August 9

When I told Sister Limburg that the bite still hurt (I am limping), she sent me to the hospital.  When I finally got in to see the doctor and she took the bandage off, everyone had a heart attack over the smell.  It seems I have gangrene.  She immediately called in a surgeon, who came and agreed with the diagnosis and told me that I would have to be admitted to the hospital for surgery.

Scott asked for the best room they had.  It is called the VIP room and is large--not particularly nice.  It has a couch which was why Scott wanted it.  He will sleep in the hospital with me every night until I go home.  We have learned over the years that one gets better care when one has an advocate in the hospital at all times.

Scott got me admitted and then went home to get supplies.

The surgery was at 5:00 p.m.  Dr. Hong, who is Chinese, did the surgery.  Dr. Virniki, who is Fijian but had an Aussie accent, did the anesthesia.  I really like Dr. Virniki. 

According to the doctor I got infected because the dog got me with his canines which went very deep.  Those deep bite marks after being cleaned out closed near the skin level and the bottom part of the wound festered and there was no place for the festering to seep out.  Basically Dr. Hong cut a huge piece of my calf out just past the bite marks.

I am not sure what time it was when I woke up, but I remember seeing President and Sister Klingler sitting in our room talking to Scott.  I surely hope I did not say anything stupid. 

I was nauseated all night.  I am not sure whether it was the anesthesia, pain killer they give you before you wake up, or from the pain killers they are giving me now.