15 September 2011 Mostly Sunny, nice
This morning we had Laxmi call the hospital (our Nepali isn't very good) to see what time we could go for the fasting lipid panel. They were open and said anytime. We got a cab and went right over. Golly, things go so much more smoothly when you have a Nepali with you. She got us right where we needed to be and we were back home within the hour.
We stopped at the print shop and they did have all the copies of the Agreement ready for us. Happy Day! We came home and called Mr. Basnet at SWC to see if the letter for our visas were ready. No, no today, call tomorrow. Same old story. Laxmi asked if we could get it this afternoon and they said, 'call tomorrow.' Tomorrow won't be good for Gene and I. I guess we will have Laxmi take our information and she will go with Deppong's and Rukmina and see if they can get the letter authorizing the visa and then take our packets to the Ministry of Women's and Childrens. I really think Laxmi can do this for us. Gene needs to be at the hospital just after ten and SWC doesn't get going till after ten. We will pray that this all works out.
This afternoon we have tried to focus a little bit on Youth Conference. Gene and I will be presenting a workshop and so will Elder and Sister Deppong. Actually, it should be fun. Gene will talk with Pres. Bishnu tonight at PEC and get his okay on the plans and hopefully get a budget figure and then we can move forward.
14 September 2011 Partly sunny AM, hard rain PM
We walked to the Print Shop this morning to get the 19 copies of the Agreement made. We walked right past the print shop and clear up the road. I told Gene I thought we had passed it, but he didn’t think so. Finally, I said ‘I really do think we have passed it.’ We turned around and walked back a long ways. Gene is still thinking it was the other way. I finally asked a man if he spoke English and he nodded ‘yes’. I asked where B & B Electric (the print shop is next door was and we were right by it.
We ordered the copies and asked if they could have them for us tomorrow - they looked at us like ‘you want it when?’ Then they said they would try. On the way back home, we stopped at Bhat Bhateni’s and picked up a few groceries, knowing we wouldn’t be able to do that again for a week or so.
We did get the per-authorization from the insurance company back for Gene’s hernia surgery. That’s good. Gene called the surgeon. He said he could do the surgery tomorrow. Gene said ‘how about Friday?’ So Friday it is. We went to the hospital and did the lab work. That was an interesting experience. First we went in and they drew blood. There was one girl at a table with some supplies. As we took our folder to her, she just put it on the bottom of the pile. When it was our turn, we go in, Gene sits in a chair and the girl get a cotton ball out of a dish that is filled with alcohol. She squeezes it and rubs his arm and then (without gloves) gets a syringe. Thankfully it is a package she tears open, and draws his blood. There - one down.
Then we go to ex-ray down the hall. There really aren’t that many people there who speak English. Finally a security guard shows us the way. When we get there we don’t know what to do and someone indicates we take our packet to a girl. I sit in a chair in the hall and in a bit, here’s Gene. He shrugs his shoulders and said he didn’t know what good that did. They ex-rayed from his navel to his neck. We wondered what that had to do with a hernia.
Then we went for the ECG. Again we had to ask and they took us to Emergency. They brought in a little machine and then a ‘little’ privacy screen. Gene took off his shirt and shoes and socks. The things they were attempting to attach to his hairy chest were little suction cups with a little squeeze ball. They would squeeze the ball and try to suction it to his chest, but they kept falling off. It was about all we could do to keep from laughing. They finally ran the test, but we aren’t sure how accurate it was. Interesting.
When we got home, I called Debbie. She said there is an LDS American couple here for a couple of months. They want to get involved in some things and were meeting with them this afternoon at 5:00. Then she said they were on their way to Nina’s for lunch and did we want to join them. I said sure and so we walked over. As we were going through the alley, Gene is walking in front of me and all the sudden, I about step on this man that is out cold right laying right in the middle of the little pathway. Gene said he could have been drunk, on drugs or who know what.
We had a nice lunch and caught Deppong’s up on what is happening with Gene and with the copying of the Agreement so we can get our visas. We hope we can take the copies of the Agreement to SWC tomorrow and pick up the letter initiating the visa process.
This afternoon the hospital called and said we didn’t do the urine sample test and that we needed to come back. He wasn’t fasting, because no one said anything about that, and so we will need to have the fasting lipid panel done tomorrow also. This is all one great big adventure – I will be glad to get the surgery behind us….
