MUCHO!

Hola hola! Alright, time for yet another update in my adventures with my ear. WOO HOO!!! How exciting! ;-) So, yeah, things are actually looking (or should I say hearing..haha) a lot better. I went to the doctor on Saturday, and he told me that along with the ruptured ear drum, and infection, I now had developed a fungus (i know...gross...becka told me it´s because I think about green too much..lol) in my ear. The doctor then told me that he thinks it could have spread deep into my inner ear and I would need a cat scan!!!!!! Well, I was not excited about this, I was in major pain, was told I had MORE animals growing in my ear, and NOW I needed a cat scan!!!!?? Yeah, needless to say, there were lots of tears. Well, we decided to get another opinion from another doctor. This doctor is a friend of my roommate, and also an ear specialist. He works at the most expensive hospital in Santiago, I guess, but offered to see me free of charge!!! :-) So, I went there last night to see him. He told me that I do have the fungus, the infection, and the hole, but he doesn´t think I need the cat scan yet. He gave me a directions on how to fight all three, as well as ANOTHER prescription, and told me he wants to monitor me for a few weeks.....I have to go in there and get my ear cleaned out by this machine, etc....also, my hearing hasn´t returned to normal in that ear, so, if in a few weeks, it isn´t back, he is going to do some more tests on my ear to determine the amount of hearing loss. He said it is too soon to tell whether I have permanent loss or not. So yeah, I feel a lot better (besides the fact that I have fungus in my ear...try not to think of that too much)....a couple day ago I felt like I was at my wits end. But since yesterday I feel a faint smile coming on my face. These last two weeks have been very difficult because of this, but man, does God use (even GIVE) difficulties...kinda a reminder that I need Him...that i need to trust Him, despite my doubts....and it´s funny because you´d think a situation like this would cause me to only doubt more, but (praise GOD) it has only caused me to trust Him more (not to mention humble me...physical difficulties and helplessness are REALLY key in the humbling process). I know He loves me, and cares for me...and as much as I like to rebel at times, I know that I need Him. I can´t turn from Him, because that would be denying who I am. I really want to thank you all for your prayers. I KNOW those have played the biggest part in my healing process...thank you for desiring the Lord´s best for me, even when that might mean pain. (and boy was there pain) :-)I ask for you prayers still though...that the healing would continue, and that my hearing would be restored to full. So, yeah, there´s the status. Still haven´t changed my plane ticket, but i´ll do that tomorrow or today.

Hmm...so I would update you on the rest of my life, but not a lot has been happening since I´ve ben sick...I´ve mostly stayed in. I made a new friend! Alison, she´s great...a fellow gringa, although she´s from NYC. She came on the trip with us to the South. I stayed at her house a couple nights this week (she lives in a dance studio, with three cats, and four brand new kittens...yes, i was stoked). I ate mexican food last night (wasn´t even close to the quality of the mexican food in San Diego *sigh* i miss that). Hmm....that´s about it. OH, another gringa came into town this morn....her name is danielle, she´s a friend of Becka from SLO. It will be fun to spend some time with her...especially if I´m getting better. Oh, and one more thing....this weekend I´m going to a youth conference for all the Angelican churches in Chile....it´s with the youth group i´ve been attending here. I´m excited!!! It should be fun!!!! I wasn´t sure I´d be able to go because of my ear, but it looks like I´ll be able to now!! It is going to be in spanish, so we´ll see how that goes...lol. Oh well, I don´t need to understand everything to enjoy the company of other believers. OH...wow...sorry, things just keep popping in my head. a little piece of my heart got married this last weekend...yep, Erin Hellar (used to be Thomas) married another one of my closest friends, Shaun on saturday. I was so sad to miss that day, ,and when I was looking at all the pictures I couldn´t help but cry,and boy did I cry. But not just sad tears....tears of joy indeed!!!! I was a bit sad because I wasn´t there, and in those pictures were almost every one of the most important people in my life (my family wasn´t there..only ones missing): Rico, sky dweller (jake), shosh (keith), Rachael, Liz, Mike, Erin and Shaun. My heart ached so much because of the little emptiness I feel without you all. I really reallly miss you soooooo much, especially during this minor health crisis. I wish I could see you all right now...this second, I´d even cry in front of you (I know...I must mean business). OH, well, I know that the Lord has controlled, and is controlling this situation, that his plans are the best plans, and that I will see you very soon...in His time. I LOOOOVE YOU sooo much, ,and I praise our Lord so much for giving me this experience that has only taught me just how much I need you and how much I appreciate you!!!! Ok, and then there were those tears of joy to see Erin and Shaun so happy. Like I said, wedding re-enactment when I return...hehe. I love you so much Erin and Shaun, and I will be praying for you soooo much. You are part of what makes this life sweet for me. BESOS!!! Alright, now I´m off...I have a date with a latte (I found a place with good lattes here!!!)and my bible (a spanish one today...I´m up for a challenge), and also a date with my ipod, but only in one ear. ;-) I love you soooo much...all of you...and I really really really really thank you soooooooo much for your prayers and for all your support. OH, and I posted pics of my trip to the South (pre-ear infection) so if you want to see them, click HERE (oh, and small warning...they aren´t in order..I was just too lazy today to sort them all out...besides...I wrote you a novel of a blog!!!! I was distracted by a more worthy cause..hehe)ALSO...becka has posted some pics in her blog too...cute ones, so if you want to see them, just go to my links at the right side of this page, and click on "my becka".

Chao!!!!