Day 56 - Aug 26

Home Sweet Home!!! :)  There is nothing sweeter than being home with your family and friends.  Jake is in heaven right now--as is his mom! :)

We left early in the morning on the shuttle van to the airport.  We made great time, even with making a stop at another hotel to pick up another passenger.  The other passenger and Jake had a nice talk on the way to the airport--he also served in the military a few years ago and served a tour of duty in Afghanistan.  

Getting checked in wasn't a problem.  Going through security was easier than we thought it would be.  Everyone was extremely helpful and respectful to us--especially to Jake.  They had to run the wand over him and his wheelchair and also give him a pat down.  We brought home with us his medal and coins (Jake received a Purple Heart and special coins)--which the man running the x-ray machine took extra special care of.

We then traveled to our gate and waited to board our flight.  We were unsure that his wheelchair would make it into the airplane so he could transfer to his seat--but it did!  We all (even the flight attendants and gate workers) were surprised that everything worked well and was easier than we thought.  We gate checked his wheelchair after he was seated and off we went!  Jake gave me a hard time falling asleep as we were taking off (I've been a very tired mom lately), but as I woke up after we were in the air, I looked over at him and here he was fast asleep!!  I just started laughing--he, who was so excited to get home and wanted to stay awake during the flight, was so out of it that his head was down on his chest!  He woke up, looked at me confused (I had a huge grin on my face), and then laid his head on my shoulder and slept for the remainder of the flight.  He didn't even fully wake up until we landed in VT. I had to wake him to tell him that we were home.  He said he couldn't believe he fell asleep--he was reading his book and didn't get to the third sentence before he was out! :)

We were the last ones off the plane and it took us longer getting off than getting on. :(  We had a small difficulty with his wheelchair but he fixed the problem and got off the plane.  He wheeled his chair as fast as he could because he saw waiting outside the gate area was dad, three of his sisters, six of his nieces and nephews, and two family friends. :)  They were waving and had huge grins on their faces when they saw him.  As I looked at Jake, he was also greeting them with a huge smile on his face. :)  It was a very joyful and tearful reunion with his loved ones.  We are finally home--where we should be--with people who love us.

We came directly home and just relaxed.  There were wheelchair rides with the nieces and nephews. :)  They even had to take turns pushing Jake around the house! :)  It was so cute to see these kids having a wonderful time with their Uncle.  

We decided to go out to dinner--Texas Roadhouse--to celebrate Jake's homecoming.  As we were sitting there, two gentlemen came up and shook Jake's hand and thanked him for his service.  They, too, were veterans (they were wearing their veteran baseball caps like Jake was wearing his), and one of them was also a receiver of a purple heart.  The man who received the purple heart was very touched and told Jake that he and his wife were taking care of Jake's dinner.  Jake was very grateful.  When the waitress gave us our bill, she told us that the gentleman did pay for Jake's meal so she took it off our bill.  What a wonderful gesture.  We didn't expect anyone to do that.  What a very sweet man.  

The night drew on and some family members left. We spent some time playing a card game, talking and laughing.  It's so good to be back home with those we love and who love us.  Like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz--"There's no place like home!"

Day 55 - Aug 25

I've been thinking of that song from "Annie"--"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow! You're always a day away!" :)  TOMORROW WE ARE COMING HOME FOR A MONTH!!! :)  We both are sooooooo excited!!!

This day has been a very busy one, but a good one.  It first started out by finding out that one of Jake's buddies from his platoon (from a different accident) is out of the hospital and is staying here at the Mologne House. :)  In fact, he is one floor above us.  We ate breakfast with him and his mom and then we all went over to formation together.  It was really nice to meet his mom and talk to her. 

We had to leave formation a bit early to meet with Jacqui (OT) for an assessment.  It was so wonderful to see her again and to hear her and Jake tease each other and laugh together. :)  She loved her gifts from VT!!  We then headed over to the barber shop so that Jake could get a haircut.  He looks so good in his military cut. :)  Well, at least I think so! 

Off to another appointment with the pain doctor.  FINALLY, we got everything worked out with his pain medications!  It was such a mess these past few days with different doctors and nurses--and in one simple visit, everything was solved.  Now we will wait and see if it works.  His appointment with TBI was soon and in the hospital, where the pain doctor is located, so we decided to grab some lunch at Subway (in the hospital) and eat outside.  It was such a beautiful, beautiful day!  The humidity was low, the temperature was in the low 80's, partly cloudy, and a gentle breeze was blowing.  It was so nice to sit outside and just enjoy the day. :)

We stopped in to see his nurse case manager (NCM) after all of the appointments to make sure everything was set for Jake's leave.  We need some equipment at home and need a referral for PT.  Well, our fingers are crossed that his NCM was able to get it all arranged.  Like I've said before in different posts, there is a lot of paperwork with the military--even for this.  Guess we'll see if he was successful when we get home!

We are all packed now and ready for our "Tomorrow"!! :) 

Day 54 - Aug 24

What a difference today was as compared to yesterday!! :)

Jake slept really well last night and didn't experience as much pain as he has the last week or so. :)  The extra dosage of the sleeping aid helped!  It was great to see him happy and even joking around with me. :)

He awoke this morning as the result of a phone call from his Sgt.  He told Jake that his leave forms are all signed and ready for us to pick up and get our tickets arranged! :)  We couldn't believe it!!  Yesterday we were told that we had to get a dental exam and today they are saying that everything is done and we can proceed.  This news made Jake happy and hopeful.  As we were eating breakfast, Sgt. called him again and told him that he was bringing the papers directly to Jake in the dining hall at Mologne.  Again, we were shocked!  He gave them to Jake with a huge smile on his face and told him to have a great leave. :)  We asked him about the dental exam.  He said to try to get it before we left, but if we couldn't, then get it when we come back down.  I think our mouths just dropped.  What a difference from yesterday.

We headed over to the hospital to see Jacqui (his inpatient occupational therapist) to set up an assessment that he has to have every month, and, to give her some gifts from VT.  She wasn't there, but the assessment appointment has been set for tomorrow morning.  As we were strolling into the OT room, Jake's foot accidentally got bent back underneath his chair--OUCH!!  He was in extreme pain. :(  We think that he tore some scar tissue because of how much pain he was in.  We wanted to get him back to our room to rest, but we had to get our flights arranged.  So, after taking some pain meds, we were on the run again to get plane tickets. 

Our flight arrangements and our transportation are all set!  We are definitely coming home on Thursday!!!  YIPPEE!!!  YAHOO!!!! :)  Just seeing the travel itinerary in our hands brought smiles to our faces. :)

We returned to our room and Jake rested while I did laundry.  We got lunch and headed over to see his nurse case manager.  The nurse case manager was frantically writing things down so Jake would have everything he needs for his leave.  We tried all day yesterday to get answers from him so everything could be ready back home for Jake to continue his recovery.  It looked like his nurse finally realized time is short and he needed to get on the ball.  It is indicative of how reactionary rather than proactive it is here. We will need to stop in his office sometime tomorrow to make sure everything is all set. 

We also stopped back at his Sgt.'s office to find out where Jake needed to pick up all his uniforms.  His Sgt. was on the ball and had Jake's duffel bag with his uniforms just sitting there waiting. Now this man is proactive :)  After talking to him for a bit about Jake's leave, Sgt. asked Jake what is in VT.  We smiled and proceeded to tell him about maple syrup, teddy bears and the like. :)  Sgt. was very interested in the maple syrup and in the VT teddy bears.  Jake told him we will bring some VT products back down with us.  Sgt. smiled and said that he has pancakes almost every morning!  We laughed and said that we will definitely have VT maple syrup for him. :) 

I had to break some sad and terrible news to Jake.  There were two VT National Guardsman killed in Afghanistan. :(  Our hearts just sank and our thoughts and prayers immediately went out to the families.  We can't wait until our soldiers are back home in VT safe and sound.  We constantly pray for them and for their families. 

