God's Healing: Body and Soul

I thought I'd jot a note and let everyone know how things are progressing since the accident. That seems so long ago, and yet it was only a month now that we were in a hospital, minds spinning wondering what happened. Life changed dramatically after that. We couldn't use the motorcycle, it needed repairs and frankly we weren't really "in the mood". I think you could imagine why! Our injuries have healed wonderfully. While I'm still working on the whole bending the thumb stuff, it's pretty much in tact now. With a few minor jolts of pain when I bend it weird or put too much pressure on it, it's just fine and in working order. All my abrasions have turned to pink memories of discomforts gone by. No more worries of infection or complication. Leah's knee has been healing beautifully. She is walking, pretty much running. We were able to go to Bangkok, and she could get around on the stairs, just as long as we took frequent breaks. She wont' be jumping in on a marathon mind you, but God has been so good to us. The healing has been wonderful.

Something I didn't think about initially was what to do about getting around. Suddenly, that became the biggest bear. No more motorcycle meant we were dependent on others to get around most of the time. I can take the songtaew (bus-truck kind of thing) to work every day and be fine, but even then I am depending on it being on time. And sometimes, it just isn't. For everything else, we had to ask favors and depend on the others here to help us get to church and even the grocery store. Especially in the beginning, when Leah could barely walk. And it was a struggle, because as much as people say we are not imposing, you always have this guilt feeling that you are. So you have to get over a lot of pride and allow people to reach out and help you. That's difficult. So we are indebted to the Joneses and Vonda and the Hayes for helping us exist this past month.

Recently though, we decided to go ahead and get the motorcycle fixed. We weren't sure what we'd do with it, though we knew we were going to sell it before we left. Then God put it in our heart to do something we never knew we could... get back on. While this may not have seemed possible in our minds, God knew it was. And so just this week, we received word that our motorcycle was finished, for a pretty minimal cost. After I brought it back to the house, we just sort of looked at it, and we both knew that we had to at least try getting back on. I had driven it since the accident, really just to take it to the shop and back. But we just felt we needed to do this, and so we did. I am thankful because I realize it's not only our bodies that God has healed, there's something in our hearts that God has healed as well. So yes, we are driving the motorcycle again, though in an almost paranoid fashion. Drivers seem to explode out of every bush and side-alley. And I'm not exaggerating too badly there! It's been really nice just to be able to get around on our own again. I know it's cliche, but you don't really know how good you have it until you don't. The ability to get around and do what you need to do. That's a privilege, not even a right. And I thank God that we can do that now.

I will still take the songtaew to work each day... call it paranoia, but the road to school is filled with people getting on and off the road, and I don't want to risk it, so the back of a truck suits me just fine. Thank you for praying, because God tends to answer even the prayers that we don't know we need to pray. He just does what is best for us, and we've seen that first hand!

The Roadrash Anniversary

Well, I must say that this has been an incredible experience, in every way imaginable. I'm typing this sans thumb as is, but managing okay. Leah's surgery went very well, lots of stitches (not sure how many), as there were two layers to do. They really cleaned her out, and she's been feeling it every since. Today, they took her bandages off (which combined with her leg was about a foot in diameter, it was a rather huge bandage). Leah liked to call it the ham bandage, as it resembled a big old ham! Anyway, when it came off, there was no swelling in her knee, and the stitches looked pretty good. Sorry Matt, no pictures of this! :) My thumb should be 3 weeks before the imbolization comes off. Leah, we're not sure about yet. It could be more time, we just don't know. She tried standing today, but that alone was excruciating for her. I think she's gotten stronger even since this morning, but it may be a long time in healing. Thankfully, the doctor said that there was no bone damage, not even tendon damage, all skin and muscle. God really was in this, because the blow when right between the joints, avoiding any tendons, bone, and even any blood vessels. (even as I was looking at the horrid wound, there was virtually no bleeding when it happened! There's just so much to praise our God about!

