Thank You!

I just want thank everyone who has helped us in any way. Barry and I have truly appreciated the help and support that we have received. We have felt the prayers offered in our behalf and know that they have truly helped us. I know that we still have a long road ahead of us and we will have to work hard to return to what we thought was normal life. We would love the prayers to continue and love all the cheerleading we can get! Thanks again - words truly do not express our appreciation!

Life is different...

I'm never sure what to post. It has been an interesting experience since the accident and I'm not sure what I should say about out injuries. We are getting better. Life is different then it was before November 23, different but good. I am learning alot of things that I had never even considered before. Things like a restaurant claims to have a "handicap assessable bathroom" and may indeed have a good stall but the door to get in the bathroom is so heavy that you can't open then it doesn't seem very "assessable". Also and this one is Barry's observation. It takes two hands to move the chair so it's hard to carry anything and you have to ask for help -a lot! Also we gave both had the experience of going into a restroom and there are several stalls available but not the handicap one that's required in your chair. Then someone comes out and no disablement is readily seen. I will admit to using the "big" stall myself before this but like I said these are things that I have noticed since being in a wheelchair and it's changing how I think and how I will act in the future. Another one is that before thus I would see the donation jars in stores that tell of a disease or other sad event in a families life and thought how good it would feel to donate. Assuming that since I didn't have a lot then a little won't help. Now I realize that a few little bits together make quite a bit and i will give a few quarters or dollars and know that the family is grateful for every little penny. I will know that the family will be so overwhelmed with the love and support and prayers that are offered in their behalf that they will want to spend the rest if their lives being grateful. My life is truly different then it was before - certainly physically but also spiritually and emotionally.
I am certain I will never be the same and somehow I think it will be OK.

Lying here...

I'm lying here in my at home hospital bed and my husband is just across the room in his own special bed. Barry is sleeping and I should be to because it has been a long day. Today my sweet husband started the day by giving me a shot ( you'd be surprised at what a good job he does!) - I just can't bring myself to poke my own belly - you'd think that being a nurse it would be no problem. He then spent nearly an hour helping me into and out of the shower. It took a while but it was nice to know we can do it ourselves. I appreciate Barry so much, he does so much for me. I wish I could do as much for him as he does for me. I an so grateful we both survived the accident, all of this would be so much harder without him by my side. Two great women I know lost their spouse while we were in the hospital. I'm not sure why I was spared that sorrow but I am grateful and my heart goes out to them. They are frequently on my mind and in my prayers. Life is interesting - never really quite what you think it will be - and that goes for the good as well as the bad. Thanks for listening and have a good night. - Karin

Updates

It has been way too long since I took the opportunity to thank people for their generosity and support. I can't believe how unselfish people have been and especially at this time of year when there is so much to do for your own families. Thank you very very much. 
It has been so great to be out of the hospital. For now we are staying with Bryce and Sherry (Barry's parents) until Barry is cleared to use his left arm. This is the arm that developed a blood clot and there is still some potential danger in the clot breaking before it is dissolved. This leaves Barry with only one arm to transfer - and although he is incredibly strong (and stubborn) this makes it very difficult to get from one place to the other. He is not even supposed to use it to push his own chair and since I can't make mine and his go - we will be here until he is cleared for that. As wonderful as it has been to be out of the hospital I will be so thrilled when we get home. It is so true that there really is no place like home. 
For the most part Barry and I are doing well. Like all periods of life there are times when the burden seems too much to carry. I have only recently realized what a heavy heavy load my sweet spouse has been carrying. I it seems have and easier time turning things over to the Lord - but I think as a man and the provider for our family he is having a hard time with that. As always I ask for your prayers to help him find peace in knowing that the Lord does indeed have a plan. Its funny how we as mortals can't understand how the Lord can solve our problems when we can't figure out a way that it can possibly work out. I have seen this so many times in my life. As a student I used to wonder how I could ever make things work and yet it seemed like they always did. And this situation has taught me a whole new level of the Atonement. As a young person I understood that the Atonement was all about repentance and Jesus paying the price for our sins if we would only repent. Later in life I learned that the Atonement is also for our hurts and that Jesus also suffered for those pains and could understand all those spiritual and emotional pains. In the last month I have also come to understand that my Savior has also suffered for my physical pain and therefor can truly understand how I have felt. I have never been very good at pain - pretty much I'm a wimp when it comes to it. Since the accident there have been times when the pain was so heavy I could not bear it - and those were the times that I simply left really and the Savior took over. This experience has served to strengthen my testimony of the reality of our Savior and the knowledge that He truly can carry any burden we have - already has carried it actually and by truning it over to Him we put His suffering to use. I am so grateful for the gospel - I truly think this life would be far more difficult without it. 
Again thank you for your prayers and I would ask again for them to continue this time for my sweet husband to have peace of mind. Love you all - Karin

Fundraiser

There are not enough words to express what I personally feel tonight.  The magnitude of what was done for Barry and Karin is so overwhelming to me.  To see an entire community come together for them and to see complete strangers donate so much is an awesome thing to be a part of.

