Katherine is working so hard and the Lord is so faithful! Katherine's deficits are yielding one at a time to their tenacious work which is fueled by their unflinching faith in God's redeeming purpose coupled with the prayer support of the Body of Christ.

Let's keep trusting and praying,
Jay Wolf
Hebrews 12:1-3 

 

FROM: KATHERINE WOLF

I  CAN WALK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!        

 

Thank you for walking on this journey of faith with us. Katherine continues to make excellent progress and Jason keeps carrying them forward!

Your Prayers help fuel her recovery,
Jay
Hebrews 12:1-3

PS--Jason told me that Katherine walked on her walker nearly one half mile in a park as he traveled beside her. Sarah and Jeremiah managed James. Our son-in-love, Jeremiah Sizemore, captured this meaningful photo of Jason helping his hard-working and now exhausted life partner get back to the car!

 

 

Updates  from the Front Lines

 

Hey  Sweet Praying Friends,

 

 Prayer Update on Katherine Wolf for August 25, 2009 from Jay Wolf, III
 

Dear  Friends,

As an update after Katherine's recent eye surgery...

In all honesty, this past weekend was very different  than we had hoped it would be. This continues to be an ongoing theme in our lives, and in all of our lives, in general, I suppose. Despite this repetition, it somehow still comes as a surprise to us when events in our lives unfold differently than we expected  they would.  

It was our somewhat naive hope that Katherine's eye surgery, as relatively minor as it was, would be a quick-fix. Somehow, I thought she would wake up from surgery; the patch would be taken off, and beneath it, her same, beautiful blue eye revealed, just as it  was before her brain injury. Considering all of the other major deficits she works so hard to overcome every day, it seemed the eye surgery would be a mercifully easy end to her vision issues which we could check off her list of ailments. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the  case.    

The day after the surgery, when the patch was taken off in the doctor's office, the results were different than we had hoped for, needless to say. Though quite battered-looking, Katherine's right eye is relatively closer to the middle, from an aesthetic point of view, but in the case of the brain and the eye, close is not good enough. Ironically, this change which brought Katherine's eyes closer to normal sight had the result of dramatically intensifying the effects of her double vision. Previously, her eyes were so far off from each other, the two images were easy to distinguish, so that the "real" image could be depended on to interact with the world. Now, the two images are so close together, that it is incredibly difficult to distinguish between the two, which is quite disorienting.

Arriving back home, we felt tired and a bit defeated, not to mention even a little bit  foolish. Why would we think this one thing would be so easy?  We have not gotten any shortcuts in Katherine's recovery, and her eyes will be no exception. As human nature would have it, this unexpected set of unmet expectations managed to discolor the way in which we viewed Katherine's entire future recovery, but not for long. Thankfully, we were able to enjoy a relaxing weekend with family, including Katherine's two sisters, which always seem to be the best medicine. All we have is our hope in the fact that the Lord is doing immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine in Katherine's life. There are no other options.

On Monday, we again met with the doctor to determine the initial affects of the surgery and next steps. Dr. Velez  re-iterated that before the eye surgery, Katherine's eye was significantly impaired due to the injury to her brain. The damage that occurred to so many of her intracranial nerves has created a unique injury that is not often seen or treated in the field. That being said, the doctor was pleasantly surprised with the results of the  surgery. What in our minds felt like a defeat to him was a victory.

Despite this boost in perspective, we were still confronted with the next steps and decisions that again strike me as the  kind that people our age should not have to make. In fact, I don't know many octogenarians who have to make these types of decisions. Basically, we needed to decide whether or not Katherine should undergo another similar surgery in the next few days to hopefully bring her eye up a bit more, though it could also have the effect of undoing the work of the first surgery, sending the eye back down into the corner. Despite  the fact that Katherine may have to endure her current visual issues for many more months, we opted against doing another surgery this week. Instead this Thursday (8/27), Katherine will be receiving small Botox injections in her inner and bottom eye muscles which will hopefully weaken those muscles slightly and bring her eye up and over a bit more. Please pray that the Botox will be administered properly and will have the intended result (and not other potential negative results, including sending the eye out to the opposite, outer corner or weakening the eyelid so that it completely covers her eye). Katherine will also undergo a test which will determine if her brain will actually be able to fuse together two images into one. There is a possibility after a brain injury like Katherine's  that her brain will never be able to create one image again, no matter how aligned her eyes can get. Thankfully, it seems that this may not be the case, based on some initial testing, but the synoptopher machine's results will hopefully confirm this, which will inform the next steps to be taken for her eye.  

It must be noted that the specifics of Katherine's recovery, particularly the surgeries that she has undergone, are specifically suited to continued trust and reliance on God's faithfulness. For instance, Katherine's facial surgery and eye surgery were not one-time, easy fixes. Their very nature invites deeper trust that even though today may not show the desired result, in time, that hope will be validated and the beautiful, hard-fought ending will be revealed.  

In reality, our experiences and the decisions that we are called on to make are really just the tools that the Lord uses to invite us to experience a life built on trusting in Him. As I have mentioned, despite all we have experienced in our lives and the miracles we have particularly seen in this past year and half, we can somehow still be so pained when things turn out differently than we expected. I guess God is used to that reaction by now, since it seems to be the human response to life's hardships since the time of the Israelites. As we all continue to wander (and wonder) in our own wildernesses, may we always be blessed with the knowledge that the Lord is there, protecting and providing for us each step of  the way. In His time and in His ways, may Katherine and all of us be restored to full sight.

All the  Best,
Jay

 

 

Prayer Update on Katherine Wolf for August 20, 2009 from Jay Wolf,  III

Hi Friends,

Katherine's eye surgery today went very  smoothly. She is currently sleeping soundly in her own bed at  home. Thank you so much for your prayers. The surgery itself  lasted under two hours (less than was estimated, which has not normally been the case for us!) and Dr. Velez was very encouraged about the  results. He said her right eye was exactly centered at this  point--please pray that it will remain there and not shift at all. This should greatly help her double vision. We will  see him again tomorrow to confirm that all is well. As always, we are so thankful for the UCLA medical team, and we continue to be amazed by the Lord's faithfulness in continuing to bless Katherine in her recovery. We are excited to continue working through each of the lingering effects of Katherine's brain injury. After today, it seems  that we are slightly closer to the goal. As my Dad analogized, life  feels like it is more vibrantly materializing out of what at  times feels like an oasis in the desert; that hope and that future  is becoming more and more clear.    

On a side  note, we had a wonderful encounter with Dr. Ed Park, who was one of  Katherine's anesthesiologists during her brain surgery. He just happened to be working at the eye surgery clinic today and worked as one of  Katherine's anesthesiologists today. It is always so good to re-connect with anyone who was a part of Katherine's initial surgery and  recovery. As we talked about that fateful night, where he reminded me  that he was one of eight anesthesiologists who worked on Katherine all  night long, "transfusing blood as fast as we could", I was  struck with such thankfulness for all that Katherine has overcome (perspective is a great gift), and I think Katherine's recovery from such insurmountable odds must have been an unexpected  reward for Dr. Park too. It's not every day someone in his shoes gets to see the unbelievable fruits of their labor. His is certainly tiring, maybe even thankless work, but I think Katherine's story presented him with some hope that is not often seen today, and a  story that he will pass on to others in his profession who need to see that hope too. Though going through surgery today would not have been on the  top of Katherine or my list of things to do, the juxtaposition of  today's surgery and her first one at UCLA was nothing short of  awe-inspiring. The Lord has brought Katherine so far  and in His time, He is most certainly going to continue to bring her all the  way back.  In the mean time, we will seek joy and hope  and deeper relationship with Christ and  others in this journey.  As I always say regarding  marrying Katherine, life has been and will continue to be anything but  boring!  Thank you again for your  unwavering support.

All the  Best,

Jay

 

 

Update on Katherine Wolf by Jay Wolf (Her Father-in-law)
 
Katherine relentlessly battles with her physical deficits each day through the intense work of strenuous therapy, the assistance of skilled Medical professionals and the effective prayer of God's People. God's Word declares that "the prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect." (James 5:16)  Your prayers have created the fruit of her survival and growing recovery.  So keep interceding and participating in God's "slow motion" miracle of restoring our remarkable Katherine!
 

 

Prayers for My Right Hand:
 
I wish it would just behave!  My entire right side was severely weakened in the rupture, and my hand still shakes uncontrollably.  If I tried to hold a glass of water in that hand, it would almost immediately spill.  This is why I cannot change a diaper, hold a fork, type on a computer, or even write a letter with this hand.  Using the right hand for any of those activities is a fine motor skill, and I cannot do those YET!
 
This (besides my inability to walk) is the reason I cannot take care of James.  By the way, the worst thing finally did happen.  Do you ever feel like you are in a really bad dream?  I know that feeling all too well.  On Mother’s Day of all days, I hit James in the face with my right hand.  I know I cried louder than he did.  Mom held me while I sobbed and Jay held James.  It was awful!  My wise Aunt Terry reminded me that ‘Mothering is done with the heart, not the hands’.  Amen to that!
 
The good news is that this hand and arm are healing. Through time, prayer and a ton of occupational therapy, I have enough strength to move my hand and arm again.  I can even move my arm straight up in the air (we attribute this to acupuncture).  While it has been really terrible, I am learning so much about dependence on God through this area.  Similar to the 11 months before I was able to swallow, I know there is really nothing I can do besides what I am already doing.
 
I want to have a normal hand soooooo badly.  I feel like I am no longer in control of it at all.  Perhaps this is a lesson that this control-freak, first-born needed to learn all along. 
 
Keep praying for me.  There is so much to pray for.  I long for this nerve to reconnect and for my face to become un-paralyzed.  I want to smile again.  I want to speak just like before and above all, I WANT TO WALK.  Through all of this personal hell I am living through, I am alright.  Keep praying, but don’t worry.  I am doing fine!   As I have shared before, I feel a significant amount of Hope about my current situation.  These deficits will one day be gone.  Something much bigger is happening here… “The only things we can keep are the things we fully give to God.”-C.S. Lewis

 

 

 

 

One year ago, Katherine and her family were caught in the crushing grip of a terrible nightmare. Katherine's catastrophic stroke and the resulting traumatic brain injury transformed our lives into a horror movie where each scene brought new gut wrenching peril and uncertainty. We frantically and FAITHfully prayed for the Lord to remove one mountainous obstacle after the other and HE DID!!!  From Katherine's ICU battles with potentially fatal cerebral vasospasms to her frustrating inability to swallow food for 11 months — it has been a roller coaster ride of trusting God, activating intense intercession, connecting with top medical professionals, working hard, and engaging the beautiful support of family and Christ's Body. When we look back over the year we are prompted to profusely praise God for sparing Katherine's earthly life and placing her firmly on the steep road to recovery.

