Kris Update: Another comeback!

To all our dear friends and loved ones!

It’s been a number of weeks now and, after many inquiries as to how Kris is doing, I can finally say she is coming back again!  It has been quite a strain, quite a long haul, and quite a quandary as to what to do next, but this gal is a fighter... no doubt about it!  Let me explain.

First, the matter of where she was going to be staying came into play: here in San Antonio at RIOSA or discharged to the place 50 or so miles north of here known as CORE (the Center Of Rehabilitation Excellence).  It took lots of phone calls, lots of cajoling with folks who were ready to discharge her by mid April, and lots of prayers.  My contention was that she needed another chance to pull out of her depression.  Essentially, she needed to have folks there every day pulling for her, rooting for her, making sure she was where she needed to be, and keep reminding her she needs to work very hard.  This is so important because, no matter how many people are there helping and working with her, she still must do it herself.  She must WANT to get better!

Given the fact that change doesn’t come easy to a TBI patient, given the fact that we have launched into a tremendous amount of doctor visits for Kris for various procedures and some important female exams (which haven’t been done for well over a year or so), and given the fact that her case manager with the Air Force is a dynamic advocate with just about everyone on Kris’s behalf, Kris will be staying at RIOSA and will be given that “second chance” we’ve been hoping and praying for.  Someone has listened!  Even her case psychologist at RIOSA agrees she can have another start and be given some newly designed therapy programs with some innovative therapy procedures.  Yes, things will change somewhat BUT... she won’t have to move, she has made lots of friends at RIOSA and folks want to help!  It is truly a huge weight off our shoulders and an amazing prayer answered.  And, just this afternoon, the head man at RIOSA (the CEO) shook my hand and said everything is worked out; Kris can stay here!  Hallelujah!

As for those doctor visits and procedures: Kris has received one set of Botox injections in her neck and will receive another treatment on Tuesday this coming week.  They are helping already although the results will be slow in coming.  Beyond that, we have learned it may be necessary for her to see an endocrinologist and return to her neurosurgeon for a simple procedure to test her pituitary gland.  The neurologist at RIOSA is concerned about some things that may be caused by something there.  Your prayers for that, when it is scheduled, will be greatly appreciated.  Beyond all that, then, Kris has been having pharyngeal spasms in her throat for some time, which cause her great discomfort and choking.  It is hoped that the Botox injections will help with that problem but an ENT appointment has been scheduled also to see if there are other related difficulties.  All of the doctor visits and procedural appointments take a toll on Kris, since she must be taken to and from each one in a wheelchair transport van.  That takes arrangements, timing, and lots of patience waiting for the transport to return to pick us up.  Pray for that situation; my patience wears a little thin, I’m afraid, because each visit is on one of two military bases.

Her swallowing has come a long way and I’ve been charting how much yogurt, pudding and pureed food I’ve been able to feed her by the half teaspoon.  She’s made it to 11 teaspoons of yogurt one evening, but the neck spasms create difficulty then, too.  BUT... her swallowing is much improved, so praise the Lord for that.  All of it is a step in the right direction.  Also, another really good thing is that one of the speech therapists now working with Kris is dynamic in neck and throat, facial muscular massage and speech technique.  Kris is responding to her wonderfully!!!  A bit of a scare last weekend: a nursing tech accidentally pulled out Kris’s feeding tube and an ambulance ride to the ER at BAMC was necessary.  Kris has a new tube and seems to have weathered that storm without a problem!  God is good!

Now, as far as George and I are concerned, we have “weathered the storm,” as well.  If you check our website (www.carolkline.net), you will see that we have cancelled our shows in Arizona for now (they were very understanding) as well as the two shows in Branson (they were very kind, too).  But we have kept a commitment to go to Crossville, Tennessee to do an Airstream rally there the last weekend of May.  It’s a very important engagement and I have explained all this to Kris.  We’ll be gone a little over a week, but it’s going to be difficult to leave even for that amount of time.  Her husband will pick up the slack while we’re away and I’m sure she’ll be fine.  When we return, we will be staying until late October at least.  In that time, our prayers are that Kris will be doing even better, possibly even talking!  What a joy that will be and what another prayer answered! 

More good news: son John and his wife will be visiting us for a few days next week, so that will give Kris another boost, no doubt.  We’re really looking forward to their visit, too.  Oh, yes... speaking of visits... dear friends from PA changed their travel plans last week and came to see us (instead of going to Maine, would you believe!) because they thought we could use some company.  They pull a 5th-wheel and parked in a site right next to us.  What a special treat; thanks Terry and Carol!

So that’s it for this time.  Kris’s kiddies continue to visit on weekends, although her son, Joshua, has entered into the working man’s world now: he has a summer job!  But he’ll be in to see her no doubt as often as he can. 

We are truly blessed and lifted spiritually now that we can draw an easy breath and Kris is really trying hard again.  Her sweet smile every morning when I enter her room is my gift; she blesses me so.  I snapped the attached photo on April 20 when the beloved therapy dog, Macie, came to visit Kris.  It was a real “nosie” visit, and the two of them “bonded.”  Macie looks for Kris now all the time!

Thank you for your many prayers and emails and cards.  And, for those of you who have asked, her address is still: 

Maj Kristine Ratliff

Health South RIOSA, Room 102,

9119 Cinnamon Hill

San Antonio, TX 78240

Any mail to us should go to our Florida address:

4312 Riply Drive

Sebring, FL 33870

A mail forwarding service takes care of that for us.

Blessings to you all and I will try to do better with the updates.  Truly, I didn’t know what to write for so long and my heart just wasn’t in it.  It is now!  And we have all you wonderful prayer warriors to thank for what you do. 

Blessings and love,

Carol and George