Wednesday, 8 December 2010 @ 2212

I've kept you in the dark for too long and I'm sorry. This has been a very busy couple weeks.

I had the opportunity to go home for Thanksgiving and be with my beautiful wife, my wonderful mother, and my incredible children. David took the opportunity to go be with great friends for some Turkey as well. He had the great opportunity of having Zack and Dave stay with him and I think it couldn't have been any better for him.

Lynnette and I flew back together. We flew into Sacramento so we could make arrangements to bring Ethen down to see his Daddy for a few days. It is such a beautiful site to have them sitting next to each other watching TV or playing the Scooby Doo Match Game or Coloring, or just watching each other play computer games. Heather, Ethen's mother, was wonderful in making this all happen. We went to the beach, to eat sushi, to a couple museums, to the hospital, and we even drove to LA to pick up David's new 1963 Lincoln Continental. David's Aunt Monika even came out and spent a couple days with us. His cousin Jonah also came and we had a great time together. There are just so many people that have make all of our lives better. Thank You All!!!

David had some surgery on his wound sites. I think we're up to about 29 surgical visits - one of these days I'll actually read what I've written and see if I can come up with an accurate number. This last surgery was broken into 2 sessions because the Dermatology department had some important visitors and David agreed to be the center of attraction in showing the visitors the latest laser techniques. The surgery on his wounds was suppose to take about an hour and it took about 3 hours. They use laser technology to shoot strategically placed holes throughout his wound sites to encourage the skin to produce a thicker and more pliable skin layer. These wound sites have a tendency to stick to the muscle and it is very important for the skin to remain pliable and movable like our normal skin is. This procedure is also suppose to give the skin a notification to get rid of particles that don't belong there - that's the easiest way of putting it. David thinks it's working because the first site that was lasered is now producing bumps that he thinks are pieces of the bomb or pieces of dirt that were forced into the skin when the blast hit. I wish he would have kept all the pieces he has pulled out, we could have melted them all down and molded them into some kind of a pendent that he could wear. One of his friends got shot through the chest from a very close distance and lived to wear the bullet around his neck as a keepsake.

Yesterday there was a young man that approached David because of his EOD Tech T-Shirt. The two didn't know each other, but, as you know, EOD Tech's have a kinship that binds them together whether they know each other or not. This young man was in a wheelchair with a cast on his right leg. We asked what happened and he told us he had stepped on a bomb. David said, "Lucky for you that these guys aren't too smart and don't always mix their chemicals properly!" I guess he had stepped on a bomb similar to the one that hit David but the blast was very minor, in comparison, and just severely broke his leg. I sure wish David would have had that same blessing but I guess that wasn't to be.

Yesterday David was walking with Ethen, Me, Monika, Jonah, his Physical Therapist, and a busy hallway full of people when he fell. It happened so fast that none of us could do anything. David said his pride was the worst thing hurt. His left leg just came loose and he went straight down. I try so hard to be positive and upbeat and smiling, but sometimes I just have to lower my head until I've regained my composure. He got right back up and continued his walk. His walks these past two days have only been 1 lap because the skin is very tender from the laser surgery.

Guess What, nope - nope - not even close. Ok, HE IS DRIVING! He hasn't even hit anything. He did take one wrong turn on the freeway and I was able to talk smack with him for a few miles because of all the smack he has given me when I've taken wrong turns. He's loving this driving stuff. It's one step closer. I LOVE IT!

I think I'm going to get some sleep. David has been having some very bad experiences with the Ambien that he has been taking to help him sleep. He literally feels like he has legs again and it is a very unstable feeling - and very disturbing. Tonight we're trying an over-the-counter medicine that, we hope, will give him some relaxing sleep instead of these awfully unfair feelings of having his legs. It would be one thing if they were actually there but reality has the upper hand in this situation.

Have a wonderful night.

Gordon