 

I continue to marvel at my 27-year-old son. Jason has not missed one day of standing beside Katherine. He sounds like a physician when he talks to the medical people. He sounds like a lawyer when he talks to the insurance people. He sounds like a pastor when he talks with other hurting people. He sounds like a nurturing teacher when he talks with his little son James. He sounds like Solomon, Romeo and Jesus when he talks with Katherine!

 

We continue to solicit the priceless treasure of your prayer support as Katherine and Jason work at "defeating deficits" which focuses on the restoration of her impaired right side functions which includes balance, walking,  motor skills, vision issues and facial paralysis.
 
With Great love and appreciation,
Jay
 
"My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."  Philippines 4:19
 
 
Photo of Katherine and Jason from the "Katherine Lived" Party April 25, 2009

 

 

A Few Updates from me (Katherine):
 
Post-Surgery:  I am healing really well from my facial surgery. The scars are still visible, but the scars will heal in time and fade in to my skin. The most painful thing has actually been my leg where they took the nerve out. It has been throbbing. My stitches have all been coming out, and now it is time to watch and wait (I love you, D-Group). As Micah 7:7 says, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” As for me, I will watch and I will wait and I know my God will hear me.
 
My Eating: I am still eating and enjoying it more than I could articulate. The taste of food makes me so grateful. I just love it! I have now gained 23 pounds. I think the food is really helping me to regain weight (which is key in the healing process). There seems to be some confusion. I cannot eat any Bread, but I can eat most Carbs. Actually, the main foods that I am eating are Carbs (you don’t gain all the weight that I have without Carbs)! Mashed Potatoes, Doughnuts, French Fries, Cake, and Pasta are all staples in my diet. Like I have shared, I cannot eat raw vegetables or bread. I also cannot eat meat.  We went to Subway last week, and I could have nothing on the entire menu. (no salads – no sandwiches, etc.) It was such a strange moment for me.   
 
My Eye:  We went to a doctor’s appointment last week and he confirmed what we already knew. I will have to have surgery to correct the strabismus (crossed eye). Otherwise, it will stay turned in to the middle and my double vision will remain. The good news is that there is no rush to have this surgery done, and it will likely really help me to see better. It can be corrected whenever I want it which is quite different than the facial surgery!
 
My Voice: People are having a much easier time understanding me! Thank you for your sweet prayers after my posting about it. There is a difference in the quality of my voice and the sound is getting better. I am adjusting to the Palatal-lift and it is certainly helping me speak more clearly.  I am also just gaining confidence and speaking up whenever I can. If I have to repeat myself, then I will and it is fine!  I have actually been told by several family members that I need to stop talking so loud!  Ahhh….. the irony! 
 
Love you all – keep praying for me. The road to full recovery is the road I am taking. I feel as though I am being carried on that long journey through your support.

 

 

 

 

Katherine’s Facial Surgery Update <http://www.katherinewolf.info/?p=397>

April 29th, 2009

* 11pm (PST) I am sitting in Katherine’s hospital room, waiting for her to be transferred from the post-anesthesia recovery area. We were able to see her there already, and she is doing really well, all things considered. She was awake and responding. She has major bandages around her head and is decently swollen but really looks good.

We spoke with Dr. Lipa in the waiting room. She was very pleased with how the surgery went. It appears that there was no negative affect to Katherine’s tongue or the left side of her face. Praise God! The 2 procedures were not able to be done simultaneously, which explains the extended day of surgery (at around 13 hours, she didn’t quite beat her previous record of 16 hours from last year).  She will be staying in the hospital for at least a few nights.

PLEASE PRAY…

For Katherine to sleep well, with deep, restorative sleep. I will be able to spend the night in the room with her (quite comfortably thanks to the new hospital facilities). Pray that she would not be in pain or discomfort and that any swelling would go down and any soreness in her face or leg would be minimal. Also, prayers for this new medical staff of nurses and assistants that will be helping take care of her.

Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers for the whole day into the night! The success of Katherine’s surgery was most certainly rooted in your consistent intercession. Thank you, and goodnight!

All the Best,
Jay III

 

Katherine’s Facial Survery <http://www.katherinewolf.info/?p=389>
April 29, 2009

 

* 1pm (PST) We just spoke with Dr. Lipa, the reconstructive, plastic surgeon, who relayed to us that Katherine has been doing really well thus far. She has been stable throughout the surgery.

As of now, Dr. Canalis, the head and neck surgeon, is finishing up the grafting of the 7th and 12th nerve. He did not have to use the more invasive mastoidectomy technique (behind the ear bone) and felt that the more traditional version of the 7/12 Split would be the most effective and least traumatic.

Dr. Lipa’s team has finished harvesting the sural nerve from Katherine’s leg and will begin on the cross-facial nerve transfer after Dr. Canalis is finished. Katherine’s leg is completely stitched up.

PLEASE PRAY…
That Dr. Canalis’ team will finish up their procedure with no lingering issues (ie. damage to the 12th/tongue nerve = swallowing deficits).  Pray that the NEW CONNECTION between the 7th and 12th nerves will be a powerful one that will effectively reinnervate the facial nerve branches.

Also, pray for Dr. Lipa and her team as they prepare for their portion of the surgery (”cross-facial nerve transfer”) and for the nerve connections that will be made as the sural nerve is grafted onto Katherine’s left facial nerve branch and tunneled across her upper lip.

Please continue to PRAY AGAINST PNEUMONIA, ANY NEGATIVE AFFECTS OF ANESTHESIA/BREATHING SUPPORT, AND INTERNAL BLEEDING, as Katherine and her surgical teams have several more hours of surgery ahead.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

All the Best,
Jay III

 

Katherine’s Facial Surgery Update <http://www.katherinewolf.info/?p=386>
April 29, 2009

* 9 am (PST) - Katherine was taken into surgery a few minutes ago. Brooks and I arrived with her at 6am. We met with all of her doctors, nurses, assistants, residents, etc. All of whom seem incredibly competent and kind. That certainly gave us a good feeling to start this day with. It looks as though the surgery will last over 6 hours, maybe closer to 8, so it will be a long day. I will try to keep everyone updated as information comes in. Hopefully, there won't be too much to report! As a last note, when we checked into the OR waiting room, Dr. Gonzalez, Katherine’s neurosurgeon just happened to be walking by. I gave a him a big hug, and he again assured me that Katherine was in such good hands and that he would be checking in.

PLEASE PRAY…
The anesthesiologist will have several options with which to put Katherine to sleep and assist her breathing, etc. Due to her weaker state of health, these decisions will be very important to her health during the surgery and post-operatively. She has obviously had a lot of trauma from the past year with her vocal cord, airway, esophagus, etc. so they are taking great care not to due any further damage.  Please pray that these professionals would make the best decisions and that there will be no issues stemming from the anesthesia or breathing devices.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

All the Best,
Jay III

 

 

 

Katherine Wolf will undergo facial reanimation surgery this Wednesday (4.29.09) at UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Lipa, Dr. Boyd and Dr. Canalis will perform two delicate procedures designed to re-innervate the muscles on the right side of Katherine's face by transplanting and connecting nerves to the area of paralysis It is a complex procedure which involves significant risk balanced against great benefits. Please pray for the surgery to be used by the Lord to advance Katherine's restoration.
 
With enormous love and appreciation,
 Jay Wolf
 
"He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it." Philippines 1:6
 
 
Jason has written a complete explanation of the procedure to guide your intercession.
 
Katherine’s Facial Surgery

April 28th, 2009
This Wednesday, April 29th, beginning around 8am, Katherine will undergo facial re-animation surgery at UCLA. We have been preparing, researching, getting different opinions, and praying about this specific surgery since the beginning of 2009. Though it will be a major surgery, lasting more than 6 hours, we feel a deep peace about the entire situation.

As a little background…

During Katherine’s life-saving, brain surgery on April 21, 2008, the 7th intracranial nerve (the “facial nerve”) on the right side had to be sacrificed in order to help decompress the hematoma (bleeding) forming around her brainstem. The 7th intracranial nerve innervates the entire face, and thus, as most of you already know, the right side of Katherine’s face is paralyzed, left without movement or sensation. As you can imagine, not being able to feel/move your face presents a multitude of problems from protecting your eye to eating and speaking, much less aesthetic and emotional issues associated with a significant difference in physical appearance.

After nerve damage, there is the possibility, particularly if the nerve is not completely severed, that it can regrow and regain function. Unfortunately, if no signs of regained function are seen around a year after such an injury, it is considered unlikely to ever be regained again spontaneously. Moreover, once the muscles associated with the nerve-damaged area have been deprived of nerve innervation for over a year to a year and a half, those muscles can atrophy to an irreperable degree and be unable to ever regain function, even if the nerve is artificially repaired.

We were familiar with the possibility of having a “facial re-animation” surgery throughout this process; however, it was never high on our priority list, given the other significant issues Katherine was facing in her recovery. Early in 2009, we received multiple emails from our online supporters alerting us to an article on a new facial paralysis surgery. Those emails were the impetus for us to pursue Katherine’s options for facial reanimation surgery. We then sought advice from medical professionals who the Lord has put in our lives, from a reconstructive surgeon in our church in LA to Dr. Gonzalez, Katherine’s neurosurgeon, to a top maxillofacial surgeon who Katherine and her sister knew. All of them detailed Katherine’s options and explained the time-sensitive nature of the procedure (ie. a year to a year and half, the right facial muscles may be irreparably atrophied). At that time, Katherine was 9 months out from her injury and was quickly approaching the atrophy deadline. Because of that time pressure, the past 3 months in our lives have been an intense time of weighing options, undergoing medical testing, consulting with doctors, interfacing with insurance, and making decisions that are beyond our 27 years. In the end, we felt undeniably drawn back to UCLA and to a particular reconstructive, microsurgeon, named Dr. Joan Lipa (who was separately recommended to us by both Dr. Gonzalez and the reconstructive surgeon from our church). We can so directly connect the beginning stages of exploring this surgery with people the Lord specifically placed in our lives that we know it is His will and not our own. Also, we have received so much confirmation in our spirits and from people in our lives that this miraculous medical procedure is a unique tool that God will most certainly use to bring about the promise of His continued healing in Katherine’s life.

Wednesday’s surgery will entail two separate procedures done simultaneously:

1) CROSS-FACIAL NERVE GRAFT - this procedure will involve the removal of the sural nerve, a long nerve which runs up the back of Katherine’s leg. That nerve will be used as an extension cord of sorts. It will be grafted into the functioning facial nerve branch that creates the smile function on her left side (the side that is still working), then that nerve will be rooted through her upper lip where it will be waiting to grow over the next several months. In a potential second-phase surgery, down the road, that nerve would be grafted into the facial nerve branch that creates the smile/upper lip function on the right side, with the hope being that the nerve impulses from the left side will be re-routed via the sural nerve, across the lip, into the non-working right facial branches, reinnervating them and creating new function.