We are very excited to come back home, but wish that all of our soldiers could come home too. 

Day 53 - Aug 23

UGH!!!!  What a day!! :(  Emotions have been everywhere today--excitement, pain, frustration, happiness, anger--and the list goes on and on. :(

After formation this morning, we headed over to PT.  They added weights to Jake's ankles during the exercises today to start building up his muscles again.  It was quite painful for him, but he knows that it's a step that he needs to take.  We then headed over to see Sgt. to get the final con leave paperwork so that we could go back to the hospital to get our flights worked out. 

Sgt. didn't have good news for us. :(  The commander will not sign Jake's leave form because his dental profile is amber--which means that Jake has to get a dental exam before he can leave.  We can't believe this!  A dental exam to go home??  Come on.  He's going for a vacation and is coming back.  Why can't he get the exam when he comes back here?? 

I am so frustrated. 2 1/2 weeks ago, during inprocessing, the dental guy told Jake that his dental profile was green--which means that he was fine and didn't need an exam -- and, that he didn't need another exam until January 2011.  So, what happened in these past weeks to change his assessment!!?? 

We then headed over to dental to get a form stating that he was green.  The lady at the desk listened to Jake's plea and asked him if the man who signed his inprocessing paperwork was a civilian.  Jake replied that he was.  She just bowed her head and shook it.  Not a good sign!!  She told Jake that he needed to come back early tomorrow morning because he does need the exam.  Oh boy. 

We also went and saw his Nurse Case Manager about other questions and issues about Jake's leave.  That was another run around--no answers to any of our questions--just more questions. :(  It was so confusing and so frustrating!!  Jake has been having some issues with pain this past week and has been trying to get answers and help for the pain.  There was a huge miscommunication about Jake's pain meds, which ended up with something being changed, which has caused this increase in pain.  So, the nurse case manager made an appointment with a nurse practioner to get Jake some relief.  The appointment was a total joke! 

She said that she couldn't do anything because the pain doctor wrote the script and he has to be the one that makes the changes.  UGH!!!!  Jake has been in tears all morning because of this whole issue and his eyes filled up again when he heard this.  All she could do was to increase the dosage of a sleeping pill to try to help him sleep better.  Once again, no help for the pain.  She did offer him a shot that would help him the rest of the day but Jake refused it because it wouldn't help him when he needs it the most--at night.  So, Jake has to wait until Wednesday when he has an appointment with the pain doctor.  Two more nights of awful pain. :( 

Jake's frustration level is very high today.  My heart goes out to him. :(

The best part of the day?  We went upstairs to see Matt (Jake's inpatient physical therapist) and to give him some gifts from VT. :)  This was the first time that I saw Jake smile, laugh, and joke around all day.  It was great to see those two kid around with one another again. :)  This visit was exactly what Jake needed.  Thank you, Matt!!

Hopefully Jake will get a good night's sleep tonight and have a better start on the day tomorrow.

Day 52 - Aug 22

Jake has been so happy today. :)  He had a great time last night. He went out with the other "ginger" and their Lieutenant (they call him "LT"). They didn't get back until late.  It's nice to see him happy and smiling.

Another laid back day--ahhhh. . . :)  Jake slept in pretty late this morning--hmmm . . . wonder why!?  He relaxed and showered and then relaxed more.  The phone in our room rang--Jake had such a surprised look on his face!  I was wondering who was on the other end that caused that look.  All of a sudden I heard him say, "I'll be right down!"  I asked who was on the other end as he hung up the phone.  He had a huge smile on his face and said that it was Sgt.--the sergeant who was in his truck with him.  He said he was downstairs at the BBQ looking for Jake.  Both of us were surprised because we just saw Sarg the other day in the hospital.  He received a day pass from the hospital and was in his wheelchair roaming about with his parents.  He looked so great!  It was absolutely wonderful to see him there! :)

We had a nice time at the BBQ with Sarg, his parents, LT, and the other ginger. :)  The BBQ was put on by the Rolling Thunder organization.  It made up of all different types of people, but are veterans.  Most ride motorcycles, but riding is not a prerequisite.  Their main focus is to bring full accountability for POW's and MIA's of all wars.  They remind the government, the media, and all people that "We Will Not Forget".  I talked to some of them at the BBQ and they are wonderful men and women.  One man had tears in his eyes when he talked to Jake and Sarg.  He kept telling them "thank you for their service."  He did not serve in a war, but he was an Army brat and his dad and brothers served.  The music was the best I've heard at all the BBQ's held here.  The food is always great, but today, the company was the best. :)

LT showed us pictures of the destroyed vehicle that these men were in when injured. :(  He also showed us the crater the bomb created in the road.  Unbelievable!  My heart sank.  It truly is a miracle that these men are alive.  Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the family of the wonderful soldier (and friend to these men) who lost his life in the blast. 

After the BBQ, the CAUSE organization was giving free massages to soldiers and family members.  They come here about twice a month to give free massages. Jake said he really wanted one for his shoulders and back because of all the pushing he does in the wheelchair.  So, he signed up! :)  Boy, he was in heaven!  His muscles felt so much better after the massage.  He kept trying to get me to get a different type of massage--it was a gentle touch/relaxing/energy type of massage.  Well, he was very convincing and I signed up.  It was a totally different experience--not a deep tissue type of massage, but it was very relaxing. 

This evening had a great ending for Jake.  The cafeteria at the Mologne House had one of Jake's favorite--"Cheesecake Factory" brand Cheesecake! :)  Quite the ending to a great weekend!

Day 51 - Aug 21

We love the weekends!! :)


No appointments, no rushing around, more relaxed atmosphere, get to sleep in, great BBQ's, etc., etc. :) Jake had a good night last night--much better than he has this whole week. I think he only woke up twice with pain in his leg. I wanted him to sleep as long as he could, so I put the privacy sign outside the door (housekeeping comes early) and went downstairs to grab some breakfast for both of us and brought it back up to our room.

It was also a very beautiful day out today. It was warm, wasn't as much humidity as there has been, and there was actually a very nice breeze blowing! :) A group of people (some were Vietnam veterans) put on a very nice BBQ out in the courtyard with a wonderful band playing. It touched my heart seeing the older Vets saluting/honoring/supporting the newest Vets.

The potential that Jake will be coming home next week caught us a little off-gaurd and unprepared. We are thrilled, but we didn't think he'd be coming home until after he could bear weight on his legs - meaning, that he would be able to walk (even if only a little). Our house isn't set up for wheelchair access and we didn't think it would be necessesary to make it accessable. Mike and I realized as Jake's Con leave paperwork started coming together on Thursday that we had some work to do. Mike took Friday off so he could make some plans, get materials, and build a ramp into the house.

Mike decided to install the 20' long ramp in the garage. He installed it in the garage so that Jake and the ramp would stay dry should it rain or, heaven forbid, we get ice rain or snow. This gives Jake a straight shot into and out of the house without having to worry if the ramp is slippery.


Jake's buddy--the other "ginger" (red hair) --came to see him tonight. The two gingers together again. :) It was wonderful to finally meet him. They decided to go out to get dinner and then visit their other buddies who are down here. They invited me to go along, but I decided that Jake needed some time away from mom and time to just be with friends.

A quiet ending to a quiet day. :)

Day 50 - Aug 20

There's been excitement in the air today. :)  One, because of getting the last signatures needed to come home on convalescent leave, and, two, because we had a "date" tonight to go to a very wonderful dinner. :)

Jake attended his first company formation (Battle Company) this morning and was able to meet and talk to other Sergeants in his platoon.  He has formation with his company on Mondays and Fridays and then there is a big formation held on Wednesday that includes all of the companies.  We have been attending these formations every week.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jake just calls his Sergeant by 8:30 a.m. to check in.

