Kris update (as promised)

Dear friends and loved ones!

Our trip to Tennessee was a tremendous uplift for us. We met so many fantastic people and made some "all-new long-time" friends! We were truly blessed that our shows went extremely well for not having had time to practice very much, and the folks at the Airstream rally truly seemed to enjoy each presentation (especially the Sunday morning gospel service. Their hospitality was very warm, and the gentleman who hosted/booked us... well, it seemed that he couldn’t do enough. We are simply beyond words to properly express our gratitude! Needless to say, hundreds more have been added to the list of prayer warriors praying for Kris, and that in itself humbled and blessed us all the more!

It will be one week tomorrow (Thursday) that we arrived safe and sound back in San Antonio. Of course, we ended up getting here right at rush hour last week (Murphy’s law), but we managed to pull in the RV park in a decent amount of time! Once we were set up, we scurried right over to RIOSA to see that Kris was tucked in, and that she was doing okay. She was! Matter of fact, she was really happy to see us. Her smile said it all! (Have I told you about her sweet smile?)

The next morning (Friday), I went in to spend the day with Kris as usual and George took the motor home to have it serviced. That turned out to be a good deal more than we anticipated, but it was pretty obvious an angel was watching over us as we traveled. Beyond that, it is good to be home and we are now enjoying a visit from Kris’s sister, Diana. We managed to keep that as a real surprise; Diana flew in last Saturday and will stay for two weeks. Woo hoo! It’s been wonderful having her here to help and be another voice of support for Kris each day. The attached photo was taken as Kris and Diana enjoyed playing on Kris’s new I-pad (something that should really help Kris to better communicate her wants and needs). The speech therapist working with Kris has one and the idea seemed like a good one. Russell bought one and there are now quite a few programs downloaded which should help as she continues to work toward speaking again.

Today was especially exciting: Kris went to BAMC for the first of what will likely be quite a few interviews and evaluations over the next six months or more. These meetings will launch Kris’s medical review board, the process by which she will eventually receive her medical retirement from the Air Force. I was permitted to be with her during the meeting in order to facilitate her communication with the three doctors (all female) who were present. Without the slightest prejudice on my part, Kris “wowed” ‘em and they seem to truly enjoy her positive presence, her humor and her ability to answer questions herself with “yes” and “no” head shake response. She managed to sing one note when asked if she was able to use her voice, and she used her right hand to shake each doctors’ hand when we were initially introduced and when we left. You may recall that her right hand was terribly atrophied when we returned here April 8th, but she is actually forcing the use of it herself. That speaks volumes!!!

She will go back for more interviews in July, and she returns to the oral surgeon (who has been doing the Botox injections) next Wednesday. Beyond that, Kris has an ENT appointment, and two consults are pending to work on other areas of physical needs. A little bit of corrective plastic surgery is also pending. Her summer is really cut out for her, it seems. Our biggest need is to find some better transportation arrangements going to all these appointments. It has become a real source of frustration and really wears Kris down because of all the waiting and uncertainty of when we will be picked up to return to RIOSA. Pray for that situation, please!

Well, dear ones, Texas is hot and dry. One of these days, it will rain, I’m certain. In the meantime, we miss the green! Tennessee was beautiful because of the rain they have received, but we traveled through areas that were devastated by the recent tornadoes and heavy storms in Alabama and Arkansas.

Blessings to you all and we will continue to keep you in our prayers as you pray for Kris, her family, George and I, and our family as well. We’ll keep the updates coming! I get excited just typing them!!!

Carol and George

[Singing praises here to God for the progress Kris is making.]