Update: Kris’s pre-op excursion

[I received this update tonight and I am so excited that it came with pictures!!  Thanks Carol and George!  We continue to pray and rejoice with you.]

Dear loved ones, friends, and/or prayer warriors!

If I could give Kris a medal for today, it would be a big gold one for "Courage!"  She was amazing (and I know we've used that word a lot lately) today and definitely quite a little trooper.  Her day started around 6 a.m. and we (Dad and I) arrived at the rehab center at 6:30 a.m. to go down to San Antonio with her in the wheelchair van.  The night nurse had already given her the morning meds and her first tube feeding, and the nurse techs (bless them!) had her dressed and ready to go.  The wheelchair van was a little late but we made it to Brooke Army Medical Center slightly before 9 a.m. (our designated time of arrival).  We went directly to the neuro clinic, met with the gentleman who coordinates Dr. Teff's surgeries, etc., then met with Dr. Teff.  

It was a distinct pleasure to finally meet the man who saved our daughter's life on April 21st, to shake his hand and say "thank you" with absolutely all of my heart!  He was extremely nice and took great pains to explain everything that will happen when he replaces Kris's cranial cap next Tuesday.  As a matter of fact, he showed us a mold replicating her entire upper skull and head, and the implant sample (not the real implant!) that will be used. The mold was made based on the CT-scan that was taken early in August, and it is absolutely amazing.  It even shows where the small bone fragment is missing around Kris's right eye socket.  It shows all the tiny little bones deep inside the head itself.  You will see two attached photos showing the skull mold and sample, and one photo showing Dr. Teff explaining everything about it to Kris.  Her husband, Russ, and I are also in the photo; George took the picture.

After Dr. Teff answered all our questions and truly put us at ease with everything that will happen, he agreed with us that Kris will likely progress very quickly after the surgery.  But he did say they are always so extremely cautious about the possibility of infection.  Everything must be completely clean and very sterile and, of course, she will have to have her head shaved again.  He also added that we must pray there is no infection.  Yes... that's the key!  Pray!  This is the biggie!!!  Kris understands everything that is ahead of her, I've no doubt.  Amazingly enough, she will only be in the hospital one or two nights, then she will return to the Texas Neuro Rehab Center to continue her therapy.  Just as amazing, we will be able to stay at the hospital with her while she's there, for which I will be eternally grateful!

That was all accomplished by 10:30 a.m. and our pre-op/pre-admission appointment was set for 10:45.  Unfortunately, there was the snag.  It took until 12 noon to see the first one, then we went on from there to another, then another, and ended with labs by 2:30 p.m.  Whew!  Back in the wheelchair van, we headed back to Austin and the rehab center.  Bless her heart, she never flinched, never fussed, and was asleep as soon as she was in her bed with her 4 p.m. tube feeding.  Normally, Dad and I go for supper and then go back, but the angel on duty (her name is Kayleen) these past few nights pretty much said, "You know we're here.  Why don't you take some time for yourselves and get some rest."  For whatever reason, the flood gates opened and she put her arm around me and prayed with me.  What a marvelous feeling!  Talk about angels being with us...

Well, I'll call nurse Kay pretty soon to check up on Kris and, yes, we did get supper and come back to the RV.  George downloaded the pictures and I'm now doing my update, which I probably wouldn't have been able to do tonight if we hadn't come home early!  So there you have it... Kris's little pre-op excursion and the latest update.  As always, friends that came to see her: Col. Payne and Major Dion, both case managers of whom I spoke last time, Kris's friend, Sabrina, and several others.  When you think of Kris in her wheelchair, unable to speak yet having so much emotion shared just through facial expressions, imagine the courage to see and be around folks and with crowds of people and know that you can't even say "hello" or "thank you."  Yet everyone knows her enough to know all of that is within her and it will come out again one of these days.  I pray with all my heart the surgery will help her along the rest of her road to full recovery.  You can't imagine how she pushes through every therapy session, and how she straightens her body right up when you help her from a chair or the bed.  She knows what has to be done, and she's doing it... quietly, willfully, and courageously. 

Thank God again and again for all your prayers.  We've just added quite a few more names to the update list and that means all that many more prayers.  Hooray!  And hooray for Kris... she's at quite a milestone, and God has sent many miracles and many angels so far.  I know He won't let her down now.

Blessings and love,

Carol and George