Back in Kiev

Bill is back in Kiev, while Helen still recovers in Norway from a bout of severe pneumonia (see previous posts). Helen will go to the doctor on Monday, May 3, to see if she is ready to return to Kiev or will need some more time before she travels. Please keep her in your prayers!

Wellness and Volcanoes.

It's a bright, sunshiny day in Kragerø, Norway (no volcanic ash in sight) and Helen went to the doctor to get the results of her tests last week. The xray showed her lungs are clear, but the doctor wants her to be on sick leave for two more weeks and this includes no traveling. Now, Bill must try to find a way back to Kiev which is complicated by the erupting Icelandic volcano. After discovering that to go by train/bus/ferry would take at least three days and no guarantee of having a seat on some of the legs of the trip, Bill decided to wait and see if the plane flight issue resolves itself. He hopes he can catch a plane back by the end of the week. We shall see!

Bill is back in Norway after being in Kiev for one week for Easter services. Here is a a video that has pictures from our after church Easter fellowship and a few clips of some members wishing Helen to get better!

Doing better.

Helen is feeling better now, almost a week out of the hospital, but still some problems with breathing and being tired. She will continue on antibiotics for 3 more days, then take an xray after 2 more weeks of rest to see if her lungs are okay. If so, then she will return to Ukraine. Bill leaves for Ukraine in a few days.

Home from the Hospital

Helen came home from the hospital in Kragerø, Norway today and requested pizza. She enjoyed it and now has to take medicine for another week and rest for 2 weeks before she can return to Ukraine. Thanks for your prayers and concern.

Helen in Hospital.

While making a quick trip to Norway to get Russian visas and to speak to a Rotary Club in Oslo which is supporting the St. Luke's Family Center, Helen fell ill with pneumonia. She has been in the hospital for almost a week now in her home town of Kragerø. It was a very serious case, indicated by the bacteria count in her blood. Normal is 5 or less. When she entered the hospital, it was over 500. Over 100 is considered serious. The doctors immediately put her on intravenous antibiotics which she took until Saturday morning. She should be released from the hospital tomorrow, Monday, March 22. She will still take antibiotics in tablet form for 5- 10 days and then have rest at home for 2 weeks. After the rest period, they will check her lungs again to clear her for travel to Ukraine. The doctors said it could be 3-4 months before she feels 100%. Please keep her in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks for all the well-wishing on Facebook as well. Please click here for some pictures of her in the hospital, mostly after she was feeling better.

Winter creeping to a close.

Finally it looks as if winter may be starting to come to an end. Here are some pictures why we can hardly wait until Spring.