Vertigo!

 "A sensation of whirling and a loss of balance."

Yep. That's me. And may I add, "Accompanied by nausea." 

The Staton family

Despite my vertigo becoming evident on Monday, we went to Sunrise Tacos for dinner, and guess who we saw there--Elder Staton who served in Thailand 10 years ago while we were here, with his wife and three adorable daughters. They have another daughter due next week. When we first arrived at the restaurant, he looked familiar to me, and I wondered if it was an LDS family visiting, but then he came over to us. I expected him to ask if we were missionaries, but he said, "Are you the Sowards?" Good memory! It was good to see him again. They had come to Thailand so she could deliver her baby here.

The hospital is clean
and very international.

Dennis served in the temple all this week without me. I got a bit stir-crazy staying home. Our neighbors brought us food daily, including a rubber chicken that honks, proclaiming the gospel. Thank you for the smiles.  

We finally gave in and went to the hospital on Thursday to see a doctor. The Bangkok International Hospital is huge and very state-of-the-art, with no waiting for hours in the emergency. They have their processes down pat. The greeters are dressed like stewardesses in uniform dresses, nylons and heels. I was seated into a wheelchair, and they pushed me back to the ENT office. (The little white-haired old lady in the wheelchair. That's me.) In only minutes we saw the doctor who assisted me in doing the Epley maneuver, then he told me I should sleep sitting up for a week.  Yeah. 

Pianist plays soothing music in lobby

In the lobby where everyone pays their bill was a pianist playing soothing music on a grand piano. Get everyone calmed down to pay their bill. Good strategy.

Sitting up while sleeping has lasted three nights now. I'm doing much better, but still a little light-headed.

Dennis had all the fun in the temple this week. On Thursday he was baptistry coordinator for 21 American youth on a work-study project in Chaing Mai.  He'd come back to the apartment every night and tell me all about it. Envy. We had a new group of Russians here, but they have returned home already. Another group arrives tomorrow. This is temporarily assigned as their temple.

Gathering my strength, I did an endowment session on Saturday afternoon. Susan was the woman whose name I took through. I had researched her, so she was special to me, and I had been given a special witness that she had accepted the baptism and initiatory previously done. There were only six participants in the session, so I stood in the prayer circle, knowing my name was on the prayer roll. Strange feeling. 

To my surprise, Dennis brought me through the veil at the end of the session! It was a sweet experience, being the first time since our wedding day forty-four plus years ago. We were both a bit teary-eyed, and I'm sure Susan was too.

We went to church on Sunday, I was still a little bit wobbly. A couple from the Philippines gave inspiring talks. The Elders assigned to our ward played a violin/piano duet--A Child's Prayer. Very well done. In this photo, we are with Elder and Sister Poon, serving here from the States.

German pancake is always  
comfort food.

We awoke to the news of the attempted assassination of former Pres. Trump. Having an ocean separating us from our homeland doesn't relieve the worry, or lessen our love for our country. We are sorry that two people had to lose their lives in this horrible incident. May the love of Christ fill all our hearts--and as Dennis reminds us at the beginning of each Sunday School lesson he teaches--Christ is always the answer.