Today is Porter’s 14th Birthday. What a wonderful young man. We love him much and are thinking of him today. We just want him to know we love him.
We had an appointment to go to the Social Welfare Council at 11:30 to sign the Agreement. Deppong’s picked us up and we were there just a few minutes early. Pretty soon, Mr. Basnet came in and said he had tried to call us, but they needed to change our time to 3:00 pm. Okay, what do you say, only, ’that would be fine.’ We did talk to him a minute about leaving our letter requesting a one – year non-tourist visa. He said fine. Then we did ask if it would be possible to get a one year visa. (instead of six months) He asked how long the Agreement was. We told him two years and he said ‘yes’ we could get a one year visa. That makes us very happy.
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| Chicken Fajitas at The Lazy Gringo |
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| Gene and Dr. Lama busy initializing every page. |
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| Mr. Rimal, Dr. Lama, Mr Basnet and women who stamped the pages |
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| Gene and Dr. Lama shake hands..., |
We did pick a theme. It is: Heaven – Don’t miss it for the world – Look Beyond this Moment. I think we can cover a lot of bases with it. We talked about workshops and activities. I feel like it’s coming together.
12 September 2011 Mostly sunny, light shower PM
Gene did call the Embassy and asked for the Med Unit and a referral for his hernia. They referred us to the National Institute of Neurological and Allied Science. We now understand it is the newest hospital in Kathmandu. The guy at the Embassy told us to send him our name and email address and he would set up the appointment for us. We immediately did that.
Deppong’s came and picked us up and we went to the American Club for the Program in memory of 9/11, sponsored by the Embassy. Just before it started, the cell phone rang and it was the guy at the Embassy. He did make us a doctor appointment for 2:00 this afternoon. That’s service!
I was touched when the program started and the Marine Color Guard came in presenting the colors of the United States of America. And then they played the National Anthem. I felt a tear in the corner of my eye. I love my country! The program was short. They had a Monk speak and a Nepali woman, along with a representative from the Embassy. She said she was here in Nepal on 9/11 and the Nepali’s lined up for blocks at the Embassy – showing support for the US. It was a nice program and I’m glad we participated in that.
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| A moment of silence - in memory of 9/11. |
Our first impression of the place was that it was painted and clean. We filled out a bite of paper work. Interesting, we got to keep the paper work, our file, and bring it home. Anyway, we saw the surgeon himself. We liked him. His English was pretty good. He was probably close to 50 years old and assured us he had done many such surgeries. He said they would put a mesh patch on. (that’s the way they did Gene’s last one and he got along great!) He said they would probably do the surgery around 3 or 4 and keep him overnight and he could go home the next day. We told him we needed to get pre-authorization and could then do the surgery. He said to just let him know and we would schedule it. Sounds like he is really flexible, not like home. We paid 1400 rupees for the consultation, which is about $20. Gene did ask what the surgery would be and he said around 50-60 thousand rupees, which would be, at today’s exchange rate, $850 – 900. The Doctor did tell us that he had been an army surgeon and had done many such surgeries. There will be some lab tests and such that we will need to do before the surgery.
When we got home, there was an email from Peter. He is the fellow at the Embassy. He told us not to let them gouge us because we are Americans. If the price is high, holler about it. And then let him know so they know how Americans are being treated.
Deppong’s also called and said SWC had called them and told them to come tomorrow, September 13 for the signing of the Agreement. Hooray! Hooray! We will do that. And we will take the letter to initiate the visa process. I told Gene if he can help me get it started, I can take Laxmi and we can finish it up. Deppong’s are anxious to get started on theirs as well.
11 September 2011 Partly Cloudy
Chad and Konnie called us. Alison had told them about Gene’s hernia and they said ‘don’t do it – don’t do it in Nepal.’ We told them this hospital was supposed to be pretty good. We will check it out, talk to the surgeon and go from there.. We did have a nice visit with them. We haven’t talked to them for awhile.
We did catch a taxi and went to the Norvic Hospital, arriving there about 10:00. We went to the reception desk. The receptionist called someone on the phone and then handed the phone to Gene. It was the doctor. He wasn’t even in the hospital but asked if we could come back at 3:30. No, we couldn’t we had the READ Nepal celebration. After a couple of other times, we said we could come tomorrow at 3:30. Another day of waiting.
