Hospitalizion: "If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger."

The following e-mail was received today:

There´s not a better way to celebrate your one year mark than in the hospital! I´m sure you all know the scare I had earlier this week. I got a thing called pneumothorax [A.K.A. collapsed lung]. It´s when you have a small hole in your lung where air escapes. This makes your lung unglue from your chest and can be very dangerous--as in my case it was. They had to put a tube in me and keep me in the hospital for a few days. Luckily everything worked out and now I´m just resting for a little bit. Soon enough I´ll be able to continue the work. For sure it was one of the biggest scares I went through in my life. Going through surgery out here without anyone I know. One of the Elders was with me, who really helped me out a bunch. But there is nothing like family. I had to really rely on the Lord--there was no other way. I felt that I really grew closer to the Lord from this. Although it sucked. "If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger"...it´s true. 

This week I´ll be staying here at the mission home until I'm good enough to go back to my area. 

 Elder Castagno suffered through the process without anesthesia.

Feeling much better. His dad & step mom flew in to lend support during recovery.

Until then,
Elder Castagno