Rock It Takes Another Rider Today

In that respect, I spent last Sat morning with Ken helping him clean out his garage. He's busy trying to put everything at home back the way he 'left it'. Expect a post from him in the coming days...

 

Thanks for the update. Don't know Ken or Kris but their lives are on on my mind quite a bit and in my prayers. The things that have happened to them and the way Kris has handled things have brought a new perspective to my life and so much inspiration.

 

Although I don't know the rider, I know what the end of that rock garden feels like, my thoughts go out for that rider and wish him a full recovery. And I fixed that picture up a little bit for ya..

 

My prayers are with him and his family...from working in Shock Trauma in MD, I know the injury, I wish the best.

 

3/10 Update!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 11:48 AM, PST


Watch out OC...Ken is driving!

Last week Ken had a driving evaluation and now he is on the road. He drives to/from his therapy and has run a couple of errands around town. He does not want to drive all the time; for him just knowing that he is able to is a huge step in healing.

Ken is tentatively scheduled to go back to work PT on Monday...after we see the Orthopedic doctor. Depending on what the doctor says about his shoulders, we will move forward or wait a little longer.

Ken comes home tired from therapy and driving. Most of his weekday evening hours are spent just being quiet. His brain has worked hard all day and is pretty much "done". We have had a few laughs and on-no moments, especially in the evenings, with his tired brain and short term memory issues.

Yesterday, I started month 4 of chemo. It has been a tough one mentally and emotionally for me. In talking with the oncology nurse, she said it usually is the hardest one - glad I am normal. On top of that I will be having shots with each chemo. But, I have found a great pharmacist/nutritionist (thank you Steve) that has directed me to supplements and diet changes that have helped my body get through chemo easier.

Food had become challenging, but the doctor gave me the okay to eat fresh fruits and veggies anytime. It makes my body feel better, but with low white counts all the printed materials tells you not to eat it. It is the one good thing about those dreaded shots

So, God and I continue to spend time together - conversing on the good, the bad, and the ugly. This past week, I have been challenged on my view of God - where did I get my view, and is it correct according to the Bible. It has been an interesting journey on where I got my view of God (people, experiences). It has been a good week digging into the Bible to find out about who God is and His character - my views did not all match up to what the Bible states...hmmmm.

My heart and mind are in process of wrapping my arms around who God really is and letting go of who I thought or made Him out to be. It is hard being challenged and walking through your mind and heart being honest with yourself. But, it is an exercise that has peeled another layer and a step closer to our Creator.

Thank you so much for your faithful prayers this last week. God's timing is perfect and He continues to show Himself daily.

 

3/23 Update

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 6:49 PM, PDT


I wanted to share with you the latest happenings in the Krieger family...but be fair warned, I had chemo today and yes, Toto there really is such thing as Chemo Brain!

Ken is back to work 3 days a week (6 hrs a day) and doing well. He comes home tired and ready to just "be". His brain is working hard and I think his daily word count is a little lower than before - he is using them all up at work. But, we are excited that he is back on the road and moving forward.

We met with Dr. Cummings, a neurologist, this past week after Ken had an EEG. The EEG came back abnormal, so it was decided that Ken should go back on the anti-seizure meds. He has not technically had a seizure but the precursors are there. If Ken has one, Dr. Cummings would need to report him to the DMV and that would be the end of driving. But, most importantly, we do not want Ken to have one behind the wheel of the car. We will be repeating the EEG on Thursday this week - the sleep deprivation type to see if there are any changes now that he is on the meds.

In addition we saw Dr. Fitzpatrick, the orthopedic specialist - it was a busy Dr. week...We all agree that Ken's shoulders are not working right. Hopefully now we get to find out why. We are in process of scheduling 2 MRI's (one on each shoulder). They will be injecting dye and the process will take 1-1 1/2 hours per shoulder. Having a hard time getting it scheduled, but God's timing is perfect...Ken found a staple that was left in his head. Not a good thing to have in a MRI machine!

