Bye-Bye Fleni!

I arrived in Argentina around 8 in the morning. After I went through customs and got my luggage, I found the remis driver, Jorge, who would be taking me to the hospital that my mom and dad were at. Have you ever driven in a tiny car with someone for almost 2 hours who doesn't speak the same language as you? It was actually pretty fun and funny. By the time I left Buenos Aires I felt like Jorge was my friend.

  I could tell when we were getting closer to the hospital. I was so anxious to see my parents! I started to cry a little as we pulled up and then when I saw my dad come out I ran up to him and gave him a big hug. I missed my dad! We then went to my mom's room. I had imagined the moment in my head a million times before at home, and I would tear up everytime I thought about seeing my mom again. I shed a few tears, but not nearly what I had anticipated would happen. Instead there was just a feeling of relief to be with her and I was so happy.
  My mom was discharged from the hospital and we took an ambulance to Fleni, the rehabilitation clinic we would be staying at. I could not believe that the ambulance driver and EMTs were smoking in the front seat and the cigarette smoke was traveling back to us! I don't think that would fly in the U.S. I stayed at the in-patient rehabilitation clinic for just over a month (minus a few days we spent at a hospital towards the end of my stay). This little room was our home!

  I have tried to write this post a couple of times, starting to write some of my experiences and it never comes out just right. Instead, I just want to remember how lucky I was to spend that one-on-one time with my amazing mother as she began her stroke recovery. I don't want to forget how much we could feel the power of prayer daily, through all the ups and downs.

 My bed/sitting area/eating table:

From my bed I would look and see my beautiful mother:

And I can't forget the cross that would greet me each morning:

Our view from the windows:

When my dad would come into town it was fun to look out the windows while we waited for him. My mom would get so excited when we saw him. True love!

My mom's board. Pics of all of her kids and grandkids, Christ, and her daily schedule of physical therapy.

Our closet. It wasn't hard sharing this small of a closet when you get to wear warm-up clothes all the time! My favorite way to dress!:

 These keys look like they are from another century. I had to lock our valuables every time I left the room.

 Also outdated was the shower. It is very awkward to shower without a curtain. Water goes everywhere! I tried to point the nozzle in the corner so it wouldn't make as big of a mess. When I was done showering I would have to page someone to come and squeegee the floor. (Well, my mom would since I didn't really speak the language...)

In the mornings I would walk down to the dining hall to get my breakfast. I ate either media lunas or fracturas every morning with a glass of water in a styrofoam cup. I tried to use my Spanish on the cute lady that worked behind the corner. She was really patient with me :). I really liked her and was sad I didn't say good-bye to her before I left Argentina. One time when my dad was with me she said my dad and I had the same smiles. That was the first time anyone had told me that and I loved to hear it! 

This is Luis, our favorite physical therapist with my mom and I on my last day. Luis was the 3 o'clock therapist. He practiced his English with us and told us the little he knew about Mormons. He was so friendly, and the only therapist that welcomed me to stay with my mom while she did her therapy :). He wanted me to ring the bell on my last day, but I know how much work goes into the days before you ring the bell so I just took a picture with it.

  It is very humbling to be in a room with such strong people who are working to re-gain skills they once had. Some will never be able to do certain things again, but they still worked hard to improve what they could. When someone was done with their time at Fleni, they rang the bell on their last day. It's a victory for everyone involved.  

When the weather was nice I enjoyed walking around the grounds at Fleni. It was a great way to stretch my legs and to occupy my time during my mom's therapy. If it wasn't too hot and my mom wasn't too tired I would push her around outside in between a therapy session. It was beautiful.

Fleni:

We always looked for the burrowing owls when we went on our walks:

My cute Mom and Dad, so happy to be together:

The Third Wheel:

 Towards the end of my stay my mom had some more medical problem and she needed to be transferred from the rehabilitation clinic to a hospital. As the paramedics came into our room to get my mom ready to load into the ambulance I got a phone call saying I would not be able to sleep at the hospital with my mom. This made me nervous as I hadn't left her side and it was the worse timing for them to be telling me where I was going to sleep. After I hung up the phone we started to walk out of the room and Sister Carter called. (President and Sister Carter are my parent's friends who serve over the Buenos Aires West mission). Anyway, Sister Carter had no idea what was going on and just called to check in on my mom. Her voice (and her English!) comforted me in the moment. It was just a reminder that my Heavenly Father always knows our needs.

  Another tender mercy was Dr. Brunt. He and his wife would visit my mom and I on the weekends and he always brought fruit with that he bleached so that it would be safe for me to eat. His medical knowledge is amazing. He waited with me at the hospital and then the next night invited me to go out for, "Mexican food," in Buenos Aires with the other senior missionaries. Here I am with he and his wife:

On the way back to the clinic from the hospital the ambulance drivers got lost! Can you imagine that happening? Such funny times. Except I had to go to the bathroom even before we left the hospital so the detour was stressing me out. I-- who never knows where I am going-- even tried telling the driver, "It's near the restaurant Tia Monica's!" I had previously eaten some fine Argentine steak here with my dad and the Brunts.

  One weekend we broke free from the clinic and went to the Carter's house. My poor mom got very dizzy in the car and I don't blame her! I was feeling sick and I was the healthy one. Looking out the window caused my sickness. I mean, look at how far over the lane our remis driver was. No one stays in their lane. The driving is scary!!

After a little over a month it was time for me to go. Saying good-bye was so hard. I didn't know if I would see my mom sooner than July 2014, when they are scheduled to return home from their mission. After a very tearful good-bye I got back into the remis with the driver Jorge. I tried to control the tears and then as we drove away I muttered, "Bye-bye Fleni!" Apparently he thought it was funny because he told my dad  about it.

On the way to the airport we passed the Buenos Aires temple. Do you know how comforting it is to see your faith all over the world? No matter where I have traveled I have known there is a church I can walk into. The temple looked beautiful.

At one point I received a call at the clinic that I had to go donate blood. The lady on the phone said I could ride a bus over to another clinic/hospital where I would go to donate the blood. I told her I wasn't going to leave my mom's side. She asked, "Well don't you have any friends who can do it for you?" I told her I had no friends in Argentina.

The truth was (and in my moment of panic what I didn't realize) that I did have friends in Argentina! That's what the Church does for you. You have family and friends wherever you are. We told the missionary department about the need for donated blood and there were so many volunteers. Members in Uruguay were even willing to come and give blood.

I am so thankful for the time I had with my mom. 

Mom, you are amazing. I love you so much. Your faith is unwavering. You are humble. You gave others credit all of the time. I loved seeing the love you and Dad have for each other. You are a team. I am so proud of your recovery. You have come a long way from me doing your hair in the mornings and during therapy walking behind you with a wheel chair so you could sit down at the last minute when all of your energy was spent. You deserve a green belt!