(Almost) Running Around Town

My conspicuous absence from the web world last week left you wondering Why?, didn't it?  Yep, I knew it.  Well, here's the rundown.

My friend arrived last Sunday, and around midnight, the two of us hopped a bus (literally, because I'm only using one leg at this point) and headed for Asuncion.  About the time the sun came up, we arrived at the station and figured out which city buses we should take to run our errands.  We had a long list but hadn't gotten the memo that Monday was a holiday.  Seems it was supposed to be the Friday before, but for some reason, it got changed country-wide at the last minute.  So we did what we could, then met up with some gals that afternoon for a ride to a women's conference being hosted by a team of five ladies from the U.S.

Let me pause to insert a paragraph about how wonderful this friend of mine is.  She hauled our backpacks and my rolling suitcase and her terere equipo (thermos, cup, yerba, etc.) all over Asuncion, in and out of buses and buildings.  She learned the easiest way was to let me on first, get behind me and P-U-S-H (did you hear the strain in my voice?) me up the steps of the bus, then get off first so she could "catch me" in case I lost balance coming down the steps.  Only once did she have to seek help from someone else, a nice man who gave me a good shove when, late in the evening, I didn't have another hop up the steps left in me. And she wasn't offered the coveted handicapped seat, so she mostly stood on all those buses. Shout out to that gal!!

The crutches were a hit with our littlest conference attendees!

So, yeah, we went to a refreshing ladies conference/retreat/get-together.  We spent that first night, the next day, and the following morning listening to sermons and life stories, as these ladies encouraged us spiritually and emotionally.  I was overwhelmed when they asked me to share a bit of my story, then put me in the circle of women and took turns praying for me and our family.  We met in small groups, we enjoyed yummy food, we sang in English, we received devotional books and sample size cosmetics in a handmade tote bag.  We stayed up late to eat homemade snacks and chat about the missionary life, our children, our husbands, or whatever else was on our minds.  I needed it and enjoyed it thoroughly.

About 40 of the missionary women of Paraguay.  Can you find me?

The day we left, my friend and I hit a few more buses and walked a few blocks to get an x-ray of my leg and see the specialist.  He was thrilled with how my bone is healing (no surprise, right?) and told me that I could begin to put a little weight on it, a bit at a time.  That was Wednesday afternoon.  I spent the night with a missionary family after seeing my friend off on another overnight bus, then I tried to meet with some lawyers the next day.  I ended up spending about 9 hours in the bus station waiting on and making phone calls, but met some really interesting folks while I hung out.  When it became apparent that I wasn't going to get a meeting in that day, I decided to take the get-there-at-midnight bus.  Part of the ride, I sat beside a man who swore he was the advisor to every president in the world, that he was on the phone with Obama just today, talking to the president of Argentina yesterday, and that he was with Chavez when he passed away.  He whispered, though, so no one would hear his top secret secrets, then offered to get me in touch with all these folks if I'd like to jot down their cell numbers.  I declined.

Bring it on!

We had guests in Hagerman Inn from the Sunday I left until this past Sunday, and Monday I started back with physical therapy.  Turns out a couple of the folks working there are Christians, so I've had tons of interesting conversations about my theological stance.  Gotta love that while you're grunting through electroshocks and stressful exercises.

 The PT agreed with the doctor and said my bone is in great shape, and the only thing holding me back from walking now is the fact that the muscles of my left leg (hip to ankle) are wasted.  I told her I prefer the maximum recovery program in the minimum time, so we've hit this thing running (no pun intended).  Bicycle, magnets, electricity, exercises, and I've already moved from crutches back to, today, a cane.  This time, I don't have to end there.  No stopping till I'm trotting on the jogging track and passing my cane along to somebody else.  WOO HOO!