Since he didn't have any appointments until the afternoon, we decided to work on getting the rest of the signatures needed for him to go home on leave.  We found out that to get one of the signatures, Jake needed to make an appointment.  We were concerned we would have to wait until Monday for the signature. :(  We wanted to get the papers back to his Sergeant today so we could get all the travel arrangements progressing.  Well, we were very lucky (I call it blessed) because we were able to slip in an appointment late in the afternoon.  Right after PT, we headed back down the hallway to go to the appointment.  It soon became clear why it was necessary to make an appointment. The appointment was with the people who handle insurance and there was much paperwork to do. This insurance covers Jake if anything happens while he is on leave. 

After we were done with the insurance appointment, we headed straight over to his Sergeant and turned in the paperwork.  The Sergeant will have everything ready for us Monday morning so we can head over to the travel office and get our flights home/back arranged. :)  (Putting together all the travel is quite a job, a job one man has to tackle!  I sure wouldn't want it!  He is a very patient man--and--it helps that he is from Pittsburgh and that he is a Steelers fan!! We like him!! ;)

We are still waiting to hear from Mologne House if we can keep our room when we return or if we have to give it up and get another room.  If a person is gone for a month you have to give up your room. :(  The Sergeant is trying to make sure we keep our room because we have some equipment of Jake's here that would be a bit difficult to take home with us and then bring back.  The Sergeant told us he would have an answer for us on Monday and he doesn't see a problem, but one never knows.  We are hoping, keeping our fingers and toes crossed, and praying a lot that everything works out.

We relaxed for about an hour before getting ready for our date. :)  Every Friday night is a dinner sponsored by The Aleethia Foundation.  What a wonderful foundation it is!  Our dinner tonight was hosted by The Heritage Foundation and boy was it wonderful!!!  It was soooo delicious!!  We were able to sit with Jake's medic's wife and her in-laws. We had a great time together. :)  Everything was free--the bus ride over and back and the food.  It was so nice to get out of the room, be in great company, and eat delicious food!  Jake really enjoyed himself and was asleep on the bus within minutes of leaving the Heritage Foundation. :)  He was so tired.

He got an extra bonus tonight--he heard from another one of his buddies that was in the truck with him!  He was originally flown to a different hospital for his injuries.  He told Jake that he will be in DC tomorrow and wants to come see him and spend some time together. :)  Jake is excited to see him again--the other ginger! :)

The excitement of the day continues on to tomorrow!

Day 49 - Aug 19

Sleeping in (well, just a little bit), doing laundry, visiting friends, getting even more positive news all around--I'd say it was a beautiful day! :)  Excluding the humidity, of course!

No appointments today, but we did go and check-in with a nurse case manager.  Jake's manager is on leave this week, so someone else is covering for him.  She was extremely helpful and was going to get some answers to Jake's questions.  I wish that she was his nurse case manager.  Not saying that his isn't a good one--because he is--it's just this woman is very easy to understand and is on top of everything. 

After we visited with her, we went to see his Sergeant.  This was a good visit because he approved giving Jake con leave!! :)  As of right now, if we can get all the signatures of approval, it looks like we will be home some time next week.  Jake will be home for about a month and then we have to return back down here to Walter Reed to continue his recovery.  As soon as we do return here, however, we will begin the tedious paper work to get him transferred home for good.  Jake is excited to go home to "relax" (his words) and to be with family and friends again. :)  Now we have work to do at home to prepare for him and his special needs (Mike will have to handle that part).  We will keep you all posted on the progress of this exciting event. :)

After lunch, Jake, his Lieutenant, and I took the shuttle over to Bethesda to see their buddies--their medic and his wife.  It's always so wonderful to see them!  It was even better today because they were able to talk to their medic and see for themselves how he is doing.  It was nice to see them all of them together. :) 

Now we are enjoying a very relaxing evening to a very beautiful day! 

Day 48 - Aug 18

Rain, rain, go away, come back another day!  All it did today was rain, rain, rain, and then even more rain!  When I looked out our window this morning, it was coming down so hard that the road in front of the Mologne House was already starting to flood.  If any of you saw Mike's photos on the blog when it rained while he was here, you will know what I saw early this morning. :(  I love rain--but pushing a wheelchair in it is not so fun.  At least I got a lot of exercise--and my lungs did too with all the huffing and puffing I did!  Now I realize how out of shape I really am! :(

We had to go to formation this morning and saw a presentation about a family retreat for the soldiers and their families.  It sounds wonderful, but we are hoping that we will be home either for good or on con-leave during the retreat. 

Jake had an appointment with the primary care physician (PCP) right after the presentation  She gave her stamp of approval for him to come home for good and for con-leave.  :)  One more hurdle overcome!  This is the first time I met his PCP--she's a very nice doctor and you can tell that she really does care about these soldiers. 

We had a break until after lunch when we had to return back to the hospital for a TBI meeting.  Jake was extremely tired before the meeting started so got something to keep him awake--some fruit drink, an energy drink, and some gum.  He stayed awake during the meeting but took a nice nap in the waiting room of PT, which room was next on his list of appointments.  He transferred over to a comfy chair, got his book out to read (we were a half hour early for the appointment) and within minutes his head was drooping.  I don't think he even got a paragraph read before he was asleep.  He had a new PT therapist today--she was very nice and worked his legs really well.  At least he came out of there with sweat, and a smile, on his face. :)

We took the shuttle bus down to Silver Springs today so that Jake could use the free Wifi in Borders to get his new IPhone activated.  We couldn't get it activated at Walter Reed (WR) because the military hasn't approved an update needed for Itunes to be installed on the WR computers.  Well, we spent about an hour in Borders and it just wouldn't work because the internet was so slow. :(  So, a really nice security lady directed us across the street to try the Wifi at Starbucks.  She and Jake had a really nice conversation because she was thinking of joining the military, but is unsure of which branch to join. 

We went into Starbucks and within 15 minutes Jake was able to activate his phone. :)  He was soooo happy!  We decided while we were down there to go to dinner at Macaroni Grill (really, really good food!).  As we strolled into the restaurant, we were greeted by four other soldiers (three of which were amputees) that we have never seen before.  They asked Jake right away if he was a member of the "club".  Jake and I were both confused at what they meant.  They then asked if he was a member of the "roadside bomb club".  Now we understood!  Jake replied that he was and then they proceeded to introduce themselves to us.  They were just ready to be seated and invited us to share their table and eat with them.  We were appreciative of their invitation and I thought it would be nice for Jake to be with his comrades.  They all were polite--some of the language that came out of one's mouth wasn't--but he did apologize.  As we finished dinner and were starting to part ways, two of them stayed back and gave me hugs.  It was nice to be "mom" to these soldiers for an hour or so. :)  Jake went out to stall the shuttle bus while I paid our bill.  Our waitress was taking forever, but I was able to make the bus by running as quickly as my short legs would let me. :) 

Tomorrow, at least as of right now, will be an extremely easy day.  No appointments!  We are going to get some laundry done and then head over to Bethesda to visit Jake's buddy and his wife.  With no rain in the forecast, it will be a brighter day--in more ways than just the weather.

Day 47 - Aug. 17

It's amazing to see how the Lord's hands work in our daily lives.  This day was a day filled with blessings!

Jake was able to sleep a bit better last night, which was really good.  First blessing!  He was able to sleep-in a bit longer as well because he has a new Sergeant who doesn't require him to check-in early each morning. :) 

We headed over to see the orthopedic surgeon this morning to have the stitches removed from Jake's left leg and to talk to the surgeon about other things.  We arrived there and was informed that the doctor wanted Jake to have x-rays first before meeting with him.  I was so glad to see that they had their own radiology room within the huge office wing so that we didn't have to walk all over the hospital to find radiology!  The doctor was happy to hear and see that Jake can bend his legs 90 degrees.  He encouraged Jake to keep working hard with PT to get the range of motion even better in his legs. 