2) 7/12 NERVE TRANSFER (aka 7/12 SPLIT) - this procedure will involve the splicing of the 12th intracranial nerve, which gives the tongue function. A third of the 12th nerve will be grafted into the base of the 7th nerve (aka - the facial nerve). Given the fact that Katherine has no hearing in her right ear, the surgeon will be able to perform a special (and hopefully more efficacious) version of this surgery, which involves removal of the 7th nerve from behind the ear via a mastoidectomy (removal of the bone by the ear), which will free up a greater length of the 7th nerve and will hopefully allow a direct connection to be grafted between the 7th and 12th nerve (rather than the more normal version of the surgery which requires a separate nerve to connect the 7th and 12th making the reinnervation less powerful). This procedure would create a different affect than the cross-facial nerve graft. While the cross-facial nerve graft will predominantly focus on the smile function and the upper lip movement, the 7/12 nerve transfer will hopefully reinnervate the entire facial nerve. This will hopefully restore tone to the entire right side of Katherine’s face (improving speech and appearance), as well as possibly giving her right eye lid greater closure, preventing droop in her lower eye lid and face and even restoring function into her mouth.

Unfortunately, neither of these procedures will be able to restore feeling to Katherine’s face.  Also, there is a risk that the 7/12 nerve transfer could damage the tongue’s function (because of the splicing of the 12th nerve) and thus impair Katherine’s swallow significantly (though in this UCLA Head & Neck practice group, this has NEVER happened, thank God!) PLEASE PRAY AGAINST THIS!  Katherine will stay at UCLA for 2 nights after her surgery.  Please pray her recovery will go smoothly.  PRAY AGAINST PNEUMONIA AND INTERNAL BLEEDING.  It will take approximately 3 - 6 months to see any results from this surgery.  At that point, they will determine whether or not they will need to do a follow-up surgery, upon which they will complete the grafting of the cross-facial nerve into the right side of the facial nerve (if necessary into a transplanted muscle from Katherine’s thigh).

We also humbly ask for your prayers that the Lord would work through these incredibly talented medical professionals to effectuate His healing in Katherine’s life while giving them a greater revelation of His power and presence. The 3 main doctors who will be attending in this surgery (whom the pre-op RN referred to as “3 heavy hitters at UCLA”) are Dr. Joan Lipa (http://www.uclaplasticsurgery.com/our_doctors/joan_lipa.html) and Dr. Brian Boyd (http://www.uclaplasticsurgery.com/our_doctors/jbrian_boyd.html), who will be performing the CROSS FACIAL NERVE GRAFT, and Dr. Rinaldo Canalis (http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=458&action=detail&ref=4479) who will be performing the 7/12 NERVE TRANSFER. Also, please pray specifically for the anesthesiologists and any other assisting medical professionals. Again, this will be at least a 6 hour surgery, so pray for their focus, stamina, wisdom, and precision.

In this newest phase of Katherine’s journey, we know that the Lord will continue to make Himself known in her healing. This surgery (very much like the surgery on 4/21/08) has a rather wide spectrum of potential outcomes. Worst case scenario, her right facial muscles are already atrophied beyond repair and NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. Worst, worst case scenario, her tongue will be negatively affected by the surgery and thus her swallow will be impaired. We deeply feel that God has not lead us to this place to have either of those scenarios come to fruition, but we still ask for your prayers against those negative outcomes. Rather, we pray that the Lord would be glorified in an incredibly positive surgical outcome that is beyond what anyone thinks might happen (very similarly to her surgery on 4/21/08, where it was very likely she would end up in a vegetative state) and that the doctors, like Dr. Gonzalez, would only be able to give the ultimate glory to God.

We thank you for getting to the end of this update (sorry for all the technical information, but specifics matter!) and for your indomitable commitment to journeying with Katherine on her road to restoration through your unceasing love and prayers.

All the Best,
Jay III
 

 

Katherine has chosen her theme song from God's promise in 1 Peter 5:10 - "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace...will restore you." Join us by standing in faith on God's gracious provision. Please focus on her facial nerve surgery scheduled for April 29 at the UCLA Medical Center performed by Dr. Lipa.

With profound gratitude for running the race with us for one year,
 
Jay Wolf
Heb. 12:1-2


-----Original Message-----

Subj:  Prayers for the Week
Date:  Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:31 pm
To:  Katherineawolf@aol.com

I want to walk so badly!  It is so hard to not have independence. I long for God to relieve this infirmity.  I want to be mobile so terribly. 

I am hoping I will not have any weird emotions about the one year anniversary. Pray for my heart as Tuesday comes quickly. 

Please pray for my attitude. I just feel hurt.  

Pray for Jay as he studies so much to prepare for the California Bar Exam in July. He is working so hard right now  and managing to juggle so much. 

Pray for the facial surgery! It is confirmed for the 29th of April. There is a chance it could really negatively affect my swallow mechanism. I am praying that will not be the case. They have never had a swallow problem result from a nerve transplant surgery at UCLA. I have already endured so many hardships associated with my swallow. I am praying that will not even be an issue. I go for my pre-op appointment this Wednesday and Dr. Lipa will answer more questions. There is a chance the surgery will help my speech improve dramatically. I am praying for that.   

Pray for the future for us! I must look towards the future and claim that Jeremiah 29:11 is true. He does have Hope and a Future for me.
 
Katherine A. Wolf
1 Peter 5:10- 'And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace ...will restore you...!'

 

 

 

As you hear Katherine’s heart by reading her comments, you can trace God's hand intervening and saving her life for accomplishing His purposes. Katherine's testimony is leading people to know Christ and to grow in the Lord's liberating love. Her faith, strength, transparency and perseverance are inspirational to others who are fighting with a wide array of the enemy's adversities.

Standing in FAITH,

Jay Wolf

Katherine's Father-in-law

 
A Reminder to be Thankful...

A news story from this past week was very striking to me (and probably to you, too) and again reminded me how blessed I am to have come this far after my injury. I am sure by now that you have all heard about the death of the actress Natasha Richardson. She suffered a bleed in her brain, very similar to mine. Though the cause of her bleed was different than mine (her neurological trauma originated from a fall on a ski slope, while my injury was a rupture of an AVM) we could have had very similar results. Both of us had blood quickly leaking into our brains, creating immense pressure, literally squeezing our brains down into our spines. Unfortunately for her, she was not close enough to medical care to have the pressure released and a receive a chance for survival. If Jay had not been home on April 21, and if I had not been taken immediately to the hospital, and if Dr. Gonzales had not been on call, etc. I could have easily died too. Jay was even shown an x-ray many months after my brain bleed, from when I arrived at UCLA’s emergency room. My brain was herniated (squeezed down) several inches into my spinal column, which almost 100% of the time indicates imminent death. That snapshot literally showed me that I was inches away from death. Pretty surreal, huh? Thankfully, God had other plans. I continue to humbly ask for your prayers for continued healing.  I am moving forward from that picture of death to a future picture of TOTAL restoration.

 

 

Here is a wonderful update from Katherine that is overflowing with God's blessing and hope. In a limited way KATHERINE IS NOW EATING!!!!

Between CaringBridge (www.caringbridge.org/visit/katherinewolf) and the Katherine Wolf Information site (www.katherinewolf.info) there have been nearly one million viewings from 96 countries. As Katherine marvels, "This means I have been prayed for, supported and checked on almost a million times. Incredible." God has touched countless people with Katherine and Jason's faith, courage and Christ-likeness during this terrible battle. Your prayers and support have been used by the Lord to fashion this "slow motion" miracle!

Keep praying. 

With a delicious puree of love and appreciation,

Jay Wolf (Katherine's Father in Law)
"Taste and see that the Lord is good!"  Psalm 34:8

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MONDAY, MARCH 02, 2009 04:27 PM, CST

I have really huge news to share. I am now on the unofficial thickened liquid diet. I say unofficial because I have not had another swallowing x-ray/test yet. I will have one at some point in the future. My Speech therapist has encouraged me to eat specific pureed foods and drink specific thickened liquids. As I wrote before, the new ‘McNeil’ approach is all about weighting and strengthening the swallow through pushing stronger weights of food down

I still am not swallowing normally. Even on this new McNeil treatment, I occasionally cough and/or have to spit out residual food that stays pooled in my throat. I cannot feel or taste on the right side of my mouth, tongue, and throat. The prayer is of course for more progress with the swallow and also PLEASE PRAY AGAINST PNEUMONIA. The McNeil treatment is considered a very effective new therapy that will hopefully have very positive results on my swallowing; however, with the new, larger amounts of food I am consuming with my still impaired swallow, there is a greater risk that some food/drink could accidentally go down into my lungs and create an aspiration pneumonia. So, please focus your wonderful prayers on preventing that. By the way, as part of the McNeil, there is a large emphasis on watching for signs of pneumonia (e.g. taking my temperature, physical manifestations-eyes watering, etc.) which Nurse Jay is already a pro at! 

Anyway, I can eat most things that are “thickened liquid” (thickened with corn starch) or pudding-like in consistency, including baby food, cream of wheat and even smashed bananas. I am taking this to the extreme already and had an incredible breakfast my first morning. I had 2 bowls of baby oatmeal (baby food – Jay adds cinnamon), a key lime pie yogurt, a vanilla yogurt, --both from Trader Joes (of course), a glass of Keifer (strawberry flavor), finely, liquefied scrambled eggs & a cup of thickened OJ! It was amazing! WOOHOO! I sobbed I was so happy. I still have a long way to go, but it is huge progress.

As I have shared, not eating or drinking anything for over 10 months was really hard. (Read Glenn Schumacher’s comment from my last posting on www.katherinewolf.info). It is very rare to lose the ability to eat or drink, but it happens more than you might think. Typically people with throat cancer or MS can have this happen, but not necessarily people who have strokes. Clearly, I was the exception! I had my feeding tube changed this week to a shorter one that they frequently put in people who are going to have a tube permanently. Thankfully, mine will not be permanent! When they pulled out the other tube, I screamed. No pain meds or warning, the doctor just wrapped the tube around his hand and pulled hard! It really hurt and was actually such an appropriate representation of the pain in all this.

On Saturday I went to hear Anne Ortlund (a hero of mine) speak in LA. While I was listening to her, Jay went and got my very favorite soup for me to enjoy once we got home. It was the Chicken Tortilla Soup from ‘Toast’ in LA and it is thick, pureed, and SO yummy! I enjoyed every bite of it. I felt semi-normal!

