Friday, March 20, 2009

Mark continues to do well each day. He tells me he is walking more each day around his building to his various therapies and that it is getting better. He is still using the walker, but hopefully, will eventually be able to use crutches.

On Wednesday he had a visit from my aunt, Norma and her son Tom, who was in Tampa for a short visit. Mark had never met my cousin and they hit it off very well. Tom and Norma were delighted with their visit which included Mark showing them his photographs. Mark was equally thrilled when they showed up with a Chipotle burrito steak bowl, one of Mark's favorite meals!!

Yesterday Mark was part of a group of soldiers who met with Eric Shinseki, the new Secretary of the Veteran's Administration. Secretary Shineski is a retired four star general, as you may know and Mark had the privilege of meeting him in Washington some years ago. Mark had attended a leadership camp in Washington during his junior year in high school and met the then general at the Pentagon. He mentioned that meeting to Secretary Shinseki yesterday and apologized for not having the coin he gave him on hand to return. It is a military tradition that if a general gives you one of their specially minted coins, that you return it when you see them again. Mark was very impressed with him and is very happy to have someone with a military background leading the VA.

Secretary Shinseki's visit coincided with a special presentation to three of our polytrauma families of new handicapped accessible vans. I have spoken often on this site about Anthony, Scot and Bradley who are three patients who are still in emerging states of consciousness. Through Operation Support Our Troops/Wheels for Warriors and the Ride-Away organization, they were awarded specially equipped mini-vans that allow their families to transport them in their special wheelchairs. The group also gave them a year's insurance on the vans. This is truly a special group and it was overwhelming for these families. To have the ability to be mobile and independent with their husbands and sons is an incredible gift. We are so happy for them. Thank you Operation Support Our Troops and Ride-Away.

Tomorrow Mark is scheduled for a kayaking trip with the Tampa River Runners again. The weather is supposed to be great and hopefully, we will have more on this in a future post.