Letter 46 – Perry shares about his health

Health – Perry

It is confirmed. My tongue is yellow. My nails are yellow. My eyes are yellow. I am yellow, which means I have hepatitis. The doctor is not sure how serious it is. He is nervous, though, and so am I.

The reason?

A month ago, a seven-year-old son of a missionary from another mission group died very suddenly. They brought him to Kamakwie as soon as he became ill, but the doctors could do nothing. The doctors thought, at first, it might be one of the many common diseases and then decided it was fulminant hepatitis. This is a particularly virulent form of hepatitis which is almost impossible to treat.

Then a week later, a nurse in another mission hospital died from the same cause. A few days later, another nurse became ill and they medevac’d her to Germany. They were able to treat her, and she lived but she will never be able to return to SL.

Now K, the wife of one of our doctor’s began showing signs of hepatitis. They quickly did some tests and found out the problem was gallstones. Because none of them had ever done that kind of surgery, it was decided that she needed to be medevac’d back to the states. That happened last week. Now I am lying in bed all yellow and wondering what will happen. Will I die after being here a short 16 months? What will Nancy and the kids do if I die?

I have had so many problems with my health and that is unusual. It started with the reaction to the malaria medicine. While we managed to resolve that, it has not stopped me from getting malaria. I have lost count of how many times I have had malaria. What it has done is to give me a chance to treat it quickly and only be sick a couple of days before it becomes too severe.

Then the problem with the diarrhea. A year long struggle trying to find the cause and a solution. Antibiotics (every type available), eating yogurt, and boiling water. All with no success. I lost at least 40 pounds before we finally decided it was the water and began treating it with small amounts of bleach. Finally, my energy levels returned to normal and I stopped losing weight. Good thing I never lost my appetite.

Then the boils. One after another and then multiple boils, as many as seven at a time and often in my mouth. They too finally stopped. Maybe that treatment of the water also was the answer to the boils? None of us have had a boil for a while.

Then I almost lost my foot to a very serious infection. The doctor said if I had been delayed a couple more days in arriving to the hospital, it might have been too late. Still it took a month of medicines and treatment before my foot healed.

Now I am in bed with hepatitis. Nancy is pregnant and has to be very careful lest I infect her and the baby as well. As a result, she is sleeping on the floor at night. It is so frustrating. She is so patient with me because I am not a good patient.

Lord, am I going to die? I would not be the first to arrive here and die within a short time. I played the part of the first missionary sent here and that is what happened to him and his young son.

Lord, I gave you my life. I don’t want to die, but I know that sometimes you can use the sacrifice of a servant to produce more fruit. People will see the willingness to sacrifice so they hear the good news and respond.

It is scary to consider this, especially when I look at Nancy. Lord, if it is my time to come home, please give her strength. She is so special and deserves the best you have for her and the kids. I know she is afraid too. Please give her strength. Watch over Nancy please. She is worried – the pregnancy, her parents visit, and now I am sick.

Lord, I know there is so much work to do here. You have brought us here. If it is your will please let me do the work and care for my family, the greatest blessing you have given me.

The doc says I need to stay in bed for a least a month. If I am careful, he says I should recover quickly, as long as there is no other issue. But I heard the tension in his voice. He is uncertain as to how to proceed because of the recent events. He asks for updates every day and every day I sense his tension reduce because I am not getting worse.

Thank you for the peace I have knowing you are in control and everything will be perfect as we obey.

Lord I place my life, my wife, and my kids in your hands. We are yours. I am at peace. Thank you.

Perry J

If you are faced with a serious illness, how will you respond?