Pray extra hard for me to eat normally again one day - I am still craving pizza, cheeseburgers, chips ‘n ‘salsa, birthday/wedding and caramel cake, and sandwiches. I am obviously not allowed to have any of those and the adage ‘you always want what you can't have’ seems to hold true. I will most likely not be able to eat any meat for a long time, and I am fine with being a vegetarian if it means I can have something!

Speaking of Birthday cake, every year Jay and I have been married, we have had a joint birthday party to celebrate our birthdays. We always have a theme, invitations, and a meal for everyone, and we always make an announcement. It is so fun! Jay’s birthday is April 1st and mine is March 8th (this coming Sunday). So, they are just three weeks apart. This year, instead of a birthday party, we are having a “Katherine Lived” party. It is very surreal. I am turning 27 and celebrating that I am alive for another year. Another WOW moment!

 

Just a Quick Update on me from therapy…

I have to tell you briefly about Joe. I have rarely heard a grown man sob until today. It is horrifying. We were sitting next to each other in Occupational Therapy, and his parents (who are 81 and 83) came in and stood behind him and cried with their son. Joe was hit by a drunk driver and is now a quadriplegic. He can move nothing below his neck, but like me, his mind is the same. As I have shared, that it is a huge blessing, but also terrible in many ways, because you are able to fully process the fact that you are now no longer in control of your body. He cried and cried and at 52 years old, I think he is in shock about the reality of his life now. Through tears he lamented that he would really rather be dead than suffer through this living hell, without being able to do anything. I quickly interjected that there were a lot of things that he could do, even if most things were so different. I was able to tell him more about what happened to me. Few can argue how terrible not eating would be. “At least I can do that” he proclaimed. It made me happy that God is already using my story to help people. Speaking of that, I receive daily correspondence from people who are still sharing my story and praying for me. Today Libby from Texas wrote me a beautiful email and Brittany from South Carolina sent me a card. PRECIOUS!

The really exciting news to share with you is that I had a whole Chocolate pudding cup in swallowing therapy today! They are trying a new technique called the ‘Mcneil’, where they try weighting my throat and swallowing muscles with different consistencies and weights of fluids and purees, similar to doing weight-training for your body. They are giving me thickened Apple Juice and Orange Juice (thickened with corn starch) as well for the same reason. It really feels like I am moving forward now and making significant progress. As I have shared, not eating has been so terrible. You can imagine what having ‘dysfyagia’ for over 10 months has been like. My cravings are horrible now. I have craved every food that you can imagine. The usual, constant cravings are for normal things and really not what you would expect. I cannot wait to eat a bowl of cereal, pancakes or eggs for breakfast with a whole cookie cake for dessert (and a gallon of hot coffee with Hazelnut coffee-mate), have a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch with a huge lemon bar for dessert (and a gallon of sweet tea), and have pasta with a meaty tomato sauce for dinner and have Thin-Mint Girl-Scout cookies for dessert (and a gallon of Egg-Nog)!

Right now, all my ‘food’ is given to me through a tube in my stomach and I have a thick, grey liquid that Jay pours into it. I hate the grey liquid and this tube so much! It is terrible. Not only do you not get to taste and eat, but many people gain a lot of weight (I have a friend who gained 38 lbs!) on the tube feeding. I hate to be so negative, and I really have to work on my attitude about the tube. If we are honest, the only reason I am alive today is because of that tube. Without it, I would have starved to death months and months ago. It is such a strange thought that in most other countries and in any previous time period, I would not be alive. It makes me very grateful for the darn tube! Currently, we are looking in to alternative options to the tube. I have some really sweet friends who want to make and puree real food (think Salmon and Brown Rice) and put that in the tube. So far, I have refused this and maintained that ‘I am fine”. I am thinking of accepting….   
 

Tomorrow, I am having my feeding tube replaced or shortened because my current tube is so cumbersome (it dangles right out of my stomach about a foot and half, with a large piece at the end where the syringes connect for the feeding/meds) and usually people do not keep this type of hanging g-tube in for this long. I will basically be getting the same type of g-tube that people with permanent feeding tubes have, but I will not keep mine permanently—you can count on that!!!

Anyway, I am doing well and working on my third book now. Everything I am feeling is based on Romans 8:28, “And we know in ALL things, God works for good…” Yes, I believe in this situation God is working for good, truly in ways that I may never fully know and even in ways that might currently seem so bad. In ALL things. I know He is doing the same in your life too. I love y’all!
 

 

The post below is from one of Katherine's amazing speech therapists named Sarah Cerney. She is an incredibly kind and talented therapist. We thought her input would be insightful to all of our wonderful support system.

We certainly have such a special place in our hearts for the medical profession now, but in particular, for those very selfless individuals who choose to take on the rather thankless job of therapy, whether in physical, occupational, or speech. Please pray for the wonderful therapists at Casa Colina (and everywhere) as they undertake the truly Christ-like task of helping a "lost soul" find new life.

Hello! This is Sarah, one of Katherine's Speech-Language Pathologists. Often when a person has an injury to the brain, such as an AVM, stroke, or trauma accident, they have many cognitive changes as well as functional changes. One of the areas I work on Katherine with is her speech. As you know, many of Katherine's cranial nerves were cut or damaged during her surgery. This affects not only her swallowing but also her speech. Since the right side of her mouth is very weak and has no sensation, her speech can come out very slurred and "blurry" because of the decreased  movement. We work on exercises that target her oral muscles (lips, tongue, and cheeks). Then, we work on strategies for speech. There are some tricks that Katherine uses to make her speech more intelligible. However, it is so hard to do this constantly! When any of us are tired (mentally or physically) we don't speak as clearly as we do when we are refreshed. It is even harder when you have to think about each sound you make and where to place your articulators.

Katherine works so very hard in her sessions! It is always a joy to see someone "get it" and put strategies into action. (Jay works pretty hard in sessions, too!!!) With her faith, determination, dedication, and support, Katherine has already made such wonderful changes for the better, and I look forward to her further restoration.
 

 

In His Serving Love,
Jay Wolf
1 John 4:7-11

 
I wanted to write a little note to tell you all about my fabulous Valentine's Day and to make you smile a little, but I also am writing you to ask for your prayers after an eventful weekend.

 

OK, (since you asked — haha) briefly about Vday: I have always celebrated Valentine’s Day. It's a big holiday in my life, As a child, my mom always put heart shaped sandwiches in my lunchbox, and we even had a V’day tree! In more recent years, I’ve usually gone out to dinner on a date. However, I can honestly say this was the most special V’day I have ever had. I managed to stay in my nightgown & furry slippers the entire day & it was wonderful! I received 6 gifts from Jay & was even able to get on the floor & play with the baby! It was an amazing, “almost-normal” day. It reminded me of a scene from 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

What happened Valentine's night was more like a scene from a horror movie!

Both my parents are in town right now, and we insisted they have a romantic night to themselves in LA for V’day while we had a night to ourselves here in Pomona. Jay has not been able to walk around in his boxers since this happened, and I thought Valentines would be a lovely day for us to try it. We have wanted more 'family time' for the 3 of us.

I woke up throwing up at 3:15 AM. Jay was missing and between throw ups I began yelling for him in a voice I still do not recognize. Jay quickly returned from the bathroom where he had been simultaneously throwing up! We had both been feeling a little funny before bed, and it seemed several people around us had some sort of bug, but our Valentine's Day sickness certainly came on out of the blue. Because of my current physical state, I was not able to make it to the bathroom or move around much in bed, so I had the rather unpleasant experience of having to sit in my own vomit that was now all in my hair and covering my new Valentines Day pajamas.

When Jay returned from the bathroom, he helped me to the shower after a short disagreement about why I needed to shower in the middle of the night. MEN! I said, "It's 3 in the morning, why would I shower?" Jay said, "Because you are covered in your own throw up!' Men are soooo rational sometimes! He even stripped the sheets of the bed and put all of the dirty clothes and sheets in the washing machine.

I did shower, and we finally went to bed. It was an interesting night to say the least! Miraculously, James slept through this entire ordeal and woke up at 8 the next morning (just in time for Jay to feed him breakfast between dry heaves — the joys of parenthood!) Maybe James knew that he needed to sleep in a bit that particular morning. God works in mysterious ways!

Proverbs 19:21 says 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the Lord's purpose prevails!' I had memorized that when we got unexpectedly pregnant. It is just so applicable now.

On a much happier note — I have now been approved for the 'Frazer Water Protocol' and I am now allowed to drink water and/or eat ice whenever I am thirsty. Since water has a neutral PH, it does not matter if I was to aspirate it into my lungs (the big worry being that things other than water, like food, will be aspirated into my lungs and create pneumonia). Though I still am NPO ('nothing per oral') and my swalllowing still has many issues, this is wonderful news and forward progress!

Love to you all!!!
Katherine Wolf

 

 

One of the hardest things to get used to is that I have really terrible handwriting now. The loss of the ability to write with a pen adds 'insult to injury'(literally)! I have loved writing cards or letters and journaling since I first learned to write. As a child, I used to send my grandparents letters in the mail all the time...even though they lived in the same neighborhood. Now my writing is almost illegible. Thank God for the computer and texting!

Anyway, Jay encouraged me to write Valentines this year as usual, even though my handwriting is so altered now. I did write a few to friends and family, and I cannot tell you how different it was. In previous years, I have always written and sent Valentines in no time at all. Now, they each took about 10 minutes of hard labor. If I could, I would write a personal Valentine to each one of you. Instead, here is a little poem for you all on this holiday weekend...

How can I say 'thank you' for the ways you've supported me?
I am touched by your kindness, and all the beauty that I see-
The love I feel from you is powerful and strong;
That love brings life and healing, and is never wrong.
I am blessed by every one of you, and your presence in my life
And so grateful that you've joined me on this journey filled with strife.
It has not been easy, but that is part of the reward,
Even life's worst tragedies contain gifts from the Lord.
This Valentine's, I won't focus on the chocolate I can't eat
But on your love and kindness, which are more than sweet.
Thank you from my heart of hearts--I love you all so dearly-
And I thank God for friends so true, and praise Him very cheerily!
 

Happy Valentines Day!

Love Always,

Katherine


"Beloved, let us love one another for love is from God and He who loves is born of God and knows God."  I John 4:7

 

 

Just a quick little update...

 

I HAVE GAINED 4 LBS IN 2 WEEKS! This may not seem like a huge deal, but it really is huge news!!! Not that I have been drastically underweight (I do live in LA after all!), but I definitely could have gained some weight. They weighed me (at the rehab hospital) last Tuesday and two Tuesdays before that and were pleasantly surprised that my weight had increased. There is no reason I would be suddenly gaining weight, the only explanation is that I AM HEALING! The irony of life is that I am so happy about gaining those 4 lbs! Normally, every woman I know would love to lose 4 lbs; I know I would! Instead, I am so happy to gain it.

