The following has just come from Neva Kaufmann.  Please edit and use as thee sees fit in conjunction with the prayer request for Grant.

- Susan Smith

 Dear friends,

I am sending an update to all of you who have asked about Grant since I find myself rather short of energy and time.

The best news is that Joshua and Nathaniel arrived today from the farm to spend at least several days with "Dad."  Rachel and Sergio are bravely taking care of the cattle at home - some nearly always need to be roped and treated for screw worms and water is still short, so they have to haul a load of water to Joshua's place, seven km from the home place, every other day.  The big pump used to pump water to the house stopped functioning  so they are also hauling irrigation water from the "atajado" and drinking water from Vuelta Grande.  The drinking water haul takes half a day.  The cattle water takes half a day. 

For those of you who don't know, Grant got out of a taxi about a week ago here in Santa Cruz and the man backed into him as he prepared to leave, knocking him to the ground.  He hit the back of his head on cement. . . passed out and stayed unconscious for l5 or 20 minutes.  He should have had a CT scan right away but it didn't happen until l2 hours later.  The scan showed a swollen brain and the next morning he was put on the neurosurgery ward, where he was under "observation."  There were several other accident cases with head wounds and one fellow who had snapped his leg bones playing soccer!   

The end of the week another CT scan showed a brain bleed so the previous information we had been given was wrong.  The hospital staff seemed unable to answer our questions.  Meds were not given sometimes when they were supposed to be.  The doctors were playing high and mighty:  unable to answer our questions and constantly talking about brain surgery although, under close questioning, every one of them (there were at least twenty different doctors who attended Grant during the course of the week) stated that there was no normal medical protocol for such a surgery, considering the evidence of the CT scans they had done.  Conditions in the hospital (extreme heat and humidity) were making all the rest of the pain he was having unmanageable and he was soaking a heavy cotton t-shirt about every 45 minutes.  Considering the weekend and holiday, hospital staff was about to be further reduced, the head of neurosurgery was unavailable.  They had removed Grant's IV and he was on all tablets.  We began to ask why we couldn't take him to our hotel and take better care of him ourselves, hopefully speeding recovery by less stressful and healthier conditions.   And that is what we did.  He began to improve and the pain diminished a bit.  He slept one night and was able to eat a little solid food and take enough liquid by mouth to be better rehydrated.  We thank God for the big internal "push" to take him out of hospital ...  it was the right thing to do.

Grant is far from well.  He still has to take anti-seizure medication,  serious pain meds, and ciprofloxacina.   His next CT scan will be two days from now and we will see if the bleed is better or worse.  If worse, surgery may then be necessary.  If the bleeding can be reabsorbed, his recovery will continue, albeit slowly.  The doctor estimated that he will need to stick to his bed for at least a month.  The heat or our climate at home may require some adjustment that can include air conditioning.  We do not have electric current (no one does there) and Grant's progress will be greatly slowed by heat stress as well as other kinds.  We are praying about an answer to that:  we hope we can be at home to give our pretty grown up children at least their parents' presence, if not much help.  We know God can make a "way" when there seems to be no way.

My heart if filled with thankfulness for the arrival of Joshua and Nathaniel today,  for Matt Steiner's help with paperwork and legwork and moral support, for the copious outpouring of prayers and caring from friends and family on two continents,  for improvement in Grant's condition,  for the sense of God's care and presence through this uncertain time.  Thank you, each and every one for your loving gifts.

Love,
Neva

Dear friends,

We got a really good report from the neurologist, Dr. Villavicencio, three days ago. He looked at the new CT scan and said that Grant is well enough that he can go home to recuperate.  He'll need lots of rest for another several weeks, but the brain bleed is resolving and intracranial pressure still elevated, but not dangerously. 

Additionally, Dr. Villavicencio recommended a check up and appointment with a specialist in cardiology whose subspecialty is high blood pressure.  The subsequent tests confirmed high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides elevated  and a pre-diabetic state.  Dr. Alfredo Romero is a personable, direct, authoritative fellow and he was persuasive enough that his advice will be heeded.  No more sugar, Coca-Cola, white rice, grease from a bottle, pork, white flour products in general.  Low fat. High fruits and veggies.  I have eaten this way for years to control my blood sugar and cholesterol so it will be easier to do it together.  Our recently acquired jeep wagon should make it possible for me to make weekly trips for provisions to  Villamontes or Camiri, something we have needed for the six and a half years we have lived so far from town and with little success producing garden vegetables. 

 We have a deeper sense of the goodness of God and His provision.  And of the gift of life.  Though we have encountered much difficulty with hospitals and medicos, we especially have remembered the nurse who always had a smile and a word of cheer, the intern from Brazil who sparkled with friendship even as Grant was being diagnosed, and when Grant went up to the surgical ward, this genuine doctor, came to see how he was doing.  A brother of our old friend, Dr. Ruth, helped me get into see Grant when the hospital guards denied my "family pass" privileges for whimsical reasons.  A woman works in the business office helped me with the endless paperwork which was required from our dept of transportation because of the nature of the accident which had involved an automobile.  Matt Steiner, who helped me in every way with managing the negotiations with the insurance company and keeping Grant as comfortable as possible.  Dra. Sarah de los Rios, our lawyer and friend who helped with the additional legal burden of the case...and did not ask for payment.  For the neurologist, Dr. Villavicencio who resolved all our questions about medication, the details of the CT scan, and gave us hope for a full recovery...as well as sending Grant on to the cardiologist he has been needing to see (but we didn't know how to find a good one).  To Dr. Roxana  at farmaci Telchi for helping with medications and referral to Dr. Villvicencio.  To MCC Bolivia for making a "home away from home", people who care and offered friendship and a place to sit in the breeze.  To all of you who sent notes, prayers and loving thoughts during the long, demanding course of the last few weeks.  To God, for life. 

 Blessing, to each one of you,

 Love, Neva