Slide Show from BAH Church

Story of my First Night in Hospital with Slideshow

Day 1 - March 30, which was a Sunday Night

Before going to the Hospital. I spent the whole day trying to rest, drink water, and take my medicine (which were antibiotics). I wasn't getting better and my throat was killing me. Nok's Mom and Dad came by later Sunday evening to see me and check on me. Nok was fixing some food for us to eat, macaroni and vegetables, with a soft marinara sauce. I was dying of hunger but my throat made me a little hesitant to eat. I only ate like three or four spoonfuls of soup that morning.

I was handed the bowl with my soup and macaroni. It was nice and hot, but burned so bad as it went down my throat. I could only eat like three or four spoonfuls. I felt bad and knew I was feeling uncomfortable. I also know that I have work tomorrow morning and need to get back sometime soon. During all this thinking, Nok's Dad said, "Well, lets get you to sleep at the hospital tonight." My first thought was, "oh great, I don't want to over react, I have been to the hospital twice now."

We talked it over with lots of Thai words thrown around, with me not really understanding it, and then Nok says, "Alright lets go." Her Dad had called the Mission Hospital and set things up, Dr. Nick, an American Doctor, works at the Bangkok Adventist (Mission) Hospital and is the first Doctor I have talked to that speaks English really good, it was quite nice.

The evening was fun and memorable. It was 8:30 PM when we left, and by the time we got to the hospital I think it was close 9 or 9:15 PM. Anyways, it took longer because of the DDS grouop. They are outside the Government building which is down the road. So we had to do a U-Turn and some fancy driving.

Doctor Nick came in and he did all the common check up agenda. He checked my throat and definitely saw how red and nasty it was, and obviously antibiotics were either not working or it was viral. My temperature was 37.7 C which is translated into 99.9 F. I didn't realize I had a fever. Anyways, I wasn't being able to eat much food and I was losing weight as well; I weighed 63.7 kg on Sunday, and weighed 62 Kg on Monday night. I also was very dehydrated. In Doctor Nicks' opinion, he thought I should stay in the hospital for a few nights. That became 4 nights.

I was taking to a hospital bed, and they put an IV in me. The only crazy thing was the stuff they put in my arm, they didn't tell me first, but it started burning, I felt like my whole arm was going to burst into flames. It slowly inched up my arm as I felt it going through my veins, but I was reassured that it was common. Come to find out the next evening, my had was a little swollen, and the nurse had cut my vein or whatever, and the IV fluid was seping out of my veins. That's what caused all the pain. Not cool, so I got my IV moved and felt much better.

By this time it is 11:30 PM in my Hospital Room, I gave mom a quick call to let her know what is going on. Talk with Nok and her mom and dad. The ready to go to sleep.

Day 2 - 4

Basically, every 2 hours the Nurse came and checked my blood pressure and my temperature. My favorite thing was to hear the nurse say, "No temperature." Like I was playing a lottery or something. It was funny to me. I eat three good meals a day. Nok came and visited, stayed over the last two nights. Melissa came to see me as well, and so did Nok's Dad and Mom. It was nice when people came over.

By the last day I was ready to go, but I did miss the food and the IV. Even though I had to use the restroom every 2 hours because of the fluids.

Enjoy the pictures.

Weekend at Muak Lek

After being in the Hospital for 5 days and 4 nights... I thought it would be a good idea to get some fresh air.  So I traveled with Nok's family up to their Muak Lek house.  We call it the Raveawan Estate or Resort.  :)

Anyways, pictures from the Hospital Stay and from this weekend will be up soon.  I haven't had internet for almost 8 or more days.  I haven't missed it but I haven't been able to keep up my blog and check my emails.  Plus, right now my camera battery is dead and charging.  Hopefully tomorrow night I will tell the story and have pictures, and video.

I love each one of you!

Back from the Hospital

This will be updated, but first of all I am back to my room.  This maybe a good thing or a bad thing.  I think it will be good.  But now I have to start taking care of myself.  :)

Anyways, a quick update:  I have infectious mononucleosis and was very dehydrated.

So I stayed in the hospital (Bangkok Adventist Hospital aka Mission Hospital) for 4 nights!  This is the first time I have ever had stay in the Hospital, for an extended time, for a sickness.  Anyways, I spent the time resting and soaking in the IV fluid, I think I had about 8 bottles, over the course of my stay.

I still feel tired but my throat is feeling better.  Keep praying, and thanks for your love.

Ryan

More pictures and a longer post coming soon, after my weekend at Muak Lek.

Sermon at SML

Watch first 10 Minutes of my Sermon

This is my third time to talk in Thailand, except for TNL, but my first Sermon that I prepared; I was given the 10th Commandment as my topic. My first thought of the 10th commandment was that most people look over it because it is the last one and not many people really talk about coveting. I didn't really even think about that much, I got right in there to find what I could about the topic. I didn't want to use the typical Exodus or Deuteronomy texts as my base text, so I choose Hebrew 13:5.  Hebrews 13:5 states, "Let our conduct be without covetousness (or "Love of Money"). Be content with what you have, because God said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

At first glance, it seems like these sentences do not fit together. Well, If God is with us, and will never leave or forsake us, then we should be happy, content, and it should show in our conduct and character. So this text really does make great sense to me.

Covetousness was translated into covetous from the phrase "love of money." This is interesting sense the Bibles states in 1 Timothy 6:10; "The love of money is the root of all evil..."

In Luke 16:13,14 we see this idea more developed.  Jesus is telling the Pharisees a story and how man can not have two Masters.  They will either love one or hate the other.  The last phrase in verse 13 Jesus says, "You can not serve God and Mammon."  When you go and check out the definition of Mammon you find that it is a medieval definition of the Devil of 

Covetousness (of money).

There is a Delimma we are in, and we have no choice whether we are part of this Delimma.  In Steps to Christ, page 73 we read that Satan is doing all he can to turn our focus from God and onto ourselves, our pains and suffering.  In the book Celebration of Disciplines, on page 65 the author explains how we are so distracted and that it is hard for people these days not to be connected to a radio or TV.  Some people even have to have a radio running when they read, etc...

Satan has got us so distracted and looking at others, looking for things to make us happy or content.  We forget that everyone on this earth is in the same boat, we are all in the same shape, we are all struggling, and have problems.  So lets stop looking at each other, 

lets look to God for our 

strength and focus.

This Delimma has another side though.  We may be distracted but God has a promise and the answer.  Check 

out 1 Timothy 6:6-8, and Matt 6:32-34;  Being content adds to our gain, and Seek ye First the Kingdom of God and He will provide those things you worry about right now.

Our Focus should be on God and His power not our weakness and worries.

We finished our Church service with burning those things we coveted, by writing them on a sheet of paper and lighting them on fire with a lighter.