 

The other big news is that I put a jacket on James this past Thursday all by myself. Again, this may not seem like much, but I have been completely incapable of any childcare skills since this happened (over 9 months ago.) It was a huge victory for me to put a jacket on my little boy before he rode in my lap in the wheelchair on the way to therapy.

Lastly, I am finally starting to completely process what has happened to me. Though the realization of what has happened still completely takes me by surprise at times, the 'new normal' has begun to sink in. I have become fascinated by it, even asking so many of you, "Did you think I would die?" This may sound crazy, but it can take a really long time to understand something you don't remember! I have recently read several books on Heaven including "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper, which was really good. It certainly is life-changing to feel like I was that close to heaven.

While there is still much that needs to return, I feel like I am beginning to transition out of this time. My PTs think that I may be walking again by next Christmas. My heart is full!

Love you,
Katherine

 

Update on Katherine Wolf by Jay Wolf (her father--in-law)
 
Katherine and Jason keep climbing into the rugged territory of recovery.  Their insurance company delayed Katherine's return to therapy at Casa Colina but everything has been ironed out and she restart her work on  January 26.  Pray for her mental tenacity and physical progress!  Her update is inspiring.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As so many of you have written and commented, we are now in the 9th month of my ordeal and that is how long it takes to have a baby. You know, James was 6 months 5 days old when this happened to me. Having had a baby only 6 short months before my rupture, I have made many of those comparisons. I know you are not supposed to do this, but I had to send you a tiny bit of one of my books, where I compare childbirth and having a stroke...

"The beauty of childbirth is that it is pain with a purpose. The sadness of a stroke is that it is hard to know the purpose. At the end of labor, you get this precious little bundle and you are so happy. But having a stroke is terrible for months, and at the end of the ordeal you are left with pain, suffering, and possibly some permanent cognitive or physical shortcomings. Having James initially came as a total 'surprise' to Jay and me. Now, I know one reason he came into the world when he did was to give me a reason to fight for my life. There are no 'surprises' when God is in control."

My love to all of you and again, I am so thankful for your continued prayers. I wanted to say thank you to a few of the people who commented, and thus encouraged me on the actual 9 month anniversary.

My Father-law, Big Jay, always tells me that 'I'm Coming Back'. I finally believe it now. I had my first stomach ache in 9 months (I'm happy for pain!!!), I am starting to have blood rush to my head when I sit up too quickly, and, above all, I will begin all my therapy on Monday.

I am coming back! WOOHOO!

Love to all,

Katherine

 

Jay, Katherine and James traveled to Montgomery for Sarah & Jeremiah's wedding. Jay spoke during the 11:00 AM worship service on Sunday, December 21.

 

 

 

Happy Holy-days Greetings!

This Christmas, Katherine, Jason and James are recharging their batteries for the battle in the encouraging environments of Montgomery and Athens. Amazing progress is being made but the grueling war for her recovery continues. Your prayers provide vital ammunition--so keep firing! (Luke 11:9-13) Katherine wrote a powerful note and it is shared below.
 
Note the link to the WSFA news article on Katherine at http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s=9563021

 

FROM KATHERINE WOLF, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008 09:15 PM, CST
 
Dear Friends,
I want to wish each one of you a fabulous and very Merry Christmas. Please go to www.katherineawolf.blogspot.com -  It has some recent pics.
 
We had a painless plane ride home to the ‘deep south’, and I am loving it. Montgomery was wonderful, and I loved getting to go to Sarah’s wedding. The wedding was so pretty and Jay sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”, and it was beautiful. Almost every family member was at Sarah’s wedding from the Wolf and Simmons families. Sunday night I was so blessed to be surrounded by all of those dear family members as they prayed for me and literally surrounded me and Jay in a “holy huddle”. I also got to see so many sweet Montgomery people who have been praying for me. THE NEWS DID TWO STORIES ON US TOO. It is truly amazing to think that after 8 months, people are still with us on this journey. Here is a link to one of the news stories: http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?s=9563021  I love this one because you get to see Baby James matching the Bride in a precious outfit handmade by Jay’s mom’s dear friend, Marion Steindorff. We also went to several Christmas parties in Montgomery in addition to the wedding festivities. We went to church on Sunday and even made it to a weekly prayer meeting that has met every Monday since my injury. Though many tears, I heard stories of how people have been praying since April 21st. It was amazing.

Coming to Athens has been incredible. As we pulled into our neighborhood, many of our neighbors had gathered with balloons and flowers to celebrate my homecoming on a front lawn. Also, on the interstate coming into town, my dear friend, Sally, had put up a banner for me! As we drove through the neighborhood, I saw yellow ribbons on every mailbox. Evidently, those same homecoming ribbons are up all over town thanks to Betty Perno and Betty Devore for organizing. Here is the little poem about it….by Trey Daniel titled “Welcome Home Katherine”

It was the night before Christmas and all through the trees,
Yellow ribbons were tied with the utmost of ease.
For to think of your journey over the past several months,
Tis but a small token of our love for you from all of us.
Dearest Katherine we have been with you all along the way,
So eagerly we have prayed and anticipated this day.
Your story has stretched so very far and wide,
Through modern technology we have stayed by your side.
But in this modern age one thing remains constantly in place,
The oldest, purest form of love: God’s salvation and grace.
It is to Him we are so thankful that you are back with us now,
Enjoy the lights and ribbons as you travel through your hometown.

There are yellow ribbons all over the church and all over town. Being home has already been so fantastic. There was a big sign on the front porch that said “Welcome Home Katherine” and our house is totally decked out for Christmas. I cannot help but think how blessed I am. Being with my whole family will be very healing for me and I have already seen my grandmother Manda! Tonight we have a traditional formal dinner and then off to bed before the big day tomorrow!

A very quick update on me….I am doing well. Please pray for my voice. As many of you have heard, it is very distorted sounding and I have a weakened lung. My voice is much softer than normal and can be very hard to hear or understand which can be really difficult at parties and anything with crowds!. If you watched the clip, then you saw that my face is still half frozen and my right eye is not where it should be. I am also still unable to walk, but I have now progressed to using a cane with Jay holding onto me for assistance. I have also worked hard on my first book, “Through the Valley” and it documents the ordeal to where I am today. In it, I write out the lyrics to my favorite Ginny Owens (she is blind) song. I wanted to share a little bit with you….

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don’t know the reason why you brought me here
But just because you love me the way that you do
I’m gonna walk through the valley
If you want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that’s not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I’d never go alone.

That last verse makes my heart sing. I would never have chosen this, but I know God is with me. It does not mean this easy – it’s not – it is horrible, but I know I am not alone. You all have shown up and shone off and I am so blessed.

I know one of the reasons I am alive today is because of all of your prayers. On a Christmas when I can neither walk nor eat, I find myself so grateful for what I do have. All of you have touched my life in a very deep way. I love you.

Thank you and Merry Christmas-
Katherine

 

Our sweet daughter Sarah will marry Jeremiah Sizemore on December 20. Against all odds, Jason and Katherine are coming!!! Two months ago I would have placed the likelihood of their attending the wedding to be very near zero. In God's kindness, all the moving and complicated pieces of the puzzle have snapped together and they are coming! Jason and Katherine will arrive in Atlanta today (12.18.08) and stay in Montgomery until December 24 when they transfer over to Athens to be with Katherine's wonderful family til January 2 when they return to California to continue the arduous rehab journey. 

 

Katherine's dear Mom has written a synopsis of their last few days and it will inform your intercession.

 

Your prayers and support constitute a gift that exceeds gold!

 

Standing firm and Seeking to See Jesus Everywhere,

Jay
Hebrews 12:1-2
 
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2008 07:13 AM, CST
 

Dear Friends,

Katherine has had a positive experience during this interim of out-patient therapy at Casa Colina. It is always good to stir the pot a little and mix in some new ideas and strategies. The therapies are scheduled as appointments at different times each day, so that has messed up our routines a good bit. Katherine just has 3 1-hour appointments each day, as opposed to the full day of therapy she had at the Transitional Living Center, so there has been more time for stillness and reflection. This is a little hard for Katherine in some ways, as she's always been such an "action-oriented" person. But the weather here has been uncharacteristically wet and cold, so it's not too bad just sitting curled up in a big chair by a cozy fire.

All of us have battled sickness recently. Jay has been mildly sick off and on for the past few weeks; the baby has developed a terrible cold; I've come down with a virus....and finally, Katherine has developed an upper respiratory infection. She was immediately put on an antibiotic, and Jay is faithfully administering nutritional supplements throughout the day through her feeding tube. Because of the intense trauma her body has been through, we don't take any form of illness lightly.

In God's perfect timing, my friend Cindy was scheduled to be out here this week to help us. She has been amazing...caring for James, doing laundry, cleaning toilets...so that we can concentrate on getting well before our travels. We will be heading east tomorrow, so please pray for 'traveling mercies' for us. It will be quite an entourage...with wheelchair, stroller, walker, baby equipment, and all the other paraphenalia we'll need. We have no idea what to expect, but imagine it will be a long day with sick people (especially a 1-year-old!) traveling.

But I know that your prayers will make a difference, as they always have!

You have our deep gratitude for your unfailing faithfulness in interceding for us through all of our journeys...be they short or long.

Thank you for continuing to travel with us.

Love, Kim

 

 

By Jay Wolf (Katherine's Father-in-law)

Katherine's Mom, Kim Arnold, is a wonderful writer and she is currently staying with them in Pomona to help care for James. Kim's insightful observation provides fuel for our prayer support of our dear Katherine and Jason.

The chill of winter now reaches even here to Southern California. It's a little dreary outside. Progress slows to a snail's pace. And Christmas is upon us.

It is hard to force away comparisons with Christmases Past. The typical frantic flurry of peripheral busy-ness is an impossibility for us now. We did manage to go into LA for some holiday festivities and church this weekend, however. Katherine and Jay went to two parties hosted annually by good friends. Although Katherine was very glad to be out and in the company of close friends, I think it was difficult to be in the same settings in such an altered condition. It's a little hard to be merry when everyone else gets to do all the eating and drinking. (And most of the walking and talking.)

On Friday, Katherine began a new schedule of therapy at the Outpatient Center at Casa Colina. This will just be through December 17. On December 18 they will fly to Atlanta for Sarah Wolf's  wedding and family visits.  In January, she will resume her previous schedule at the Transitional Living Center.

Although it is a challenge to stay positive when such severe deficits remain, Katherine is determined to press on in her recovery no matter what. She continues to push herself in every way, even though the improvements are coming at a much slower pace. She is working out hard after therapy, receiving acupuncture on a regular basis, and going to Malibu on the weekends for hyperbaric treatments. Her in-laws gave her a wonderful new laptop as an early Christmas present, and she is starting to journal and write more about her experiences. She and James are able to have increasingly meaningful interaction with each other, and one of his favorite things to do now is "kiss Mommy." It's hard to be sad when that's going on.

