Get Well Soon Katie

WOW is all i can say. haven't posted in a week and a ton has happened. Last wed was the first day of lectures. Which are mostly very boring. except that day we had taekwondo which was awesome. But before lunch is when everything starts. Katie and Katie Lee (KL) are best friends from EMU and been best friends for 6 years. and are in the same dorm. Well KL found Katie on the bathroom floor after one lecture in pain and finds the nurse and they take her to the hospital. (30 min taxi ride). They get her admitted and on pain medicine. Labeling it a intestinal infection. Thursday comes along and we have more boring lectures and a Korean painting session. In which the instructors just added to my paining that I was perfectly happy that i did all on my own.  So a group of 4 of us go Thursday to visit. She is looking decent and were assuming she is getting better.

view from classroom window

NEVER ASSUME. I contacted her at lunch though a leader of the camp. She says KL and one other can come for Friday. So I was happy i got to go visit her again. I don't know if anyone else could have handled it. We get there and she is screaming from pain. Mind you were in a hospital where no one speaks English. I stayed with Katie trying to clam her down while KL went and fought for better drugs. Before they get the better drugs we get news that they can't find her appendix. So emergency surgery is needed. The plan is to do a scope and see if it has exploded. Then remove it or clean her up if it has exploded. After all the pre-surgery logistics she heads to the or at 11. After an hour they confirm it has exploded. and need to cut her open and clean it up. So after 2 hours and 45 min from initial time in the or she is out. What a relief. we could hear her from outside the recovery room doors so we knew she was ok. Kl and I received special permission to spend the night at the hospital with her Friday night. As long as we were back by our medical check up the next day at 11 am. Did i mention that the appendix burst at least 5 days before the surgery? There was scar tissue visible.

passing time in the waiting room

Truck bed full of Garlic. 

 Crowded streets everywhere

little toys galore

That night was long to say he least. We made it back for our medical check which took forever. But then we headed right back to the hospital. After a quick pass through the peach festival while trying to find a cap. Which is about 44 dollar taxi ride round trip.This time we were able to take a bus which was much cheaper but longer. Our traveling skills are great.  But at this point she is becoming a younger sister to me. Saturday was tough. She had to get up and walk. When KL and I walked with her the first time we were stared at the whole time. WOW FOREIGNERS........ and twice had it pointed out that we needed out shoes on. I guess socks aren't good enough. We got back around i would say 5. Spent the night on the cot again that night. Were there with a great nurse from the university here who is Korean but speaks English. Linda is her name and she is awesome.

fish on the side of the road. Dinner??Pirate ship ride in a truck

On Sunday there was a glimmer of hope. In times like this it is the little things that make the biggest difference. We saw a lot of smiles from ear to ear. Like when KL helped her shave her legs just to her knees, Washing her hair, Washing adhesive off her arm and watching her just splash her hand in the water. The best was when she went and ambulated (walked) there is a glass hallway on her floor and it was raining and the windows were open. She went right for the breeze. Then we could life the screen and she stuck her arm out the window. Which was the best i had ever seen her feel. She was sick from day one practically. Then she stuck her head out the window. I knew she would be ok then. And the time i made a smart ass comment and she flipped me off. The best was when the tube came out of her nose. Those are milestones to in the recovery process that she won't forget. She was then told she could rinse and sip water but shortly after being told that it was taken away. This is where the homesickness kicks in.

The elephant has left the room...... Tubes were removed. 

Monday..... More boring lectures. And a bus terminal fail. We were five minutes late for the express bus. So the guy literally come out from the desk and put on side of the road to get on the 502. But we didn't have time to wait for it. So we taxied. This was the worst night. We get there, she is drinking juice and happy. But bad new starts flowing. She is losing someone there all the time. So she will be alone and not able to communicate. Plane home leaves the 29th and she will be in the hospital at least 10 more days. OOO by the way you cant leave a Korean hospital unless your paid in full. We have donations at school trying to make that happen. TALK is not covering her under insurance cause she was looked at in the states and its a "pre-existing condition." So not only will she be alone she will be here for a long time. We had an extended curfew till midnight. We left at 11:15 which gives plenty of time to get back. Maybe not. The taxi driver was awful. He got lost and asked at least 5 people where he was going. which caused to to no only be late, but pay an extra 10 dollars for the ride. It was sooo frustrating. Upon arrival we were told we cant go back. 

That changed by morning but we just went with the people to pick up the girl there with her and came back. Just enough to drop off stuff and tell her good news. Like the fact that the dr. will discharge her and TALK will cover the lodging till the flight. So she is doing a lot better. Now eating soup and walking more and more every day. The biggest battle is homesickness. 

This is not the best blog but its real. If you want to know more just ask. I tried just giving the most important things. Hope fully the next one will be more about my adventures. I am glad I was able to be there for her though. I have two new sisters to join my other great sister. tire store

PIZZA

I am a "Michigan Fan"

I need to shout out to so many people who helped take care of Katie. Linda, Brian, Vivian, Julie, Janie, Jasmine, Monica, August, Joon, Matthew, Justin, all of the EMU crew and the rest of the scholars here. 

the food is rough at times.