For me, I have just finished month 4 of chemo. No PET scan...everything is moving along well and consistent (your blood tells a lot about you - Pastor Mark was right on with his description of blood and how it is 'life').

This chemo month has been a roller coaster full of mental challenges and emotions. I have kept God busy with questions, quietly listening for His voice, and busy in math. He knows how many hairs are on your head and I am shedding them - lots of subtraction

It has been a good but hard exercise in going back to what I believe about God. He has been very faithful to to listen to my chemo brain talk to him and help me to delve into what I believe. He has been showing me that in some areas I need to let Him out of the box that I have carefully put Him into. It is okay that I do not understand it all; He has been patiently waiting for me to let Him out of the box to show me that He is so much more than what I can totally comprehend. I do not need to understand it all; I just need to have active faith in the God of the whole Bible.

These last few days I have been busy thanking God for continuing to reveal Himself so personally to me. I have been able to see Him work in what the world would overlook and consider small/insignificant. Ken is a giant miracle that the medical world cannot overlook. But, there were and continue to be tons of 'small' miracles and acts of God daily.

Praying that you will see and know that God is alive and active here and now. Choosing to see the small and big...looking for God at work and actively joining Him.

 

I haven't been on STR for some time, so I just now read your story. Please know, my prayers are with you and your family. I am inspired by your strength and faith.

 

4/8 Update...

Thursday, April 8, 2010 9:36 AM, PDT


Here is our update...

Ken is back to work 5 days a week (5 hrs a day). He comes home tired and ready for quiet. Next week, he is planning on trying to go full-time. He has commented that it is mentally challenging at times, but he is very glad to be back to work. Fortunately, lots of what he does is in his long-term memory - all those facts are easily accessed. The seizure meds make him tired, and I am sure that does not help in the thinking department.

Today, Ken had his second MRI done - on the other shoulder, and will see the orthopedic doctor next week. We are looking forward to finding out the cause, but really would like to find out how to make his shoulders and arms better.

Right now the brain healing is not in leaps and bounds - thankfully, it did early on, especially in the physical capabilities; it appears to be in a slower progression. Those long-term memory facts are doing great, but the relational/emotions are at a much slower pace. That area of the brain appears to have taken a larger "hit" in the accident.

As for me, I have just started month five of chemo and am glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have physically not felt well much of the last month and know that the mental and emotional stresses add to it; I only felt well for four days between treatments. That is why it has taken me longer to write...not up to it mentally or physically.

As many of you know, the physical pain or feeling lousy keeps you on your knees and in communication with God just to get through the moment, hour, or day. It gives you an opportunity to be real with your thoughts and prayers. It allows God to touch your heart - when it has shut out the outside world and you can hear His words. It allows God to begin to heal the inside - to mold and shape you for His purpose and glory.

We still have lots of challenges to work through - emotionally, mentally, and physically as a family. But, God is at work in the Krieger house and God's work is never in vain. The circumstances are yucky and the process is difficult for everyone. God has continued to show His faithfulness throughout our journey. He has walk alongside and carried us at times. The journey is long and hard, but the potter wants to mold the clay into the exact piece that He has envisioned.

We appreciate your continued prayer support and thankful for the many ways you have come alongside us as the hands and feet of Christ. You are a blessing!

 

4/20 Update

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 7:06 AM, PDT


Good Morning...

Ken is starting his second week working full-time. I can clearly think back to the day when I was praying that he would be able to come home from the hospital 6-7 months after the accident - then rehab and praying for him just to be able to walk and talk again. God is clearly able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine - and, His timing has been awesome to watch.

Ken comes home tired but I know that will change as his stamina improves. This past weekend we enjoyed dinner with friends and a lively game of Apples to Apples (I won!) I noticed that when there is a lot of mental energies used, he gets physically very tired. I pulled out my "brain book" and found that this is very normal. It will take time for his stamina to build.

