Tuesday, October 27, 2010 @ 2035

Howdy,

I'm sitting here nibbling on Apple Vinegar Cucumbers and boy are they tart. I'm watching Lynnette play Sadoku and Christine (David's sister) play like she is sleeping between every text she receives - it's quite entertaining.

These last two day have been great. Yesterday we went in to the Prosthetics lab to pick up David's legs that had received some adjustments. The fit was much much better. The Prosthetist, Pete, is great to be around with amazing energy. He worked with David a bit to make sure he knew what changes he would make to his new leg that David should be on this coming Monday. It is still going to be a stubbie but it will be a bit higher and give David a little more challenge.

David already had the legs on so I asked if he wanted to just walk around the hall over to the Physical Therapy room which is approximately 50 yards away. He said yes so I had to go and alert his Therapist, April, and she brought a belt for David's waist so she could walk with him and stabilize him if he started to fall. As David was walking out the door, Pete quickly stepped into a side room and came out with two boxes and told David that he had his legs waiting for him. He said "I've got $100,000 worth of legs to put on you but you have to earn it!" Those of you who know David as I do will know that David took that very much to heart and walked part way around the hall carrying his canes. It is an incredible about of energy just to walk in these stubbies and he is doing great. He is dripping wet when it is over and he is noticeably getting stronger with every step he takes. It was really a beautiful thing to see. Once we got to the Physical Therapy room he decided he wanted to complete the circle and walk back to the Prosthetics Lab to show Pete that he better get his legs ready. Then he decided to take a walk back to the PT Room through a courtyard that has a bit of a terrain change and it took a great deal more strength to complete the walk. It was really a fantastic day so we went out for Sushi. Num-a-num!!! Not my hearts desire but everyone else love it.

David found out yesterday that his some levels in his blood that should be around the 500 mark were at about 120. Those levels greatly affect his ability to produce muscle, energy, and make him retain unwanted weight - so, it was a great thing to find out and now he is using a patch to get his levels back where they belong.

Today was great too, we went to OT and he had all of his scars massaged. I've found out that is very necessary as the scars tend to adhere themselves to the muscle underneath instead of floating with the skin. The massage therapy helps to break the scar away from the tissue and give his skin a much more natural flow. "Natural Flow" sounds so foo foo, but I'm not sure how else to put it. I'm sure there is a medical term but I'd spell it wrong anyway.

We, Charlie Tasto, and I had a pretty good surprise planned for Lynnette and Christina. Charlie is Lynnette's brother and he and Christina have always been very close. David knew the whole scheme so he wasn't surprised. I left to "bring a friend of David's to the hospital!" Tee Hee, it wasn't really a "friend" of David's, it was his Uncle Charlie whom he has liked since he was little and Charlie taught him how to build a wood model airplane. When Charlie walked in with me, Lynnette and Christina looked at Charlie like he was a very nice young man who had come to see David until they finally realized he was Charlie. There was some controlled screaming and some "OH MY GOSH's". It was great. We had some lunch and then went to OT.

In OT we all visited while David had the Therapist bend and straighten his arm and hands and legs until he called "UNCLE!" They push until David has had enough and then they add another 2 degrees and hold it for about 30 seconds. Afterwards David talked to them a bit more about a problem that is not even part of the program - teaching an amputee how to get back into a wheelchair that has tipped over and there is not one person there to help. They struggled with some different methods and then, with a great suggestion from Charlie, they figured out a way to take care of the problem. In the PT room they are also teaching these guys how to fall. You'll be sitting there, not really paying attention to the other patients and therapists in the room and all of the sudden, THUD, a soldier has hit the floor. I wondered if he got fresh with the therapist and she knocked him down, but it was just another phase of the therapy.

There is a one soldier here that received some injuries that have all be addressed and taken care of. He has been told that he can walk again but it is solely up to him and it appears he has given up. It is very upsetting and now David's phone number has been given to this young man in hopes that David can build his confidence back up - but he hasn't called. David plans on giving it a couple weeks and then we'll go hunt the guy down and get him going. As incredibly difficult as this is, David will never give up. It's a great lesson for every one of us, bad things happen - we just need to lift ourselves up and get back in the game until we're called back home.

Tomorrow David may drive a car - I'll let you know how that goes.

We have all learned so much this summer. It has been one of the hardest emotional things I have ever done but I have loved every moment that we take toward David's independence again. He will get there and it will be quite hard to step aside and let him take over, but that will be wonderful too.

I gained a greater appreciation of my extended family today. Charlie was a great lift to David and it was very inspiring to watch their interaction. Thank you Charlie, from the bottom of my heart.

All My Love,

Gordon