Reality Check - no laughing matter

Time to break over 18 months of silence.

In my last posting, back in June of 2014, I was trying, ever so hard, to keep my own spirits up through the trials Tom and I were experiencing, but things got harder. Eventually it became quite overwhelming and I no longer had the energy to blog about it.

Now that we are on the recovery end of the experience, and re-gaining our strength, I want to document what has happened as well as catch up on some of the highlights of our more enjoyable experiences in Poland.

On June 19, 2014, Tom suffered a myocardial infarction, a heart attack. Thanks to President and Sister Edgren we got him to the emergency room of the Medicover Szpital in the Wilanow district of Warszawa. An angioplasty was conducted to clear the blockage in the artery and then a stent inserted to keep it open. Improvement was immediate and two days later Starszy R was feeling well enough to talk about returning to the apartment for a couple of weeks rest before resuming missionary activities. Elder Wing, missionary doctor in Frankfurt, informed us that Elder Schwitzer of the 2nd Quorum of Seventy had said, people like the Roulstones are 'tough bananas' and will not want to leave the mission.

Afternoon of June 21

The evening after this picture was taken Starszy R felt the left side of his face and his left arm go numb. It was determined he was having an ischemic stroke (a blood clot in the brain). After receiving a priesthood blessing promising returned health and the ability to finish our mission in Poland, he was rushed to a nearby neurological hospital for immediate treatment. The treatment was not without risk, however, because of the hole in his artery for the angioplasty and stent, the chemicals that would stop the clot in his brain could cause severe bleeding. Without treatment he could be permanently disabled, with treatment he could bleed to death. Starszy R did not want to live with disability. With complete trust in God, he opted for the treatment.

Initially treatment was successful, but in the middle of the night he had a relapse of some sort, was completely paralyzed on his entire left side and lost his speech. The treatment was repeated, and then he started to bleed beneath the skin from the angioplasty and stent insertion sites in the arteries in his arm and leg.. It was a nightmare, but prayers were being sent heavenward all across the globe and he survived.

A few days later he was transferred back to Medicover to continue convalescing. Being severely anemic from the blood loss he required three units of blood over the next few days - so we joke that he's now part Polish with all of that Polish blood in him.

It took two more weeks of rest, medication adjustments and physical therapy in the hospital before we could return to the apartment. During this time, though, we were told that we could no longer stay on a mission for the Church in Poland; we needed to return home to recuperate and then we could think about re-applying to serve a mission again. I guess these 'tough bananas' were squashed. We were very disappointed, but as time wore on and we began to understand the long-term effects of the stroke and how slow recovery would be, we knew it was a wise decision to eliminate as much stress as possible from our lives by returning home to relax, rest and rejuvenate. It was with very heavy hearts we would have to say goodbye to many people we had grown to love, so very much in such a short time.

'Last Supper'

Starszy R's final meal before leaving Medicover

Looking very 'Polish'

July 4 - "Freedom Day"

Unfortunately, back at the apartment Starszy R's condition did not improve. He continued to experience discomfort across his back and shoulders and down his arm. He was weak and often faint. When our friends and fellow senior missionaries, Elder & Sister Durrant, came over to our apartment after Family Home Evening on Monday, July 7 they helped me take him back to the emergency department at Medicover. Initial tests did not show anything wrong, but he was sick to his stomach in the night. This alarmed the lead doctor the next morning and she ordered further tests. She caught me in the hallway as I was preparing to return to the apartment and informed me Starszy R  now had a large blood clot in his pulmonary artery which was blocking blood flow to his right lung and he would die without immediate treatment, but again the treatment could cause the bleeding in the other arteries to resume. We were back in ICU for a few more days. He would need another two weeks of treatment and careful observation in the hospital and then further monitoring of his blood levels as an out-patient for a few more weeks.

At one point we asked one of the attending doctors what more we could do. He said, 'pray'. That we were doing, as we know so many were doing in their homes and several temples all over the world. 

