Enduring And Praying For A Resolution

Well I had to go see the doctor again on Tuesday after they gave me antibiotics. On Tuesday, I had these huge headaches, the biggest I've had in my whole life. It just was a pain! So I called up again to see the doctor Wednesday cuz I just did not feel right at all. Well, they brought me in, saw that they gave me a wrong pill (Cipro) and had to...DRAW BLOOD!!! They wanted to make sure they didn't kill me or something. So I go in, I tell the doctor I hate needles and will pass out on him...well the second that needle was in my vein..yup you guessed it. I passed OUT! I woke up with three people around me looking at me. I laid down for about 20 minutes and the doctor said, well the good news is you don't look so pale. Bad news is I need three more vials from you...It was...horrible!!! They had me put my head between my knees and I started shaking really bad haha..it was bad. (The Cipro)...just gave me a HUGE HUGE HUGE headache. It was like poison to me, Dr. Lawler said.


Elder Travis' response to his mother's question about the blue centipede bite: I feel better, good enough to work, but I can still feel the effects. My leg still hurts a little bit. My throat is a little dry and I can tell the tonsils are still swollen. hmm..it's been a rough few weeks haha!

When Blue Centipedes Attack

Elder Travis' mom speaking: The following is an email I received from Travis yesterday. After that I've written about the phone call I got from the mission home last night. I'll add pictures when the memory card arrives.

So this is the story which you can forward to the whole family so they know whats going on:
Well first off last night I feel a hard pinch on my leg. At first I thought it was a bed bug cuz they are really common and it was 2:30 am!! Well I get up and put the itching cream on it to keep it from itching but notice it actually HURT. Well I go to my bed with permethrin to find that lil rascal and see a Centipede!! I'm like..ohhh great I hope it's not a BLUE centipede...well I spray him, he goes beserk, I kill him...yup...he's blue!!
So I'm sitting in the bathroom with a burning leg thinking Whyyyyy!! I'm already miserable enough!! (Travis' mom here: He's struggling with a bad bout of tonsillitis). Well, I get an ice pack and ice the sting which helped A TON!! I ended up falling asleep 90 minutes later with it on. It was bad though and I hurt!!! It still burns but not as bad. I got pictures of him I'm sending home today (the memory card)."

Elder Travis' mom again. We got a letter from Travis later in the week where he stated the doctor told him "the centipede could have immobilized me for weeks" so he's lucky he got bitten where he did.

About 9:00 my time (4:00 Hawaii time) I got a call from a Sister who is the medical liaison for the mission home. She told me Travis had been to the doctor and is on an antibiotic. He's been so sick for so long that I hope he isn't building a tolerance to antibiotics now. He seems to be doing well now and is in good spirits. She told me that the mission president had just gotten out of a meeting right before she called and that he was amazed that Travis waited so long to go to the doctor (tough kid!). She said Travis had pictures of the blue centipede and it was huge. She told me that they sent him home with more spray to spray down their apartment, bedding, and clothes and then rewash the bedding and clothes.

I'm so grateful that he's in good hands and that they take such good care of him. Hopefully this is the last blue centipede he'll see in Hawaii!

ADDENDUM: The very next day after he was bitten they trapped and killed another blue centipede in their apartment! He's longing for Kauai with all the chickens because apparently chickens eat centipedes!

A Rough Week

Elder Travis' mom here. This is an update on Elder Travis and his current bout with being ill. He's been told that the Sudafed he was taking and the Motrin were exacerbating his heart condition so he's off of those meds now.


Part of Travis' email this week:
The doctor said they didn't like the look of my tonsils, they gave me more meds to try and do something for me...but if they don't work I have to go see 'em. IF I had to get 'em removed, I would have no idea what to do.

I went to the office to pick things up and let them know about the doctor and Sister Robbins heard my name and was like ELDER SMITH?? I HAVE HIS MAIL!! I went in and saw the package with a few letters..haha she knows me so well!! She tells me I'm popular!! Haha makes me happy!!

We couldn't do a whole lot this week cuz of the meds doing weird things to me like knocking me out or making me dizzy. I'm trying to work though so I'm working as hard as it will allow me :)Anyways, I love you so much thanks for all you do. I truly love and appreciate you :)

So..what are the symptoms that tonsils need to be removed?