I can honestly say that this experience has changed me. I have seen how our Heavenly Father has helped along the way to make tonight a success. Good things happen for good people and I am a firm believer in that. Everything fell into place to make tonight a success. It's amazing. We fed close to 600 people. WOW! We had incredible raffle and auction items. We have had so many people donate money from all over the COUNTRY! It is so inspiring.

I do want to say one thing. I want people to know that even if you think what you did or maybe can do for the Holmans (or anyone else in the future) isn't enough , you are mistaken. Every little bit helps. There was a little old woman who handed Karin's mom $6. She apologized it wasn't more but it was all she had! That $6 was truly all she had and she gave it all. It doesn't matter that it was 6 dollars. It means more than anything because it was from the heart and so sincere. The fact that she apologized says volumes about that sweet lady. We all wish we could do more. We all wish we can donate the world to people who are hurting and struggling, but we just do the best we can. We donate a dollar or 100 dollars. We donate time to a friend. Make a meal for a neighbor. We make a phone call.... just do what you can do for those people who might need a little of what you have. I know with all of my heart that the person who truly receives is YOU when you serve.

Barry and Karin have so many months ahead of pain and rehabilitation that in all the ways you are helping to ease their burden is amazing. I was able to see a sweet moment between them today... finally together under one roof. Barry used all his upper body strength to crawl himself onto Karin's bed and they laid by eachother for the first time in 3 weeks since the accident.  They will survive all that comes their way because they have each other, and they have a faith in our Heavenly Fathers plan for them.

Barry and Karin say THANK YOU from the bottom of their hearts. They were able to come tonight and they feel so loved and supported by the community. They are being carried by us all and we will do it as long as we need to. Thank you again. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! There are just not enough thank you's for what happened tonight. Love, Lisa

Todd (Barrys brother) said:


When people ask me where I am from, I jokingly say Zion. Tonight I have no doubt that is where I really grew up. Thank you all who contributed to help Barry and Karen. I guess it was overwhelming the support many people demonstrated tonight and throughout this whole process. That place comes together in times of need better than anywhere I have knowledge of (little partial maybe). Thank you

Update from Karin

I am happy to say that I was discharged from the hospital today!! 21 days in the hospital - that is so crazy! Its strange because number 1 I don't remember the accident at all, number 2 I have large spaces of time, especially during the time I spent in ICU. Even when I was moved to a regular floor I spent a good share of my day sleeping. I can't believe that all this happened 3 weeks ago. If I look at some of my wounds I can see how much time passed because they are so far into the healing process they are scars now really instead of wounds. As you know Barry was admitted to the Rexburg hospital yesterday for a blood clot. The doctors have decided it is safer to let it try and dissolve rather then try to go in and surgically remove it. He can come home as soon as his blood is properly thinned and he will then remain on some sort of blood thinner (coumadin) for at least 6 months to prevent new blood clots from forming. I will be so glad when we are living under the same roof again. I love you Barry Holman!!!
I just feel like everytime I post I need to say thank you to the many people who are involved in all the help that is going on. It truly amazes me how many people care about our family.


Karin 12/14/2011

Update on Barry

I thought I would update a little on Barry Holman. He has been admitted to Madison Memorial in Rexburg. He has a large blood clot in his arm. It extends from the top of his heart all the way to his elbow. It is in a scary location but he is being monitered closely. The CT scan he had today confirmed that he does have blood clots in his lungs which ups the seriousness a little. He has good doctors though and I believe he is also in the Lord's hands. Although I let them both know that I did not survive that car wreck just to lose my husband 3 weeks later from a blood clot!
I am being discharged tomorrow and am hoping to get to my husband's side as soon as possible. I worked hard in therapy today and I am paying the price for it tonight - boy am I sore. I am hoping for some good sleep.
I am so grateful for all that has been done for us. I can't say that enough. Truly we are so amazed by everything that has been done for us. We have amazing families and friends and the community has been amazing. I love that we live in a place where people are so loving and caring. I know that it is due to the wonderful faith and prayers of so many people that we are doing as well as we are. Keep the prayers coming for Barry in the next few days - he is in a pretty precarious situation. It is serious - if the blood clot breaks off it truly could be a life or death situation. We need all of your faith and prayers to get through this. I will update as I know anything. For now we will both try to get some sleep.


Karin 12/13/11