We also enjoyed having Catholic priests check in on us every weekend. Some spoke English, some did not. I managed to stumble through my broken Polish to explain to them who we were: "Dzięn dobry. Jesteśmy z Kanady. Jesteśmy misjonarzami z Kościoła Jezusa Chrystusa Świętych w Dniach Ostatnich. Tak, możemy modlić się do Boga Ojca. Each one offered to pray with us, and even the ones who spoke little English would begin the 'Lord's Prayer' with us. We were touched by their sincerity and concern.

When one of the Catholic priests asked us what 'faith' we were we told him and then he told us, "I'm a Catholic priest". Yes, we could see that. He was dressed in something like this:

Although in the hospital, we still wanted to do what we could as missionaries. Starszy R didn't want me to spend every day, all day, in the hospital with him. He asked me to continue to conduct the advanced English conversation classes on Wednesday evenings and helped me plan the gospel messages to give.On Saturday mornings I continued to enjoy teaching students how to play hymns on the keyboards. I attended Warszawa II Branch meetings on the Sabbath and taught the youth Sunday School class. When Starszy R felt strong enough we wrote notes of appreciation and encouragement together for many of our new Polish friends, our brothers and sisters in the gospel.

Occasionally members and missionaries would visit; the sisters would bring me my favourite chocolate bar and the Assistants to the President would take our car and fill it with gas for me. We know we were surrounded by angels! But visits really tired Starszy R as he would exert himself to participate in the conversations and then be exhausted afterwards. Sister Edgren, Sister Durrant, and members of our branch often provided meals. What a blessing! 

Unfortunately, these weeks in the hospital were not a steady improvement. It was much more like a roller-coaster ride with some good days and some bad days dealing with different complications. It was very stressful and we learned to savor each moment together and thank God for the simplest things.

Starszy R was released from hospital again on July 18 and we had to start making our goodbyes as Elder Wing, one of three LDS doctor caring for missionaries in all of Europe, and  Elder Smith, in-field representative at Church headquarters in Europe, wanting to get us home as soon as possible, had booked tentative first-class flights out of Warszawa, and then Frankfurt, for Tuesday, July 23. But Starszy R wasn't strong enough. I asked them to re-schedule it for later in the week. The Church was taking such good care of us.

Starszy R with Godfrey from Warszawa I Branch - one of the many members who visited in the szpital

Warszawa II Relief Society Siostry Anna Kulinicz, Małgorzata Neto, myself, Jacqueline Pickett

Siostra Grazyna Ryng - one of my keyboard students
After playing "Myślę o Tobie, Jezu mój" in Relief Society
"Jesus the Very Thought of Thee"

Fellow 'Canuck' Lisa Kosanavich living in Poland with her family

 

Some of our advanced English conversation students

 

Siostry Tobler and Petersen cleaning windows for me!

Me with Siostry Tobler and Petersen

Starszy R with Jacqueline & Mark Pickett

Four Good Men
Sławek Kodym with Starszy R, Starszy Pieper i Starszy Retallick
These brethren delivered two beautiful photo books as gifts we treasure from Warszaw II Branch

It was a good thing they changed our flights to Friday. We were so grateful for the skill of the doctors caring for Starszy R. They all spoke English, very well, as did many of the staff at Medicover, but we couldn't avoid some misunderstandings due to the language and our own inexperience with all things medical.

Over the weekend Starszy R was, still, very weak and faint and we were back in the emergency room on Sunday night. Everything was okay with his artery and lung so they shuttled him back over to the neurological institute for more tests there - nothing, but his heart rate was too high. Back at Medicover they kept him overnight for observation and it was determined we had misunderstood the dosage of one of his medications. This time they decided to keep him in the hospital until we flew out on Friday, July 25, 2014  so that he could be kept stable.

But we were not meant to leave Warszawa that easily.

Laughter is the best medicine...

Everything was going along just ticketyboo this fine month of June. I guess Starszy R decided things were just getting too routine so he decided to ramp it up a bit.

Perhaps chauffering Elder Wing on a tour of hospitals in Lublin last month was not exciting enough so this past week he found a way to get up close and personal with some cardiologists. He's put his whole heart into getting to know them well. After just one day of playing with a ballon and a tube with his new friends he was like a new man!

