Monday, June 14, 2010 at 0827

Good Morning - and I do mean "Good" - I should say GREAT!

This morning - about 0700 - we received a call from the surgical team to gain my authorization to make the Fixator revision today. I know that can change once they get in the operating room but it is still an GREAT jump in the right direction. They were very concerned, in the past, that they could spread the any potential fungus, in the tissue, to the bone if they tried to do the revision too soon. The GREAT part about this potential revision today is that they feel like they are in complete control of any fungus or infections in David's body.

We have learned that things change very quickly around here, but the plan for this morning is to put the Integra material on the remaining open wounds on both legs. That means David is not that far away from having the skin grafts.

I really hope this happens today. It will be such an advantage if David can begin to strengthen his torso and be ready for his prosthetics once the Fixator is removed. It is amazing how much strength you can lose by laying in bed for a month - or two - or three - or four.....

Catherine is really incredible. David, as was predicted, just doesn't have the capacity or desire to eat enough to give him all the nutrients he needs, so, the feeding tube must not be removed. Catherine is, daily, changing the percentage of meal he needs to eat. When he says he's too full, she reminds him how much he hates the feeding tube, he forces himself to eat a little bit more. This may sound like punishment, but, when you consider that an MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) contains well over 1200 Calories and 15% of that is protein, and that is what David has been eating regularly (3 times per day), his four bites of turkey and 1/2 peach is just not that much food and can not give his body the strength necessary to heal. I didn't realize, until yesterday, that David is very hard to understand when he is on the phone. When we are standing next to him he sounds very good but the feeding tube really restricts his ability to gain volume and pronunciation to all of his words. If anyone can get him eating what he needs to - Catherine can.

David, after visiting with his nephew, Carter, has really increased his desire to see his son, Ethen.
I think David had a fair amount of concern that he could not be the strong daddy that he needs to be around his son and Carter's visit has given him the confidence he needed. Yesterday, Carter wanted to get something for David and he purchased a challenge coin. We instructed Carter about the proper way to present the challenge coin through the handshake and we practiced it a few times. When we got to David's room, Carter stood on a chair and told Uncle David that he wanted to shake his hand. It was a very very touching moment. Carter is such an impressive little guy.

We have met sooooooo many influential individuals out here and not one of them has failed to express their love and respect for David and for every soldier. I was young when the Vietnam Veterans were returning from the war and I remember the anger towards them at that time. I hope that any Vietnam Vet reading this blog knows how wrong it was for Americans to treat them with anything different than love and respect - just like the returning soldiers of today.
To any Veteran of any War or Campaign, Thank You from the bottom of my heart - I know you had to do things that were against your very nature and that you were doing them in an effort to better another human's life. Thank You!

David was a little surprised when he heard how we cried when we heard about his injuries. When I think back on the moment that I was informed, I'm not sure if I can pinpoint exactly what I was thinking, but I really don't remember worrying about the loss of limbs, I felt like, and I can only speak for myself, my tears came quickly because he was, #1 - Alive, and, #2 -was because my son was hurt, hurting, feeling a great amount of pain, that I wasn't there to hold him, that I had absolutely no ability to fix it (Dads tend to think they should be able to fix everything), that the horrific injuries he saw, this time, were HIS injuries. I am just so grateful that David, to me, is whole - there does not seem to be any part of his spirit missing.

David is wearing a Fentanol patch which releases pain medication for about 5 days. Other than that, he is refusing pain meds as much as possible - he loves the feeling of a clear head.

There is so much being done for David and for us - we can not possibly express our love and appreciation enough.

Thank You,

Gordon