Get In the Wagon, Kids

The boys and I used have this game, purchased at Westside’s Scholastic Book Fair, called Oregon Trail. It was one of the few technological pleasures we were allowed since there was “always something to be done outside” according to our father. I can say this in jest because I really do appreciate that about our dad. It made us into good people.

I don’t really remember how we took turns playing this game. I imagine there was some yelling, punching and bossing around on my part, but we figured it out. We had a whole wagon train of people we were responsible for from Independence Rock, Missouri to Oregon. We had to buy food and supplies, keep our animals healthy, go hunting and above all, keep the morale high. On the bottom of the screen, there was a bar that monitored the morale of the group, and depending on what you did or didn’t do, it would increase or decrease… mostly decrease. Things were rough out on the frontier.

I feel as though I am in that game right now, and the “morale” of the group varies by the day.

Morale: High

That’s what I would give today. Only God knows what tomorrow will bring. I guess it depends on if I can fix the broken axel of if another ox keels over.

We had an rather intense and much needed rainstorm last night. They thunder clapped so loud one time it made my jump. I felt it like was right above me. I am absolutely fascinated by storms. I decided this would be a perfect night to start a murder mystery. I was scared and it was so thrilling. And then the power went out… Oh Ghana.

I went back to the hospital today. Kristi is making improvements and I felt like I could leave her for a few. We were still out of power most of the morning, and without a generator, there isn’t much to be done in a laboratory except chit chat. I can handle that… it boosts the morale. I hadn’t seen my lab friends in a while so it was good to catch up.

All in all, it was a very quiet day at the hospital. Though the conditions here are less than desirable, this patient population is ideal. They have beautiful, toned bodies and they never complain. There are no nasty fat people too big to fit on the bed and no over-bearing Americans who think they are the only people in the hospital worth treating. The power will go out, killing the fans, leaving them in stifling hot air. They push out a baby and walk away with hardly a word. They sleep on the floor, and they are grateful for what you do. It’s really nice, and I am going to enjoy this because unless I leave the U.S. again, I will never experience such an easy-going people group. This is of course overlooking the fact that they have the craziest diseases, abscesses, perforations and defects you have ever seen in your life.

I think the high point of my day is when I finally got Kristi to eat something- a half of a baked potato to be exact. This was a monumental hurdle we climbed. Morale: soaring.

 I am going to cut this short because I am being attacked by a mob of bugs attracted to the light on my computer screen. They are crawling all over me  and it’s disgusting! Morale: annoyed.

I know so many of you have been praying for me and for Kristi’s recovery. I can feel them and I really, really appreciate your support. I could not do this without you.

I hope you all had a blessed Monday and that no matter where you are on your journey out west, you keep your morale high.

Much love to you all!