A Week in the Hospital

Today we are happy to report that we have survived a week
in the public hospital here in Cape Verde.

Elder Erickson was feverish for two days and then started
throwing -up and having diarrhea . For a day and a half we
struggled to maintain his hydration. Sipping little cups of water
every half hour but he continued to throw it up. Thursday
night Elder Erickson had become so weak that he needed
help to walk to the bathroom. Friday morning about 5:00 a.m.
while helping him to the bathroom, he lost his balance and fell
from my grasp to the floor. He was unable to raise himself
off the floor and too heavy for me to lift. I had no idea how to
call for an ambulance here in Mindelo.

We have a dear friend who is a taxi driver, named Jorge, that
has been driving for the church for over fourteen years. I
called him and told him our situation. He called an ambulance
and brought them here to our apartment. They had to carry
him down our apartment building stairs in a wheelchair.

We arrived at the Hospital at 6:30 Friday morning

Dan was admitted into the emergency room, where he was put on an IV for re-hydration.

Many members came to the hospital and sat with Sister Erickson giving moral support and love. Malfada, Ida, and Odeth all came and sat with me throughout those long uncertain hours. Isamira not only sat for hours with me at the hospital, but she even spent the night in our apartment so I wouldn't have to be alone.

Isamira, President César Fortes and Bishop

César Ribeiro

After a day and a half in emergency care Elder Erickson was then moved to a private room for further evaluation.

On Sunday, Bishop Jose Neves and his wife Malfada, and Marneilson came to the hospital to bring us the Sacrament.

The first few days, Elder Erickson remained very weak and slept almost non stop.

Arceolinda Miranda (Chu)

Eugenia Gomes Sandra

Maria do Leu Querido                           Maria da Cruz

The nurses were so caring throughout this whole ordeal.

One little nurse, Eugenia Gomes, is a member of the church but less-active. I told here that the Lord had sent us to the hospital, to let her know that the Lord is still thinking of her.

 We met lots of wonderful new friends there in the hospital that we hope to visit someday when Elder Erickson is well. This sweet little lady, Aldina, came to the hospital because of heart problems. But she didn't have any problem loving with that heart. Everyday she would come from her room over to ours to see how we were doing.

The doctor assigned to take care of Elder Erickson was Doctor Aliuska. She is a young women from Cuba. She arrived in Cape Verde about the same time we did and speaks Spanish.

James Tavares was invaluable in translating for us through out our stay at the hospital and communicating with our doctor in Germany.

Thanks to the constant care of the church physician, Doctor David Koegler, in Germany, working with the doctors here in Mindelo, Elder Erickson has recovered enough for us to go home to our apartment.
Doctor Koegler, feels that further lab work needs to be done with a private Gastroenterologist on Monday. There was some noticeable irritation in Elder Erickson's duodenum spotted in the CAT Scan that was performed at the hospital.

 The members continue to be a wonderful support through this experience. Saturday Bishop César Ribeiro came to the apartment to check on Elder Erickson.

 On Sunday, the young men of the Aaronic priesthood came to our house again to administer the sacrament to us.
What a spiritual experience that was, as these young men prepared and blessed the sacrament. Elder Erickson bore testimony to these young men of his conversion to the church and how grateful he was in finding the gospel in his youth and what a blessing it has been throughout his life.

We love the Lord and we trust in his constant care.