We have no conclusive answers for why his shoulders are not working other than the trauma of the accident (physical and/or neurological). The technical terminology is long; the layman term is frozen shoulder. The doctor gave him cortisone shots in both shoulders and prescribed physical therapy - 2-3 times a week. We are going to evaluate after 6 weeks.

Today I have treatment 10...only 2 more after today. So glad that the light is getting brighter at the end of the tunnel, but physically weary after many treatments. Working hard to stay on top of life's details and keeping the ball moving forward - homework, theatre rehearsals, voice lessons, dr. appointments, etc.

FYI...Kaitlyn is in Thoroughly Modern Mille opening this weekend at Capo Valley Christian Schools. These High School kids have been working hard and have put together a great production - last year they won a MACY award.
To order tickets online: www.cvcs.org

It has been a tough mental road these past couple of weeks. I am sure that the chemo does not help! I have found myself diving into God's word and talking to God - holding onto His promises and reminding myself of who He is. God gifts to us peace - peace for the present. We can receive it through prayer and petition with thanksgiving. He meets every one of our needs and requests without fail - His answers may be different than my desires. He has designed us to depend on Him.

I feel that I have depended so much on Him to get through the giant and the small (which feels giant at times). Nothing is too big or too small and God is waiting for us to ask. Fortunately, it is freely given and there is no limit - otherwise I might have used up your portion too!

So today, still depending on the peace that comes through prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Keeping my eyes on focused on and believing in God - our Creator, our Father, and our Savior.

May you feel the peace today that only He can give and see God at work in the big and small...sending you hugs.

 

Haven't checked the post in a while - awesome to hear he's doing so well. He'll be in our thoughts

 

Wow, I remember the thread starting but had no Idea what has been taking place. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

 

5/5 Update...

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 5:07 AM, PDT


Here are a few updates from the Krieger house...

Ken has now added physical therapy 3 days a week to his already full schedule. The MRI's did not show any damage from the accident other than frozen shoulders. Ken was given a cortisone shot in each arm to help with the inflammation and sent to physical therapy for 6 weeks. The doctor will then evaluate and we will see where we go from there.

I had high hopes that the migraines that Ken gets would get rattled out of his brain after his accident - no go. Over the past week we experienced a migraine. This one was different than the ones we have seen before, but no less painful.

Currently, Ken is struggling with being lightheaded more and more. He had a CT scan done at the beginning of the week. We are not sure why there has been an increase, but do know that there is a pocket of fluid that the doctor is watching. We should know more in a week or so.

Yesterday was chemo day for me and an opportunity to hear the results of a PET scan I had done last week. My doctor said the scan looked "fabulous" and that the chemo has been doing its job - melting away the tumor. I have 1 more chemo treatment and then off to radiation.

I am hoping to meet with the radiation oncologist some time next week to get an idea of timing. My oncologist thought 4-6 weeks of radiation, but it will be decided by the new doctor. My understanding is that I will get a short break (2-4 weeks) before starting radiation - yippee! My counts will need to get back into a range where it will be okay to start treatments - radiation plays havoc on your cell counts too.

The 5 days prior to chemo treatments are the only ones where I feel good - I can eat without feeling yucky and my body does not ache all the time. I am looking forward to a long period of time of "good" days.

This morning, rather early I admit, I was reading in my Jesus Calling devotional.
"Come into My Presence with thanksgiving, for thankfulness opens the door to My treasures...When you are thankful, you affirm the central truth that I am Good...The assurance the I am entirely Good meets your basic need for security. Relax in the knowledge that the One who controls your life is totally trustworthy..."

It brought me back to these past couple of weeks as I have spent time being authentic with God in how I feel and allowing Him to show me where I have held onto things I should not have. As I have allowed Him to reveal to me areas that are not healthy or are self-serving, it has changed my attitude and perspective. I find myself having a thankful heart grounded in my relationship with Christ.

