Kris update from Carol

A Long, Cold Winter

Dear friends and loved ones,

It has been a while since my last update, and folks have been asking about Kris.  First, let me say it has been an extremely difficult few weeks since our daughter, Diana, and I flew out to San Antonio to spend a week with her.  Kris’s spirit when we were there was wonderful: upbeat, working very hard, and trying... always trying hard.  Her humor was fully in tact and she was answering questions with “yes” and “no” nods quite readily.  She was working in a workbook in Speech Therapy and answered multiple choice questions by pointing to the correct answers after reading the question herself.  Wow!  I was so proud! 

We are still so very proud of her and always will be.  Her courage, her will and her drive to push forward astounds me every day.  However, while the reports of her progress have been good for the most part since we were there, she seems to be a bit weary lately and that could be for many reasons.  Her case worker at RIOSA explained to me just today that traumatic brain injured patients will go through periods of not accepting change easily and becoming complacent in a way. 

Change came to Kris this week in the form of being placed in a new mode of care at the facility.  She will be given more therapy directed toward teaching her how to re-enter community and home living (from learning how to dress herself to using a microwave oven).  She will have all new therapists and actually have longer work sessions than before.  Quite a bit of change in one fell swoop! 

This new program started just yesterday, and no doubt she will be exhausted for a while until she is more acclimated to the care and the new program.  While we are excited that Kris has progressed this far and has been able to move up into what is called the TLP (I don’t remember what it stands for!), I hear from different ones that she is just really very tired. 

I make a daily phone call to Kris and either Russell or one of the nurses puts the phone to her ear.  It is an encouragement to her, I believe, and it is certainly an encouragement to me!  During these few minutes each day, both George and I talk TO her (she still cannot speak) and we hear her laugh or hum or even try to talk.  It’s our time to give her as much encouragement as we can, and try very hard to let her know she is loved and prayed for and that she is constantly in our thoughts.  George actually sang to her the other day as we were practicing (an old Jim Reeves song, “Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer To the Phone”), and she laughed and hummed, and seemed to really get a kick out it.  I know we enjoyed hearing her laughter! 

Of course, you know what I’m going to say next: please continue to keep her in your prayers.  And keep us in them as well.  We have started to fulfill the show and concert commitments here in Florida, and they are going quite well in spite of not performing for so long.  We are hoping beyond hope, however, to return to Texas by mid April and to be able to book some performances out there as well.  I will fly out again on March 1st to stay for another week with Kris because April is just too far away! 

There is so much to do here in Sebring before we can go back and stay again, but I believe with all my heart God will make a way.  I believe with all my heart, too, that she needs us close by and, even with her family there, she progressed and worked harder with the daily encouragement of our presence.  Many have said that our place is with Kris and I fully agree! 

Your prayers are still so deeply appreciated.  They continue to be our support, and they have surely lifted Kris up many times.

Blessings and love,

Carol and George

Rejoicing with the Klines’

Received this brief email from Carol and George:

“This will be a special photo to special people (prayer warriors)!  It's a photo I snapped with my cell phone last Sunday when Dad, Kris and I were spending quality time in one of the small lounge areas.  She wanted to sit on the sofa with Dad; it was just too good to pass up.  It's so very special to see that little smile and I just wanted to share it with you.

Just getting ready to go to the rehab center to start the day.  Thanks so very much for your prayers... it's what's keeping us all going!!!

We will be moving to San Antonio on Monday!  Don't know how the military got this pushed through so fast.

Blessings and Love,

Carol and George”

“I was wrong!” (Kris update)

[I just received the following email from Carol and George Kline, Kris’s parents.  I just have to say that we are rejoicing with them and we are also rejoicing at the understanding of Kris’s situation that God has given Carol and George.  I have an idea in mind, so please pray that it’s God’s will and I will post details at a later date.]

Dear ones!

It is with great joy and tremendous excitement that I fully admit I was wrong!  I believe I mentioned at some point that Kris hasn't been using her right eye and we were really afraid she may never have use of it again.  Well, scratch that!  I was wrong!  Two or three days ago, she actually started opening her right eye more, and just two days ago, she really started to focus with BOTH eyes.  Her right eye is now straight again (it was sort of off to the right side) and she is looking straight at us, and the eye is dilating: she is focusing!!!

AND... (are you ready for this?), she is focusing on things and people and surroundings and watching what's happening around her.  She is listening!  Her younger sister, Stephanie, and her husband, John, came for a visit last week.  When they first came in to see Kris last Thursday morning, we took her into the day room and Steph sat down next to her to give Kris the good news: Stephanie is expecting her first child!!!  (This is REALLY big news in the family because Stephanie is 38 years old and really felt she could not have children!)  Kris seemed to understand everything Stephanie was telling her and there was understanding in her face.  I mean, praise God, you can just tell when someone is LISTENING, right?  Krissie was listening!!