And that's not to mention all the love and support that people have given. We have not lacked for friends during this time. There has been a constant flow of people in the room. From church members, to co-workers at the university, to people we used to know, to people we don't even know! Many tears have come from our hearts over the love that people have shown. And not to mention all the love and support from our friends here. I am sorry we cannot write each and every one of you, perhaps over time. The hospital has no internet, so whenever I can get over to the church, I check and try to tell Leah what everyone is saying. Your prayers are not unanswered, God has been doing something wonderful. This was the oddest anniversary we have every had I must say. Never planned on spending our 4th in a Thai hospital, but there we are. And yet it couldn't be more perfect. God has brought us even closer to Him and each other. We have held each other and shared our fears, tears, and joy over all the love.

It could have all been much much worse, and again, it just wasn't. God was there. He was in each detail. He didn't do this to us, He allowed this for us. We have had only to benefit from this. Still, recovery, showering with a plastic bag over my left hand, struggling to walk, and so on aren't exactly anyone's idea of a "good time". What is good is our God and the support we have felt in this time!

Thank you thank you thank you, for praying! I know that is what kept us really going. I'd like to think I'm just strong, or I've got it all together, but truth is I've got nothing. I was reduced to helplessness as I saw my wife gashed. It's only God that things went the way they did. Thank you all for your love!

In His Incredible Care,

Andrew and Leah Kilcup

Motorcycle accident

Here is the email I sent to our family, I thought I'd put it where more people could read it.

Okay, nobody freak out. I just want to give you the facts before you see the status updates of "we're praying for Drew and Leah" all over the place. Today, going to lunch from Rajabhat, we were in a motorcycle accident. Unlike the others, this one was not so minor. It could certainly have been much worse than it ended up, but all things considered, it was pretty bad. It's hard to recall what happened, but here's what I remember. We were going down a long stretch of road and there were some students in front of us. They were veering left, and I thought they were going across the drainage ditch on a bridge. But just before we went passed them, they turned right, our motorcycles collided, and ours went spinning across the road to the right. Thankfully, there was no oncoming traffic. Our motorcycle skidded across the road with us underneath.

When it finally stopped, we were both underneath it. In the adrenaline of the moment, I shoved the bike off, burning my hand as I did so pushing on the exhaust pipe. I had know idea I was burned at the time. When I looked at Leah, she said something about her knee. Sparing you the details, her knee was split open from end to end, and very deep. It was terrible to see her in such pain, but I tried to keep my wits about me. People just poured over to help. Some shielded Leah from the sun with their jackets while others took the bike away. Thankfully, a teacher from Rajabhat came by and offered her car to take us to the hospital. Leah hobbled in and off we went. Kathi and later Jim met us at the hospital, where we were both cleaned up, x-rayed and taken very good care of.

So here's the lowdown. I have lots of abrasions on my right leg and arm, and a fractured thumb. So I was released from the hospital with a "thumbs up" for a couple weeks. Leah's injury was really only one, but more serious. The gash in her knee went pretty much to the bone, but they got it cleaned up very well and right now, are taking her into surgery. They need to do surgery (complete with general anesthesia) because they need to do two layers of stitches.

I won't mince words. This was terrifying. But there is so much that could have happened that didn't. It could have been head on, it could have been much much worse. But it wasn't, our God was in control the whole time. We're okay now. Leah's smiling in the hospital, and I'll be going over there to stay with her. She has a private room, which is very nice, but has to be there for 3 days. The motorcycle is bent a bit in the wheels, but otherwise looks okay. So we are praising God. Even in the midst of the pain, she was singing. My heart broke to see her in such a condition, but was overjoyed with how good care God provided. We had no fears about the hospital, and people were coming in and out the entire time. There was so much love all around us, my eyes were constantly filled with tears.

So please pray, recovery will take a while from here. We're okay, just beat up pretty good. But our spirits are high. Pray for Leah and I as we recover from our injuries. All of this considered, we wouldn't trade the life God's given us for a minute!