Steve wants me to share more about the doctor so here are some of the interesting and fun things we went through that day. We entered Emergency (other places are closed by Friday afternoon) and gave them my insurance card. Seeing my name as Amy Lea they all went on to call me Amaylia the whole time. Then we went through a door that said Do Not Enter. Don't worry, everyone else was entering too. I went to a desk and they sent me over to the doctor to meet her. Then a nurse took me to one of the many beds-behind-curtains in the room. It reminded us of an army hospital in MASH. You could hear everyone else; thankfully we couldn't hear anyone in too much pain... Pretty much every patient we saw had an IV in.
After the doctora talked to me and checked me over they sent me upstairs in a wheel chair. I knew some kind of test was going to be done to check out my stomach since I mentioned it had been bothering me. She had already concluded that she thought it was sensitivity to the food but I guess they wanted to check. The test turned out to be an ultrasound. They sent me home with lovely labeled pictures of all my dear little inner organs. Then they took me back down in the wheel chair.
Another doctora looked me over. She concluded that the little growing cluster of red bumps on my elbow were not mosquito bites as everyone else assured me but rather a virus. Then a nurse put an iv and some medicine for protecting the stomach into one hand, while another extracted blood from my other arm! When that was finished I finally got to go home- with a prescription for more medicine to protect my sensitive stomach and a cream for my elbow and a list of seven other tests they still wanted to do to make sure my stomach was okay! Needless to say I did not go back for the tests and am still alive and well.
This week at school we had the last three tests Mon- Wed and then the Christmas party for the kids. It was organized by the high school to raise money for their Prom. Then the next day there was the one and only Christmas practice that the school did together and that night was the program. Yesterday were conferences and Kathy and Paul come today! (Since they missed a flight and didn't get here yesterday...) We'll tell more about all these things as we find time. Enjoy your Christmas preparations!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Here it is!
The long awaited missing entry on Thanksgiving is finally here! Our second Thanksgiving actually took place on Thanksgiving day. (If you missed out on 1 and 3 you need to look back at an earlier post by Steve.) We were invited by a second grader's family to eat and socialize at their house. House is an understatement, but let me back up. The father is a wealthy American and was in the Caribbean for business. He met a Dominican girl and kind of got trapped. Yes, I think trapped is the word he would use. He told us he stays because he loves his wife and son and she doesn't want to leave her family, but he sure doesn't seem to be suffering too much. The house is more like a resort than a house. It has various buildings and gardens surrounding a courtyard. The center of the courtyard is a very large swimming pool complete with fountains and an island in the middle.
The food was delicious! It was mostly a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but there were a few Dominican twists. We did have rice and beans with our turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc. The mother even tried to make an apple pie and did much better than any store-bought one we've seen here. Her family was there and some family friends came as well so we had a lot of good conversation throughout the afternoon. The father has certainly led an interesting life- he was full of stories of travels to the majority of the Caribbean islands. We'll have pictures to show some of the details- coming soon!
Since Thanksgiving we've been busy with end of the year things, as Steve mentioned. Exams, yes, but also a faculty and staff Christmas party! (He saved this topic for me.) Last Friday Miss Jennie got the school cafeteria all set up nicely and we got dressed up and came back to school. It was a little strange to be there dancing and drinking, but we didn't dwell on that. Mostly, we were wracking out brains trying to decide how we would ever describe such a party to you all back home. We still don't know. It was a Dominican party. You just have to experience it or use your imagination. Maybe these basic facts will help: The school secretary was there in her red leggings and Santa hat. The librarian brought her belly-dancing skirt. Some shirts were opaque; others were not. There was karaoke thanks to a projector, youtube, and microphone. The dancing was constant throughout everything. There was a raffle for a small sum of money that we did not win. :( The night ended with dinner, which was served at 1:00. AM. We had pork, rice and beans, potato salad, vegetable salad, baked eggplant, etc. It was delicious and we left shortly after eating. We realized that the reason Dominicans serve the food last at their parties is because no one can dance after eating all that so everyone just leaves.
Steve also mentioned that I was sick. On Friday, before the party and at Miss Jennie's insisting, I went to the doctor. I have felt sick in the stomach off and on since getting here. Thursday was one of the worst days so I went home early from school, after all my responsibilities were taken care of. Miss Jennie was concerned though and insurance covers appointments so I went. I was proud of my Spanish- I conversed easily with the doctors who were very nice. They concluded that I just have a sensitive stomach and the food and water affect it a lot. I also showed them some sore bumps which have been growing on my elbow. Everyone was suggesting that it was mosquito bites, but they don't usually come in clusters or grow over time. Turns out it is a virus. The doctor prescribed a pill for a few days that will protect my stomach and a cream for my elbow, which is almost better already.
Make sure to come back soon for pictures and news about our school Christmas party and program. Enjoy the cold weather and make a few snowmen for us!
