September 29
Seems like just yesterday I was waking up to the sound of my dads voice as he was trying to explain to me that I had been in an accident and I was in the hospital.
17 weeks ago – my life was interrupted. I had plans, really great plans, for the summer, but God had other things in mind for me. He put me on a timeout. And let me tell you, nobody likes to be put on a timeout.
I’ve spent 17 weeks trying to figure it all out, asking questions like, Why me? And why now?
Selfish really, but asking those questions over and over again led me to where I am now – at peace – hopeful of whats to come.
I know there were many people following this blog so I thought I’d give you a quick update for those of you who haven’t seen me.
After I was released from home health in late July, I began outpatient physical therapy. I’ve been in therapy three times a week ever since. We’ve worked to break through my partially frozen shoulder, and are continuing to work on building my strength in my right arm. I continue to have some dizziness, what my physical therapist has diagnosed as positional vertigo. Interesting fact: you have crystals in your ears! Who knew? So, my crystals are all over the place which is causing my dizziness. Once a week, my therapist does some exercises with me to try and knock them back into place. We’ve seen some improvement over the last two months – enough for me to start driving again (which is really all that matters)!!! I continue to have a lot of back pain. We’ve determined that my ribs are taking a really long time to heal which is most likely the cause of my pain. I’ve gone for trigger point injections to try and get some relief. I saw my spine surgeon last week and he’s really happy with how the hardware looks. In time, my ribs will heal and I should have no more pain. Until then, I will continue taking my pain meds, going to therapy, doing trigger point injections, and making a visit every once in awhile to see the doctor and make sure things are healing well.
I’ve come so far, and one thing I know is that I couldn’t have done it alone. From the very second word spread about the accident, until now, you and many others have continued praying for my family and I. If you were left wondering whether or not God heard you – I can assure you, he did. It hasn’t, by any means, been an easy journey for my family and I, but God has blessed us with a peace, really beyond understanding. And how comforting it was to know that daily, we were being covered in prayer. Many of you have written me during these past four months. I can’t even begin to describe to you how encouraging it has been to read your messages. My mom spent every night in the hospital with me. Yes, I know. I couldn’t ask for a better mom. And just about every night she helped me read the messages on the blog – and helped me open a few cards. I looked forward to that time every day! Most days I found myself feeling somewhat hopeless by the end of the day – unsure of whether or not I could handle another day, but that would all turn around when I would read your words of encouragement. It would put things in perspective once again and would assure me that with God at my side, I could get through another day. I wish there was more I could say or do to thank you – to thank you for praying for me – to thank you for writing me – to thank you for taking care of my family – to thank you for visiting me – to thank you for sending care packages & meals – to thank you for cutting our grass time and time again – to thank you for the many hours you spent washing and cutting my hair, while I was laying in a hospital bed — KelliMitchell&JordanCarroll. Like I said, I couldn’t have gotten through this on my own. I’ve had more love & support I could ever ask for. I am truly blessed.
Although I may not have it all figured out, there’s definitely a few things I’ve learned along the way.
So, I thought I’d leave you with this…
Many of us ask the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Time and time again, I asked myself the question, “Why?” “Why me?” “Why now?” In a book I’m reading, the author writes, “There ARE answers to these questions, but we simply won’t know all of the reasons behind our suffering on this side of eternity. One thing that we can say with confidence is that God often uses horrific events for a greater purpose.”
I know, without a doubt, God did not desire to see me get in a horrific accident, but he has used it and I know he will continue to use it for his glory. I don’t know the reasons for pain and suffering, but what I do know is that God is good. HIS love is not only unfailing—it redeems & restores. HIS truth cuts to the core of our struggles, bringing purpose to our pain & hope for our future. Our God is good.
Grace & Peace
Kristin
July 12 10:55 pm
Just getting ready to close down for the night, everyone is tired but it is definately a good tired tonite. The last four days have really been good, the doctor changed some meds on Friday and the nausea has been under control, the blood cultures came back neg on Sunday nite and infectious disease cleared her today, so at 5:30 the pic line was pulled and she is free from everything!!!!