It is an incredible privilege for me to be able to live with Katherine, Jay, and James for a while. I think Jay is actually getting used to every man's worst nightmare: a mother-in-law with a Big Suitcase!! We've been blessed to have some sweet times and great talks together...and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. (Except for a well child.)

Thank you all for your ongoing support and prayers. Jay and I are praying specifically that Katherine will receive some sign of encouragement that God is continuing His supernatural work of healing and restoration in her body day by day. We were blessed yesterday when BelAir's Praise Team led the congregation in what has become the victory song for us all: "You Never Let Go." Tears streamed down our faces at the reminder that even when we cannot hang on any longer, God holds on to us.

May He hold you close during the Holydays and always.

Love, Kim

 

 

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately, this afternoon's swallowing test did not go as we had hoped. Katherine has not regressed, but she is still unable to swallow normally enough to be moved beyond her 7th month status of NPO ("nothing by mouth"). Some of the similar issues of ataxia (lack of coordination and balance) in her walking also plague her swallowing muscles. Also, the damage to her 7th intracranial nerve, which affects her face, likewise affects the muscles on the right side of her tongue and soft palate, as well as some sensation in her throat. The combination of these things throw off the delicate balance of this complex swallowing motion.

Certainly, we were hoping for a Thanksgiving/Christmas miracle, so that Katherine might be able to try some mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie, but our hope is focused on the Lord, not on the timing in which He reveals His plan to us. Despite our tears of frustration and fatigue, we trust our Lord and know that whatever He has for us must be better than anything we could have ever hoped for ourselves. God was the Creator of Katherine's swallow. He wired her brain to perform that necessary function, and He is the only one who can wire it back again.

Yesterday, we were able to make it back to our beloved Bel Air Presbyterian Church for the 2nd time since Katherine's injury. The song "Everlasting God" was sung in our Young Marrieds group, and as has been the case these past 7 months, the words to this song (and so may others) have never rung more vibrantly true...

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

- Chris Tomlin

We pray that as we wait upon the Lord, something very mysterious will happen (as it so often does in the Christian life). That as more time passes, our hope and our strength will not be diminished or extinguished but rather would quite miraculously be increased. As we continue to be lifted up by the Lord's inexhaustible strength, we pray that your hope, your spirits, and your prayers will also rise as you faithfully wait upon the Lord with us.

Love and Blessings,
Jay, Katherine, and James
 

 

This is the 200th day of her voyage through excruciating suffering, miraculous recovery and God's redemption)
 
My beloved son continues to astonish and instruct me. His faithfulness replicates the bewildering beauty of God's loyal love to His broken people.

Jay Wolf
"He who began a good work in you will be FAITHFUL to complete it."  Philippians 1:6 

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Today, November 6th, was Katherine and my 4th wedding anniversary. As I walked Katherine back from an early morning trip to the bathroom, I rigged our wedding DVD to start playing at the bridal procession. After a few seconds, the strains of "Trumpet Voluntary" ignited memories in Katherine's mind, sending a sweet, crooked smile across her face. I knew that Katherine's "procession" this morning, though in a bathrobe with her eye patched, was far more beautiful than her walk down the aisle on our wedding day.

We continued to slowly make our way back to the bed, in the now familiar, swaying dance/walk that we find ourselves in every day now. Memories of how we danced to the band for hours at our reception came racing back. Even if we won't be dancing that way for a while still, I get to lead my wife in a new kind of dance all the time. Instead of a soulful band singing classic oldies, we often "dance" to sad songs, people yelling, or James crying, but the times that we hear those carefree songs, people cheering, or James laughing are the most exquisite dances imaginable.

We lay in bed watching the wedding DVD before getting ready for our day of therapy. The two people on the screen were so young, so innocent. In just four years, those two people now find themselves at a neuro rehabilitation hospital in Pomona, CA. The bride, though now unable to walk herself down any aisle or clearly speak her wedding vows or eat her beloved wedding cake, is somehow, impossibly more radiant now than she was then. Now, she glows with the light of new life. Those two giddy newlyweds are still in here, somewhere deep down. We've been battered, but we are not broken. We've experienced things that two 26 year olds should never have to experience, but we've also been filled to overflowing by the immeasurable blessings of our Lord. Nothing on this journey is wasted.

My Dad performed our wedding ceremony. As we listened to his words preceding the vows, we could not help but transport ourselves back to the moments on that altar. My Dad spoke of the inevitable storms of life, and the necessity of building our home on the rock-solid foundation of Christ. How could we have ever imagined what our lives would be like less than 4 years later? This huge storm has swept over our home, threatening to take it all away, but by the grace of God, our little home is still here. I could not be more proud of the family that remains.

These days, grasping at normalcy or reminiscing on the old life most often brings a cold reminder that things are not as they used to be. Sadness can often overshadow what were once celebratory occasions, but not today because on this day of remembering our sacred vows of marriage, things are just as they were promised to be.

 
Update on Katherine Wolf by Jay Wolf (Her Father-in-law)

Jason and Katherine met with Dr. Gonzalez at UCLA for her 6 month check up. The visit prompted Jason to provide a recap of their faith walk through these perilous experiences. Let's keep praying, cheering and learning because we are on the front row of God's miracle! 

Dear friends,
Last week, we had the privilege of meeting with Katherine's attending neurosurgeon, Dr. Nestor Gonzalez. We spent the night at Katherine's mom's apartment in Westwood on Wednesday night, and then walked over to Dr. Gonzalez's office at UCLA at 8am on Thursday morning. Katherine's grandmother, Amanda, also happened to be in town, so she and Kim joined us at the visit. This appointment served as a 6-month follow-up to Katherine's surgery on April 21, as well as a time to discuss some specifics about what happened that day.
Dr. Gonzalez has naturally become a very special person in our lives, not just because of the huge role he played in saving Katherine's life (though he gives God the credit for it) but also because of how Katherine's surgery and recovery have deeply affected him. As our visit began, we all embraced then sat around the exam room as Dr. Gonzalez began to lovingly explain to Katherine the details of her surgery.

Katherine's path first crossed with Dr. Gonzalez at the UCLA Westwood Emergency Room. Katherine was originally taken from our Pepperdine apartment to UCLA Santa Monica. There they performed a CT scan which showed a huge bleed in her brain. After stabilizing her there, she was immediately sent to the much more specialized unit of Neurosurgery at UCLA Westwood. At the time, we did not even realize that UCLA is considered one of the top hospitals in the country (#3 according to US News & World Reports) and is a world leader in the treatment of vascular brain injuries and stroke. Though we didn't know it when we first moved to LA, one of the major reasons God brought us out here was to be close to UCLA and to Dr. Gonzalez. Isn't it beautiful to look back at life and see the Lord's hand working in ways that we never expected.

When Katherine arrived at UCLA Westwood's Emergency Room, a procedure was done to release the incredible pressure that was building up in her brain. Then, an angiogram (the first of around 10) was performed by Dr. Gonzalez which revealed the cause of the bleed--a massive AVM in her cerebellum. One of the most disconcerting findings of the angiogram was that the very high intracranial pressure had created a major herniation in the tonsils of Katherine's cerebellum. In other words, the pressure from the bleeding was causing several inches of Katherine's cerebellum to be pushed down through her spine. Almost always, this type of herniation very soon after leads to the person's death.

Dr. Gonzalez recounted that months after Katherine's surgery he presented her case to a group of UCLA doctors as a teaching, case study. He showed the CT scans and presented her stats from that day in the emergency room. He then asked his neurosurgery colleagues if they would proceed with the surgery, based on the given facts. The majority of the UCLA neurosurgeons said that they would NOT have chosen to do Katherine's surgery because of the herniation, massive bleeding, location/size/complexity of the AVM, and extreme likelihood of death or persistent vegetative state. The mood was somber because of the bleak prognosis for this anonymous patient, but spontaneous applause broke out when Dr. Gonzalez finished the presentation by explaining that not only did Katherine survive the surgery, but she had recovered so well that she was on her way to rehab. He said that in all of his years at UCLA, Katherine's case study was the first to receive applause.

We have always been so grateful to have been at a teaching hospital like UCLA that would take on more difficult surgeries like Katherine's. It seems that Katherine's case was even too much for UCLA, but thankfully Dr. Gonzalez was on-call and said that in his gut, he knew that he had to attempt her surgery. A resident in the ER even told him that the patient's husband was an attorney, which was a big negative in his decision to operate. In his words, he was also tormented by the fact that Katherine might not just die but could also very likely be subjected to the living hell of a persistent vegetative state or locked-in syndrome ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"). Despite the horrible odds and exposing himself to major liability, Dr. Gonzalez felt that both Katherine (though non-responsive at the time) and I seemed to be calmly and confidently delivering her life into his hands. He proceeded with the surgery.

 

Katherine was very close to death by the time she entered the Operating Room. A craniectomy was performed, removing the back right portion of her skull, as well as a laminectomy, removing several of her top vertebral bones to give her swelling brain a little more room to expand. The AVM took up over half of her cerebellum and was interwoven with many aneurysms. The bleeding had formed a large hematoma in the middle of that part of her brain, near her brain stem. The first half of the surgery went to the removal of the AVM and with it, over half of her cerebellum. Also, the collection of blood (hematoma) that had formed near her brainstem had to be removed, which required cutting through part of her brain to get to it. This portion of the surgery involved a lot of bleeding, so much so that Katherine's full blood volume was replaced 5 times (that day, Katherine used 10% of all the blood used at UCLA). The second half was dedicated to microscopically removing any possible remnant of the AVM from her brain stem and intracranial nerves. In order to save her life and prevent any future bleeds, Dr. Gonzalez had to inflict some damage on her intracranial nerves; though he said that only the 7th intracranial nerve (to the face) was cut because the AVM was literally wrapped around it. The 8th intracranial nerve (auditory) runs right next to the 7th, which explains the deafness in Katherine's right ear. The intracranial nerves are hair-like and have the consistency of butter, so any disruption or heat near them can cause damage, which is why the full extent of that damage is sort of unknown. Most of the end of the surgery involved the brain stem, where any amount of damage could have surely killed her as the brainstem controls the heart beat and breathing. At the end of this incredibly complex surgery, Dr. Gonzalez was shocked to see that 16 hours had passed. He knew that Katherine was alive, but he was not certain of any other outcomes.
 