I have been reminded my that my security lays in Christ alone and He is trustworthy. Although I may not understand all that life has brought or will bring, I am confident that God is who He says He is. This security allows me to move forward in areas that I could not do within my own strength; areas that are challenging and hard, but will ultimately create a deeper and closer relationship with the King of Kings.

This journey has been long...7 months and still going. Thank you for your faithful prayers, hugs, and encouraging words. They come at just the right time - God's timing is perfect. You make God smile!

 

6/8 update

Good Morning Friends and Family,

As you know, it has been awhile since I have updated our journey so here is the scoop...

Ken continues to head to work and shoulder therapy weekly. Work is keeping his mind busy and hopefully out of trouble * *
Ken met with the orthopedic doctor and they decided to do 6 more weeks of therapy on his shoulders and see how far that will take them. The doctor did mention to Ken about the possibility of needing manipulation surgery if therapy does not show greater improvement.

It does not sound like a tough schedule, but it has been challenging for Ken. As he has noted, he is much farther along than anyone expected, but still faces physical hurdles and mental tiredness. As the week goes by, it continues to add up so the weekends are spent fairly low key to store up energy for the next week.*

I have finished my chemo treatments! And, I have met with the radiation oncologist. Now, I am sitting on the sidelines waiting for my blood counts to get high enough to start radiation. The doctor anticipated that I would need 4-5 weeks of radiation - daily, Monday through Friday.*

Just like chemo there are side effects but they sound more localized rather than your whole body. It does increase your chances of getting other types of cancer - especially lung cancer from second hand smoke. Unlike chemo, radiation stores up and continues after the treatment has stopped - about a week.

I have enjoyed having some time off from treatments, but mentally struggle with knowing there is more in store. Although they will be different, the anticipation of the unknown is hard. And, being designed to plan ahead, I continue to wrestle with staying in the present.

Over these past few weeks, staying in the present has been especially challenging for us. Life has a way of needing and pushing you to look at the future, yet we need to live in the present.*It feels like if we can make plans then we are moving on; done with this chapter of life. I do not believe that God is ready for us to leave this spot yet; He has us just where we need to be for His purpose.

There is peace in knowing that you are where God wants you. It certainly does not make the situation easier to walk through or that you like it any better. Emotions still run high (what do you expect with all us girls); sadness is still present; physical tiredness holds us down; but, hope and faith keep us going.

Thank you for your generous prayer support...sending you hugs!

 

Saturday, June 19, 2010 8:05 AM, PDT

We have had a busy couple of weeks in the Krieger house...

Ken had a neurologist appointment this week - a 3 month follow up appointment. Ken would love to stop taking the anti-seizure meds - he does not like to take any type of meds, so that was his goal for the appointment. I on the other hand, do not want to take any risk of seizures since he is driving to Anaheim for work daily. Therefore, he will have an EEG done this Thursday to see if there continues to be any underlying activity that would warrant continuing the meds.

Ken continues to be lightheaded with certain activities. The neurologist asked him to see his primary doctor to check out his blood pressure and see if that is the cause. There is a slight possibility that it is from seizure activity.

We are also looking at getting his IVC filter removed. They put it in early on to capture any blood clots. Since he did have 2 known clots in his arms, we are hoping to get an ultrasound done to see if they have dissolved.

My blood count is finally high enough to start radiation. So, this past week I have been busy with the oncology doctor and radiation doctor. It is quite a process to start radiation - they check and double check along with markings to be sure that they are targeting the exact location. I am on a first name basis with the parking attendants at Mission Hospital...

I will be starting Monday with my daily trek to radiation. It will be 4-5 weeks of visits. There are side effects as radiation builds up in your body - the biggest is fatigue and for me, possibly esaphogus/eating issues. And, it peaks after you have stopped the treatment, but it generally is less systematic than chemo. I see hanging out at the beach under an umbrella with a book as my summer plans.