He told us there was a lot of soft tissue damage with the compound fracture in this right leg.  The ACL in his right leg is NOT torn as we were told.  It is his LCL and his PCL that are torn, among other ligaments, tendons, muscle, etc.  Even though bone fractures in his left leg are far worse than the right, it is his right leg that is the most problematic due to the soft tissue damage.  This is evidence by the fact that Jake can bend his left leg further than he can his right leg. 

We asked the doctor about the heel fractures.  He was just as surprised as were we when we mentioned this to him.  He said that it is quite possible that the surgeons in Bagram wrote that in his medical file and that's where the primary care physician read it.  So, it seems that Jake did have broken heels. 

He also told us that Jake has a total of three metal plates--one in the right and two in the left--but lots and lots of screws.  Jake does not have to wear the leg brace on his left leg anymore! :)  However, because of the tissue damage, he still has to wear the brace on his right leg.  The doctor also told Jake that by the beginning of October he can start to weight bear on his right leg and that by the end of October he can start to weight bear on his left leg.  This is all good news.  We thought it wouldn't be until sometime in November. 

The best news of all?? :)  The doctor has no problem letting Jake return to Vermont to continue his care at home!  Now, don't get too excited, because there is still other people that have to give their "stamp of approval" for him to return home.  It can take some time to accomplish this--weeks/months??  This is just the first step of many that we have to take to bring him home.  We are just so excited that we climbed over this first hurdle!  Another blessing!

The surgeon is completing the paperwork for Jake to take convalescent leave at the same time as he is completing the paperwork paper work for Jake to return home.  "Con" leave is where Jake obtains permission to go home for a visit of up to 30 days.  Jake will then have to return back to Walter Reed to continue his recuperation.  Again, there is a lot of paperwork for either before we are allowed to head for home. :(  His sergeant has already talked to Jake about getting the paperwork going--hopefully in the next day or so.  So, finger's crossed, one of these will happen soon. :)

After the visit with the doctor was over, and as we were heading out to the waiting room to leave, we saw a dear friend and his companion.  It was the major who was in the room next door to Jake in the hospital, and, his dog SCOOTER!! :)  We were just thrilled that we got to see them both again and had a wonderful visit.  It really brightened up our day!  Another miracle!

Jake and I separated after this appointment for a bit.  He visited with some other people who he has met at the Mologne House while I went to take care of some more paper work that the government requires. :(  It took much longer than I anticipated.  I can't believe how much paper work there is with almost every aspect of the "goings on" here at the hospital and with the military. 

Jake wanted Burger King for lunch---so off we went.  We were looking for a place to sit to eat that would work with his wheelchair.  There were a few double (two together) tables available but no one seemed to want to move over to one of them so that Jake's wheelchair could fit in on the outside of the table.  So, we went back to the rear of the eating area where all those tables (which were small) were also taken.  A very kind Captain motioned us over to share his table.  We have never met this man before and here he was being so kind towards us.  He was a very friendly man and as we talked, we found out that formerly he worked with the department of the TSGLI (traumatic servicemen ?? life insurance).  Now he is working with the department that helps decide whether a soldier is able to remain in the military or not.  He asked Jake if he had filled out all the paperwork for the TSGLI.  Jake replied that he did but has not heard anything more about it or his status with it.  This man took Jake's name and number and told him that he will check into it and will call him later this afternoon.  We were very appreciative of his help and with his kindness and friendliness.  He was true to his word and called Jake this afternoon with results!  Another blessing!  Who would guess that out all the people in the dining area, we were sitting with the one person that could get immediate results with Jake's TSGLI. 

The wife of the medic who was in Jake's vehicle came to visit later in the afternoon. :)  We always look forward to her visits!  She brought great news about her husband that cheered us up quite a bit.  Her husband is being blessed!  After chatting for a bit, we all went over to the hospital to visit other members of Jake's platoon and witnessed other blessings of healing taking place.  It was a wonderful afternoon for Jake to be with his buddies again.  He really cares about these people. 

This truly has been a day of many blessings--we are so grateful to the Lord for his help, guidance, and blessings.

Day 46 - Aug 16

Hot, humid, and with a 70% chance of a thunderstorm--the forecast for the day.  Oh boy!  We don't mind the rain because it cools things off, but the heat and the humidity we can do without!

We had a rough night last night. :(  Jake was up a few times with extreme pain in his right leg.  I felt so helpless!  All I wanted to do was take away all the pain he was experiencing so he could sleep peacefully.  Finally, some of the meds took effect and he was able to fall asleep. 

Jake checked in early this morning with his Sergeant and found out he was being attached to a new company because he was done with all his inprocessing.  One more step to coming home!  We had to report back to his Sergeant at 9:00 so that Jake's new Sergeant could orientate him.  So, off we went to start our day with appointments.  First stop--the warrior clinic (where his primary care physician is) to get refills on some of his medications.  Then the dreaded pharmacy. :(  We have mixed feelings about the pharmacy.  We like it because they give medicines that help Jake, but we hate it because it takes FOREVER to get those meds filled!!  We almost didn't make the appointment with his new Sergeant because of the long wait.  I really appreciate the pharmacy at home.  I will never, ever, complain about the wait time there again!!

We briefly met his new Sergeant before the Sergeant had to head off to take care of some other business, so another squad leader processed Jake.  He was a really nice man.  We then headed back over to the hospital for a TBI (traumatic brain injury) appointment.  They did some testing on Jake to see if he has TBI.  All soldiers here go through these tests.  Because Jake blacked out at the blast, they want to make sure everything is okay.  Waiting for Jake to finish gave me some really great reading time. :)

The last appointment was with a physical therapist.  Jake was hoping for a certain therapist because she is gentle with his legs and is similar to Matt (his hospital therapist)--pushes Jake, but stops when it's too much.  Well, he got the same guy he had on Friday so Jake was NOT happy with that!  He doesn't like this therapist much because the therapist did not read Jake's medical file and was pushing him to do things Jake is not allowed to do.  This guy wanted Jake to ride one of the exercise bikes.  There's no way Jake can even get up on the bike let alone push the pedals.  So, Jake was grumbling as he rolled down the hallway to start PT.  I was worried what Jake would say to the man because of the range of emotions Jake was experiencing throughout the morning.  After an hour, I finally saw Jake wheeling himself out and by the look on his  face, I could tell it went okay.  I asked him how it went. He said he told the therapist he wanted to go a little easy today because of some intense pain he had last night.  So, the therapist agreed.  Jake was releaved!

The rest of the day was a bit laid back.  We saw some familiar faces going to and from our trips to the hospital and had some nice visits with them.  We also got to meet some other heroes here and their family members today.  Being here with people that are going through the same situation as you makes the stay here a bit more tolerable.  We all have the same goal--get our family members healed and healthy so they can return home. 

The thunderstorm never arrived. :(  The heat and the humidity stayed. :(  But, we survived another day!!  It's another day checked off!!  We will keep plugging along--no matter how hot and sticky we get! :)

Day 45 - Aug 15

Mike left early this morning to fly back to Vermont.  It was extremely hard to say goodbye to him, once again, but we will try to be strong.  We have the help and strength of the Lord with us. 

