My plans were to have a very different post this week
regarding an important step being taken by a wonderful,
new friend of ours here in New Hampshire.
World-wide and local reactions to
the Corona-virus epidemic have changed those plans.
Instead, I will log in a short post to document the exceptional
week that it has been, otherwise a small blip or side note.
By mid-December of 2019, I was noticing the return
of oral symptoms which indicated a reversal of a previous
"miraculous" blessing allowing us to begin our mission on time.
A visit to a local oral surgeon confirmed it, and while treatment
was possible here in New Hampshire, of course, consultation
with my wonderful dental and oral surgeon team in Utah
convinced me it was best to travel back for quick treatment.
So we made flight arrangements out of Boston's Logan airport,
and opted to take a very convenient Boston Express
shuttle bus from a transit hub 12 minutes from our apartment
in north Londonderry (Exit 5).
Our arrangements were on JetBlue (first timers) with
a flight that arrived at Salt Lake International at 11:55 p.m.
on Wednesday night. (Our return was slated for 11:59 p.m.
on Friday - October 13th, adjusted by JetBlue to 12 midnight.)
An open Thursday morning and noon gave us a chance to visit
with each of our sons, then I checked in with my exceptional
dentist Daniel Harris who, according to his thoughtful . . . 
. . . and creative plan, severed my very long dental bridge between
the back two anchor molars so that the infected tooth could be
removed. Dr. Harris is part of Jordan River Dental office.
So with the first step completed, I went across campus . . .
. . . to the office of oral surgeon Dr. Kyle Christensen . . .
. . .where I was invited to sit comfortably with nitrous flowing
into my receptive blood stream . . .
. . . until he would complete the extraction and bone graft,
and stitch me up to begin healing.
Dr. Christensen is the principal at
Wasatch Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and has
completed previous implants for me.
The two doctors are working together on a plan that will
guarantee me the best long term outcome.
This all sounds very straight forward, and essentially it was.
However, with all the COVID-19 concerns, my lingering
chest/head cold (including a cough) was bound to turn some heads.
I had called both dental offices before leaving New Hampshire
to make sure they would still see and treat me. But I had lingering
concerns about being semi-prone and having the need
to cough ramp up. It was a blessing that my cough was very much
controlled, during both flights, and during both procedures.
Of material assistance was Sister Matkin's willingness to loan
their warm vaporizer to help me recover and sleep at nights.
(She helpfully suggested that I could pack it - and I did:
here it is on my hotel night stand.)
The only "bump" in our experience was an unassociated physician
appointment that I had set up so that I could get a different
medication's effectiveness checked with my regular doctor
while in my home area. When I reported at the front desk,
the receptionist asked me about any cold or flu symptoms,
and I honestly said she could hear my laryngitis when I spoke.
I assured her that the cold had started before there were any
COVID cases reported in New Hampshire. I had never had a fever,
and this was a simple head cold. She handed me a mask,
and told me to reschedule - which I could not do.
It was a bit of a shock that as someone who was ill,
I couldn't get help from a physician.
Since we have returned, Jordan River Dental has notified
their patients by email that if cold or flu symptoms exist, patients
should call to reschedule.
I guess everyone is trying to help the effort.
To wrap things up, I will note how grateful I am for mission rules
that allowed me to travel home for this dental work, for excellent
and caring dental professionals who helped me, for the inventor
of lidocaine which allowed me to feel no pain during the procedure.
My lamp was filled by fellow missionary Sarah whose steamer
helped me both here and there, by family who cheered me
and surrounded me with their love as we chatted together and
encouraged each other in these difficult times.
Friend Andrea lifted her lamp for me as her positive attitude
in the face of a dramatic change of baptism plans came
with the words: It's all good. He has a plan for everything.
He knows what he is doing. . .
Now hopefully, as things continue to evolve in this virus crisis,
we can all work together, and with Heaven's help, perhaps
make it through the roadblocks on this road to healing.
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