BUT something very special happened less than 24 hours after Katherine's surgery. Dr. Gonzalez was awakened by an excited ICU nurse. Katherine had responded to commands and slightly moved the fingers on both hands and wiggled her toes. He rushed over to Katherine's bedside where he asked Katherine to squeeze his hands, which she did. This was beyond miraculous to the neurosurgery team and to Dr. Gonzalez who thought that not only would Katherine likely be in a coma, brain dead, or paralyzed, but that she would definitely be under for several days after her surgery. It was a moment that we would never forget, and neither would he. This was just the first miracle in Katherine's long road to recovery at UCLA and a gracious glimmer of hope from the Lord.
 

In the coming weeks in ICU and beyond, Katherine embodied innumerable miracles but also faced many, many obstacles, such as vasospasms, pneumonia, infection of the ventriculostomy tube coming out of her brain, weaning from the ventilator, high fever, etc. Dr. Gonzalez was quick to point out that despite all of these issues; Katherine was blessed enough to not have any new bleeding or any further brain damage beyond what occurred in the initial surgery. An angiogram soon after her surgery revealed that the AVM was entirely gone.
 

Dr. Gonzalez says that he cannot give Katherine a prognosis on her recovery because thus far, she has disproved every prognosis he has given her. He feels that in time, Katherine will be able to make a wonderful recovery. Katherine's AVM was the largest AVM Dr. Gonzalez had ever seen, in the worst possible location, with the worst type of blood drainage. To see her sitting in his office 6 months after the surgery, talking about her baby's 1 year old birthday, has to give Dr. Gonzalez such a huge boost. He put himself on the line when he took on her surgery, and this time, it paid off immensely.

Our appointment ended with a silently, tearful embrace between Katherine and Dr. Gonzalez. This man has saved Katherine's life, but in some ways, Katherine has also saved his. He has told us several times that experiencing a case like Katherine's has pointed him to the Lord because what has happened with her can only be attributed to the Lord's intervention. It's a rare occasion in life when you get to thank another person who has literally saved your life. It's even rarer when that person gives the Lord all the credit. I ask for your prayers over this amazing man. He is truly an instrument in the hand of God being used to change so many people's lives.

Many times the slow pace of Katherine's recovery is so disheartening, but as we are able to revisit the beginning hours and days of this new life, we are given such encouragement. The simple truth is that Katherine should not be here today. As we are reminded how far Katherine has come, we know that no matter what hard days are ahead, undoubtedly that hardest one is already over, the victory has already been won. The God that has conquered death is the same God that remains now and continues to restore us back to life.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

God Bless,
Jay Wolf III
 

Even on “low battery”, Katherine is a powerful person! Her letters flow like refreshing streams from the desert, providing a massive dose of encouragement and spiritual insight. She is climbing the jagged mountain of recovery with faith and your prayers furnish fuel for the journey!

Humbly Grateful,
Jay Wolf

 

SWALLOWING TEST UPDATE:

Hi friends,

Thank you for your prayers this afternoon. I had my 5th swallowing test today, and though I still did not "pass", I have definitely made some progress since the last test. I showed improvement in being able to get more of the pureed food down into my esophagus, though at times, a decent bit would not fully go down and would remain in my throat. Also, a few times, I aspirated small amounts of the food into my lungs, which is not good.

I seem to be gaining strength in my swallowing muscles overall, but I am still not initiating a complete swallow. We will continue with the same therapies we have been doing for my swallowing, and I will remain NPO ("nothing by mouth").

I continue to cling to the hope that the Lord is in control. Being in a position of complete helplessness, where there is nothing more that I can do for myself, is right where God wants me. It is one of the most painful places to be in but also one of the most wonderfully free. It must cause the Lord great pain to see his children hurting, but I know that He also delights in the circumstances where his children have absolutely nowhere else to go but to Him. It's all in His hands, and I am so thankful for that.

Love and Blessings,
Katherine, Jay, and James

"For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries." (Psalm 112:6-8)


 

Day 7 - MY SPIRITS:
As the weeks and months have passed, the reality of my current situation has begun to sink in more and more. Layers of understanding the extent of my injury have been peeled away to reveal a prognosis that is often very hard to swallow (literally!); however, what is also left is an understanding of the Lord's grace and the miracle of my recovery. Like most of us, I seem to fight the competing interests of thankfulness and discouragement. I have really been trying to stay positive throughout this entire ordeal, but at times, I feel so trapped because it is so hard to find a light at the end of this dark tunnel. There are so many difficult things to process. From my normal life and home being ripped away from me, to being separated from my precious baby boy and wonderful husband, this has all been really horrible. I constantly deal with overwhelming, seemingly insurmountable medical issues, and I have been transplanted to a very sad prison of sorts, full of people in the worst spots of their lives. Though in these darkest of times, the light of the Lord can shine through me the brightest.

Despite it all, I still feel like I know the ending of my story. I know the Lord is in control of my every breath, and I trust him to walk me through this fire. I am a very determined person, and I am focused on getting out of here and getting well. I have so much to live for! I feel very blessed. In the lowest moments, I feel very sad that this has happened to me, yet I have never felt angry at God for allowing this. I put my faith in Romans 8:28 (see below), and I know that my suffering is not in vain. In fact, I am writing a book entitled, "My Journey Back" where I will share everything I am learning and how I am growing in the Lord. Please pray that I will continue to feel encouraged and that my spirits would remain high so that I can take on the challenges that each day brings.

P.S. - I was able to go to the gym with Jay for the first time today. Getting a workout is not as easy as it used to be. I could only do one specific cardio machine (low stationary bike with side supports), and I had to have Jay transfer me to the seated weight machines and spot me as I did them on very light weight settings. Getting the blood and endorphins flowing, along with the change of scenery, was great medicine!


"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

As I read Katherine’s updates regarding her condition, it magnifies God's truth that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139) Functions that I consider simple and routine such as swallowing are extremely complex and fragile. It is easy to take these fundamental functions that God loans us as a right instead of as a gift. It is by the grace of God that our bodily systems work together so seamlessly and most of us do not even give them a second thought. PRAISE God for His mighty wisdom and power. With Him all things are possible. Thank you, Katherine, for amplifying these truths through your insights and prayer requests.

Jay Wolf

 

Day 6 - MY HEARING:
I have been pronounced deaf in the right ear. Apparently, the intracranial nerve that creates hearing impulses was fully cut during surgery (this also creates a negative affect on my balance, as your vestibular system/inner ear/equilibrium are all related). I obviously cannot hear anything from that side, and this was confirmed by several hearing tests. Thankfully, my left side hearing is normal (probably even a little better than normal to compensate for the right). I do just fine without my left side hearing, but there are a number of issues, including not being able to tell direction of where sounds are coming from or hearing noises from behind me on my right. These are not the end of the world, but they do create challenges in every day life. There are a few options for hearing aides that conduct sound through your bone to give the effect of hearing in the right side, but they are not very reliable. We will continue to explore those when the time seems right. Many people have been in praying for my "complete restoration" and that I would be returned to how I was before. I think that includes the restoration of my hearing too. God can do anything he wants, and though there is nothing there now, I know he can regrow that cut intracranial nerve if He desires it.

"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." (Psalm 94:19)
 

For the last few days I joined Katherine and Jason in the deep, cold and swift waters of their rehab world at Casa Colina. It is a high and holy privilege to enter the sanctuary of their daily journey. They are running an extraordinary race of faith and courage-navigating each new challenge with patience, perseverance and pray. We treasure your partnership in the creation of God's miracle and their superlative love story.

 

Jay Wolf
Hebrews 12:1-2

Day 5 - MY SIGHT:
All my life, I have had 20/20 vision. After my rupture and surgery, my right eye (like everything else on the right) was severely affected. The right eye itself has trouble focusing and tracking in line with the left eye. This creates double vision because both eyes are not exactly working together. I can see out of my right eye, but it is very blurry. The right eye also cannot fully look to the right and is still slightly crossed into the middle. Another big problem is the damaged facial nerves because those help me to blink. My right eye cannot fully shut, and I do not blink it unconsciously throughout the day. This caused a big problem in ICU because they were focusing on saving my life, not on my eye, so it got completely dried out and my cornea was torn. Theythought I would need a corneal transplant, but another miracle was that the corneal tear has almost fully healed. Still, my right eye does not appropriately lubricate itself, so I have to get eye lube put in twice a day, as well as get it patched up at night (otherwise my right eye would just stay open and dry out while I sleep). Thankfully, it has improved some since the beginning, but it is so hard not to be able to see normally. In ICU, my eyes were both googly and could not control any movements. Now, the left is completely normal. I just need the right to come along! According to the neuro-opthamologist (I have a follow-up appointment on December 4th), I will not have any permanent vision loss, though I'm not sure if my eye will actually completely return to normal or if my vision will once again be good. Thankfully, it keeps improving and there are several surgical options to help it in the future if need be. Please pray for more improvements and healing to occur.

"We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7)


On a happy note, today (October 16th) was James' 1st birthday! We had a great time celebrating with Jay, my mom, Sarah, and Big Jay. James nearly ate an entire carrot cake cupcake! It's been quite a year, to say the least, full of immeasurable blessings and challenges (hopefully next year will be a little less eventful!), but the one thing that always remains the same is the constant overflowing of the Lord's grace and love onto our lives. I am so thankful to be here to see my baby turn 1, and I pray to be around to celebrate many, many more of his birthdays. Thank you God! I encourage you all to not waste a moment loving the people around you, cherishing times of fellowship, and appreciating all of the Lord's rich blessings in your lives.
 

Day 4 - MY VOICE:
I sound so weird now! Once again, because of the damage to the intracranial nerves connected to my face and my swallowing muscles, my speech has been very affected ("dysarthria"). The right side of my soft palate, tongue muscle, and lips are all weak and/or paralyzed, which as you can imagine,
makes all of the precise mouth movements required for normal speech very, very difficult. This has been so hard because most people cannot understand me when I talk. As you know, I love to communicate and connect to people (I was a Communications major in college!), so not being able to express myself effectively to people in my life has been a huge hardship. Also, it's been a challenge being in public settings where people assume that because my voice is different, I must be retarded or mentally out of it. I'm all here!

My right vocal cord is paralyzed (I had to get a collagen injection in that cord just to make it somewhat function) which causes my vocal quality to be very weak. Also, my right lung has been very impaired which makes it extremely hard to project my voice loudly. This is quite a change from how it used to be--you all know how loud I can be and you have seen that "Chatty Kathy" is not just an expression for me!

My speaking abilities have always been a gift from God. Instead of public speaking being my #1 fear like most of the population, I have always loved it! I know that a huge part of this experience is to prepare me to share my testimony and point people to the Lord. I truly believe that God desires me to tell this story, and thus, will allow me to regain my speech so that I can effectively communicate once again.

