One year after Matthew’s accident

I’m writing this on January 19th, the one-year anniversary of the day we received the fateful early-morning phone call in Croatia, telling us that Matthew had been in a severe motorcycle accident. Here we are now, one year later, able to look back and see God’s hand and loving kindness through it all. We won’t lie and say it was easy, but the Lord showed Himself strong and kind, and He used you, the Body of Christ, to buoy us up this last year.

It is still painful emotionally for Matthew as he lives as an amputee and gets used to this new normal. But he maintains a good attitude, continues on with physical therapy and waits for the prosthetic arm. He works as a free lance UX designer (user experience for apps and web pages; see his work at http://www.mattprice.design), drives his pickup, and, though he lives with us at home, does almost everything independently. We thank God for His mercies.

Matthew has been able to take two long road trips with his friend, one to Mt. Rushmore and one to Niagara Falls. He found a nerve specialist in St. Louis (much closer than the doctors we have been to in California and Wisconsin). Unfortunately, the tests they performed did not show any nerve activity from the nerve transfers six months ago. We know it can take 12-24 months for the nerves to fully grow back, but we also know that at six months some growth can sometimes be detected. We are discouraged at this news, but continue to pray. We are still waiting (after nine months) for our insurance to approve an electronic, mechanical arm and hand (prosthetic) for Matthew. They have approved part of the cost, but not for all the features he will need to be able to open and close a prosthetic hand and flex electronically at the elbow.

Please pray for a safe operation for Pamala this Spring (yet to be scheduled). Due to the growing uterine fibroids the last 10 years, she will have a hysterectomy since this has recently caused anemia and unsafe amounts of menstrual bleeding. With a blood clot in the past, she may need to be on blood thinners post op. Thank you for praying for safety.