Konnichiwa Kazoku,
>>
>> Well, this week proved that being human still triumphs over being a
>> missionary. On Sunday (May 22) I started feeling kind of "blah" and
>> thought maybe I had eaten something funny. On Monday, I felt kind of
>> the same, but it kind of intensified. My stomach started hurting as
>> well. Tuesday was bad. We had exchanges, and they came, but I had to
>> ask if we could walk instead of take the bikes because my back and
>> stomach and side were hurting. I did not feel good, but we did it
>> anyway. Then on Wednesday, we had a plan to go kind of far, and we
>> did, but we had to stop like every thirty minutes and rest or go to
>> the bathroom. It hurt a lot, and by this point I decided something was
>> wrong, and called Sister Egan. She gave me permission to go to the
>> doctor, but we were busy for the night so we put it off until the next
>> day.
>>
>> All night long I couldn't sleep. It hurt so bad, but I tried to be
>> quiet so I didn't wake everyone up. I went into the kitchen for about
>> an hour or so by myself and took Advil and tried to walk it off or
>> something but it just hurt. By the time everyone woke up Thursday
>> morning, I was basically dying. I just laid there on the floor, and my
>> companion was like, "are you okay?" Because I usually get up and
>> exercise and get going, but I just laid there like a dead fish. I told
>> her I wasn't, but we couldn't go to the doctor until 9 when it opened,
>> so I endured morning studies. I think I read maybe one verse of
>> scripture in one hour. I couldn't focus. Then we had companion study
>> and I just laid there on the ground and she talked to me about our
>> plan for the day. It was great.
>>
>> Finally the clock, that blessed clock ticked 9 and we headed out. We
>> walked down the street to the biggest local doctor. In my head, I was
>> thinking "yay, they will give me medicine. Drugs! Real pain killers!
>> Oh I need relief." Well, that was a funny thing to think. We get
>> there, they just ask for my information and had me sit in a waiting
>> area behind about ten other people. I was trying not to pass out as we
>> sat there. Maybe fifteen minutes later the doctor calls me back and
>> just asks me a few questions, did the normal exam and said, "I am
>> going to send you for a CT scan." Mind you all, this was all in
>> Japanese. So, she sends us back to the bench. Another lady comes and
>> takes us to the CT place. You know, I am keeping a calm face, but the
>> inside of my body feels like it's about to explode. "It turned inside
>> out, and then it exploded" kind of a feeling. (Name that movie Marg.)
>> Also, there isn't a nice nurse to push you around in a wheel chair,
>> with little socks on and a nice clean robe. They took us up in the
>> hallway elevator, had to squish between four people and a bunch of
>> supplies they were taking up to the top floor. Well, the CT man was
>> nice, it was quick and we went back down by ourselves and waited again
>> on the bench. Finally, 20 or so minutes later, the doctor comes out to
>> us and says, "You have a kidney stone. I am going to refer you to the
>> Urologist. We will call your name in a minute." And we waited another
>> twenty minutes. I was still in pain. I was trying to not think about
>> it.
>>
>> On the waiting room TV, President Obama was giving a speech, my
>> companion was talking about Taiwan doctors and in my head I was
>> thinking, "Just imagine you are weightless, surrounded by tiny little
>> seahorses" and it didn't help too much. Well, we finally got called
>> back to the urologist and he sits us down on two, hard, no back chairs
>> and starts explaining. He actually showed us the CT they took. I had a
>> few stones in my right, and few in my left and one coming down. You
>> know, it was great and all, but as I was sitting there I felt like I
>> was about to pass out. I actually almost puked all over the table, but
>> you know, I hate puking, so I held it in. Anyway, the doctor looked at
>> me and realized, "oh, she is in pain" and had the nurse give me
>> medicine. In the form of a suppository. Yes. Right there in his
>> office. They finished telling me what was going on with my body and
>> then had me wait again on the bench. I started feeling a small amount
>> of relief, which was nice. We checked out, walked down the street to
>> buy my pain medicine, then walked home.
>>
>> I slept that day but we still got out, then Thursday I was backed up
>> like I-15 in the morning, and it made it worse. But I got through the
>> day, taught a few lessons, and then later that night I passed the
>> stone. It felt so good. Now I am completely fine. What a trip.
>>
>> That was my week in a nutshell. We taught some good lessons. Our
>> investigator was able to bring a friend to a dinner we had and we
>> taught them about Eternal Marriage. Haha. It was funny and she was
>> even willing to pray in front of her friend. She has such strong
>> faith. I love our investigators.
>>
>> I found out I am transferring to Hatsukaichi. It is still in my zone,
>> but I won't be Sister Training Leader anymore. I don't know how I feel
>> about it. I feel sad I won't be STL anymore. I really enjoyed it. But
>> I guess I have other things to do. My new companion will be Sister
>> Brown. She was Sister Styles MTC companion. We will be whitewashing
>> into the area. It will go from two to four man. It will be
>> interesting. This will be my third time white washing.
>>
>> I am starting to get really tired. Hopefully a transfer and a change
>> will do some good for me. One thing that is hard is not comparing
>> myself to other missionaries or other people's ideas of what I should
>> be or do. I just sometimes feel like my best doesn't match up to the
>> magnitude of the "best" of others. I know it's not true, but I feel
>> kind of like I wasn't very strong this transfer. I don't know what
>> else I could have done.
>>
>> I hope you are all happy and healthy. I remembered it was coopers
>> birthday this week and felt bad I didn't say anything. Please know I
>> love him too! I didn't forget him! Tell him I love him. I really do!
>> His curly hair and bug eyes always get me! I love you, family!
>>
>> This week was a miracle. Seriously a few hours after I told you about
>> my stone, I really felt your extra prayers and it was able to pass.
>> Thank you for your faith and love.
>>
>> Have a great week!
>>
>> Love,
>> Raines Shimai
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