Jake and I slept in this morning because we woke up a few times throughout the night.  Around 5:30 a.m., we heard this loud, strange noise.  I thought that maybe Jake was still asleep because he didn't say anything, but come to find out later that he did hear it.  While I was lying in bed listening to this noise, I thought that maybe it was coming from our mini-frig because it makes noises coming on throughout the night.  But, this noise wouldn't stop.  The thought passed through my tired brain that maybe it was a fire alarm, but I reasoned to myself that it wasn't loud enough, nor did I smell any smoke or anything else.  As I closed my eyes to drift back to sweet slumber, I decided that it was the stupid frig.  Boy, was I wrong.  Jake told me this morning that another resident here told him that it was a fire alarm.  Oops!  She told Jake that only 10 people came outside during this alarm.  Oops again!!  We've learned our lesson.  Whenever we hear anything like that again, we are outside ASAP!! 

This afternoon an organization put on a wonderful BBQ outside in the courtyard.  The food was great, the music was wonderful, and the company was the best!  Jake and I were able to talk to a few people--some from the organization, others who are also NMA's (non-medical assistants) here with their sons, daughters, grandsons, etc., and some parents that we met over at the hospital whose sons and daughters are still there.  It was great to talk and laugh with these people and to share our feelings with one another.  I know that Jake enjoys talking to people here no matter who they are or what their circumstances are--he gets that from his dad. 

I wish everyone could visit all the heroes here at Walter Reed, Bethesda, and all the other military medical hospitals that treat these heroes.  I wish they could visit with all the heroes that are serving our country right now--whether in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.--or those who have served our country in other wars.  I see so many heroes every single day.  All of the men and women serving our country and have served our country are heroes in my eyes--no matter if they were injured or not--no matter what flaws they have--no matter what mistakes they have made in the past.  They are willing to sacrifice anything--limbs or their lives--for our country, for our freedoms, for us.  They became an instant hero to me the day they enlisted in the military. My life has been extremely blessed because of them all. 


The rest of the day we watched some cute movies that Jake hasn't seen yet, read emails, and just talked with one another.  A day that helped us prepare for the busy week that starts early tomorrow morning.

Day 44 - Aug 14

I'm late on today's blog post. Sorry.

Jake slept in whilst I got a few things done in the morning. After he awoke, we got busy doing some running around town. He doesn't have appointments on Saturday so we get out-and-about the town. Getting in and out of a taxi is getting a bit easier, but still tough.

The taxi service in the area is robust, but they are totally unreliable should you reserve cab by phone. This morning was the second time a cab didn't show - after three follow-up phone calls. Very frustrating to be trapped because you can't get transportation. We finally caught a bus and headed into town where we could then find a taxi

The taxi we found in town was parked about 18" off the curb. Too close to get a wheelchair one the street and next to the cab and yet too far away for Jake to transition from his chair on the sidewalk into the cab. I crouched down between the car and the curb so that Jake could place his hands on my shoulder and use my lap as a transitional seat. He swung from his chair to my lap and from my lap into the car. It wasn't pretty, but hey, it worked.

Mom flew in today too. We were super excited to be with her again! We went to dinner together and then watched a movie back in the room before checking out for the night.

Another person recently gave me reason to pause and think about hate, evil, and forgiveness. Children are taught hate of others by adults (Mosiah 10:17). Do those who wish to do us harm hate us? I suspect they do. Where did they learn this hatred? It may have been taught to them from the time they were small. A child, teen, or adult may have done my son great harm - harm he will live with for the rest of his life, both mentally and physically - but I will let God judge the intention of those that did him harm.

Regardless of the intentions of those who fight against us, we will defend ourselves. While I believe we have a right and obligation to defend ourselves, I refuse to hate. Even if the people who did this terrible thing to my son are grown men, I do not know their reasoning nor their level of accountability so I refuse to judge their intent or to hate them.

Some may chide my attitude as simple minded and unpatriotic, but I am a person who stands for peace and forgiveness. After working with many people who were filled with hate for others, I have come to believe that our ability to judge another's intent and level of accountability is grossly inadequate.

Can a child do terrible things to others, grow up, change, be a good person, and do much good in the world at large? Of course, we only need consider Alma the Younger. I believe that people grow and change. If not, then God's plan is for nothing. "And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men.  For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents." (2 Nephi 2:21) We're all working through our own weaknesses, challenges, and evil. It is Christ's commentary that it is better for us to work on pulling the beam out of our own eye than it is to focus on the sliver in the eye of another. Paraphrasing one of my favorite authors, Neal A. Maxwell said something like, Having a head full of rocks, we shouldn't be too quick to cast stones at another.

Day 43 - Aug 13; A side note

Friends have thanked us for keeping up this blog. Your encouragement is appreciated, but we appreciate even more that you continue to be interested in and pray for Jake's progress.

Hugs, Mike and Nancy.

Day 43 - Aug 13

The biggest challenge Jake has is getting his knees to bend. He is able to bend them 90 degrees, but isn't able to bend them past that point, after a bit of stretching. Bending to 90 degrees is very painful around the upper part of his knee joint. He feels something stretching inside his leg on either side of his knee cap. He's been trying hard to get his legs past 90 degrees, but the pain is just too much. Flexibility of his knees was the focus of physical therapy today and has been for some time. He will continue to work on regaining flexibility and in a few months he will re-learn how to walk. Then, he'll work on re-building muscle.

While the day had some painful moments (physical therapy), it was also a great day. There are many local organizations that sponsor events for wounded warriors and their families. A friend of his, residing over at Bethesda hospital, had signed up to see a Washington National's game and wanted Jake to go. To make the long part of finding out how to sign up for this event short, after a week of contacting people I finally found the organizer who literally made room for us even though the event was overbooked.

The bus was filled to the brim, including eleven wheelchair bound warriors. The wheelchair warriors wheeled themselves onto a special lift and up they'd go. All but one transferred to a bus seat and stowed their chair in the cargo space below. Transferring to a seat was a little bit difficult for Jake, but the lack of leg room was more of a challenge. He had to bend his knees pretty close to 90 degrees for most of the journey. He didn't have room to stretch them out so he pushed through the pain. He distracted himself from the pain by reading his newest book sent by his cousin Mary (Thanks Mary!!! You should of seen the smile when he opened your box!).

This is the way to see a ball game. We had three adjoining party suites on the fourth floor of the stadium. There was food, kitchens, dinning areas, big screen TVs, and something like 72 padded stadium seats between the three suites. We ate, drank, laughed, got swallowed up in the noise and energy of the place, and generally enjoyed the fun and excitement of the Nationals beating the AZ Diamondbacks. It was a great way to get out and have some fun together. Many thanks to the organizers - I gave a big hug to those I could find.

We didn't get back until after 11:00 pm. It takes Jake a while to get ready for bed. Of course, the bathroom is no longer a simple task that only takes a few minutes, neither is getting into bed. He has to wear special boots on his feet when he sleeps, elevate his heels with a pillow, and lay on his back. This allows his knees to hang in the air so they are stretched into a straight position. Boy, in the morning, the back of his knees sure are stiff and uncomfortable. When all his nighttime preparations were done, we turned off the light at just about midnight - and I wrote this post after waking up the next morning while he continued to sleep. He was completely unaware that my fingers were click clacking on the keyboard in the darkness of the room.

Day 42 - Aug 12

Today had its share of excitement. I awoke as usual, 5:00 am. Went for a run and then read my scriptures. My little squirrel friend appeared for his drink of water. Seemed quite normal.

Jake and I ate breakfast and came up to the room to grab some things. From the time we came upstairs to the time we left the building was just a couple of minutes. In that short time the sky had turned so dark that cars were driving with their lights on. It felt odd outside - dark, heavy, and ominous, but no rain. We had to meet with Sarge for Jake's morning check-in so we were off and on our way.

We put up umbrellas in preparation for rain. Wind quickly turned our umbrellas inside out and we realized they were not going to help. Our best plan was to get to the next building as quickly as possible. Pushing a wheelchair while jogging isn't all that easy, but we were making good time.

