A Sick Nurse...

That's me this week...a sick nurse.  Who wants a nurse that is feverish, snotty, complaining of a soar throat, and needing to run to the toilet every few minutes??  Not me!  But there are some weeks you just can't help it.
It all started Monday afternoon.  We made it back from South Africa, and I wasn't feeling great in the car.  I thought it was just a touch of motion sickness or tiredness from our crazy hours of sleep during safari.  But in the middle of our weekly missionary business meeting while I was doing my best to listen and get back in work mode I realized it was not motion sickness but that my brain felt like it might pound out of my head, and I would have rather rip my throat out than keep it in.  I went to bed about 6:30 and slept for 3 hours.  I woke up not much better.  I took Advil and Tylenol and within 30 minutes and after getting nursing report I was back in bed for the night.
10 hours later I woke up feeling refreshed but sick.  I made it through the day ok...I was working in the Baby House where depending on the hour 13-15 kids had fevers during the day.  Seriously out of control.  I was convinced I had what they have and basically I was just going to have to let it run it's course.  So I finished up, shoved some more Tylenol and Advil down my very tender throat and went off to dinner with Jonny and Becky (an amazing British couple who live and work here...for the moment they are running our base in place of our directors because they are away in Australia).  They have been trying to bless Rebecca (a fellow nurse and now roommate) and I with a birthday dinner and only now a month later have we all found the time.  Anyway, it was a great evening...great company, great conversation, great Pad Thai!  Then it was back to bed!
I slept about another 11 hours and woke up not doing much better.  I walked up to the Baby House to check in and make sure all the information needed had been passed on to the nurse working...an hour later I made it back to my house dragging with antibiotics in hand.  My prayer is that they will kick in soon.  They are not helping my stomach that is also not happy...but getting my throat healed is much more of a priority!
All that to say...add me to your prayer list with Shelton!  I hate being sick.  I love to nurse others back to health not to have to lay in bed hoping I'll be better tomorrow so I can get on with my life.  I don't like staying away from the babies I love, but I don't want them to catch what I have either!

And while you are praying for my wellness I'll fill you in on all the changes that are happening around here in the next week...(many of you already received this in your e-mail...but if not read away and please start praying for us)!!!
Here is a little recap of the last month and what's to come...I took over the medical overseeing position in the Baby House.  This means I have a lot more administration work to do and the kids' total care falls to me.  I am now making decisions about nutrition, medications, overseeing our Mozambican nurse as well as the other Western nurses that work under me.  I LOVE the babies and this is the job I came here wanting to do, but that doesn't mean it isn't exciting, stressful, and a bit frightening all at once.  We lost Iara last week, a Brazilian nurse who has been running our main clinic for almost 10 years.  She feels led to move further north and begin a new project there.  This has left a HUGE hole in our medical team.  Sheri, the nurse who previously was running the Baby House, has taken on her role in the clinic.  But, unfortunately Sheri will be leaving next week for 2 months at home.  This leaves 4 nurses who live on base, me and 2 others who have been here about 5 months each and another who has amazing experience who will be with us for 2 months (YAY for Pauline!!!).  Many decisions have already begun to fall into my hands and of course you would go to the one with experience who is accessible, but that adds just a bit to my stress level.  All of that to say...I'd especially love your prayers over the next two months as we struggle through life understaffed.  My prayer is that we can look back in two months time and see God's amazing faithfulness and His hand on everything we were a part of.  I know He is enough in our weakness and that is what I am standing on for now.
Thank you for always joining me in prayer and for your long-distance support and encouragement!  You make it possible for me to continue.  Know I love each of you and miss you terribly!