The Striped Fingernail

June 25

The next couple of weeks we will be working on the building.   So the blog will probably take a vacation for a week or so while I work on the curtains for the stage unless something terribly exciting happens or I just get bored and post something so random, like for instance....

The Saga of My Striped Fingernail.
(or Vainty, Vainty, thy name is manicure)

As you may recall, our story left off with the fact that our damsel in distress (namely me) had grown a little concerned that my fingernail was changing color so I got an appointment with a dermatologist.  He also felt that we needed to investigate further.  The lab test turned out negative and I thought I was home free. It turns out that apparently, it ruled out a fungus.  So, the next step is the biopsy.

A hole is drilled into the nail.
Little tweezers or scissors are used to pull up the skin underneath the nail
and then a piece is snipped off.
Ultraviolet light is then aimed at the opening.
The nail is then melted a little to seal off the gaping hole it now has!!!!

Here is a picture of my finger now!


Warning....
The image that you are about to see is graphic in nature.

* * *
* * * *

Oh, so OK it wasn't that graphic. 
I just wish I had been brave enough to actually watch the entire process. 
I stared at the wall instead
.
As it stands, I had to depend on my husband's eye witness account.
You can't even see the streak in this picture because of the glare, but it's still there.

I will get the results sometime next week. Like I mentioned before the Doctor does not think that it is serious, but he has to be sure and this is only way to do it. I too, would rather be safe than sorry. All in all, six doctor visits between three doctors, lab test, biopsy and medications together were very inexpensive compared to what I would of had to pay back home.  About a hundred dollars for everything.

* * * * ** * * * * * * * *



The exciting news is here!

We have a signed lease in our hands for a building for the Church!
Here is a picture of building as it is now.  It needs a couple of small walls, curtains, paint, a small amount of carpet and chairs.  Otherwise it is very clean with no major work to be done.  The most exciting thing is it even has a built-in stage!  There is a small kitchen to the side which will serve as a prayer/nursery room and there are two bathrooms.  It will very comfortably accomodate 60 chairs with plenty of altar space. I will post more pictures when all the work is complete.

Thank you to all those who have been keeping this in prayer.  This is a building that we looked at couple of months ago but we were told that they did not want a church to move in. 

About two weeks ago we got a phone call with the news that now they were willing to lease the building to us.

From this view you can see the entrance to the kitchen area on the right and the door to one of the bathrooms. The kitchen has a long counter space with double sinks and lower cabinets and a shelf on the wall over the counter.  The portable wall will be moved to make more space available for the nursery/prayer room and the counter can be moved to the back of the sanctuary for the sound equipment.  We also need a wall along the entry because it is next to the stage.

This is an outside view.  You can see the entrance doors and the windows to the left are right behind the stage.  It is on a main road and just about five minutes driving or walking distance is two maybe three miles.  The building has 24hr guards.  My husband never gave up on this location.  Even when the answer was no, he said that he felt we would still get in.

* * * * *

Finally, some news on church....

Tonight instead of Bible Study, Pastor decides that we will try an actual church service and see how the new interperter works out. We moved things around and got some chairs squeezed in where we could. It turned out very well. We had 16 people in service.  Hopefully, we will have some more exciting news for the church very soon.

Pastor with Hermel interpeting

He's not waving here, just trying to make a point.

Altar Call....

* * * * * *

I depend on the internet for just about everything.  And yes I realize that I am  indeed very fortunate and I am grateful to have access to a good service.   If I need a recipe, I google!  Need a dictionary, need a translation,...etc.  google.

I sprained my ankle very badly yesterday just by walking and twisting my foot in a hole on the sidewalk.  I managed to hobble from the parking garage to the elevator to my apartment door.  My entire leg is beginning to swell up.  Now, I am not going to the doctor, cause I just came from there to have my finger looked at!

Google.....how to treat a sprained ankle.

Soak two minutes in very hot water and move it as much as possible, then rest two minutes in very cold water, repeat the process....etc.

It worked!!! 

Thank goodness, cause I have a lot to do tomorrow. 

We are having house church.

So last week I googled my finger....

I have this dark streak under my nail and have had it for almost a year now, but it is getting darker.

It said:

 Don't ignore markings on your nails like this:

hay chihuahua...that's MY nail...

I call the doctor and tell him and he gives me the number to a dermatologist.  It is amazing, the dermatologist tells me to come in the same day.  When I get there, I explain that I know that there is a possiblity of melanoma. (from googling of course)  He confirms that, and tells me yes, either that or Hutchinson's disease.
After the examination, he says that he doubts that it is cancerous.  The markings are usually much darker, but he is sending me to the hospital (called Mount Sinai, biblical name, that alone is encouraging) for a small test, so we can get it treated if it is a fungus regardless. This is great news for me, because I am quite fond of this finger.....
He says not to worry, they are going to take care of me.  
Doctors treat you like family here.  Actually, everyone treats you like family. 

The reason for sharing this is I would like everyone to be aware that

you can NOT ignore streaks on your nails!!!

(Unless of course, you painted them there or hit your hand with a hammer or something..)