But this new friendship must have only piqued his interest in the members of this profession because a couple of days later he had himself introduced to a couple of neurologists. And he didn't just call them up and make an appointment or saunter into their offices. No, he had to make a grand entrance with lights flashing and horns blaring! It was a pure stroke of luck that they were available when he arrived, and had time to party with him. It was a paralyzing experience, but I think he's pretty much over it now.

One of the tricked-out, souped-up vehicles that some of Starszy R's new friends took him for a wild ride in down one of the streets of Warszawa in the middle of the night!

I had hoped he had all of this out of his system, but Starszy R just had to shake hands with a couple of surgeons. They are keenly interested in the tiniest hole in his leg. Sometimes the things that interest the people in these professions can seem quite morbid. Anyway, we are content just to put their names in the address book for now; we've had enough excitement for this week.

All of this hobnobbing with these professionals takes a lot out of old men, though, so Starszy R has imbibed a few medicinal cocktails, including some potent raw red stuff, and he's been snorting O2 to keep his energy levels up.

 

He's also reserved a private room for another week to catch up on his sleep and regain his former vigor for the missionary work here in Poland. His new friends visit with him a couple of times a day and have invited him to continue to check in with them often even after he returns to our apartment. They are so kind.

Stay tuned to see how these new relationships go, and stay well!

Highlights of May part 3: Angels and Mermaids and the Four Winds...

On my birthday we spent some time at a bazaar in the district of Praga on the other side of the Vistula River which runs through Warszawa. I found some more 'angel friends'...

The next week we had to join the line-up of foreigners to complete some more paperwork in the process of applying for and obtaining residency cards.

We were glad it was a nice day and we were on the shady side of the street while waiting our turn to enter the building where we would 'take a number' and wait some more in the hallway. I was entertained by the screens on the windows of the government building. My Rose will enjoy these...

 

 

 

 

After we were done at the government office, on the way back down the cobbled street we went by the Palace of the Four Winds. Can you see them blowing?

This history of this little palace is a history of Poland itself: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Four_Winds

 

Some weekday afternoons we walk from our apartment to the Church for our meetings later in the afternoon and evening. This corner is about halfway and we will shop in these rows of little sklepy (shops). We took these shots as we walked  home one night, when the parking lot was empty and most of the shops were closed just to give you an idea of what they were like without all of the traffic. On the left is a little kiosk that only sells nylon pantyhose and stockings. On the right is a kebab shop - kind of like a pita sandwich only better (in my opinion). Below is a closer shot of down one of the rows. There are two of these rows in this particular location, more in other areas of the city. During the day they are filled with the wares on display and the shoppers. The shops themselves are barely big enough to turn around in. It's always an 'adventure' to shop here, but the fruits and vegetables are bigger, better, fresher, tastier than in the regular grocery store.

On the last day of May the resident committee of our apartment building hosted a 'love your neighbour' party in the park on the back patio of the building. Can you find Papa in the middle of the picture?

We all brought 'potluck' and banana bread is a hit! It's not something have had much of here and so it is 'unique' for them. We were entertained by a string trio and then just chatted with each other while the children played. Many people enjoy practising their English with us, and they let me practise my Polish with them. A good time was had by all.

Highlights of May part 2: All Fun & Games - Not

How do you know we are in Poland when you look at these two pictures?

 

McDonald's in the background, For Sale sign in English, could be anywhere in Qualicum Beach, right? But two Smart Cars with big boxes on top - never seen that in Qualicum Beach, yet. They use them for advertising - all over the place.

You'll wonder if we went AWOL to the African Congo as you view the next few pictures, taken in the home of Brother Kilongo - a member in our branch here. What a Fun Guy!

 

How to make 'foofoo'

How to eat 'foofoo' - with monkey meat and crocodile sauce!

Finger-lickin' foofoo! Yum!

Brother Kilongo makes life fun!