We returned home, stopping at the bank on the way, and then when we got home, I put on a skirt and Gene walked me across Ring Road and I went to the Relief Society activity at the church. Rukmina, Laxmi and Debbie were the only ones there. Soon other sisters began coming. Then the Chef (branch member) came and prepared a couple of dishes for us. The Relief Society also cooked food so we had a nice meal. Rice, (of course) white beans, curried chicken, tuna vegetable salad (cooked) and a white sauce with seafood. It was very tasty and the best part of the day was just visiting with the branch sisters there. It was after 3:30 when I got home.
I lay on the bed for a few minutes and read. – Before long Deppong’s were here to pick us up and head over to the Deshain Celebration sponsored by RRAD Nepal. It was a lot of sitting around, while they brought around different plates full of things to eat. Gene even had some ‘goat lung’. I don’t think he really knew what he was eating and then when we told him, he said it wasn’t bad – tasted and had the texture a little like some kind of squash. No thanks, I didn’t want to try any.
Remember, no coincidences – as we were sitting there, in walks Dr. Lama. He saw us and came over. We asked him about getting the Agreement signed and he said ‘no problem’. We explained we needed to get it done ASAP as Gene might need surgery and the visas expire the end of the month. He said to call him. We sat back down and it wasn’t long and here comes Mr. Rimal, the Director at SWC. He also said something about getting the agreement signed and said we could get it done – to call and they would set up a time. After a little while we also saw Nettie, Dr. Lama’s secretary. Perhaps Dr. Lama had said something to her as she told us to call her at her office and she would schedule the signing. We are so happy. It was good to be there. When we got home Gene said that was another example of how dressing as a missionary pays off.
Those people all recognized us immediately, because of the way we were dressed.
The evening was good. We met a few people we had previously met and a few new faces. They had a silent auction and we felt that we should bid on something. Debbie and I both bid on bamboo bracelets in a elephant dung box. There were two sets. We both came home with a set. Again, I say – it’s been a good day and hopefully, the agreement will be signed in just a couple of days and then we can get the surgery taken care of.
10 September 2011 Mostly Cloudy
When Gene checked the email, there was a message from President Jackson. He said it did sound like it could be a inguinal hernia. He suggested we get it checked and if possible get the surgery. Wow! That’s not much help. He did say we could call the med unit at the embassy and tell them Dr. Jackson told us to call and see if they could give us a good referral or direction to go.
Jason called this morning and said he had good news and bad news. The good news if that they found a foreclosed home they liked in Mesa and quickly put an offer on it. They have been working with a realtor and he told them to move quickly. The bank has verbally agreed to their offer. The problem is, they would like to close while Jason would be here. The realtor said the deal could be a risk if he wasn’t there or tried to delay it. Also since it’s a foreclosed house, they would want to paint and re-carpet, and if he comes to Nepal, he uses up a lot of vacation and wouldn’t have additional time to take off to get the house ready to move in. It is good news and bad news. I’m thinking he won’t be coming. And that’s okay. I know they have been looking at homes for a while and this would be good.
We attended our church meetings today – good as usual. Our Sunday School teacher wasn’t there and so President Bishnu asked Maya if she would teach. She is a young single sister returned missionary. She did a great job. With just her scriptures she gave a beautiful lesson on the subject: Heavenly Father. She had quite a bit of participation and the spirit was there.
I also taught Relief Society today. Maya translated for me and I felt good about it. The lesson was on ‘Our family can be together forever.” Eternal families are an easy subject to talk about. We had good participation as well. Sometimes, I wonder why they want me to teach. Most of the women know far more Nepali than English and everything needs to be translated when I teach. But it is good for me and I do enjoy it.
After church the YM/YW ad YSA had a planning meeting for their Youth Conference. They would like to go to Pokhra or Chitwan, but President Bishu would like to see them stay here local. We talked about a few places. The other thing is they want to do it the 28-30 of September. That’s only a couple of weeks away. I guess we can put it together that quickly. President Bishnu will be in the USA and won’t be back till October 24, but he said that date would work. Now to see if that would work for President Jackson.
For the past few days, Gene has thought he might have a hernia. We talked with Rakesh and he told us the Norvic hospital is the best on. Gene did call the Norvic hospital for an appointment and they said to come in tomorrow at 10:00. We will go and check things out – see if we can talk to the doctor and see what the options are.
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