Surgery??? What???

September 30, 2013

Hey everyone!

So this was a bit of an interesting week for me, but I learned a cool truth; that is, the Lord always provides. On Tuesday, we were riding our bikes back home from a lesson... aaaand I crashed in our apartment complex... I felt pretty foolish, but then I looked at my right hand because it was hurting quite a bit, and saw a very bent out of shape ring finger. I thought "Oh flip. I hope I just dislocated it or something and didn't break it." So I pulled it out and back into a straight shape, but it felt a but crunchy when I did that. I was like "Oh great, I totally broke it. Hopefully it was a clean break at least." So we called Sister Gerber (The mission president's wife) and told her what happened. She gets clearance, and finds an urgent care for me to go to. So we do, and they get me checked out and x-rayed, and after a bit, the doctor comes in very serious and says I broke my finger "very badly" and that I am going to need to see a hand specialist as soon as possible. Then they put my finger in a splint and sent me on my way. So the next day rolls around, and we go to district meeting, then to an appointment we had with a less active, then we stop by at a now new investigator's house and teach her. This

was in the farthest corner of our area, and by the time we get back to the apartment, it's like 4:30. So we start making a zillion calls to doctors offices and Sister Gerber, but nobody is accepting my insurance, and everything is taking forever. But something I didn't think about, is that most doctors offices close at 5:00... So now I have to wait for the next day to even try to get an appointment set to see a hand specialist. While this is going on, I'm getting a little frustrated and wondering why nothing is working out. I mean, I put off trying to get my finger fixed to do missionary work, and now I have to wait even longer to find a hand specialist that will even accept my insurance? Well that doesn't make sense. Shouldn't the Lord be providing and helping me out with this? So I'm praying for help and stuff, but I'm still feeling pretty confused and frustrated that things aren't working out very well. After a while though, I notice a reoccurring thought that I am having, and that is to give my Ward Mission Leader a call. I'm not sure exactly what he does, but he oversees different medical practices. So I call him and tell him the situation, and he says "I know the perfect doctor to fix your finger". I was like "Oh awesome! But I don't know if he"ll accept my insurance", and Brother Budd is like "Don't worry, we'll get you in". I was like, Yayy!! The next morning I get a call from someone at a doctor's practice to set up an appointment for me to come in that same day! And all of the sudden, there were no issues with my insurance or anything! So we go in and talk with doctor Ottoni, he looks at the x-ray and talks me through what's messed up and what he'll have to do to fix it. Basically, surgery and three screws. And on Saturday, I went under the knife! They put me under, so I don't remember a lot that happened at the hospital, but now my finger is in one piece! And I'm not in hardly any pain! Even without pain pills! It was also really cool, because several people just raved about how awesome doctor Ottoni is, and that he is the best hand doctor around and stuff. So yeah, the Lord ALWAYS provides, even if it is not in the way or the timing that you would like. Like without me knowing, the Lord set me up with the best Hand doctor in this area! Yay!

Otherwise, the rest of the week went pretty normal. We did put a super golden investigator on date though, so that's pretty stinking awesome!

I got a new cast today, and took a picture of my finger for your enjoyment ;)

BTW, typing with just your left hand takes FOREVER!!