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Fr. Patricio de los Reyes, SVD

Photo courtesy SVD Botswana

Patricio safe to fly to South Africa

23 novembre 2005

Dear Confreres,

Greetings from Botswana.

Well, there is a marked difference in the health of Fr. Patricio! Thanks be to God and all your continous prayers for him. This morning when we visited him, he was in pain all over his body and just wanted to rest. He could not have a good sleep last night because of the pain as the sedation was reduced to the minimum. We noticed it and so we let him rest.

In the afternoon and evening when we visited him he was different. The tube from the nose was removed and all other tubes and he eats normally. He was relaxed and began to speak leisurely and in a very relaxed way. He said that the tubes irritated him and caused him pain and uneasiness. He said that he is fully conscious and feels the pain of the surgury, in his head and pain in the whole body. This he said is a good sign. He recalled everything and said he felt very much supported by Fr. Paul and Bro. Charles and the seminarian Mark when they were by his side at the moment of the attack and when he was bleeding and immediately accompanied him to the Francistown hospital. I told him that the Neurosurgeon, Dr. Katumba was happy that he spoke till he was brought at the operation theatre on the morning of Saturday, he was attacked. Again the neuro surgeon said this was a sign of great hope for recovery. Fr. Patricio said yes it was Fr. Paul who was encouraging me to speak and speak and not to go to sleep as he felt very weak after the loss of blood. Fr. Patricio says he has a little feeling on the right hand and is unable to co-ordinate it well. The doctor and nurses adviced him to exercise. With physio-theraphy the doctor says this can be remedied. He himself said he would love to walk. He thanks and appreciates each and everyone of you for your continuous prayers and says he owes his health because of your precious prayers and God tremendous love for him.

Well, the doctor is very happy with the recovery of Fr.Patricio. He also said that now it is safe to fly Fr. Patricio to the Garden City, Hospital in South Africa as there are better facilities there. The Dr. Katumba who operated on him adviced this hospital as he has some doctors, aquiantances there. He too plans to visit Fr.Patricio when he goes there. So we have decided to fly Fr. Patricio to South Africa tommorrow . Fr. Tadeusz Grenda will be accompaning him tommorrow. Our confreres in South Africa and those in the Botswana Province will be taking turns to be with Fr. Patricio in South Africa. Fr. Joseph Ruma, the Procurator is organizing the flight by Med Rescue team tomorrow the 24 th of November 2005.

We thank all our confreres and friends who sent us emails showing their special concern and special encouragement at this timely moment. God bles you all.

We thank God for His Healing Touch and let us continue to pray for the complete recovery of our brother Fr. Patricio.

Yours Fraternally,
Tony Rebello svd