Wednesday, 23 June 2010 at 0915

Good Morning Everyone,

Go ahead, call me a slacker. With Ethen and Heather here for the last few days, we haven't been getting to sleep until at least midnight and there is so much going on throughout the day that it is hard to find time, or take time away from David, or Ethen, or Heather, or my incredibly beautiful and wonderful wife, to stop and write in this blog.

Yesterday was non-stop busy. I finally had to ground the nursing staff. I came into the room after being with Ethen for awhile and David's food tray was sitting on a chair, about 7 feet away from David. I immediately got a little upset and went to meet with the nursing staff. I found the food had been there for almost 2 hours and asked them if they had any idea how he was suppose to jump out of bed and grab his tray from the chair, then jump back in bed, make himself good and comfortable, cut up his meat with one hand, and have a relaxing meal. I promise I was kind, but I told the staff that their only duties were not administering medications and asking what his pain level was. The nurse that caught the tube in the rail a few days ago almost flinches when I walk by, but, it's not because I was mean, it was because she knew she messed up.

David is really getting his appetite back. Yesterday was a great eating day but he still has to play close attention to the proteins and not just calories. We keep trying to buy him things he'll eat but when it comes he takes 2 or 3 bites and is full. It's not that he doesn't love the hospital cooking, we all know how wonderful hospital meals are. He did have a great portion of Chicken Alfredo from the Cheesecake Factory. The bad part is that my mom always taught me to clean my plate and now I have to clean his too!

I'll try to get some pictures on the blog real soon. David took his maiden ride on his wheelchair about 3:30 yesterday. It was absolutely beautiful. He drove into other wounded soldiers rooms, went down and visited with the Marine Liaison Office and asked the Marines if he could get anything, "ANYTHING!", for them - I was having a hard time keeping in the tears about then. Then we went outside and he want to go close to a plant, any living plant. About that time my brother, Jann, called and it was like I then had permission to let my feelings go - I couldn't even talk (oh crap, I'm doing it again), it was just so incredibly GREAT to see him sitting up, mobile, breathing fresh air, soaking in the humid rays of sun, and feeling more free that he has in over a month. I handed the phone to David and I think that got Jann's emotions flowing as well. I don't think I have ever felt this close to David and I LOVE IT! We travelled all over that hospital and he was even trying some speed shifts. He did get a bit stuck in a corner of the elevator and, I can tell you first hand, those motorized wheelchairs are heavy and hard to move by hand. It's luck David has such an incredibly muscular father - people always want a six pack, I've got a keg!

Ethen and David were beautiful together. From time to time Ethen would not go near David but I felt, and so did David, that it was the fact that he was 4 and had toys in the room and he was very tired. Ethen didn't seem bothered in regards to David's missing legs or injured arm, he just keep asking when he was getting his robot legs. He would leave the room for 3 hours and come back and ask Daddy if he had his robot legs yet. It was really a great experience to have them together. Heather was fantastic with both of them, she is an incredible mother and patient to boot.

Today is surgery day and David is a bit nervous, but I think that's my fault for explaining the procedure to his. He'll do great anyway.

When I left his room to write this blog, the Psychology team was visiting with him and was very impressed with the way he was handling everything. She asked many many in depth questions and felt that David was incredibly blessed not to have much more serious issues to deal with, especially considering the injuries he sustained and the fact that this was the 8th time that David has really had his "bell rung" by a blast. I've learned many things that could have had a very negative effect on his psychological response, those things are not meant for an open forum but I am very impressed with David's commitments to "the completion of the mission!"

I had assumed that the skin grafts would mean that the 3 wound vacs would be removed, but I was wrong again. The wound vacs are still used, at a low level, to keep the skin from stretching and it gives the grafts a better chance of healing properly. We don't know, at the present time, if the x-fix on his right hand will be removed or not.

I think I've kept you from you daily duties long enough. Take care and please know that we are very appreciative of you thoughts and your prayers.

All My Love,

Gordon