AND... as if that isn't enough, she is responding to everything we say.  Now, the WAY she is responding is a little hard to explain.  She does it by using her left foot!!!  For instance, her hubby came in last Friday morning and was talking to her quite a bit.  Kris was looking at him and watching him.  He was sitting on the left side of her bed and he told her to put her left foot up on his shoulder.  She did!  She did it three times after he asked her to do it!  About then, the doctor came by to check on Kris and Russ showed him what she was doing.  He was so blown away, he admitted, and was excited for her.  I also told the doctor I've been giving Kris tiny ice chips and getting her to swallow, and he said she may now ready for a swallowing test.  If she does okay with that, they will eventually start weaning her from the feeding tube.  That may be weeks down the road but, again, it's a start.  Soft, pureed foods, puddings, etc.: I'm sure she will love that. 

Unfortunately, her arms are not moving very much at all and they seem awfully weak, so therapy will likely work more with her arms next.  And she doesn't speak, so speech therapy will soon get more aggressive I'm sure.  They see her only once a week now because they have been waiting for her to become more aware and to swallow without choking.  Swallowing is the key, so we'll continue working with the spoon and the ice chips.  She is still not fully out of the coma yet, believe it or not.  The doctor said they will know; there truly is a way they will know when she is.  Suffice to say, the human body is an absolutely amazing thing and God has made us to function and heal and re-start within our own capabilities in so many glorious ways.  I am so often blown away myself by the patients here who have come so far.  Kris is going to be one of the miracles, I just know it.

I must tell you, with all of these little miracles with Kris, and now Stephanie becoming a mom, we have yet another one to share:  Son John, who came through the chemo and radiation therapy for melanoma, has now been declared cancer free!!!  The most recent tests show there are no more cancer cells and he has even gone back to work, albeit, taking it very slowly.  He is an electrician at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, and they have been wonderful and caring through his ordeal.  We are so thankful for all those who have been praying for John, too!  These are definitely works of grace!!!

So, dear ones, today it is sunny and very hot in Austin, and an extremely wonderful day!!!  I came home from the facility a while ago to make Sunday dinner (home cooked meals are rare right now!) and George and I will go back in with Kris for the evening.  It is a joy to watch her watching us and listening.  I held up two flash cards to her this morning: one said "Yes" and the other said "No."  It was a test!!!  I asked her to point with her left foot if she was ready to go back to her room and get back into bed.  I asked if she was getting tired and told her to point with her left foot if her answer was "yes" or "no."  She pointed to yes!  Just to be certain, I switched the cards around and asked her again.  She pointed to "yes" again.  Can't fool her!!! 

As I said earlier, the human body is magnificently and wonderfully made.  We don't know why this happened to Kris, but we do know there have been many wonderful things happen already to her and to us, and to others who read her story.  Answers to prayers.  We are seeing all these things happen and knowing God is more in control than we ever realized.  We are so truly blessed to be in His care!!!  Keep the prayers coming folks.  It means so much!!!

Blessings and love,

Carol and George

Kris Update 2

Don and I met Carol and George Kline late August, 2008 in Branson, MO.  Here’s a picture of Carol singing at the KOA.

We are very grateful to Carol and George for keeping us updated on Kris’s progress.  We received the following email this morning:

Dear ones,

As of yesterday afternoon (Friday), Kris is still doing well.  The trach is working much better than all the tubes and "stuff" down her throat, and the PEG tube is working nicely for feeding.  She has a slight sinus infection, which is to be expected they said, and she's being given an antibiotic for that.  Lack of mobility sometimes makes slight colds and infections happen.  A CT scan that was taken late Thursday showed no change.  The captain/nurse in charge of her yesterday said that's not a bad thing; there's no improvement but there's no decline either.  She may be just resting comfortably and the healing process is ongoing.   

Prayers are still the best thing.  The surgical team and other care team members are thinking of moving her to a private room now where they can begin to give her therapy to keep her muscles strong, etc.  She is not moving as much as she was, it seems, but that could be because she's resting comfortably.  She remains in a coma, which will really help the healing process in the long haul.  And they still maintain it will be a long haul. 

Did I say prayers are still the best thing?  They certainly are.  I am humbled and encouraged tremendously by the outpouring of love and many, many prayers.  They are strengthening me and I know God is uplifting Kris through them as well.  She would be so moved and humbled, too, to know so many people care and are praying for her.  She is so kind and giving, and cares deeply about her family and her work.  I will continue to keep you updated.  Doing so is a great help to me, believe it or not. 

Blessings and love to all,

Carol and George