We entered the building where Sarge has his office. I didn't even make it through a paragraph in the newspaper before Jake had finished his check-in. We headed down the hallway towards the outer door. The door leading outside became visible as we rounded a corner. We could see that rain was coming down in buckets. It was raining in a way I've only seen a few times. In those few minutes we were in Sarge's office, so much rain had fallen that the roads were rivers, water was pouring off the roof like a fire hose, and trees were beginning to lay sideways in the wind.

Grass area turns into a pond

 Trees came down, cars were stuck in roadways turned into rivers of water, live power lines lay on the ground, ninety-thousand people lost power, and water was leaking into buildings all over the Walter Reed Campus. And then, it was all over.

Roads turn into a river. This BMW tried to travel the river, but stalled.

Jake got some tough PT today. I'm afraid there's more of this to come. New exercises and more stretching. He still can't bend either leg past about 90 degrees. At about 90 degree bend, he feels a lot of muscle or ligament pain as they stretch around he knee.

After PT, we visited with one of the men that was in Jake's truck. He is doing better, but still has months of rehabilitation ahead of him. We also visited one of the young men from his unit who is in the ICU. I wish I could say more about these men, but I respect their privacy. Here's the sobering reality, over a third of Jake's platoon is no longer functioning. What a sad and troubling thought.

Dinner time brought us a tornado warning, but the storm was a dud - it fizzled. Guess it is going to be difficult to top the storm we went through this morning.

Day 41 - Aug 11

Have you ever seen the movie "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray? He wakes up in a small town every morning to find that it is the same day as yesterday. Everything is repeated from one day to the next. That is one of the more difficult aspects of this experience, one day bleeds into another and it becomes difficult to know what day it is or what happened in one day versus another day. Can I just say that today was a lot like yesterday? Hot, humid, run from here to there, one appointment and meeting after another and yet too much down time, cafeteria food, hotel "like" accommodations, and feelings of being locked into this place with little hope of escape to the outer world.

Sitting next to the pond on my bench (a little later in the day)

What has given me hope, courage, and peace throughout this entire experience has been a spiritual peace and witness of the eternal nature of our existence and of families bound together for all eternity. God's word is often likened to cool refreshing water that gives life to the soul. I was reminded of this as I sat next to the pond behind our accommodations this morning reading my scriptures at 5:30 a.m. As I read, a bushy tail squirrel emerged from the bushes behind me and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to examine a giant potential difficulty, me. After a moment of our eyes being locked on one another, he scampered across the sidewalk and up the the walls of the pond. His head dipped over the wall of the pond to take a long drink of the cool water. He refreshed his body with the water and I sat in the still morning refreshing my soul with the waters of life.

Day 40 - Aug 10

I suspected it would be a hot day when it felt like an oven on my 5:00 am run. It was not only hot, but also humid. Both Jake and I missed the more temperate summers in Vermont.

There was much for Jake to accomplish today. Early morning check-in with the Sarge. Look for mail in his box. Did some stretching and aroebic work in physical therapy. Met with the Sarge later in the day to sign papers. Was examined for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in the Physical Medicine facility. Visited the PX. Consulted with his Nurse Case Manager. Went to SFAC to get a new ID card. Almost every one of these activities required us to move from one building to another through the thick heat of the day.

Jake and I are busy. He is doing so well. His pain level is low throughout the day. He works on his physical therapy exercises (much hard work left to do) on his own. His spirits are good and sense of humor bright. He is receiving good care and attention here, but we sure miss Vermont's temperate weather.

Day 39 - Aug 9

Over the river and through the woods....

Up at the crack of dawn and down to the chow hall for a bite. Then we are off to everybody's house we go...

First we complete our early morning check-in with his unit Sargent whose office is down one hill and up another. Turn in some paperwork and get any new instructions for the day.  Then down hill we go towards the hospital traveling on sidewalks, through tunnels, and down elevators as we skedaddle to Jake's primary care physician.

After a few brief minutes with the physician, we shoot over to the pharmacy for prescription refills. This past week Jake finished using three meds :-) and yet, it still takes the pharmacy an hour to get his meds right. Gesh. (We follow Nancy's pattern of organizing all the meds into a daily pill box the night before 'cause he's got mucho pills he must take four different times a days).

We have just under an hour before our next meet-and-greet so we hoof it double time back to the room - all up-hill. Huff and puff! Jake catches a few minutes of rest and then we are off to the races (we are late) to see his social worker. Jake glides quickly down the hills and over dales while dad walks fast and faster to keep Jake within eye shot. This is our final scheduled visit of the day and it just about lunch time. Up hill we go again, moving a bit more measured this time, back to the room.

Just before dinner Karen, wife of one of Jake's truck mates, along with Karen's mother and brother come a calling. It is nice to have guests. And!!! They come bearing gifts - pure Vermont Maple Syrup!!

We catch a bus to Silver Springs and grab some ribs for dinner - yum. A pleasant surprise awaits us as a live jazz trio accompany our meal within the restaurant. What a treat.

The day closes out by catching a few seasons of Jake's new "favorite" show - Warehouse 13. Wish I could say I then I slipped peacefully into slumber but, it was more like a crash landing.

Day 38 - Aug 8

Awoke early, but kept quiet so Jake could sleep in. Slipped out for some chow and then went outside to find a quiet place to read. 

More than quiet, I found a tranquil bench next to a pond surrounded by ancient trees whose branches reach for the clouds. Water trickling and gurgling over the little waterfall on the pond was the only sound to be heard. In this little slice of Eden, I read my scriptures for an hour or so.

 I disturbed Jake's deep slumber when the time came for his meds. For most of the day, we lounged about and rested. We had a big day yesterday so a day of rest was in store. Our lounging was pleasantly interrupted by an early evening BBQ.

A local group put on a BBQ dinner for the wounded warriors. We ate grilled food, sipped cool water, and talked with nice people for over two hours. It was pleasant to feel the love and gratitude of others while sharing a bit of our lives together.

Air began to cool and sun sank low later in the evening so I returned to my bench beside the pond. I sketched a mountain scene with peaks, a lake, and a few trees.  Jake has climbed his share of rocky ridges this last month and deserved a day of rest on a well earned plateau, but the top of his mountain is yet to be crested as his range of motion exercises demonstrated before bed.

I helped work his legs before bed in an effort to achieve greater range of motion. He's barely able to bend them at a 90 degree angle before experiencing significant pain. There's much hard work to do, a mountainous peak to scale, in the days ahead. But for today, we took a breather and enjoyed our selves.

Day 37 - Aug 7

Mom flew home today for much needed time at home. She had a bit of an adventure on the way. Didn't look like she'd make it to the airport because of traffic. Then she was bumped off the flight because it was overbooked. Police, security and bomb sniffing dogs showed up at the gate shortly after the plane departed because a passenger, already headed to Vermont, accidentally left a bag at the gate. After five hours at the gate and a security sweep of the area, she finally boarded a flight and an hour or so later saw the beautiful waters of Lake Champlain and the green mountains of Vermont.

Jake and I had a bit of fun ourselves. Going to the national zoo sounded like a good idea, but how to get there. A cab was called, it showed up half an hour late (this is becoming a pattern for us and cabs) and Jake transitioned from his wheelchair into the cab. Doesn't sound like too big of a deal, but it was the first time he's transitioned from the chair into a vehicle. We take such simple acts like getting into a car for granted, but moving from a wheel chair to a car when your legs don't work is a big task. He did it well and we were go'in to the zoo, the zoo, the zoo, how about you....

Elephants, orangutans, lemurs, snakes, lions, tigers, and bears, oh my. A komodo dragon, jelly fish, snapping turtles, zebras, monkeys and a family of gorillas too. These critters and more were on our tour of the zoo today. We worked our way from the highest elevation to the lowest as we worked through the zoo. The walk was good, although warm. At the end of our downward journey, we pressed our way back up the hill. It was a hike.