Day 2 Prayer for SWALLOWING Follow-up to the Follow-up:

Today, I had my best day of swallowing therapy yet! For the first time since all this has happened, I actually felt myself swallowing down the puree, from my throat, down to my stomach. The return in sensation is very important. Also, I was able to manage much thinner liquids without coughing/aspirating. Please pray that my secretions would continue to decrease. The change of weather has added to my phlegm, which is really hard to swallow.

"O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy." (Psalm 130:2)

Monday, October 13, 2008

Katherine walked over 70 yards by herself as two therapist functioned as mobile guardrails!!! It was answered prayer in motion! Keep asking, seeking, and knocking (Luke 11: 1-13). 

Jay Wolf
Hebrews 12:1-2


Day 2 - MY SWALLOWING:
As many of you know, I cannot swallow at all. In the process of removing my rupturing AVM, the doctor had to partially cut the intracranial nerves which help to create the swallowing process. I do electrical stimulation therapy 5 days a week and specific swallowing exercises every day in hopes that the swallowing muscles and the corresponding nerves will be stimulated to regrow and remember how to perform their intended function. Eating or drinking when you have a weak or incomplete swallow ("dysphagia") is very risky because it greatly increases the chance of food or drink going down into the lungs and creating an "aspiration pneumonia" which could be fatal. I already had pneumonia once in ICU, and I really don't want it again!

As of now, and every day since April 21st, I have all my "meals" through a tube that hangs directly out of my stomach. I get a very high calorie, grey liquid poured directly into the tube 4 to 6 times a day, depending on how full it makes me feel. In almost 6 months, I have not had anything to drink or eat orally and have thus lost about 20 pounds. I have received very small amounts of ice chips and about 1/8 tsp of pureed food (yogurt, applesauce, babyfood, etc.) only during swallowing therapy and not even every time. It feels similar to claustrophobia in a weird way. Not being able to eat or drink anything has made me at times feel like a crazy person, stranded in the desert, deliriously wandering toward the next oasis. At this point, I just want some water! I would seriously eat or drink anything. It has almost gotten funny. Almost. Please pray that the nerves would regrow quickly and completely and that all of the components of the complicated process of swallowing would once again come together in my body.

Day 1 Prayer for WALKING Follow-up:
Thank you so much for all your prayers for my walking! God is so good and so are all of you for taking the time to intercede on my behalf. Prayer is so powerful, as evidenced by my session of physical therapy today. On this same day that so many lifted up my walking to the Lord, I walked the length of the breezeway (about 30 yards) with a therapist in front of me and one behind me spotting me very closely. It took quite a while, and they needed to steady me many times, but it was a first! I wanted you to know the Lord is hearing your prayers (I really think the Lord loves when His children ask for His help!), and He is faithful. So please keep them up! Thanks again.

Love,
Katherine, Jay, and James
 

Katherine wrote this encouraging message which reflects her gratitude, progress, current condition and prayer requests.  We treasure your partnership and intercession as we follow King Jesus TOGETHER!

Jay Wolf
Heb. 12:1-2
 

A Message From Katherine:
I write this message to first thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. It has been life-sustaining for me and my family during this trying time in our lives. I am humbled by the fact that almost six months after my injury, there are still so many people who desire to walk this road with me. For that, I am eternally grateful. I have seen the beautiful power of prayer so vibrantly displayed in my life in these past months, so I now humbly ask all of you to pray for me, for one specific thing each day, for the next week.

For those of you who are really out of the loop, on April 21st of this year, I suffered a rupture of an AVM in my brain (this is very similar to a stroke). I was making dinner to take to 2 families with new babies when I collapsed in my apartment in Malibu. Thankfully, Jay was there to call an ambulance. I was taken to UCLA where a very risky and life-threatening surgery was performed on me for 16 hours, during which my full blood volume was replaced 5 times, my intracranial nerves 6 through 12 were damaged in varying degrees, and most of my right cerebellum was removed. They told Jay and my Mom I would likely not live through the surgery. I did live, and I hope to tell you all about all the miracles!

I was in ICU for 40 days, UCLA's Acute Neuro Rehab for 70 days, and for the past 60 days I have been in Pomona, CA at Casa Colina's Transitional Living Center. It has been almost exactly 6 months since this happened to me. I am doing pretty well, but each day continues to be a new mix of joys and sorrows, praises and frustrations.

Now, almost 6 months later, I am so thankful for all the Lord's blessings in my miraculous recovery, but I am still crawling my way out of the darkest valley of my life. I have many significant obstacles that I fight every day and will likely fight for a long while. Starting today, I am asking each of you to focus your prayer on one of the following issues per day, in this order.

 

Day 1 - MY WALKING:
I still cannot walk by myself--at all--it's as simple as that. The cerebellum controls balance and coordination, which are essential for walking and movement. Since I no longer have most of my right cerebellum, my left cerebellum is having to completely relearn how to take over the right side's movements. This understandably takes a long time for your brain to rewire in this way. I have made progress in being able to somewhat walk while someone steadies me and holds me up, but it is very slow, and if I did not have major support, I would surely fall over ("ataxia"). I cannot even walk using a walker by myself. I have to have someone balancing me. There are so many aspects of walking to think about, which makes re-learning it very difficult. From actually having to think about how I am shifting my weight to the exact placements of my feet and slight bending of my right knee, it is one of the more difficult and frustrating challenges in my recovery.

Not only do I have a lack of coordination and balance, but I literally cannot feel where my body is in space ("proprioception") because most of my right side is numb due to damage of my intracranial nerves that send sensory signals to my brain. Thus, when I am falling or losing my balance, I cannot feel it and so I cannot correct myself. I'm sure you can imagine how maddening it is to fall over and not even know that you are falling.

Please pray for me to walk normally very soon and for my brain to rewire. At this point, because I cannot walk, I cannot do much for myself, which is very frustrating. I cannot go to the bathroom or pick up the remote that is just out of reach, and probably the most difficult, is that I cannot care for my baby. Knowing that I cannot pick him up if he is crying or go to his rescue if he needs me continually breaks my heart every day. Please pray that I will regain this vital ability sooner than later.

 

Love and Blessings,
Katherine

My Beloved Prayer Partners,
 
My Jason has experienced more stress and pressure in the last five months than most people experience in five decades. The compressed weight of Katherine's crisis pressing down into Jason's spirit has not crushed him but created a character that resembles a diamond--unusually strong and clear; not flawless but extremely valuable as He reflects the dazzling light of the SON!
 
In His Love and Victory,
Jay Wolf, humbled to be the son of King Jesus and the father of Jason Wolf
 
"But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings...You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet!"  —  Malachi 4:2-3
 

 

Update on Katherine Wolf
By Jay Wolf, III (Katherine's Husband)
 
Dear Friends,
A quick update and praise. The last few days there seems to be a slight improvement in Katherine's swallowing. She is able to feel a difference in the movement, and her swallowing therapist has validated that the muscle movements in her throat are stronger and are thus getting closer to a complete swallow. Also, at times, Katherine can hear a slight ear popping sound when she attempts to swallow. This is a good sign because it indicates that more pressure is being created in the swallowing movement, as it should be to close off the airway and open up the esophagus. Lastly, part of the daily swallowing therapy is a "thermal tactile stimulation", which consists of rubbing the back of Katherine's throat with a frozen lemon swab. The idea is that this intense cold and sour will trigger the nerves to sense the stimulus and react. In the past few days, this stimulation has elicited a few gag responses when done on the right side of her throat. This is progress because it shows that those sensory areas on the right side of her throat are re-awakening, which is hugely important in the initiation of a swallow. The fact still remains that Katherine is not fully swallowing and cannot necessarily initiate a swallow. She still has a very difficult time even managing the normal amount of saliva and phlegm that we all unconsciously swallow throughout the day/night. Thank you so much for your diligent prayers. I know that God delights in hearing the intimate pleas of His children calling out to Him in prayer. Please pray that we can continue to move forward on all swallowing fronts. God continues to reveal Himself in the answers! The next formal swallowing test will likely not be until the end of October.

At this point, any progress is reason enough to be excited, and we are so thankful for any signs of improvement after so much hard work. We perform these rather monotonous exercises in therapy for hours on end, even after the work with the therapists is over, day after day. At times, I am reminded of the definition for "insanity", doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I know we are not crazy, but I feel close to it sometimes! Such is the nature of therapy, and the repetition is literally re-wiring Katherine's brain function.

There are clearly no shortcuts, but when our patience grows thin, we have prayed for some glimmer of hope, no matter how small, to remind us that things will get better, that things will not always be like this. It is such an interesting place to be at in life, to be so thankful for the slightest changes in Katherine's body functions, but right now it is everything to us! But why shouldn't our lives be like that all of the time? It goes without saying that I will never again in my life take my ability to swallow for granted (among many other things), and I hope you won't either. Take time today to thank the Lord for the most seemingly small, insignificant thing in your life, knowing that He cared enough to give it to you in the first place. God Bless you!

- Jay III

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
 

GLIMPSES OF HOPE AND NORMALCY #1

Over the past few weeks, Katherine has been able to do a number of things that make us remember what our lives used to be like and encourage us as to what our lives will be again, one day...

 

* On Sunday, September 21, Katherine, James, Sarah, and I, woke up very early and got ready to go back to our beloved Bel Air Presbyterian Church, five months to the day since the rupture of Katherine's AVM. In God's perfect timing; it was the big Fall Kickoff Sunday for our Young Marrieds group (that we were the Directors of). Also, it was really the first Sunday since this happened that Katherine could have even attempted to go to church because she was on her first weekend pass home. After multiple obstacles (including James' cutting his finger on Katherine's feeding can and there being no parking spaces in the whole church parking lot, etc.), we made it to the Young Marrieds' room only an hour late. Again, in God's perfect timing, our fellow leader, JT, was introducing the leadership team right as we walked in. We had not mentioned that we would be coming that morning, so it took JT and Syd, his wife, by complete surprise and both burst into tears. The whole room erupted into applause as we tearfully waved and smiled back at all of our dearest friends who had been nothing less than the hands and feet of Christ to us in our time of need.

We were honestly a little worried how it would be going back to something that was such a huge part of our old lives. We had changed so much in the past 5 months, would it just be too different? To the credit of our amazing church community, our group has grown and changed with us in many ways, and our return to Young Marrieds and Bel Air Pres made us feel like we had never even left.

Casa Colina gave an inch, and we took 50 miles, literally. Since we were already in LA, we figured we might as well pack it in, like we have always loved to do We managed to have lunch and let James swim at Kim's apartment in Westwood, then made a visit to our dear friends, the Stovers, to see their new baby Henry. (Speaking of the Stovers, a few days before, Katherine and I went to LA to see them as Anna was in the hospital about to give birth. Katherine warned me that she would hitchhike to LA if I did not take her to see Anna, as Anna was with Katherine right before we had James). After that "day of rest", we truly felt more rested than we had in a very long time.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)