Medical Crisis

         Last weekend Clint started feeling sick.  He was having some intestinal distress and was overall not feeling well.  It progressed to severe constipation and then severe pain to the point he could not sit.  On Monday he went to the Unicem Hospital which is across the street.  Thankfully on January 1st he had received health coverage from our school.  We are so grateful God is in control of our lives because if this would have happened last fall I don't even know what we would have done.  He stayed at the hospital all day both on Monday and Tuesday and after working just a couple hours he went back to the hospital on Wednesday too.  The principal drove him to the hospital on Wednesday.  The doctor took blood, a urine sample and a stool sample after a lot of drugs to try and get things moving again.  He also put him on an antibiotic because after an attempt to do a physical exam it was determined he had an infection.  All this time he was not able to sleep because of the pain and discomfort trying to use the bathroom. 
          Thursday morning he dressed for work to try and go in for awhile again and on the way to the van he realized what he thought was sweat running down his pant legs was actually blood.  He went right over to the hospital again.  I had been going to work each day and checking in by cell phone with him.  At work on Thursday the principal and our school director pulled me out of class.  They were really concerned Clint was not getting the care he needed here in Nigeria and we should probably fly home.  The director drove me to the hospital and met with me, the doctor and the surgeon who was brought in to try and do another physical exam.  The surgeon said Clint had an abscess which had burst that morning passing the bloody discharge.  With the swelling he still was unable to really successfully exam Clint but he did put him on a stronger antibiotic.  He was able to take a swab culture of the infection to test to see if he was on the correct antibiotic.  The director and I sat outside of his room during the exam and we could hear him practically screaming during the exam.  When we went into Clint's room he was shaking uncontrollably and had a high fever.  We were pretty shook up and the director said she would look into flights.  By evening he looked better after getting the first dose of the stronger antibiotic so I took him home again.
          He slept a little better Thursday night and was not running a high fever Friday morning.   By Friday evening Clint was finally not running a fever at all and was able to sit more comfortably.  His energy level was still really low.  Today, Saturday, we were to hear the results of more of the tests but so far no call and it is now evening.  He was at the hospital for the antibiotic shot yesterday and today.  The last of his prescriptions run out today.  The doctor said he will still need a thorough exam of his colon and a colonoscopy to determine the cause of the abscess and to know if there are multiple ones.  Our employer is still pushing us to make a trip home and they will hold our jobs for us.  Although we have the funds to do so we just don't want to incur this expense if it was just an infection.  We are trying to decide if he can wait for the colonoscopy until we return home in June or if he should risk getting one done here.  We were warned the equipment is not as sterile and the doctors not as well trained. 
          We met with our principal this evening and Clint told him he thinks he can go back to work on Monday.  We told him we are waiting to hear from the doctor and at least get the thorough exam done early next week so he may need a half day off.   We are trusting God and waiting for his guidance on what to do next.  So for now we wait and give glory to God for getting us this far and for his blessing of health coverage for Clint.  I am so glad he is no longer in extreme pain and the worst may be behind him now.

The Hospital Menu

A Nigerian staple - favored rice but at least you know what that is.  Some of these things we have no idea what it is or it is nothing he would be willing to eat.

Oh yum, hospital food again.