I called the taxi company that dropped us off and requested a ride back. Oooppppsss. The zoo is outside of their "territory," kind of like animals that mark their turf, so they can only drop off but not pick up. I scrounged up the number of another cab company and they were on their way - and on their way - and on their way. After about an hour of waiting, I received an automated voice message informing us that the cab had arrived - only, it wasn't anywhere to be seen. Called the cab company again and was assured it would be there in five minutes. Ten minutes later I called the cab company and was assured it was on its way. Another ten minutes went by and we headed to the main road to flag down any old cab.

Every time I flagged a taxi it would pull over about half a block away and someone else would jump in. Gesh. A couple of local police officers were close by and I enlisted their help. The next available cab was soon at our doorstep and we were on our way back to Walter Reed with a driver who had served in Vietnam. Jake and the driver had a good chat until we arrived back where we started.

After an hour of relaxing in our room, we were on our way again in a bus to Silver Springs for a good steak. Jake hasn't had a steak in months and found his rib eye to be juicy, flavorful ... fantastic. The strawberry shortcake desert wasn't anything like the way mom makes it, :( but it was a nice close to our day of being out-and-about. We are now settling in for a long-summers nap.

Day 36, Aug 6

Jake had his first appointment this morning with his new PT therapist.  This appointment was an assessment of how the muscles in his legs are progressing.  Jake was not pleased with this therapist, to say the least.  He is not like Matt--don't think anyone can be like Matt.  This therapist is a no nonsense kind of guy.  He jokes around but he also wants to get down to business.  He really pushed Jake today to the point where Jake was wincing in pain.  He didn't say a word to him about the pain he was experiencing, but I could tell by looking at his face.  He made Jake do some things that he has never done before since the blast.  One in particular is to lay on his stomach and lift his legs straight up.  I don't think anyone could pry open Jake's hands that were gripping the table so tightly.  The therapist did bring a smile to Jake's face once in a while, and, gave Jake encouragement about walking again.  He doesn't see this therapist for another 3 weeks for another assessment.  However, he does see other therapists on the team 3 times a week. 

We also had a room assurance assessment today with his sergeant and with an outpatient OT.  They wanted to make sure that the room is working for Jake and meeting his needs.  They were very happy to see how well he transfers and how well he can move about the room.  They told us that our room is a large one compared to others they have seen during assessments.

After these appointments were over, we took a shuttle bus over to Bethesda Naval Hospital to see his buddy who was in the vehicle with him.  Jake has been wanting to go see him ever since they both arrived here.  It was wonderful to see his wife and family again and to see how well he is doing.  It was great to see Jake joke around with him and with his wife.  I know that this was a highlight in Jake's day. :)

Mike arrived here around dinner time.  Oh, how wonderful it is to be reunited with him again!!  Jake is very happy to have his dad back with him.  It will be good for Jake to talk "guy stuff" and do "guy stuff" together. :)  It will be hard to leave them both tomorrow, but I know that they will take care of each other. :)

Day 35 - Aug 5

Today was an extremely laid back day!  Which was very good because Jake was able to take a nap during the day. :)

We went to Jake's daily sign in with his Sergeant this morning and was surprised to hear that Jake had another appointment to go to today.  It is a mandatory meeting for all new WTB warriors about goal setting.  The WTB feels goal setting is a very important factor in the warrior's healing process.  It was an interesting meeting and I learned alot!  I know that Jake learned much because he mentioned one of his weekly goals for next week--to go home. :)  I told him that it's a great goal, but it may have to be a monthly goal, not this coming week's goal.  He just smiled. :)

He really wanted to go and do something today, but because of the timing of that meeting, we were unable to do so. :(  He wanted to go over to Bethesda to visit his friend who was the medic injured in the blast with him.  Then, he wanted to go to one of the other forts here that have a big PX store so that he could use his clothing allowance and get some clothes.  We will try to go tomorrow--unless there will be more unexpected appointments.

His Sergeant called today to tell him that he has a "room assurance" appointment tomorrow morning (which was scheduled for some time next week).  This is when the Sergeant, the Nurse Case Manager, and someone from outpatient OT come to inspect our room to see that Jake is getting around it okay and to see if there are any hazards that need to be removed (like furniture).  This is part of his inprocessing.  Then, earlier tonight, his Nurse Case Manager called and told him that he has a PT appointment tomorrow morning that just came up.  So, our morning is already filling up with things.  Hopefully he will have the afternoon free.

We had a huge rain/thunder/lightning storm here this afternoon.  We couldn't believe how much rain was falling!  It has been quite hot and humid here--in the 90's. :(  Sure hope this rain cools everything down for awhile.

Mike is flying in tomorrow to spend the week with Jake while I go home.  We are very excited to have him back down here with us!  I know that Jake is looking forward to spending time with his dad.  Think maybe he might be getting bored with his ol' ma. ;)  Just kidding!  The Mologne House has a ton of activities going on all the time and this coming week there are some that Jake and Mike can go to together.

Everyone here has been very respectful, helpful, and extremely nice.  It makes being here a little bit better.

Day 34 - Aug 4

Today was more of a relaxing day than most. :)

Jake had his first formation today with all the wounded warriors, other soldiers, and the commanders.  It was interesting to watch.  There were many with wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and canes.  It was humbling to see all of these warriors and realize the great sacrifices they have made for all of us.  As the national anthem was sung, I noticed a wounded warrior in front of me break down in tears.  My heart was extremely touched and it brought tears to my eyes.  I am so grateful to each of these men and women.

After formation, Jake had an orientation meeting.  At this meeting, people representing the different services offered with the WTB talked to us.  A few of the wounded soldiers were worn out and kept falling asleep during this meeting.  Jake came close to being one of them! :(  I felt so bad for these soldiers.  Most of them were recently discharged and with all the paperwork and visits they have to make for their inprocessing, they are just completely drained.  After the meeting, Jake wanted to come back to the room to rest.  He was just beat.  While he rested, I went to get my flight arranged to go home this Saturday. 

This afternoon we went over to the hospital to try to get more signatures on his inprocessing sheet.  We were very successful today in getting the whole paper filled except for two signatures!  What an accomplishment!!!  We were told that it could take up to a couple of weeks to get it all done, but Jake has done his within a couple of days.  He is very motivated!!

During one of these visits for signatures, he was able to get his mailbox!  YEAH!!!  Here is his new address:

Spc Sessions, Jacob
Abrams Hall, Box 4053
6900 Georgia Ave. NW
Washington, DC  20307

This evening we went back over to the hospital so that he could visit one of his buddies who arrived at Walter Reed on Sunday.  I met this fine young man and then left the two of them alone so that they could talk.  Jake came strolling down the hallway with a smile on his face. :)  After the visit, he decided to go back to the ward he was on (which is on the same floor that his friend is on) to say hi to the nurses and techs that have taken care of him the past month.  They were happy to see him again.  I'm sure that we will be making a few visits back and forth to the hospital to see them and to see his buddies. :)

When we returned to our room, we were greeted by a surprise. :)  Mail that was delivered to the hospital made it over to the Mologne House.  He received get well cards from family members, friends, and from church members.  These cards put a huge smile on his face and in his heart. :)  We express our thanks and gratitude to everyone for their packages, their cards, their letters, their love, and their prayers.

Day 33, August 3

There's a saying, "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."  After today, I believe that statement!

Jake and I are exhausted--it was a very busy day.  Going to bed late last night didn't help any (my fault--had to do laundry) and rising very early to get him to his appointment with his squad leader at 7:30 a.m.  We will be getting up early every morning from now on because Jake has a 7:30 a.m. sign in with his sergeant every day.  Jake was hoping that since he is out of the hospital he could sleep in.  Well, his sergeant reminded him that he is still in the army and that he has to see Jake's face every morning. :(  Jake just moaned at that! 

