EVER since my return to my home in Santiago, Chile, S. A., five months ago, healed and well through the teachings of Christian Science, I have intended to write my story and send it to the Journal or Sentinel, both of which are the greatest help and comfort to me. Indeed, I have made two efforts, but feared the account would take too much space in the publication. Now I have resolved to put it in as concise form as possible and start it on its long journey by to-morrow's steamer, four weeks to New York via Panama.
A little over a year ago I was taken with typhoid fever, and before that was quite over, a tumor made its appearance in my right side, in the same place where, nineteen years before, I had had a cystic tumor, which was relieved by drawing off the water, so that I could attend to my home and social duties. During those years I went out, and painted many pictures, the largest of which is twelve by fifteen feet. I mention this to prove that I am not one to give up to imaginary suffering, my energy has always been equal to my strength. But now the growth in my side had assumed terrible proportions and was so painful that the doctor and surgeons could not make an examination until they put me under the influence of chloroform, which is used in this country much more than in the United States. My husband had employed the three most eminent surgeons in Santiago. They had studied in Germany and France whence they return every two or three years to study up in their line. They promised me a radical cure if I would undergo an operation. After the operation, I remained in bed ten weeks. I got up with a longing desire to assume my old place; but oh, what a wreck! In three weeks the sac having filled up, had to be opened again. This continued, filling and opening, until the physician came, as a friend, and advised me to go to America. He said I might find help there but he knew there was nothing more that the surgeons here could do, and as I was growing weaker every day, he advised me to go as soon as possible. My husband's business was in such a state that he could not go, but our son was of an age to enter the University of California, so we went there. My husband was almost heart-broken when he left us on the steamer. I now know it was because he thought he would never see me alive again, and he was sending me to the United States as a last hope to enter a sanitarium to have another operation, for we had never heard of Christian Science except in a few words of criticism in the magazines.
I took with me a large bundle of cotton, many bandages, a bottle of cocaine, a lancet, and many rolls of medicated linen, which were all needed, as I had to make the incision twice on the long six weeks' voyage to San Francisco. My son was guickly installed a freshman in the University of California, but he did not enjoy his work because he was so pre-occupied about me. I then saw a physician who took my case in charge, and made all arrangements for me in a sanitarium in San Francisco. He did not want to believe my story about being my own surgeon on the voyage and twice after my arrival, but he was convinced afterwards, for in his absence, the sore filled again, and as at such times the pain was so great I could not endure it more than two days after it was full, I made another incision. He returned a few hours later and was surprised and angry, and said blood-poisoning would set in, etc., that I must go over to the sanitarium early in the morning in a carriage, that he had my room ready and had secured two of the best operators in the city for me. I replied that as I now had relief for at least two or three weeks, I would not have the operation until it was filled again. The doctor was very much vexed with me, but finally consented to telephone for a postponement.
