “what you want I will find it for you.” Well I got some handkerchiefs, I got some Indian music background music CD’s I got some cards and writing paper a gift for Denise and Debra………..I don’t got no pads. He offered to come and get me late at night after he had done some singing with some people he knew then we could go later in the evening. It’s 10:30 p.m. and I have not seen or heard from that man. I think this is something I will have to work out on my own. I would have loved to gotten a picture of his face when I asked that question. That tipping the head from side to side was out of control. At any rate after the hotel was decided upon we relaxed the tone a bit and got some Baskin Robbins’ Ice Cream at the mall near the Tip Top. Bharat is pretty comfortable with me and I guess he trust since I passed the exams from the shrink that I am not some crazy freaked out white woman and I can handle a little excitement. We board another rickshaw and head for the open downtown market place. This is a place where good deals can be had for very cheap prices. I did a little video of our ride it was amazing. If I hadn’t been in such awe I would have been scared to death. All the sights and sounds just astonish you it is overwhelming. Bharat thought it would be good if we went to a place they get fresh milk at a dairy right in the middle of town. Oh My! I might add that rickshaws are like covered motorcycles. They don’t protect you from much of anything including smells. I was rendered speechless. Do I like milk do I drink fresh milk?………that was the question I was asked but if he had of said lets stop and get some. Forgive me Lord but the answer would have been oh hell no… don’t you dare stop this rickshaw. Cattle were here right in the middle of everything and you would just have to see it and smell it to believe it. Bharat didn’t pick me up until late in the day so it was starting to get dark and they were building fires along the roadside for cooking and to keep warm. No headlights were used as it got darker and darker not that they don’t have them they just don’t use them. After a wild ride back, jumping potholes, watching out for splashing mud, fast changing lanes, rain, weaving through people and dogs all of a sudden we are back at the hospital. Talk about awe-inspiring and a tremendous experience! Then as I walked calmly back to our room on the seventh floor of the hospital reality hit me that’s the trip I will be making everyday for the next seven days coming back and forth to the hospital with Debra (who doesn’t do well in crowds) in tow for dental work. God be with our driver and us.
Well it’s late and if we are going to the hotel by the afternoon on the 7th I will need some rest. I know you guys think I am kidding but I have pictures and I have video. I just thank God everyday for keeping us safe and for having Aquafina water available every day for our consumption. You would never know how really important that is every need is met and as crazy as it sounds it’s tremendous that such things can really happen in one’s lifetime. Every moment of this screams to me Trust me I am the Lord your God and I have a plan for you. Nobody should ever try something like this unless they were trusting in the love of God every hour. It’s intense but it’s going to make our lives better so it’s worth it. I am trusting in the Lord for that.
Being Released and Going Where?? Hotel Tip Top!
Well I am sitting here at the computer once again. It’s mid day here and the rains are still falling. It stops nothing really they just slosh though it just like we do back home. Debra has done beautifully today, much less pain, walking, doing her breathing treatments. In general her mood is great. We will be checking out of the hospital by noon on the 7th. We will go to a hotel called the Tip Top that is closer than the Leela because we have to come back for dental work and the eye surgery center is closer in this area. Travel is not a nice thing here and you get into major traffic jams. It makes keeping appointments a problem at times so you need to stay in the best location. Right now that location is near the hospital. After we are done we can go to the Leela if that is our wish because it is close to the airport. We will see how it works they take me to look at the hotel before they book it so a driver will pick me up this afternoon drive me to both and back showing me the routes he takes and the time frames from each hotel. All in all I think that might just be interesting in and of it’s self. We continue to have some pretty heavy rains. If we go in a rickshaw I foresee getting wet and cold. Most of the time we can go by a small car if there is any distance involved. I will keep you posted on that. I am excited to go to the hotel with all the new construction on the hospital there is constant banging and tools running. It’s not quite on this end of the building. The hotel I pray will be much quiter.
Debra will have her dental here at a center within the hospital area but the eye center is in another location. It’s called the Rushabh Eye Hospital in Chembur. That is just another area of Mumbai. That means she’ll see some travel. She is a bit scared to venture out to much due to her anxious nature. They have taken her off all the medications she brought from home. To me her nature has improved a 100% but she is still not sure she is really ready to face India without medications. Frankly I might need some myself but we do what we have to do with or without. I think it will be good for her to see she can do it own her own. A panic attack would be a major problem for both of us here. I still don’t think it will come down to that. If it does we will do what we have always done in the past …deal with it. She has had another pain shot and is sleeping soundly. I am sure she will enjoy having the room to herself while I am out this afternoon. She looks so calm and rested right now it’s odd to have peace knowing where she is at!
