Sunday, December 6, 2015

October 10, 2015 - Josh gets ecoli in the Mexico MTC. While in the Hospital - learns to speak Spanish even better. Blessings come even during great trials.




From Dr. Harston:
Brother and  Sister Anderson,
Thank you for visiting with me yesterday.   As mentioned, I am Elder Dennis Harston, a family physician licensed in Utah who is serving as a full time missionary in the missionary training center here in Mexico City.   I have been looking after Elder Anderson over the past three days.   He is doing better.   But for a while he was quite miserable.   As you know, when he seemed worse yesterday, we sent him and his companion to the emergency room to see a qualified gastroenterologist.   He is in the Angeles Linda Vista hospital, a fine modern and clean hospital that is a private facility that the church uses.    I have had missionaries there before when they became ill and they have always received first class care.    As I mentioned last night, Elder Anderson is staying in the hospital for a few days as he was not able to comfortably eat or drink, and the doctor there has recommended he rest his stomach and bowels for a few days, getting IV fluids with antibiotic.   I just called and spoke with Elder Avery, his companion, who reported that Elder Anderson is now able to drink some clear liquids,  that his fever appears gone, but that he continues to have stomach upset.   I think he is doing the right thing by being there and we hope his stomach will get back to normal soon.  President Stanton Call, of the MTC mission presidency plans to visit Elder Anderson in the hospital later today with his wife.    I will also call daily or visit until he is able to return to the MTC.  
He seems to be maintaining a good attitude in spite of not feeling very good.    The GI specialist told me yesterday that the tests so far have not shown anything unusual such as dystentery with salmonella, shigella E Coli, or parasites.  At this point it appears to be enterocolitis, probably from a viral infection.  I will let you know if more information clarifies why this happened.    Thank you for your concern and your support of your son, Elder Anderson.    
 
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From Josh:
 
Hey so I just got done talking with mom on the phone and I have some time to email. I have some pictures of my journal entry which is kinda funny haha and a pic of me in the hospital. I want to see a video of Brock playing football and i will be praying for emory! I will put her on the temple roll this tuesday.  I am feeling a lot better today! Although I probably won´t be showing off my soccer skills for awhile. We are about to start our fifth week which is crazy and exciting because after week 6 I go to the field. After being in the hospital, I feel so confident in my spanish because my doctors only talked spanish. Conference was amazing there were so many good points. President Monson didn´t look so good in his last talk though, I hope he is doing good we don´t get much news here. My companion and I were excited to recieve a newspaper in the hospital and we were drooling over the new iphone! Ha! The new apostles are studs and so incredibly humble! Well anyway I need to go rest and practice more spanish love you all! I hope you guys are getting my pictures (:
 
Oh also in the hospital President Tenorio and his wife along with President calls wife came to visit me and president tenorio gave me a blessing! A few of my friends got to give me blessings before I went to the hospital. I can´t wait for the opportunity so I can give my first blessing.  Love you, Josh
 
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From Dr. Harston:
 
 
Brother and Sister Anderson,
Elder Anderson continues to do better.    I visited with him on Saturday and he definitely looked like he was returning to normal.  I am still concerned, however, as he lost a lot of weight and we need to be sure  his bowels are really recovered.   He is to return today to be reweighed and to let us know if he is getting back to eating normally.    I will give him a copy of his lab tests.   The blood tests were normal including electrolytes, renal function, liver function, lipids, white blood cells, hemoglobin, febrile agglutins, and other tests.  The stool tests were also normal without showing a dysentery such as salmonella, shigella, cholera, or E. Coli.  However the doctor caring for  him thought he still might have had an E. Coli infection so his treatment was intended to cover such an infection.  We have not found any other  missionary with a food related infection, though we are continuing to monitor that possibility.   We think the problem was a  particularly severe form of viral gastroenteritis or enter colitis.  
Again, I hope to see Elder Anderson later today.   So far he is doing well. 
 Elder Harston 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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