5 Months Later...

I think this will be my last report...sorry for the delay. I've been in PA all summer doing follow up with doctors here. All are pleased with my progress. My leg is coming along, especially after starting to wear a bone-growth stimulator to speed up the process. I've noticed less soreness and less limp the last few weeks. My mouth/teeth are still sore but that is to be expected for several more months because of the nerve damage. My wound finally closed completely about a week ago. Praise the Lord for no infections. Plans are to return to Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea in October, Lord willing. Thanks for all your prayers that have sustained me over these past 5 months! I'm looking forward to returning to our new ministry...serving the community of missionary families in PNG.

Also a huge praise that just this coming Tuesday, Sept 8, Steve Geis will finally be getting the external frame off his leg!! This is a huge answer to prayer that his bones have finally grown enough to be able to support himself without the frame. He continues therapy and plans to return to Ukarumpa as soon as he's able.

Steve is OUT!

In an update from the Geis', they say that it was a crazy week. Tracy had another appointment with the jaw dr. Please pray that the rubber band traction will permanently put the jaw in the right alignment so she won't need another operation. Steve got out of the hospital on Wednesday which he was VERY happy about but it is quite a challenging time transitioning to Treetops (hotel) where his care and functioning take Tracy's every moment. He is beginning to walk but it is very painful since his "good leg" is the one with the broken femur. She is grateful for a visiting nurse that comes every other day to clean and dress the pin sites on the external frame on his leg. The nurse is also very good at answering questions that arise. Steve's dad arrives again from CA on Tuesday to help out. Steve deals with a lot of pain and frustration every day. They are both pretty exhausted but thankful to be together now. They ask that you would continue to pray for them. Their address is tracy_geis@sil.org if you'd like to write them.

Back in Ukarumpa

We had a wonderful reunion on Wednesday when we arrived back in Ukarumpa. The travels all went well and it was so much fun to be greeted by the girls and many others. The annual event of BANQUET is over and was a huge success for the 11th & 12th graders.

I would really appreciate continued prayer. My mouth is not healing very fast. The gums/teeth are still quite sore and tender. Plus I need to keep doing my exercises to stretch my jaw open more. On top of that, I've come down with a very sore throat! I am a bit discouraged so I'd appreciate your prayers.

Looking to the Lord for His healing touch. Kim

Last update from Australia

The day surgery went better than anticipated. Thanks for praying. We are clear to go. My mouth is a bit sore but nothing that panadol and ibuprofen don't help. I'm still getting around with crutches (and sometimes one crutch) for shorter distances.

As we transition to Ukarumpa for a month, we'd appreciate prayer. We will sort of "hit the ground runnin'"...well at least Tim will to an extent with Banqet preparations and getting up to speed somewhat with his new job in the director's office. Graduation is June 16 and we leave Ukarumpa for PA on June 22...arriving on the 25th I believe.

Today we are just finishing up some last minute stuff and then we catch an EARLY flight having to wake up tomorrow at 4:30!!

Thanks for sticking with us and continuing to pray for our travel, healing and transition.

Big Week Ahead

It's Sunday evening here in Australia. Tomorrow morning I go to Day Surgery before 7am (5pm Sun. EST) to get my metal bars out of my mouth and at the same time, the dr. is going to stretch my jaw open! Yiks! It's a 15 min. procedure but I am under anesthesia. If all goes as planned, we will leave for Ukarumpa on Wednesday morning. We are SO looking forward to that reunion with Kayla & Kacie...and very thankful to be back for the big annual event of "Banquet". Thank you for yor continued prayers.

Results

We haven't heard the report from the leg xrays yet...



The appointment with the face/jaw dr. was an all day process that's why I didn't write until now. This morning he had me take off my rubberbands for 8 hours and return at 6pm for him to see how things lined up after a period of "freedom". He was pleased but not quite ready to let me go this week. He gave me some physical therapy to work on looseing my jaw so I can open it wider in preparation for EATING!! Yeah! He did think it was a good possibility that I could return to Ukarumpa on Wednesday the 27th of next week.

We were really hoping to return on Friday (22nd) of this week to cheer on Kayla and our other "kids" at Sports Days (Fri & Sat). Kacie will video and cheer for us since she is on the sidelines from her knee surgery and we'll be able to watch the races later. We are THRILLED, however, that it looks like we'll be able to be present for the annual "Banquet" (prom) that the girls will attend next Friday the 29th.

Thanks for praying and waiting with us. The dr. was sure about us waiting until next week and quite confident about us leaving next week too. God's timing is perfect. This "delay" will allow us a few more physical therapy visits too.

Continue to pray that my teeth would line up correctly and that I'd be able to stretch open my jaw and that my foot/leg would also heal and stretch to be able to walk properly. Also that our travel day, Lord willing, next Wednesday would go smoothly.

THANK YOU is not enough to say...but we appreciate you all so much and are grateful to the Lord for carrying us through to this point!! Love, Kim

Monday/Tuesday Appointments

Please be in prayer for my appointment with the face/jaw dr. on Tuesday morning. This is Monday suppertime on the east coast. He will be making a decision whether the metal bars are ready to come off or not...meaning that the jaw/teeth are in alignment etc. I'm really anxious to get them off of course, but want the dr. to be "confidently-convinced" that it is ready! :)

On Monday I will get an xray of my leg to check on the healing progress at the 6 week mark.

These 2 appointments will help give us an indication of when we can return to Ukarumpa. Please pray for wisdom for these decisions and healing along the way.

Thanks so much for so many of you praying "continually". Love, Kim