April 12, 2008

It's been a full month since I posted here. Since then, we've had a couple significant things happen.

First, on March 26, we recognized the second anniversary of the horrific accident that Becky, Cameron, and Juliane were in and that left Becky handicapped and facing the issues she is still dealing with today. That anniversary was accentuated very heavily as we traveled home from Ft. Worth the following weekend. We were returning home from the prom and basketball games. It was that same event two years ago that Becky, Cameron, and Juliane were traveling home from when their accident occurred. As we approached the site where Becky's accident occurred, we saw that another major accident had occurred, less than one mile from the place of Becky's accident. It was a terrible and deeply sobering event to see. Becky learned a day or two later that it had been a three vehicle accident in which a 21-year old driver from Dallas tried to pass another vehicle on the right shoulder as they drove southbound on Highway 6. When pulling back into the lane, the rear of the passing car clipped the other car. This sent the second car into the ditch and the passing car, driven by the Dallas resident, was sent into the path of oncoming traffic, where it then collided, headon, with another vehicle. The Dallas driver was killed; the driver of the other vehicle was critically injured and was taken to Scott & White Hospital in Temple, where Becky was taken two years earlier. Our last information on that driver was that they were upgraded from critical to stable condition. The stretch of highway 6 just north of Calvert, TX is very dangerous!

The second significant event was that we visited Becky's surgeon on Wednesday of this week as a followup from her last surgery and hospital stay and preliminary to her next surgery. He was very pleased with Becky's progress, noting that she has clearly been working hard and, while she has a very long way to go, she has made dramatic progress. He is satisfied that we can proceed with the next surgery now. The next surgery, and hopefully the last one Becky will need, will be to replace her right hip. That surgery is now scheduled for May 5, 2008 at The Methodist Hospital in The Texas Medical Center. It will, of course, be followed by at least a couple weeks of inpatient recovery and rehabilitation and many weeks of outpatient physical therapy, then a lifetime of work toward regaining normal function.

There were two points of particular interest brought out during the surgeon's review of current x-rays on Wednesday. First, he pointed out that he could see where Becky's spine has been fused with her hips/pelvis at the point where the L5 transverse process fracture occurred. This fusion occurred when bone was produced in the healing process and, like other places in Becky's body, far more bone than was needed was produced. This fusion prevents Becky's hips and pelvis from having the free movement they should have and can not be corrected without causing greater problems.

The second point relates to the number of fractures Becky suffered. I had been told that Becky experienced 26 fractures, including 6 fractures in her pelvis. The surgeon pointed out seven points in her x-ray that are clearly fracture points. He said there may be more, but those seven are very clear. That, of course, means that Becky actually had at least 27 fractures, rather than 26.

Becky has indeed been working very hard in physical therapy and at home. The therapist she goes to is very good, aggressive, and determined to help her regain as much function as possible. Becky spends several hours each day stretching, exercising, walking as much as she can, and doing whatever she can to aid her own recovery. God is still giving her courage and peace and strength and tenacity. All the prayers going to Him on Becky's behalf are undoubtedly music to His ears and a sweet smell to Him. As He gives what can not be gained through human means, He multiplies glory to Himself. Though we wish this trial would simply end, we are deeply honored to be able, in this small way, to be instruments to magnify His glory.

Thank you to all of you who continue praying for Becky and for our family during this time. Especially for the past few weeks, we've been in tax season and my own time has been less and less available. Becky has had to do more and more on her own and has really come through. Your prayers and encouraging comments are deeply appreciated. Thankfully, the main crunch of tax season will end on Tuesday. Then it's time to deleaven our home and make the physical preparations for the spring holy days. As we prepare physically, we work to submit to God and recommit ourselves to Him so that He can prepare us spiritually.

Thanks again for your prayers and encouragement. We'll place updates as significant events occur.

Our love to all,
The Bounds Family