Hepatitis A

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This blog (and the identical email I have sent) is to ask you to pray for our family and inform you of the latest developments here. About two months ago, Cirino's (our mason/farmhand's) daughter, Berenice, was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. At that point we were caring for her and her brother during the day while Cirino worked. Upon knowing the diagnosis, we asked Cirino to keep his kids at his place in order to prevent others from being infected. When Ruth got sick about three weeks ago she was then diagnosed with Hepatitis A. Despite our best efforts at hand washing, bleaching the bathrooms on a daily basis and even cancelling school an entire day and washing every surface in the house, school and dining room/warehouse with bleach, I was diagnosed with Hepatitis A and Bronchitis on Sunday and Angie was diagnosed with Hepatitis A on Monday.

You can read more about Hepatitis A at any of the following links:

http://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/hepa-guide/default.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-a/DS00397

Basically, Hepatitis A is a virus that affects liver function. It is passed from an infected person to another through fecal/mouth contact that can come from not properly washing one's hands, etc. Hepatitis A does not cause permanent liver damage. There is no medication with which to treat it and requires lots of rest and fluids to get better.

There is a vaccine for Hepatitis A, so anybody making travel plans to Mexico, at any point in time, should get the vaccine. For example, the Marshall family and my parents have had the vaccine. (We were wondering why I never got the vaccine, but the vaccine came into use after I had already started my many travels to Mexico, so it was never brought to my attention that I should get the vaccine.)

Here in Mexico, the Hepatitis A vaccine is considered experimental. However, after doing research, we have found a pediatrician in Monterrey, Mexico who can supply us with the vaccine so that we can vaccinate the rest of our family and staff before this continues to grow. Lord willing, the vaccines will arrive here tomorrow. The incubation period for Hepatitis A is 15-40 days, so even if we vaccinate everybody, somebody else could be infected already and not have shown signs of the virus yet. The vaccine will not prevent them, if already infected, from getting sick, but it will prevent this from growing.

Our family will not be going to church for an entire month, or going anywhere, as we do our best to not spread the Hepatitis any further. Once the month has passed we will be home clear because, if anybody else is infected, they will show symptoms within that month, and everybody will be vaccinated so that will prevent further infections. (Once you have had Hep A you are immune for life. Yeah!)

On a personal note, Angie and I have been put on bed rest for a month. I am hoping that as I feel better I can do a few things throughout the day, but total rest is very important for the liver to recuperate and for no permanent damage to be done to the liver. My blood tests also revealed low counts of just about everything: red blood cells, white blood cells, sodium, potassium, etc., which aren't strictly connected to the Hepatitis A, so it is important that I gets lots of rest. For any of you who know me personally, resting is not my forte! So, the Lord has His way of speaking to us! My theme verse right now is: "Be still and know that I am God." Well, I am still!

Please pray for:

• recovery for Angie and I
• patience, strength and wisdom for Victor as he cares for me and carries the load of the family and ministry, a load we usually share
  
• patience for the older girls, Martita, Diana, Lolis and Martha, as we depend more on their help with the little ones, since both Angie and I are sick. This is especially true when getting kids up in the morning and ready for bed at night.
• continued understanding for the younger kids as Christmas has been postponed. We didn't even have the gifts bought yet when I got sick last week. In fact I got sick the day Victor and I were going to go shopping. So, this year, Lord willing, we will follow Mexican tradition and give gifts on Three King's Day on January 6.
• that our entire family will be open and willing to learn the lessons the Lord has prepared for us as we spend a month together here at home
• strength and patience for staff throughout this entire time
• for financial provision to cover the medical costs: Up to now we have spent a total of $1850.00 U.S. dollars on lab work, doctor, meds and the vaccines. The vaccine is costing $900 pesos per shot and we need vaccines for 19 people. Fishers of Men had an emergency medical account with a balance of $998. We have wiped out that account, leaving us no cushion in the event of another medical emergency. (Medical care in Mexico is very poor and is government run. There is no such thing as medical insurance here.)

While this is illness is bothersome and, at times, painful, the hardest part is not being a part of daily life - not being able to run to a child's side when I hear them fall; not being able to rock Daniel to sleep at night; missing meals, etc., but I am so thankful that this is an illness that does not require me to be in the hospital or on an IV, but requires simple, disciplined rest to get better. Thank you for your prayers that continue to sustain us!

Still in the Lord's service,
Julie Zaragoza