Big Toe Surgery

So last week we played soccer with a bunch of missionaries. Everything was going fine until I was kicked in the foot wearing my extremely-thin-made-for-running-and-not-soccer tennis shoes. Some Elder kicked it and caught me right on the big toenail, lifting it up and nearly breaking it off completely. It hurt like inferno but I thought it would get better. It hurt as I walked but nothing bad enough to stop me from working.

Well a few days passed and I noticed it was turning different colors. It turned a really dark yellow and even slight purplish. So I was on division on Monday and went in with Elder Lopes to a little health post to have them check it out. The doctor looked at it and said that they were going to have to take the toenail off.

What...?! It became loose on the upper half and pretty much just "died". The bottom half still was attached though...thus I became a bit worrisome. So the next morning we woke up at 5:45 am to head out to the local hospital. Now...this is a country with socialized medicine so let's just say it wasn't the most cleanly and attentive institution that I have seen before.

We waited for a while among the sweaty crowd then went in to see the doc. He confirmed that it had to come off. I asked him how they did it and he was like "well we numb it with anestesia...then I grap a pair of pincers" (which is just a really cute way of saying pliers...) "and i'll rip it off." I was far from comforted.

Well I was sent to the little "emergency room" that had two tables to lay on with butcher paper on it and was told to lie down and wait. I gave my camera to Lopes for him to film and the doctor came in. He proceeded to apply the anestesia in a manner far from caring I felt. "Umm...doctor? Are you sure the anestesia has to go INTO the bone?" Then he grabbed the beautiful pair of pliers and with 20 seconds or so of working the little guy he came flying off.

Yeah, it was awesome. I won't lie when I say that I gave a few girly screams of pain but I came out triumphant! They cleaned it out, wrapped it up, then told me to walk out the door to my right (it was just the back door to the hospital. I am pretty sure that my surgery was performed in what used to be the garage) and gave me a piece of paper that I was supposed to take to the "pharmacy" which was located out in the back of the hospital which, at first glance, could easily have been mistaken with the utility closet.

I got my medicine and then I was on my way! Instructions on how to clean, take care of or what things I can/cannot do with it? No! Post-surgery treatment is for losers! It really was weird though. You just walk in, get it all done, get your medicine, and then you walk out. You don't pay a thing! Insurance? Not needed! Full name? Optional! It's different...

It was a "good experience" though. Definitely the most exciting thing of the week. My comp filmed it all and I will be sending the video pretty soon - but its a big file.

New Year's was really good too. We had a BBQ with our zone at our ward mission leader's house and played Risk there. Oh what a glorious game that is. We are pretty much addicted to it. I played two games already today because I was physically unable to play soccer due to my mutilated toe (won them both I might add. Why would they ever let me keep North America like that? 5 extra armies every round!) It was really fun.

We have transfers next Wednesday so I might be emailing y'all from a different area next week. We'll see what happens. Loves and stuff!

-Elder Brent Parsons

Big Toe Before

Big Toe After