Hermana Webb in Washington: Bye Bye Appendix

November 10, 2014

So this week started off with a bang. We were pulling into our apartment on Monday night and my stomach started feeling pretty weird. I was thinking it was probably something I ate, so we just kept going, getting ready for bed. The pain kept getting worse and worse, but I told Hermana Weymouth I'd just sleep it off. I sat there for 2 hours in the most INTENSE pain of my life, not really sure what to do because it was the middle of the night. Finally, I woke up Hermana Weymouth and told her we needed to get to the hospital pronto. So we had to drive into Everett, and I'm sitting there just crying out in pain and poor Hermana Weymouth is speeding like crazy and running red lights to get me there. Ha- I felt like a pregnant women in the middle of labor, screaming at my husband to hurry the heck up. So we got to the hospital, they put in an IV, and starting pumping the pain meds. I am SO grateful for modern medicine. The pain was gone in minutes. I told the doctor I was feeling fine and probably didn't need the CT scan. He just laughed. Haha. So after the CT scan, the doctor came in and told me that my appendix had almost burst and that I needed to be operated on in a few hours. That was some unexpected news!! So the anesthesia kicked in, I had a nice little nap, and I woke up minus an appendix and with 4 new incisions. Fun stuff. They caused me a lot of pain at the beginning of this week, but now I'm able to walk and do almost everything without much pain.

So it was a slow, painful week of recovery, trying to be patient and not overdo it. Why am I always learning patience? Haha. I hated being down when there was so much work to be done! But everyone here took such good care of me! Our fridge was stocked with food people brought over, and my heart was full with all the calls, texts, visits, and cards from the wonderful people here who I love so much.

The highlight of my week was definitely church though! Wow! We had 8 investigators come to church, which is like doubling the size of our little branch. (Ok that's an exaggeration). Ha. We had Lorena and her daughter, Ivet, come. And the Ramos family! Miracle! I totally played the "I need a mom to take care of me at church" card, and it worked! Ah. Mary and her two daughters came and I quote, had a "wonderful experience!" Ahhhh. Mary is Catholic and feels like she might be betraying her faith if she accepts a baptismal date. So this was SUCH a big step in the right direction for their family. She really is like my second mom. Well, I have like 6 moms here and a grandma. Haha. Our branch is full of some of the most loving people I've ever met! Also at church, MiKenzie got confirmed! She was baptized a few weeks ago, but because of stake conference and other things, wasn't able to complete her baptism by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost until yesterday. It was such a beautiful blessing with some incredible promises. She walked backed beaming, a big smile on her face. She is going to be an incredible member of the Church and a great example to her family. I was sitting with her family on the back row, just looking at everyone, all the families with their arms around each other. And the new people squished in between, and I was so happy. It felt like a big family. I couldn't feel an ounce of pain because my heart was SO full of love for these people. It's one of the most incredible blessings as a missionary- the amount of Christ-like love you develop for others.

Thanks for all your love and support! I felt it lifting me up in the hardest moments this week. Stay strong in the happiness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "Lift up your head and rejoice," and let others around you see the light that you have to share with the world.

-Hermana Webb