The food was delicious! It was mostly a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but there were a few Dominican twists. We did have rice and beans with our turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc. The mother even tried to make an apple pie and did much better than any store-bought one we've seen here. Her family was there and some family friends came as well so we had a lot of good conversation throughout the afternoon. The father has certainly led an interesting life- he was full of stories of travels to the majority of the Caribbean islands. We'll have pictures to show some of the details- coming soon!
Since Thanksgiving we've been busy with end of the year things, as Steve mentioned. Exams, yes, but also a faculty and staff Christmas party! (He saved this topic for me.) Last Friday Miss Jennie got the school cafeteria all set up nicely and we got dressed up and came back to school. It was a little strange to be there dancing and drinking, but we didn't dwell on that. Mostly, we were wracking out brains trying to decide how we would ever describe such a party to you all back home. We still don't know. It was a Dominican party. You just have to experience it or use your imagination. Maybe these basic facts will help: The school secretary was there in her red leggings and Santa hat. The librarian brought her belly-dancing skirt. Some shirts were opaque; others were not. There was karaoke thanks to a projector, youtube, and microphone. The dancing was constant throughout everything. There was a raffle for a small sum of money that we did not win. :( The night ended with dinner, which was served at 1:00. AM. We had pork, rice and beans, potato salad, vegetable salad, baked eggplant, etc. It was delicious and we left shortly after eating. We realized that the reason Dominicans serve the food last at their parties is because no one can dance after eating all that so everyone just leaves.
Steve also mentioned that I was sick. On Friday, before the party and at Miss Jennie's insisting, I went to the doctor. I have felt sick in the stomach off and on since getting here. Thursday was one of the worst days so I went home early from school, after all my responsibilities were taken care of. Miss Jennie was concerned though and insurance covers appointments so I went. I was proud of my Spanish- I conversed easily with the doctors who were very nice. They concluded that I just have a sensitive stomach and the food and water affect it a lot. I also showed them some sore bumps which have been growing on my elbow. Everyone was suggesting that it was mosquito bites, but they don't usually come in clusters or grow over time. Turns out it is a virus. The doctor prescribed a pill for a few days that will protect my stomach and a cream for my elbow, which is almost better already.
Make sure to come back soon for pictures and news about our school Christmas party and program. Enjoy the cold weather and make a few snowmen for us!
No Excuses
I'm really sorry, but Amy's been sick, and I said she was going to post next, and she really wanted to post next, so I haven't been, and a lot has happened, but Amy doesn't like it when I always post and she doesn't get to post about the exciting things, so I've been holding off so she has a chance, and we've been really busy with exams the last few weeks anyway, so we really haven't had time to post.
But my Mom chewed me out via Skype chat, so I'm giving you all a little teaser until Amy finds the time to grace us with her words.
We've been taking exams at SDS for the past couple weeks. It's something they do here in this country. Everyone, 1st-12th grade, takes cumulative exams at the end of each semester. Amy had fun making exams for ELL 1st graders. Mine were less fun, but I'm over it.
Also during this time is practice for the Christmas program. As I mentioned before, I'm working with 4th and 5th grades to put on the final act of the program: the Nativity. It's going really well. The narrators all have their parts memorized, the choir has their songs learned (more or less) and the actors are bringing in their bed sheet costumes. We've been putting it all together, and it's going pretty smoothly. It'll be a great way to end the program. I tried to include a strong gospel message about the significance of the birth in Bethlehem.
"You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
"O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel."
I am also including "Peace Came to Earth" from the hymnal supplement. The kids are pretty good at it. The text is by Vajda, the same guy who wrote Where Shepherds Lately Knelt, and prompted a lot of discussion during choir rehearsals.
We will be performing on Thursday, and I'm sure Miss Amy will be able to capture some moments on video.
But my Mom chewed me out via Skype chat, so I'm giving you all a little teaser until Amy finds the time to grace us with her words.
We've been taking exams at SDS for the past couple weeks. It's something they do here in this country. Everyone, 1st-12th grade, takes cumulative exams at the end of each semester. Amy had fun making exams for ELL 1st graders. Mine were less fun, but I'm over it.
Also during this time is practice for the Christmas program. As I mentioned before, I'm working with 4th and 5th grades to put on the final act of the program: the Nativity. It's going really well. The narrators all have their parts memorized, the choir has their songs learned (more or less) and the actors are bringing in their bed sheet costumes. We've been putting it all together, and it's going pretty smoothly. It'll be a great way to end the program. I tried to include a strong gospel message about the significance of the birth in Bethlehem.
"You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
"O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel."
I am also including "Peace Came to Earth" from the hymnal supplement. The kids are pretty good at it. The text is by Vajda, the same guy who wrote Where Shepherds Lately Knelt, and prompted a lot of discussion during choir rehearsals.
We will be performing on Thursday, and I'm sure Miss Amy will be able to capture some moments on video.
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