Yesterday I received my first tatoo...Kaitlyn asked if she could have one and of course I said "Yes, as long as it looks like mine!" I have a tiny dot...

As with all things new, your mind goes out on those tangents with all of the "what ifs" and fear creeps in. The doctor must tell you about the possible side effects and you seem to only hear the "bad" stories. And, it does not help that I finally feel closer to "normal" than I have in months.

But, God has a perfect track record of getting me through the hard stuff, the unknown stuff, no matter what it is. So, I pull my tangents back in - sometimes out loud, "I am not going there!", and give them to God to take care of. I am hanging out on my "God" rock with Faithful, Steadfast, Hope, and Faith.

Thank you for your continue prayers and encouraging words. Praying that you are sitting on your "God" rock and hanging out with some amazing companions...

 

7/9 Update

Friday, July 9, 2010 1:51 PM, PDT



These last several weeks have been busy. I have thought many times of sitting down and updating, but either did not have the energy or my brain was feeling fuzzy. So today I am giving it a whirl...

Where to start...

With our last few weeks of doctor appointments, I think that we may have bought our doctors a new house or two with the co-pays.

Ken has seen the neurologist, cardiologist, orthopedist, and physical therapist. I have seen the oncologist, internist, and radiation oncologist. In between those appointments is a sprinkling of daily radiation treatments, twice weekly lab tests, ultrasound testing, cardiac ultrasound testing, EEG, and physical therapy. Whew...and you wonder why my head is fuzzy

So where does all of that leave us...

Ken is starting to increase his anti-seizure meds. The EEG revealed that his brain is still showing "spikes" and that the minimal dose is not enough. He is not happy about having to take meds but the only real side effect that he is more tired. We are going to adjust the timing of the meds and see if that helps.

Ken underwent several tests to see if we could figure out why he still gets lightheaded. We are waiting the results of the ultrasound cardiac test, but so far there is nothing specific. We have to remind ourselves that he is much farther along that anyone thought...perhaps, this will just take the normal amount of time.

Ken is going to continue doing physical therapy for his shoulders for another 6 weeks. He is improving and they are hoping that this will do the trick. There is always the option of doing the surgery, but I don't think Ken is going to go for it.

One of the last pieces of the puzzle is the IVC filter. Ken needs to decide about getting it taken out. If it is his choice, I don't think that he will do it...not a big fan of medical stuff. (Good thing he was not awake and cannot remember pieces of the last several months!)

I have spent the last few weeks having daily radiation treatments and visiting the lab twice a week. The radiation is quick which is a good thing...I have to wear a "mask" that goes from the top of my head to about the middle of my chest. It is not comfortable, but it reminds me to pray for persecuted Christians daily. (My discomfort is nothing compared to theirs.)

I am getting my blood work done twice a week due to low white cell counts. Radiation does effect them, but it seems to be gobbling up my white cells faster than they can reproduce.

As of right now, I have 6 more radiation treatments. I am hoping to hear those sweet words "you are cancer-free". I do not know what the plan will be after radiation, but I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer resting, reading, and hanging out with the girls.

God is good. I have been challenged, but my belief has not changed through this set of circumstances - it has become deeper and stronger. The journey is not done nor do I think our journey ever is. Life is messy and it does not fit into a box...but my God does not either.

There is joy in the journey...it is up to us to embrace it. Sending you hugs...

 

Any updates?

 

^^^^ What she said. This thread continues to haunt me and cheer me. ^^^^^

 

Any updates? And I would love to be a part of a recovery ride from our members to the family! Anyone else in?

 

Dam dude. Hope your buddy heals up, sounds like a nasty spill.

 

..wow, what an incredible thread. I hope with all of my heart and being that both you and Ken are doing wonderfully these days. I will be carrying the words that I have read here with me for a long time.