On the 8th of January 2010 we went to visit my father who had his appendix removed that same day. We drove 510km to visit him. My father's appendix had burst. He was laying in the ICU. They kept him sedated on the ventilator. It was very sad for me to see him like that. 10 years ago my mother laid in the very same Hospital in the very same ICU unit just across from where my 67 year old father laid.
The Saturday our daughter Juanre started to complain her tummy pains. She did not sleep at all that night. Sunday morning 10 January 2010 we took her to the doctor and he said she had Gastro. She started to vomit. Dr. Gave her an injection and some medicine. We went home to my father’s house.
Later that Sunday she got worse we went back to the ER and she saw another doctor. He said she had an infection in her tummy. He gave her another injection.
That night we didn’t close our eyes she went to the bathroom to rinse her face about a 1000 times. The following morning we were so exhausted but we took her back to the ER. There were another doctor and he said we had to take X-rays and a sonar. They show some free liquid in her abdomen.
The surgeon was called in and he said because she is non verbal he suspected that he had to remove her appendix. Which he did.
Juanre stayed in hospital for 3 days her tummy all swollen and with a lot of discomfort we called in the specialist. She said they had to operate. They took another scan, x-rays and sonar. It showed that there was an obstacle in her colon. She did not eat anything. Nothing. Just went to the toilet 100 times. On Sunday 17 January 2010, another surgeon operated on her. What he saw was so frightening for my husband and myself. Part of the colon had a small hole in it so all the dirt came out of that hole and then went to the left side of her colon. What a mess. The doctor had to make a large cut to be able to take out the colon and clean it as best he could. Then he said to us we must hope and pray that there are not other holes or else she would carry a bag for the rest of her life. At that moment I prayed to the Lord and said that she will not have that. She will be fine. They put her in ICU. In the same place where my mother laid 10 years ago. O that was very bad and sad for me.
In the meantime my father got better and he was in the general ward. Walking up and down and recovering. Juanre laid in the ICU with her hands strapped because she pulled out the drips and the tubes. And to put it back again is so traumatic for her she screams and kicks 4 to 6 persons had to held a 11 year old Autistic child just to get blood. She had to get 2 units of blood. The oxygen in her blood was very low. At 82% it was low, after the blood transfusion it went up to 94%.
Tuesday evening we were very concerned that our little girl was not going to make it. We really thought she was going to die that night. We went to my father bed and we all prayed together.
My father said he wanted to walk with us to the entrance of the hospital. Then he greeted everybody and he hold me, I was crying. He said: “What ever happens tonight remember it is the Lord’s will, but that he will pray that Juanre will be healed and she will be...” I asked him what does he mean and he replied with just what I say.
Half past three the following morning the phone rang. It was the hospital. I felt numb I could not breath I thought it was my little baby. They are going to tell me she is worse or even dead. But instead they told me over the phone that my father had a heart attack and he is not looking very well. We better come. I was in shock. I told my husband and he called my brother. We rushed to the hospital. The whole way I just pray Lord I do not want to see where they rush and run around trying to help him. Him gasping for air. You know like you see in the movies. Instead.......
When we got there it felt like ages. The nurse stood there in the passage everything was calm and quiet . We walked up to her and in her very calm voice she said: “I am so sorry, your daddy passed away.........” I burst out into tears. It was so unbelievable I couldn’t talked. My brother cried, my husband burst out into tears. It was so....so..........final.
They staff of the hospital were so great. They gave us some tea. Our Pastor and his lovely wife came straight away to comfort us.
Juanre was still in ICU but she was fine. We held my father’s funeral on the Friday. And wow what a sermon it was. Jesus was and is my father’s friend. Everybody who knew my father knew that he had a personal relationship with his Friend Jesus. My father told all the staff in the hospital and the other patients about his Friend. The he asked them is He your Friend too? Wow!! That assurance we have that my father is now with his Friend, and all his loved ones.
Juanre was still in ICU and she was doing great. All the tubes were off. Saturday she went to the children’s ward. She looked very good but the wound opened. She they had to clean it every day and she screamed. Finally we went to my father house but Juanre and I had to go to the hospital every second day to clean the wound that was so traumatic for her and for me. She was in the hospital for 23 days. I took her back to the surgeon and he said he must open up again but just the top layer of skin. And then he will put in some stitches like in the old days. That worked.
We came home finally on the 14th of February 2010
Last week Monday Juanre started to vomit and vomit and she eat nothing. We called the specialist and she said if she is not better by Thursday we better bring her in so we took her back travel 510km again. They took sonar’s, x-rays and blood again. And thank the Lord everything is clean and fine. It seems that she had gastritis. From 8 to 15 March 2010 he ate nothing. She started to eat only the 16th. Thank the Lord.
So we take every day one at a time. Thank you for all our family and friends who pray for us. Who stand by us during this time. For looking after my other 2 children. Special thanks to Aunt Rita for looking after Juanre in the Hospital for long hours so that I can sort out all the stuff of my father. Or just to rest. Thank you for Pastor Errol for your regular visits’ in hospital and at home. Thank you for my Sister in Law all the way from Zimbabwe for taking over the house hold at my father’s house. Making dinner and making sure we rested. For my other sister in law from Hertzogville who came all the way to come and help and for your support. We love you dear one. May the Lord Bless you abundantly.
Juanre has a cold now. But she is much better.