* * * * *

 

FLAG DAY!

June Fourteenth is Flag Day in the United States.

A very memorable day I am sure for all of you,

 but,

there is another very memorable

event that you may not be aware of. 

Some people...

who knew either one of us

 from way back when,

and know the stories of our lives 

might even go so far as to say..

 that it is...

a down right miracle!

And indeed it is.

25th Anniversary

June 14, 2012

I never imagined this day

would come to pass in the country of Ecuador.

So here we are, alive and still kicking,

5 sons and 4 grandsons later,

on a brand new adventure.

* * * *

Quote For the Day:  I finally got my head together,

and now my body is falling apart!

This is little Diego.

He just couldn't wait for the Pastor to hold one of his puppies.

So he hands him one and it promptly proceeded to squirt all over his shoes.  I remember the first time my hubby went to meet my parents, my Siberian did the same thing to him.   

I graciously declined the offer to hold any puppies.

Yesterday, June 9 was a bit of milestone.

Things are beginning to feel a little more like normal.

We had a knock on the door where stood an elderly lady from the complex and a woman that helps her around the house. Her key was stuck in the door and they were locked out of her apartment with food cooking on the stove.

The first person they said they could think of was the "Pastor".

He'll know what to do.  People call the Pastor, not only with the serious,

but with the little emergencies in life.  

It also brings to mind not only our sons calling Dad for some help in whatever situation, 

but a certain young lady in our

congregation who would call Pastor every now and then when she would lock her

keys inside her car. I won't mention any names but she does have Chinle, AZ roots.

That's all I'm gonna say.

(Hopefully she got the extra key and hid it like I told her to,

cause we ar waaay fa, fa.. ah... way now. That's Navajo English in case you're wondering)

Festival

JUNE 10, 2012

I googled festivals in Ecuador and counted the number in a year and came
up with twenty seven.  Imagine that many holidays where you have to work around
the schedule of Government, banks and business closings.

This has been a rather long weekend and I had to find out what
all the excitement was about.  Apparently the population grows a few thousand
during this celebration.

Officially, the celebrations began on Thursday. 
I don't know what else took place this weekend but I believe that this would represent most of what takes place in this particular city.   I read up a bit on other places in the country and they seem to incorporate much more of the indigenious rituals. 
We seem to be pretty tame here in comparison.
The festival of Corpus Christi or El Septenario is a festival of the Catholic church.  It begins with mountainous displays of sweet baked goods for sale around the El Centro square.

 A close up for Peep Lovers.  I know you are out there!

An event on this evening was the procession beginning at the cathederal.

  

After the procession,

fireworks are set off in different parts of the square sending people scurrying for safety. 

At the same time, paper globes are fired up to float up into the night sky. 

Construction of  the "castle" is begun during the day to be ready for  burning in the evening.

I thought they would just go up in flames, but it was fireworks display instead.

Each timed segment a little better than the one before it.

Wait for it.....

This too, sent some people running for safety.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

So, I know that I've been neglecting the blog for a bit,

but I thought if Erin is gonna take a break, then so can I! 

 Really though, we have been spending a good deal of our time looking for buildings to rent. 

Today someone called us and asked us to look at their building again. 

We will see how that goes.

In the meantime I will continue to share the sights of our beautiful city of Cuenca.

The park in El Centro is where folks go when they want to find

something to do with the day or just relax.

There are tour buses that come by every few hours or so and for five dollars it will

take you around for a three hour tour.., a three hour tour.....

In the evenings more of the little food stands come out all over the city

and are really the closest you will get to finding a drive up, that is if there

is not too much traffic and you are quick about it!

Here are some scenes from the park and city in general.

Did I mention it's a common place to take a nap?

Treats for sale on the Cathedral steps. 

These mounds of something are everywhere.  It looks like an ice cream cone,

but it's some kind of meringue.  We always buy from this lady.  She dresses them up delciously with coconut flakes and sprinkles.

Even if you're not hungry, the aroma of the meats and sausages over the hot coals will

draw you in.  For a dollar with corn on the cob. 

 A larger shot of the Cathedral steps.  The architecture is so beautiful.

If all the buildings were all restored it would truly be a wonder to walk through the streets.

            According to the tour bus guide, the structure below was designed by a German architect. One part was never completed.  I think it was one of the bell towers.  The bell was sent to Quito if I heard right.

This picture of the man below is one of my favorites. 
It is so Cuenca and reminds me of times long since past.

Cuencano Man.

If anyone is wondering whatever happened to Waldo, I can tell you that we found him. Can you?

Just in case you didn't, here he is.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist.  When we saw him that day, we both said 
Hey, there's Waldo!

And he was walking back and forth as if truly lost.

 

One of the many monuments.

Well, we went to the Mexican Resturant for Mother's Day. 

 Remember, 

 the one I told you about,

Pronto Tacos

 that was advertising Mariachi's. 

 I was expecting five or six, 

with big somberos and guitars, trumpets and violins. 

It wasn't quite that way,

 but hey, the guy had a really good voice!