Sunday, June 28, 2009

I know it's been a week since the last post, but we were so busy the time got away from me. Jess finished up her driving lessons and did great. She is now the proud driver of a semi-big, blue pickup truck and looks like a true southern belle in it. She had a very nice instructor and all went well.

Mark is doing very well also. The foot seems to be healing very nicely and quicker than they thought. The doctors talked about doing a scan this week to see inside and perhaps removing "Lester" (as Mark has named the fixator) by the end of the week. We'll just wait and see what happens, but Mark is hoping to be "Lesterless" sooner than later. Then they will fit him for a boot and he will still have to be non-weight bearing for several more weeks, but the outlook is very good.

We had our family meeting on Wednesday morning and Mark and Jess talked about coming home to Cleveland instead of staying on in Tampa when he is discharged. It's a positive move since there will be a larger support network here for them. The projected discharge date is around the end of September.

They enjoyed a fun night out on Friday when they went to a Toby Keith/Trace Atkins concert at the Ford Amphitheater in Tampa. They were transported by Mark's recreational therapist, Carrie, in a wheelchair van. They were joined by Veronica and Bradley and Anthony and Ivonne. Mark called his cousin Alison to find out if she was going to the concert and sure enough they met up too. Alison texted her mother and I with the greatest photo taken on her phone from the concert. Now I have to figure out how to get it off the phone and onto the computer. If I can, I'll be sure to post it.

As for me, my flight back to Cleveland went smoothly and it was good to get home. I haven't been home for five weeks and it sure feels nice. I know Mark and Jess can handle things in Tampa.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day to all the dads who follow our blog. Unfortunately we were not able to see Rich or Grandpa Pete today, but we did talk to both of them.

We've had a quiet Sunday, but yesterday was very interesting. We attended a medal ceremony for one of the other polytrauma patients, SGT Joel Tavera. Joel was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He was injured in Iraq when a rocket hit his vehicle dead on. He and another soldier were the only ones to survive. Joel was burned over sixty percent of his body, lost an eye and a leg and had many, many other injuries as well as a TBI. His parents have been at his side since he was life flighted to Germany. Jose and Marissa are wonderful people who have lived here at the Fisher House with us since last August. Their devotion to their son and their friendship toward the other boys is unsurpassed.

The ceremony was very moving and when Jose lifted Joel to a standing position in his specially equipped wheelchair, there was not a dry eye among the spectators. It was a real testament to Joel and all the heroes there that it was so well attended and that the attendees included off duty nurses, therapists, doctors, the medical director, and other VA employees who also brought their spouses and children. It shows how these folks feel about the young men recuperating here. They are treated like sons and brothers, not just patients, and their families also care about the guys and families here. This ceremony was a chance for them to introduce their families to ours. Our heroes were all in uniform and the photo below is just a quick one that was taken as they grouped them for a formal photo taken by the VA public relations department. I will be sure to add that photo or link as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, I will share this photo that actually only has a few of the guys in it, as well as Mark and Jess.