Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 2149

I hope you all had a wonderful Sunday.

I'm really missing being by David's side, I honestly feel quite empty being away from him right now.

I've asked Lynnette to fill me in on everything that has been happening and, hopefully, I can properly portray things from a few thousand miles away.

David's last few days have been about sleeping and just letting the healing process take over. Late Friday night David had some guests and so Lynnette tried to build a little tent over his legs to allow for the air to keep drying the skin harvested areas of his legs and yet maintain a level of dignity for David as he visited with individuals. The visits went on and then things quieted down. The only problem was that nobody had noticed that the sheet that had been used to make the tent over his legs had lowered enough to be touching the wounds and it stuck and, although not a great amount, it had to be carefully peeled away from the legs because it had dried a little. They worked very carefully at it and it did not seem to be any great problem. With the harvested areas, it takes about 5 days to have a good firm surface and every time the blood seeps through, it starts that 5 day count all over again. There has been enough blood loss during the skin grafting surgery and the seepage over the past 4 days that David is looking quite pale and will, more than likely, need another unit or 2 of blood when he goes into surgery tomorrow. They are not worried enough to give him blood right now but, in all appearances, it will be needed tomorrow. His red blood count is low enough that his hands are beginning to tremble.

The pain in David's skin harvested areas are really starting to relax a bit and, unfortunately, the phantom pains are coming back. I asked him which pains he preferred, the skin grafts or the phantom pains and he really wasn't very excited about either of them. They are able to give him special nerve blocking medications that help with the phantom pains but then he is, once again, on his way to La La Land. (La La Bye, and Good Night... - you know the song!)

David really loves to hear from his friends. Today he received email from Jonah Dornbos out of California, and Adam Roberts who was involved in the incident with David in Afghanistan. David really likes to have us set the laptop computer on his chest and he just reads and laughs and enjoys they way buddies converse about the tasks they are involved in. I have to tell you that these EOD Techs are really a breed of their own, I sincerely have not met one of them that I did not immediately like even though I flinch a bit at some of the expletives they use. They are really a great group of men and I believe I could trust them with anything.

David had several EOD Tech buddies drop by today and, although it was really a very very hard day for him to be alert and conversant, he thoroughly enjoyed their visits. Once they were gone and everything settled down, he was able to sleep. Well, maybe not sleep, he was able to get to sleep then be awakened for a pill or two, then get to sleep and be awakened to have something to eat, then get to sleep and be awakened to take another pill, then get to sleep and be awakened to have his vitals taken and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on...............
That's what we call sleep in a hospital.

For those of you who read this blog and, hopefully not, feel discouraged by the fact that these vibrant young men are lying in beds with parts missing, please change your thinking to the way they are thinking: "We are lucky to be here talking about how bad it could have been!" and "I am very excited to hit the next phase of this rehab, what's done is done and it's time to move on to the next phase of my life, just in a different direction than I anticipated!" and "I have an amazing amount of opportunities ahead!" Every Warrior I have met is finding a way to have an incredibly bright outlook on the future and this incredible military and these amazing organizations are doing everything possible to make it all happen. They don't see the restrictions, they see the opportunities. My heart does go out to those soldiers with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries). I am grateful David's intellect it 100% in tact.

As I have thought about this past week and the different times my tears have got the best of me, those tears have all been out of gratitude that my son is still the witty, fun, caring, unselfish, considerate, motivated individual that he was before the blast. Sorry, leaving his room and having to come home did not produce tears of gratitude. But the countless answered prayers, blessings, mercies of our Heavenly Father - the future is very very bright.

Enough Philosophy for the Night,

Have a great night and make it a point to do something for someone tomorrow!

All My Love,

Gordon