Kris Begins Again (update from Carol)

Dearest Friends and Loved Ones!

This past week has been a very emotional one for all of us.  We knew going in that Kris's surgery would likely set her back a bit.  It did.  She slept a great deal more than she had been and seemed overall to be weaker and more despondent than she had.  I prayed each morning on my way to the rehab center that she would be more awake and alert each day, but it just didn't seem to happen... until today!!!

Today (Sunday, September 19th), Kris seemed to be more herself again than she has since her cranioplasty which was performed on 9/7.  I go in to get her ready for the day on Sunday’s, then we go to church.  Russell, Joshua and Andrea arrived for their Sunday visit just before I left, and Kris was already up in her wheelchair, dressed and bright-eyed! 

Thank God for His handling through all of this.  He must have known I needed a lift in my spirits.  The week was draining and, yet, I kept telling myself that she simply needed to heal again, and she needed lots of rest to do that.  I missed her chuckling at funny things we did or said to her, and I missed being able to do so much more with her.  Today, praise the Lord, her little funny bone was back and her pleasant personality seemed in tact again. 

She will go for another CT scan on Tuesday this week, then back down to Brooke Army Medical Center on Thursday to have the staples removed.  She doesn't have to wear the white helmet anymore.  We're thinking of having it signed by the staff here at the rehab center and keeping it for a souvenir!!!  All in all, I have seen some changes in her already since the surgery.  Her arms seem to be stronger and her hands are much better.  We're still working on having her hold her head up straight and, of course, another swallow study is being discussed for perhaps next week.  I long to be able to give her real food and we make it a point never to eat in front of her. 

But the months ahead will likely be long and very tedious for Kris.  Whenever I find myself feeling down, I simply remind myself of how much effort and energy it takes for her to do the simplest of things.  Getting up out of bed, for instance, requires standing her up very slowly and carefully, and giving her lots of time to inch her little feet around then place her in the wheelchair or even in a regular chair.  She is doing very well holding herself upright now but she cannot be alone in a regular chair without constant supervision.  She still cannot speak and doesn't have enough strength in her hands or fingers yet to even push the call button if she needs something.  That's a big concern!  They have given her a very sensitive one, though, and we're working on getting her fingers to cooperate with pushing it.  Answering the call light, however, would require asking her all sorts of questions to discern what she needs.  Being able to speak is another prayer.

Again, we thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  It's what's keeping us going, for sure.  I am constantly leaning on God's Word and His love to sustain me and I praise Him for all the wonderful people who email, send cards or call us to let us know they are still praying for Kris.  As someone said recently, “Kris isn't giving up; she's reloading!!!!!”

Blessings and much love,

Carol and George