Then, we were given the assignment to drive Elder & Sister Wing (from Salt Lake City, stationed in Germany) to the check out the hospitals in Lublin - about a three hour drive from Warszawa. Elder Wing is one of the doctors assigned to look after the LDS missionaries here in Europe. What an amazing couple! We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.

First, we got the car-washed. These were the instructions...

Got that?

Just one of the little challenges we face here in Poland :)

Elder & Sister Wing with Starszy i Siostra Roulstone on the Rynek in Lublin. 

We went in search of a traditional Polish dinner for lunch. We found a restaurant that advertised a 'traditional dinner'. Great! We all ordered one. We were served scrambled eggs with two slices of cheese, two sliced of deli meat and some fresh sliced cucumbers and tomatoes? What's traditionally Polish about that? The sign said a 'traditional dinner' not a traditional Polish dinner! Another little challenge for us in Poland - even if you can read it, what does it REALLY mean? :)

This was a little more 'traditional' for me.

Shortly after this shot Starszy R was accosted by a member of another faith calling on him to repent and return to the true Church of Christ and give up the sin of worshipping Joseph Smith! We thanked her for her concern and went on our way. It is unfortunate that some people have no idea what we truly believe and refuse to investigate the truth for themselves.

The last clinic Elder Wing visited was right next to the Majdanek Nazi Concentration camp which has been preserved as a Memorial to the thousands who were incarcerated and murdered here. I am aware of the horror that occurred in these places. I find it very disturbing and have had no desire to see it for myself, although I do believe it is important to remember and teach our youth to never let this great evil to occur again. However, as I stared across the fence at the barracks and the memorial, I was deeply impressed with the quiet reverence of the place and the visitors there. Starszy R and I did not go into the barracks or the gas chamber. The huge memorial and masoleum are overpowering and my pictures do not do them justice.

 If you want to see more the following website has a beautfiul photo gallery:

http://www.majdanek.eu/

Highlights of May part 1: Parks and Eagle's Nest

It's the middle of June already and I've posted nothing from May! How does that happen? I can't believe we only have 15 months left here in Poland. I am loving it!

There are beautiful parks in Warszawa. The largest is Łazienki Park where the summer palace of the last king sits in the middle of small lake. The palace is being renovated at the moment, but we thoroughly enjoyed the patio and the surrounding gardens.

 

How's this for a patio? Can you find Siostra R at the edge of the lake?

 

 

We sat on a bench along the side of a garden path with a swan and a peackock for our view...

People who walked by would try to get close to him, and he would gracefully keep a wary distance by walking around the tree and the foliage, but he was pretty focused on something in the bushes. Once all of the human visitors had moved on down the path, we soon found out what that was when he put on this display...

 

 

 

I was able to try out a little of my Polish language with the next family that walked by and admired our handsome friend, although he'd already ended his strut. I showed them the pictures I'd taken and said, 'piękny' (beautiful). They agreed.

We enjoyed a lovely trip to Szczyrk, a ski resort in the 'mountains' in the south of Poland. Szczyrk reminds me of the villages in our National Parks like Waterton and Banff - 30 years ago. Poland's YSA are hosting the Eastern European YSA Conference in Szczyrk this August and we were checking out the facilities with the mission president and the YSA Confernce committee.

View of the 'mountain' from the hotel. Not the Rockies, but splendid for Poland!

Starzy i Siostra R on the front steps of the hotel 'Orle Gniazdo' (Aerie or Eagle's Nest) with some of the YSA Conference committee (Agnieszka, Patrycja, Czarek, Brat Turek, Łukasz & Wojciech).

Planning meeting over lunch with Brat Turek, Prezydent & Siostra Edgren, the Durrants & some YSA committee.

 

We had a chance to check out the surroundings.

 There are a lot of old churches in Poland, some older than others.

We found some of the locals to be very 'wooden'...

 

 

These 'Polish Bagpipes' were a hit with this Irish lad. The earliest records of bagpipes - a few hundred years before they were known in Scotland - come from Eastern Europe!

We look forward to returning here later this summer with YSA from all over Eastern Europe.