His sergeant is wonderful.  He wheeled Jake to the various buildings to show him where his appointments will be held in future days.  The campus is huge and by looking at the map of it you would think that everything is 200 miles away from where we are staying!  Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating that a bit. :)  After walking with the sergeant, everything is much closer than we thought.  Thank goodness!!  I sure am getting my exercise walking with this man--he walks extremely fast and I have to run with my short legs just to keep up with him! 

We had many appointments today--most where part of further in-processing.  Other appointments were with his nurse case manager, his social worker, and with his primary care physician.  Appointments started at 7:30 a.m., broke for lunch, and then went to 3:00 p.m. 

Following a day of appointments, we went to do some paper work so that I will be able to go home this weekend to be with Missy for a while.  Jake was such a help and support to me right as we were dealing with the mass of paperwork.  He understands the military terms and helped calm my worries.  We are supporting each other. :)  I worry about him and he worries about me.  He's been making sure that I'm okay, that I'm feeling alright, and that I'm not straining my muscles too much with pushing him up hills. :)

We found out some interesting, and surprising, news when we went to see his primary care physician.  She was reading over the discharge reports from the orthopedic surgeons and noticed that they said that both of Jake's heels were fractured also.  We were really surprised at this because this is the first we heard of it.  We wondered why they didn't perform surgery or something else with his heals if they had been fractured?  The physician said that they usually don't do much with the heels if the fractures are small.  Jake mentioned to her that his ankles and feet were tender when they were touched and was told that he probably sprained them really bad.  Jake and I just looked at each other totally confused by the news.  She noticed our confusion and told us that when Jake goes for his follow-up appointment with the surgeon to ask him about his andles because there may have been a mistake with the discharge report. 

Jake has been doing amazingly well being in his wheelchair for most of the day.  His pain level is only at a 2 and hasn't had to take many of the instant relief pain meds.  This is good news!  Each day he gets stronger and is able to move his legs more. 

We are going to go to bed earlier tonight, rise early tomorrow morning, get healthier and hopefully wiser!  As for the wealthy part, I think we have already achieved that.  I'm not talking about material wealth.  I mean we are wealthy with the many blessings the Lord has given us.  We recognize His hands daily in our lives, and especially right now, in Jake's life.

Day 32, August 2

WAHOO!!  YIPPEE!!  YAHOO!!! :)  Jake has been discharged from the hospital!!!  We are so excited!!  Can't you tell??? :)

The doctor came in this morning and removed the staples and stitches from his right leg.  That was pretty interesting to see how they remove those staples.  He applied steri-strips to the scars to help keep them closed.  These strips will fall off by themselves in time.  They are waiting for another couple of weeks to remove the stitches from his left leg. 

After the doc was done, Jake was ready and rearin' to get out of there!  But, we had to wait a bit for the discharge papers to be filled out and all the orders written.  During that time, Matt came in one more time to work on Jake's legs.  At the same time, Jacqui (his OT therapist) was there.  It was so funny to watch the three of them tease each other and watch them laugh. :)  We are really going to miss the two of them.  We can still visit them when we go over to the hospital for appointments, but not seeing them everyday is a sad part of leaving the hospital.  I made sure that I got pictures of Jake with both of them. 

After Matt was done, we had to go down to the OT room with Jacqui.  Jake wanted to play against her at Wii bowling.  He kept boasting that he could beat her--and--at the beginning, it looked like he was going to.  But, Jacqui caught up and then beat him!  What a blow to his ego!! ;)  They both had a good time and laugh.  She then made him work on his upper body strength with weights.

We returned to his room to pack the rest of his belongings and waited for the orders to come through.  I guess the pharmacy orders were the only thing holding us up from leaving. :(  It took them almost 3 hours to get his meds up to us.  We left with a brown paper grocery bag full of his meds and with things for him to give himself shots with each day.  Thank goodness he only has to do the shots and a couple of the other meds for one more week.  You can't believe how many bottles we have here!  We are sooooo appreciative to the pharmacist that gave us daily pill holders (Sunday through Saturday) with different parts of the day--am, noon, evening, bedtime.  Each night we will fill the next day's pill holder.  This makes things so much easier for us! 

Waiting and waiting to finally get out of the hospital - Jake was going crazy!!  He was so bored and just wanted to leave.  Plus, the WTB (Warrior Transition Brigade) had to do the in-processing work on him as he moved to outpatient.  The WTB is who he is attached to down here until he is able to go back home and be with his own unit.  We were late getting discharged because of how long the pharmacy took to get us all of his meds.  We were unable to complete all the in-processing paperwork due to the lateness of the day so, we have more paperwork to do tomorrow with his Sergeant and with his Nurse Case Manager--along with some appointments.  His day tomorrow is already beginning with appointments. 

It was dinner time by the time we arrived at the Mologne House. We grabbed a quick dinner and headed up to our room.  Jake was beat.  He was frustrated and a bit sad tonight. :(  It's been hard maneuvering his wheelchair around certain things and he feels bad asking for help.  He wants so badly to be independent and it's very difficult for him right now to feel so dependent on others for simple things.  None of us really know what he is going through with not being able to walk, remembering the blast, feeling like he can't do things on his own, etc., etc.  All we can do is be strong for him, to be upbeat and positive, to remind him of the blessings he does have, and to keep on encouraging him and praying for him. 

It's been a very tiring day and we are worn out, but we both are happy to be out of the hospital and on the road to recovery.  Each day has been and will continue to be an adventure--literally. Tomorrow the adventure begins as we try to find all the places he needs to be to make his appointments.  We are going to be strong and positive!! :)

Day 31 - August 1

I flew from Vermont on Thursday to spend the weekend with Jake and mom. It has been a wonderful visit that has given me much to think about.

Jake is making great progress, as mom has been reporting. He's alert, enjoyes getting out-and-about, and seems so much more himself than last time I was with him.

Mom and I have spent the last couple of nights at the Malone House. It is a great place, better than the Hilton. It is set up something like a suite with small fridge, microwave, computer, etc. Jake likes the Malone house so much that he wanted to figure a way to get out of the hospital today and over to the Malone. Hopefully, his semi-permanent move to the Malone will take place tomorrow when (if) he is discharged to out-patient.

The Malone House is a 10 minute walk from the hospital, a walk I don't mind because it is so beautiful and peaceful within the confines of the Walter Reed campus. There are trees that must be four or five feet in diameter, elegant historic buildings, a car or two moving ever so slowly, green grass, and a stillness in the air. It is quiet. It is an island of beauty surrounded by a difficult and stormy environment.

Jake visited again with his Leutenent who is now in the hospital. It was diffucult for Jake because the Lt had photos of Jake's vehicle after the blast. Jake described to us the photos and the wreckage caused by the blast. He saw the crater left in the ground where the bomb that tore apart his vehicle had been burried. He mulled over photos of the vehicle's inside, torn up and left in shambles. He thought of his buddies who rode with him in the car and how all their lives had changed in an instant. He told us of his memories, his feelings, and his heavy heart.

His spirits lifted when he discovered that another buddy from his unit arrived at the hospital and that he could see him tomorrow. He was happy to hear that his buddy was craddled within the safety of this place, that good people would tend to his needs, and that he could be visited by his friends.

As his friends arrive, I must leave again. I leave him in good hands, the best, my best friend, the angel God sent to watch over our little family. The war tears apart families all over the world. Whether it be the native people's of Afghanistan or the soldiers sent abroad. It tore me away from my son and now it tears me away from my best friend. I should not complain at the lot I've been given to bear for many, too many, families have paid a far greater price. I need only look around me to see how good people have been and continue to be torn apart by the ravages of war.