Rob Spends the Night at the Hospital

Last Thursday, Rob apparently had an episode of what the doctors are calling a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or TGA (transient global amnesia).

He did not remember coming to the meeting that was held earlier this morning or the meeting itself.  He was not sure where our supervisor, Rafael, was.  He didn’t know where I was and kept asking me when I happened to call him on his cell phone. 

I had to instruct him on how to go from the parking lot where he was into the building where he had been meeting.  I felt as I was telling him how to get to the office like I was talking to someone who was mentally handicapped and needed to have every detail explained to them.

Another couple, the Ruckers, took me to where he was. With Rafael driving us in our car, we followed Elder  Shaver, our mission doctor, to the hospital.  It’s actually called a clinic because it is private.  The public hospitals which are not good are called hospitals.  

Hospital Dr. Abel  Gonzalez

On the way, I kept asking him memory-type questions.  He knew that something had happened, but he kept asking us what had happened – no short-term memory.  I asked him where we had been last night (at a going away party for some other senior missionaries), and he couldn't remember.  In my questioning, he couldn't remember anything we had done in the last week. 

Then they took him for a CT scan.  By coincidence, Elder Shaver was a radiologist in his former life, so he was able to read the scan.  He said that there were no big masses, and just a spot on the left lobe.  No leaks as well.

Then the neurologist came and checked him out.  The neurologist, apparently, is probably the best in the city according to Rafael.  He had Rob admitted overnight and ordered a carotid artery scan and a heart scan to see if there was debris being kicked off which was going to his brain and clogging things. 

Our room - I slept there as well (Hmm, sort of slept there)

He will also be getting an MRI next week at another facility which has that needed equipment.  He slept pretty well, and his memory was getting better.  However, the five or so hours on Thursday when he was a little lost have not yet returned.

Rob saw the neurologist Friday morning who said that he wanted to monitor him. He couldn't drive for four days, so I had the privilege of driving in Dominican traffic for the first time.  It’s really not that much worse than Atlanta except that no one signals or stays in their lane and there are a thousand little motos running in between everyone.  Actually, it wasn't so bad, and I made it through the next few days. 

He was really tired, and slept a lot on Friday. Of course, I was exhausted, too, partly from the lack of sleep on a little 18” max wide couch in his room that night.  

But he seems to be fine.  We are so grateful for all the prayers that people said and for the Priesthood blessing he received.  It just wasn't fun!  We'll keep you posted.