The day was really long for her, with the doctor appointment in Crestwood and a visit to Hickory Hills to have the brace re-adjusted again to see if they could make it a little more comfortable, everytime it is adjusted it just keeps getting smaller. There isnt too much more they can do to it, the surgical wound site and the chest tube sites are still trying to heal and the scapula is just painful. She was able to be up all day yesterday and today she was up and in the car a good part of the day, so Thursday is the last physical therapy home appt and the therapist has all intentions of releasing her and starting with outpatient therapy next week. Usually outpatient plans for 12 weeks and goes from there. The length of the appts and increased workout scares her because of the pain she gets with the scapula moving, but the therapist she will be working with is terrific and Kris will just have to see what magic ideas he has for comfort.
The weekend was spent visiting with some of our family and sharing her awesome progress, it was the first time they were able to see her up and walking in five and a half weeks.
God is always good and very faithful! We continue to be thankful for the many answered prayers, continued healing and increased strength everyday.
Please continue to write her notes, she is encouraged by them and so thankful for everyone’s love and concern for her, she reads all of them and is starting to draft her blog.
July 7 4:00pm
Did we already say it is good to be home? Never pray for patience because you always get into a situation that teaches you to be and you don’t have a choice. Well thats how I feel, I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for Kristin when I am so frustrated with the slow progress! We have been so spoiled with rapid amazing healing that this week home has been a rude awaking. It has been ups and downs all week with pain meds not giving enough relief for her to get up and able to function to getting pain relief and now vomiting because of all the meds to getting enough meds that she can’t stay awake to function. She gets up with the best intentions and the day will take a turn. Life threatening no, frustrating yes!
The home health nurse Vicki is wonderful and is trying to juggle ideas with us, PT is great talking to her but doesn’t want to use up our insurance allowed visits when she is too weak to do anything for her. The brace is still a problem causing pressure on the surgical sites so not very comfortable when up. Her lung is not very strong and has limited sounds still which she is working hard to expand.
She is a wonderful patient her caregiver on the other hand could use some patience training.
Overall she is moving forward, mornings are not her favorite time and it is noon before she is ready to get going and then it is nap time, so evenings are so exciting cause she will eat and go for a walk with mike and watch a movie and then you see the progress being made.
I don’t think I want to ask for prayers for patience but for quick healing of the scapula would definitely be appreciated.
As always God is good and all in His timing not ours is perfect! He continues to make us trust in him and we can look back and see Why it needed to be this way or by faith we just learn to trust blindly and know it is for our good.
Kristin doesn’t want us to stop writing she wants to write her own blog to you very soon! So please continue to pray and every comment is appreciated and read to her during the quiet cherished times.
July 3rd, 2011
Starting into the second full day that Kristin is home and over all, things are going well. Trying to establish a medication/activity schedule is a bit of a challenge but we are getting there. Mornings are definitely more of an issue for Kris. She seems to have more pain at this time and is somewhat nauseous. This is the last day that we have to infuse IV antibiotics and are hoping that this will help decrease the nausea she experiences during the infusion. She has more blood cultures drawn on Thursday, please pray they are negative!
Last evening Kristin took regular strength tylenol in place of one of the narcotic pain meds which allowed her to be awake long enough to watch a movie with mom and dad. Ok maybe just with mom, anyone who knows me understands that tv acts as a sedative for me. One way for me to catch up on sleep. Only problem is that I get a second wind and expect everyone else to jump into high gear with me. Kristin was quite cooperative with doing laps through the house at 10PM. We moved from there to the outside. She walked to the corner and back came into the house where the long-awaited mother nature called. Not sure it was the activity or fear of what the RN had planned to do in the morning if needed. It’s amazing how we lose all dignity at times like this. Sorry Kristin, but people have been praying about this specific issue.
