Today is Monday the 30th of December.
Let us get you updated. It has seemed that each day if we waited one more day, we would know more, so here we are to date:
This is a story of a series of small miracles.
We left Ukraine on Saturday the 14th and arrived in Salt Lake City later that same day. Remember we got to add 9 hours to the length of that one day so it really worked out well. Our room was ready at home and we settled in fairly quickly.
Sister Preece was able to get to church on Sunday the 15th, but only Sacrament meeting. Later that day, we checked in with the Stake President. He had been contact with the missionary department in Salt Lake and assured us that as soon as we could get a doctor to sign off that all was well, we could return to Ukraine.
On Monday the 16th, we went to InstaCare and found Elder Preece’s doctor taking his turn. [This is a small miracle.] He is very supportive of missionaries and plans to serve a medical mission in the future. His name was not posted, the posted doctor was not able to take his turn. He sent Sister Preece for an x-ray. Then he called an associate, Dr. Hendry, who is an orthopedic surgeon and part of our medical care group. Dr. Hendry wanted a MRI. The Mobile unit was available the next day, Tuesday. He also gave Sister Preece some good pain medication.
We were scheduled early. The technician at the MRI was very concerned with Sister Preece’s pain level and only did enough to let the doctor see what he needed to make a good diagnosis. Sister Preece was very grateful and spent much of the rest of the day resting.
Dr. Hendry opened a slot in his busy schedule for Wednesday the 18th. He and his PA reviewed Sister Preece’s arm and the x-rays and MRI and determined she had an unresolved dislocation and some associated tissue and tendon damage. Also her biceps muscle had been torn from its connection at the shoulder. His next available surgical opening was for Monday the 23rd. But there was a patient who was uncertain for the next day, Thursday the 19th. His staff scheduled Sister Preece for both slots. Sister Preece was to take nothing by mouth and remain available and near a phone on Thursday. [Another small miracle, Dr. Hendry seems to be the ‘go to’ doctor for this kind of case. Every reference we got about him listed him at #1 in the State]
Thursday the 19th we stayed at home and played board games wondering if today or Monday would be the day. The phone rang at about 2:00pm. They wanted her to fill a suddenly vacant slot ASAP. We were there by about 2:30. Doctor Hendry explained before Sister Preece went in that a lot depended on how well he could resolve a dislocation that had been out for over four weeks. If there was a problem, the surgery would take about 3 hours and much of the orthopedic repair would need to be delayed for two or three weeks. If he was able to get it back in place with external manipulation, the orthopedic repair would be done today. The surgery would be about 1 ½ hours. [This timing was another small miracle.]
External manipulation worked! In about 2 hours we got the report that all would be well. The necessary repairs were done. There really is a reason Dr. Hendry is the best. Prayers are answered. And surgeries succeed. [Needless to say this is the culmination of many small miracles.]
Sister Preece was slow coming out of the anesthetic and they wanted her to spend the night in the hospital. There had been a freezing rain storm that morning and snow for much of the day on top of the ice. There were a lot of injuries and the hospital was full. A reserve patient room was open for service and she had a place. [This is good planning on the part of the hospital – another small miracle for us.]
She was released on Friday morning the 20th. She has a post-surgical follow-up appointment when we expect physical therapy will be scheduled. The understanding is that the therapy will take 12 to 16 weeks before we can get clearance to return. We will be back in time for Spring.
The Lord is guiding this event. We are convinced that our duty is to do what we need to do and be where we need to be each day. He will assure the outcome will be best for the forwarding of the Gospel.
Sister Preece spent the week from the 20th to the 28th recovering and being with family and friends. On Sunday the 29th Elder and Sister Preece visited with their bishop after he had talked to the Stake President. Once again we were assured that a doctor’s release would be enough to get us back to our mission in Ukraine.
The topic for the 5th Sunday joint meeting in our ward was missionary work going into the New Year. Our ward had only one baptism last year and was low man in the stake. It seemed what is really needed right now is a couple to visit each newly moved in family as they come to our ward. We need someone to tell them they are important and loved in their new home ward. Wouldn’t you know it – Sister Preece volunteered. She said we didn’t have anything else to do and therapy could move forward just as well while we visit with our new neighbors. Our study this week included Elder Ballard’s conference talk where he spoke of doing what we can to spread the Gospel.
Our next piece of information is expected at the doctor’s appointment on Thursday the 2nd.
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