I do have to admit Kim was right if you have nothing to compare it to the experience is not that bad. I think Debra took it like a trooper because there were several time Debra could have just wigged out on me but didn’t. I was greatful for her calm spirit because I can’t say mine was always like that. I did a lot of pacing and getting up and down and moving things around. It was very hard for me to be still. I tried to remember that saying that goes ”be still and know that I am God”. It helped and reading the bible helped. There is a lot to be said for all that.
I had a nice breakfast and lunch today I had slept threw dinner last night. When I finally did go to sleep at about 8:30 p.m. I wasn’t about to wake up to eat. They bring dinner kind of late for me. The only problem with going to sleep that early is you wake up at 4 a.m. I go take a shower and get dressed before the morning shift starts coming in so I guess it’s all for the best. A little odd sleep is better than no sleep at all.
Debra had gotten on-line earlier to check out the storm you guys are having and pulled up the Baytown Sun on-line. I think that’s pretty funny you can read home town news while your in India. I had to laugh our world is getting smaller and smaller.
Well I have things to do this afternoon so I will post this and tell you of my travels later. God Bless you all and keep you safe until we are together again. Below is some information on the band that Debra got it’s the newest coming out on the market that is FDA approved. That’s great! Better even than mine.
Swedish Adjustable Band: An adjustable gastric band that is manufactured by Obtech Medical AG of Switzerland (not Sweden!) It was invented by Professor Dag Hallberg, from Sweden, in 1984. Although the patent was awarded in 1985 in Sweden , Denmark and Norway, the product was manufactured in Switzerland. On September 28, 2007, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for marketing their product, the REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band. The REALIZE™ Band, has been marketed under the name Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) outside the U.S., and has been commercially available outside the U.S. since 1996. It is probably the most commonly used band in the UK, Scandinavia and Mexico.
Debra will have her dental here at a center within the hospital area but the eye center is in another location. It’s called the Rushabh Eye Hospital in Chembur. That is just another area of Mumbai. That means she’ll see some travel. She is a bit scared to venture out to much due to her anxious nature. They have taken her off all the medications she brought from home. To me her nature has improved a 100% but she is still not sure she is really ready to face India without medications. Frankly I might need some myself but we do what we have to do with or without. I think it will be good for her to see she can do it own her own. A panic attack would be a major problem for both of us here. I still don’t think it will come down to that. If it does we will do what we have always done in the past …deal with it. She has had another pain shot and is sleeping soundly. I am sure she will enjoy having the room to herself while I am out this afternoon. She looks so calm and rested right now it’s odd to have peace knowing where she is at!
I do have to admit Kim was right if you have nothing to compare it to the experience is not that bad. I think Debra took it like a trooper because there were several time Debra could have just wigged out on me but didn’t. I was greatful for her calm spirit because I can’t say mine was always like that. I did a lot of pacing and getting up and down and moving things around. It was very hard for me to be still. I tried to remember that saying that goes ”be still and know that I am God”. It helped and reading the bible helped. There is a lot to be said for all that.
I had a nice breakfast and lunch today I had slept threw dinner last night. When I finally did go to sleep at about 8:30 p.m. I wasn’t about to wake up to eat. They bring dinner kind of late for me. The only problem with going to sleep that early is you wake up at 4 a.m. I go take a shower and get dressed before the morning shift starts coming in so I guess it’s all for the best. A little odd sleep is better than no sleep at all.
Debra had gotten on-line earlier to check out the storm you guys are having and pulled up the Baytown Sun on-line. I think that’s pretty funny you can read home town news while your in India. I had to laugh our world is getting smaller and smaller.
Well I have things to do this afternoon so I will post this and tell you of my travels later. God Bless you all and keep you safe until we are together again. Below is some information on the band that Debra got it’s the newest coming out on the market that is FDA approved. That’s great! Better even than mine.
Swedish Adjustable Band: An adjustable gastric band that is manufactured by Obtech Medical AG of Switzerland (not Sweden!) It was invented by Professor Dag Hallberg, from Sweden, in 1984. Although the patent was awarded in 1985 in Sweden , Denmark and Norway, the product was manufactured in Switzerland. On September 28, 2007, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for marketing their product, the REALIZE™ Adjustable Gastric Band. The REALIZE™ Band, has been marketed under the name Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) outside the U.S., and has been commercially available outside the U.S. since 1996. It is probably the most commonly used band in the UK, Scandinavia and Mexico.
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