The Long Awaited Update on Cody

It has been a looonnnnggg time since I blogged last, and so I apologize. I didn't renew our internet and was just checking my email and such from Cody's phone, but was not able to do excessive amounts of typing. I had intentions of updating my blog when we returned home but on the way home from Kampala I started not feeling well. Malaria. Here is the long awaited long story short from last blog post. Cody was in the hospital for several days. Once they released him they wanted us to stay "south" so that he could continue to recover at a close distance and also so they could do some testing a week from his release date to ensure that everything was back to "normal." The Williams, Misty, and the rest of our crew (our boys), met us in Jinja, as that is in our opinion the best place for recuperating. Cody was having weird symptoms, but doctors assured us it would just take time and they would dissipate.

After a week Cody returned to the hospital to discover that is renal function was satisfactory, and his blood levels were mostly normal. His liver levels were still a little off (no one ever informed us before they were abnormal but apparently they were....explaining his yellowish color). All this meant we were free to go home. I was very ready at that point, or rather several days before, to be home back to a routine and such.

He now is mostly feeling good. He has frequent headaches, but they seem to be becoming fewer. We are all trying to just rest and take it easy for a while.

A lot of people are wondering how we are doing? Honestly.....extremely well considering the circumstances. Many times I was surprised at myself and the fact that I wasn't falling apart, particulary in my sleep deprived state. Everyone was praying for us and encouraging us enormously during the whole thing. Living here has made me stronger in God, and tougher :) Uganda is also becoming more and more like home for us. We have made some great friends and of course have built preeminent community with Williams. There were some times of sheer frustration (particularly with the ATMS in Kampala), but they seemed to be few compared to the blessings. We also knew before we came to Uganda life would be hard and that we would make sacrifices. Did I think I would go through so many health issues? No, but God has been good. We really have nothing to complain about compared to Paul's missionary journey in the New Testament. It is just part of following Jesus and living in the area we do.

I was able to capture some different "kodak moments" from Cody's phone so here are a few good ones.

Our Emergency Flight with MAF (Mission Avaition Fellowship). The airstrip was a nice dirt strip. Our pilot was amazing! When we were standing and waiting for the plane, from a distance I could hear the plane coming to get us and then when I saw it, joy and relief filled my heart! Janaya, Eliana, Cody and I are very grateful that MAF was so prompt and easy to work with.

The views from the plane were phenomenal. We could see the Karamajong Manyattas and they looked amazing from the air. We made it to Kampala in one and half hours compared to our drive of 12 hours. It was sooooooo nice!! (And less bumpy)

Cody started to regain strength, was able to sit up on his own and have a conversation. I was so happy I had to take a picture. He is drinking vanilla milk after not eating for 8 days. Yummy! And it was cold! Even better.

Eliana in the Trauma room at the hospital. I think if she could talk she would say, "I'm tired of all of this!"

She is better after having a warm bath in the hospital room!

With Much Gratefulness,
Michaela