You might wonder why in the world I am dedicating an entire post to
my mission vaccines. It’s quiet simple really. I am one of those lucky 1 in
40,000 people who actually experienced a reaction and it was quiet the
adventure for me (hence the title of this post). I guess it’s just one of the
perks of going foreign. I got four shots in one day and my mom and I both knew
that it would probably affect me to some degree; we just didn't anticipate that
I would be down for the count for the next week.
The one that gave me the most problems was my yellow fever vaccine. It hurt like crazy going in too (they did warn me that it would so I was able to mentally prepare myself). I didn't feel bad at first. It just felt like someone was trying to rip my arms off, they were so sore! I still worked out that day hoping that actually doing stuff with them would help. That night though I felt terrible. I was chilled but at the same time hot because of all the blankets I had on me. I got maybe three hours of sleep and that morning took an Advil and went to babysit. The kids cheered me up some but after four hours I was ready to come home.
When I did, my mom took my temperature and learned I had a slight fever. We thought maybe I had the flu which would have been quiet the coincidence seeing as I had received my flu shot exactly a week before. So I took it easy. That night was as rough as the one before and when I woke up I had a fever of about 100. We also noticed a red swollen circle around where the nurse had injected the yellow fever vaccine. We decided to just keep an eye on it and hope that we could battle it out with come good cold medicine and lots of fluids. I did not go and babysit that day and instead took the opportunity to read some from my El Libro De Mormon and Predicad Mi Evangelio. After a while though I got too tired and just dozed on the couch. When I woke up and I just felt gross and went to bed early that night.
So that next day was Friday, that morning we took my temperature and it was 101. Plus my whole upper right arm was swollen and painful (not the side with the yellow fever vaccine). So we called the doctor. They said there was nothing they could do but if I started having seizures or my fever got over 102 I should be taken to the ER. That was when I decided that I should call on God for help. So I called the missionaries. They came over and admitted that they actually had to consecrate the oil which was something I had never seen done. They talked with me for a little while about what I was doing to prepare and what they were doing to find people (that is my favorite chapter in Preach My Gospel right now!). I suggested they have like a game night at the church for the youth. It could be something nonmembers could come to and not feel uncomfortable; just something fun. The missionaries actually ended up doing one but I was babysitting and unable to go.
The one that gave me the most problems was my yellow fever vaccine. It hurt like crazy going in too (they did warn me that it would so I was able to mentally prepare myself). I didn't feel bad at first. It just felt like someone was trying to rip my arms off, they were so sore! I still worked out that day hoping that actually doing stuff with them would help. That night though I felt terrible. I was chilled but at the same time hot because of all the blankets I had on me. I got maybe three hours of sleep and that morning took an Advil and went to babysit. The kids cheered me up some but after four hours I was ready to come home.
When I did, my mom took my temperature and learned I had a slight fever. We thought maybe I had the flu which would have been quiet the coincidence seeing as I had received my flu shot exactly a week before. So I took it easy. That night was as rough as the one before and when I woke up I had a fever of about 100. We also noticed a red swollen circle around where the nurse had injected the yellow fever vaccine. We decided to just keep an eye on it and hope that we could battle it out with come good cold medicine and lots of fluids. I did not go and babysit that day and instead took the opportunity to read some from my El Libro De Mormon and Predicad Mi Evangelio. After a while though I got too tired and just dozed on the couch. When I woke up and I just felt gross and went to bed early that night.
So that next day was Friday, that morning we took my temperature and it was 101. Plus my whole upper right arm was swollen and painful (not the side with the yellow fever vaccine). So we called the doctor. They said there was nothing they could do but if I started having seizures or my fever got over 102 I should be taken to the ER. That was when I decided that I should call on God for help. So I called the missionaries. They came over and admitted that they actually had to consecrate the oil which was something I had never seen done. They talked with me for a little while about what I was doing to prepare and what they were doing to find people (that is my favorite chapter in Preach My Gospel right now!). I suggested they have like a game night at the church for the youth. It could be something nonmembers could come to and not feel uncomfortable; just something fun. The missionaries actually ended up doing one but I was babysitting and unable to go.
Anyway, back to the blessing. So they consecrated the oil and then
I was asked to choose who would do the anointing and who would give the
blessing. I hate being asked that. Sometimes I wish they would just establish
it beforehand. I feel like by choosing I’m sending a message that I think one
elder will give a better blessing than another. Anyway, I chose the elder from
Peru to anoint and the elder from New Zealand to give the blessing. Poor
Peruvian Elder, I could tell he was nervous and was glad that I hadn't made him
feel like he had to give the blessing. I think he would have been so nervous!
Anyway, the New Zealand Elder has an awesome accent that makes it hard to
understand him some times but there were a few things that really stuck out to
me in the blessing.
Multiple times he praised me for my exceeding faith in my Heavenly Father. He assured me that God was aware of me and my faithfulness. I am always so grateful for those reminders. They comfort me when I feel I am falling short of the expectations my Father in Heaven has for me. He also told me that this blessing and my healing would be a testament to the power of God that is found in the Church. That others would learn from my example of faith and steadfastness in my beliefs. He told me to listen to my mom to help me get better quicker. It was a beautiful blessing and I am so grateful for the priesthood. I look forward to the day when I will have my own home blessed by an eternal companion who will be a worthy priesthood holder. A lack of it growing up as made me want it that much more for myself and my children. I just look up to those who hold it worthily so much; I admire them and am so grateful for them.
Well the blessing was over and the missionaries hung around for a little while, offering to help me study the discussions if I wanted it. I asked them for the number of the sisters in the area over since we did not have the luxury of having sisters in my area. They said they would get me the number and they also informed me that we were getting 17 sisters in the Reno Nevada mission that week. The work is going forward and it is so exciting to see! We said goodbye and that night my fever broke. My arms still killed for a few days but by Sunday I felt completely normal and was able to teach my class at Church (which I was worried about). God is wonderful. I am so grateful for the trials He puts into my life because I know that through them He brings to pass miracles to strengthen my testimony and the testimony of my family members. I now have 45 days until I leave and I feel God teaching me new things every day. May He bless you my dear reader, until you read again!
Multiple times he praised me for my exceeding faith in my Heavenly Father. He assured me that God was aware of me and my faithfulness. I am always so grateful for those reminders. They comfort me when I feel I am falling short of the expectations my Father in Heaven has for me. He also told me that this blessing and my healing would be a testament to the power of God that is found in the Church. That others would learn from my example of faith and steadfastness in my beliefs. He told me to listen to my mom to help me get better quicker. It was a beautiful blessing and I am so grateful for the priesthood. I look forward to the day when I will have my own home blessed by an eternal companion who will be a worthy priesthood holder. A lack of it growing up as made me want it that much more for myself and my children. I just look up to those who hold it worthily so much; I admire them and am so grateful for them.
Well the blessing was over and the missionaries hung around for a little while, offering to help me study the discussions if I wanted it. I asked them for the number of the sisters in the area over since we did not have the luxury of having sisters in my area. They said they would get me the number and they also informed me that we were getting 17 sisters in the Reno Nevada mission that week. The work is going forward and it is so exciting to see! We said goodbye and that night my fever broke. My arms still killed for a few days but by Sunday I felt completely normal and was able to teach my class at Church (which I was worried about). God is wonderful. I am so grateful for the trials He puts into my life because I know that through them He brings to pass miracles to strengthen my testimony and the testimony of my family members. I now have 45 days until I leave and I feel God teaching me new things every day. May He bless you my dear reader, until you read again!
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