A Brief Appearance

As I wrote on Monday, I could foresee being under for several days, and resurfacing only briefly. In reality, I had to stay under longer than I was counting on. The main translation job I was working on turned out to be more complicated than it appeared at first sight. At this moment I can say it's out of the way, although a couple of small ones still await my attention. Today I let them wait, and Abbie and I went out and worked in the yard, doing general clean-up. The weather cooperated beautifully today, after the bad wind and rain we've been having for a couple of weeks.

This posting is to give news regarding our more pressing prayer requests. Several have written saying you are praying for Raquel, Marcia, and Jackie, and we appreciate that and encourage you to continue praying. Not a one of them is back to normal.

Raquel continues to have problems with choking or strangling. It happens more when she's nursing, but it also occurs at other times. She coughs and gets choked and stops breathing. Roberto and Militina have to be attentive at all times and use a syringe to draw out the phlegm and mucous. The doctor has warned them that if Raquel has another bout as serious as the first one that hospitalized her, she could end up with a chronic condition. As you can imagine, her parents can hardly afford the luxury of sleeping soundly, as they are always listening for the least sign of problems.

Jackie ended the antibiotic treatment and within a day or so felt the return of pains and other symptoms of the kidney infection. A couple of nights ago, as she was lying in bed, her lower right leg cramped and turned inwards at a sharp angle. Her left foot turned outwards from the ankle. She finally got her legs back in proper order, and she tried to contact her doctor but he wasn't in. She seemed to be a little better today.

Abbie and I went to see Marcia for the first time in over a week. Abbie had a slight cough earlier in the week, and she didn't want to chance exposing Marcia to any infections. Following the second treatment, Marcia has started to lose her hair, and for the first time, has started to have problems with nausea. Today, in fact, Jose Carlos had to take her to the hospital to get some medication for intestinal pain she was feeling. The nurse told her that if that was the worst effect she is feeling at the moment, then she's doing well. Marcia continues to be very upbeat and looking forward to coming pack to the church services.

We thank you faithful readers (and pray-ers). I have two or three other postings in preparation, but I'll have to come to the surface for longer periods of time to get them in final form.