Yesterday Kristin had asked if she could go out to check for mail. Boy, what a simple request made by our 20y/o daughter. She proceeded to come in from that activity and sat down at the piano and started to play How He Loves by David Crowder. There she sat playing in her body brace and arm in a sling, it was soooooooooooo beautiful!! Needless to say, I had to retreat to the garage where I just uncontolably bawlled my eyes out. To think that four weeks ago Kristin was on life support fighting for her life and Now she sits praising her Savior. I am thankful for Gods faithfulness at times when our faith is shaken. He always comes through. He promises us that He will never leave us or forsake us. In a devotion that Kristin and I have been reading together, we were reminded that God is always present. Especially in the storms of life. He is the one who can calm the seas. He is the lighthouse and the captain of the sea. Are we looking for Him in the storm? Are we calling out to Him in faith? Are we still long enough to hear Him whisper to us? He is knocking at the door, can we hear Him? Will we open the door and let Him in? When our fears and anxiety begin to overwhelm us, there is nowhere else to turn but to Our Father who Loves us. He feels our pain and hates to see us hurting that is why He is always available to comfort us. We are His to love. Oh How He Loves Us!
July 1 10:00 pm
Celebration!!!! Kristin is home!! Four weeks to the day she left home for the evening out.
Kristin had her ortho consult this morning and the CAT scan shows the ribs and the scapula healing. The doctor feels the pain in the scapula should start subsiding around that five week mark. Most of her pain is from the scapula so if there is an improvement there she can start cutting back on the pain meds and get her stomach feeling better.
Home health will be coming early tomorrow morning til the third to finish up the antibotics and take a final culture on the seventh. Mike talked to the physical therapy office near us that our family has used before and the therapist feels that as long as there was no spinal cord injury he will be able to rehab her with no problem, It will be much better being close to home and not have to make the drive back and forth to Silver for her. She is set up for a consult on Wed and should be able to start Thursday, back to the doctor for a follow up on Friday, then PT three times a week starting the following week and a few surgery follow ups after that, moving right along.
It continues to amaze us God’s grace and guiding hand in the whole situation, seeing her now you would never believe all that was seriously injured on her or what she has been thru, so many injuries that should have left permanent damage.
It is so good to be home snd sitting in the family room writing this, while mike is reading to Kristin in her room.
Happy Fourth of July to everyone! Enjoy your families and friends, and count your many blessings!</p
June 28 8:00pm
Kristin just got back from a CAT scan, there is an ortho consult tommorrow for her, she continues to have a lot of pain in the scapula. She is getting very independent and does a lot on her own, everyday she accomplishes so much!
Exciting news today! Danny and I walked in from his orientation at Bradley and couldn’t believe how much stronger her voice was today. She is getting louder everyday! I’m not sure that is the best timing with her coming home!
The doctor changed pain meds yesterday and it has helped with the nausea and seems to be controling the pain much better, she is getting a bit dizzy from it but agreed that she would rather have that then be so sick and vomiting. The needs list is definitely getting shorter day by day!
Another short note but just want to share More answered prayer! Thank you for all the comments, we sit and there is a peace that is felt just knowing there are so many people out there praying for her. Just to know we can put the needs out at night and she is being lifted up by so many is just a comfort I can’t explain.
Goodnight to all
June 27
Kris is working so hard, she is doing great! The therapists and the social worker met today and will try to get her out this week. She was so determined, the first time they mentioned rehab it was three weeks then we were told prob two weeks and she will make it out in a week. She has to be on the antibiotic til the 3rd so she will have home health and then PT will be as an outpt starting next week. Eating is still a prob. When she has an appetite and we get the food she is usually back in pain or sick to her stomach by then.
She is requesting no visitors, she is wiped and she is still getting sick from the antibotic and pain med. The doctor is starting a new med tonite, so we will try again. Sometimes it is hard to tell if the nausea is coming from the meds or just the pain she gets. The brace company came out today and remeasured her brace and cut it down so she might be a little more comfortable and she can last longer during therapy now.
Just a quick update, it has been a very full day and this is the first she has slept except for a half hour around lunch. Tomorrow looks the same, speech has to do a little more testing, she was too sick when it was scheduled today, she is on for a shower with OT which exhausts her and then right to PT. Rest is at lunch and back to OT and PT in the afternoon.
Goodnight for now.
