An update...

Hi all,

Well sometimes things just don't go as planned.  We learned on Thursday that Dad/Ferron has a torn rotator cuff tendon and will require surgery.  He had a phone meeting with his dr. in Idaho Falls who said that it would need to be done soon as the longer he waits the harder it is to repair correctly and it has already been two months.  He indicated that we might be able to find someone down here to do it.

Then we went over to visit with our senior missionary medical advisor and he said that he thought we could find someone down here to do it as there are very good doctors here.  Elder Hart was a Pediatrician/Neonatologist.  He suggested that we call a Bro. Swensen who used to be the medical adviser down here (and actually lived in the same apt. that we live in now) and is now on the missionary medical committee in Salt Lake (or something like that).  He was also an orthopedic surgeon.  He told Dad that Brazil does have some very good doctors but that shoulder doctors aren't one of them!  He said that we need to go home and have his doctor in IF do the surgery because he knows Dad's shoulder.  Also the PT is at a much higher level back home.  I've been going to PT for my shoulder for the last week and their facilities are pretty primitive compared to home.  It has helped me but I'm not so sure how successful they could be with a shoulder surgery rehabilitation.  

Anyway, we are now in the "trying to figure out what to do next" phase.  We are just right on the verge of getting our projects started and new possibilities are popping up right and left, it seems.  I know that we won't be home this week.  We have been able to purchase the tools and seeds for our project on the coast and we have to get those delivered and get them going before we can go.  We are hoping that we can continue our computer work at home and stay involved that way.

It certainly isn't what we had hoped for but we have to move on.  Dad talked to Elder Costa on Friday and was told that we are needed down here and that he has friends in the missionary department and he would see to it that we can come back.  It is very disappointing for us to have to leave.  Things were just starting to really pick up for us, especially for me.

We started teaching an English class a few weeks ago and it is really fun.  I hope that our students can attend one of the other classes.  I am leading our ward choir and we are working on a special number for Easter and now I'm sure that we won't be here for that.  When we do come back, some of the other missionaries will have finished their missions and will be gone.  I'm already sad about that.  We have gotten to be a very close-knit group.  We love them all very much.  There are 17 of us down here.  We are the youngest couple although I'm not the youngest sister but Dad is the youngest Elder.

Grandpa Sonderegger used to say, "Cheer up, things could get worse.  So I cheered up and sure enough, things got worse!"  Well, I guess that we will be seeing you or at least some of you soon.  Hope is all well and good with everyone.  We love you all very much.

Love,

Mom/Paula