Fuego blew up, Gardner fell down

Well, I steered you wrong last week.  I told you that it appeared that Volcano Fuego was blowing off more steam, when in reality he blew up!!

We don't watch the news so when we were told that Volcano Fuego had erupted, we went to the internet and read about it and saw the photos.  I tried to down load a couple more, but could not get them so you will have to go to the internet and see them for yourselves.  The hot lava didn't do too much damage, but the hot ash destroyed all the coffee plants that were just in bloom.  The small (small for here) towns close to the volcano had to close schools and have their water supplies tested for contamination.  We are about 40 miles away from the Volcano but had the ash falling here.  They say that the volcano expelled ash columns up to 5 thousand 500 meters above sea level during the last hours of the eruptions, which lasted for 22 hours

.  It closed the airport here because of the ash.  One of the main water cisterns here in the city was opened for some repairs when the ash fell.  It contaminated the water and half of the city was without water for 3 days.  Needless to say, the Temple was pretty empty all week. 

    On Sunday evening, about 4:30, we received a call saying that Elder Gardner was on the floor, come help.  We ran to the Gardner's apartment across the street and found him laying on the tile floor bleeding from the back of his head.  He had just regained consciousness and started to throw up.  Elder Gardner is over 6 feet tall so he hit real hard when his head hit the floor. 

 President Burk doesn't trust the ambulances here so we loaded him up in the car and off to the hospital.  We were praying for a report of a concussion but that was not to be.
Elder Gardner had a stroke and blacked out while standing up.  He hit his head so hard that it fractured his skull and bounced  his brain around so he has hemorrhages both at the back of his skull and in the front.  The swelling and bleeding were so bad that the doctors here and in SLC decided that he needed surgery immediately to relieve the pressure.  They went in and cut away part of his skull and will freeze it and fly it to the US to be freeze dried so that hopefully when the swelling goes down they can reattach it.  They have no facilities to do the freeze drying here.  He had a 4 hour surgery on Sunday night and Monday morning there was still some bleeding so he had another 4 hour surgery.
     The hospital called and needed 10 pints of blood and platelets so the missionaries loaded up around 9 PM and headed to the hospital to donate.  Well, here anyone older than 60 is not allowed to donate and you have to be at least 110 pounds.  Poor Hermana Tanner failed on both those counts.

                        Arriving at the hospital lab

Elder y Hna Wilson, Hna Tanner, Elder Allred, Pdte Thompson, Elder Brubaker, Pdte Roberts y Elder Rosado.

 

We found out just how unhealthy the rest of the missionaries are, from diabetes, hepititus, cancer recovery drugs and other medications that prevent giving blood.  We were so thrilled when the young missionaries at the CCM volunteered to come on Sunday night to give blood and on Monday morning the employees at the Temple all came.

     We know that Elder Gardner's mission here in the Guatemala City Temple is finished.  We are praying that his mission on this earth is not finished and that he will recover enough soon to be able to fly home to finish his recovery surrounded by his family.  It will be a long recovery we are told.  For now, it will be day to day. 

    This life is very unpredictable so please enjoy every moment and be sure to tell your loved ones daily that you love them and that they are special to you.  We love each of you so much.  We are thankful to be able to serve here and know that you are praying for our safety.  We in turn are always praying for you and look forward to seeing you in a very short time.  Life is wonderful, enjoy every moment.  We send our love Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, Lon and Nancy