Christmas at Walter Reed
We started the day by having Dow get Jason from his room and walk with him to Mologne House for breakfast at 9 AM. The room was packed with families and service members. Jason decided he did not like the menu-served by the local Harley-Davidson Family Group, and they looked like Harley owners. The men serving the meal said that they have been doing Christmas and about 5 other events a year for the last 3/4 years. Many groups gave presents to the patients and families and children; multiple presents for everyone, phone cards and motivational books being the most popular. Jason's wallet never arrived from Iraq so I got Jason a new one. I also chose a board game for Jason, turned out to be Monoply. Perfect for Jason and his nephews; James Charles 8 and Jonathan 7 to play between OT and PT. Jason didn't make Christmas breakfast but I think he will probably want to make the next event----Super Bowl Party hosted by Harley owners!
Dow walked Jason back to his room to wait for Jodi to arrive and I stayed behind to eat some breakfast. Jason gave Jodi a pair of diamond earrings for Chrismas and a Cat Lady figure with lots of cats (from the Simpsons); Jodi gave Jason one of those moldable head pillows. Later we would open the stocking gifts gathered by Jody and Lisa in Tampa.
During breakfast, one of the family members I talked with has an ex-soldier son who at age 33 has cancer. They have 4 children and his wife is pregnant. They are living in FL so dad is here and plans to stay for the duration of the chemo treatments being received at the rate of every two weeks for colon and liver cancer. After he left, I spent time with another mother who is divorced and whose son is at WR, believe he was hit by and IED. She was upset and started to cry because of tensions in the family dynamic. She is a lightening rod for the family's anger. I spent a long time listening to her story and offering suppport. I looked at my watch, "Oh, oh" I would be late for liturgy at the hospital. I gave her a hug and dashed arriving at the homily to a full service, I'd say the chapel holds about 50. Chap Thad gave a good homily "We are Christ for others," my kind of theology. Sharing the Sign of Peace at Christmas liturgy in Walter Reed with wounded soldiers and their families touched me deeply.
Then it was on to the Walter Reed Christmas luncheon; beef, chicken, and tilapia; shrimp cocktail, salad bar and desserts. Of course the Piece de Resistance, the chocolate fountains for fondue; still very impressive. We took a bowl of milk chocolate fondue over the protestations of dining hall staff. "No one does that," she told Dow. Dow knew that I had taken a bowl of each flavor at Thanksgiving so he looked at her and calmly filled a bowl for Jason. When I had gotten the fruit earlier, I didn't get the chocolate because at Thanksgiving it hardened on us and I thought, "We'll get it at dessert time," worked better. Rules don't apply if patient comfort is involved. Jason had a great time eating strawberries dipped in the chocolate fondue. Wonderful present for him! Jason told us about a Discovery channel special on Santa Claus. The original St. Nicholas bones exude a perfume at Christmas each year and Jason was fascinated by the phenomen (for non Catholics: Roman Catholics had this tradition during Medival times of cutting your saintly bones up and putting pieces in jars, called relics.) Then another father (retired military) came over and Jason and he argued against a draft; Dow and I argued for one saying "If everyone's children were subject to the draft, I think the country may have a more clarifying discussion before going to war." Just like the "lively discusssions" you probably have around the holiday dining room table in your family. So the dinner was complete! Different circles same discussions.
After dinner we went back to the fifth floor, Jason took a walk, then we hung out in the room discussing gifts and Christmas traditions and receiving visitors, including a group that wants to get Jason involved in kayaking, left a video. The Assistant Sec. of Defense visited with an entourage that included two secret service (not too secret because they really do wear trench coats and those phones in the ear attached by a clear wire), a Navy Captain to take pictures, and other folks in various uniforms. Oh, also the Asst Secretary's wife, "She bakes the best cookies" and they gave Jason a sample. He gave Jason and we a mini-lecture on the value of the Iraq war. The Pentagon coin is cool, it has cut outs. Air Force Col Andrew and his good wife Lisa stopped by to extend their Christmas wishes. She was wearing miniature Christmas light jewelry today. They truly are a very special support system for the soldiers who are amputees. Their good will and cheer always brighten the room with sunshine when they visit.
Jodi and Jason wanted some alone time so we packed up the gifts to take to the Mologne House for storage and a bag of treats for the security men at the gates of WR, two sets of two men with guns, 24/7. We decided the RN station was now unindated, we couldn't see the RN's for all the goodies stacked on the counter and the LTCol of the ward had requested, "Please no more." We figure everyone in the actual Walter Reed Building #2 is now "stuffed like the Christmas goose" but those outside....fair game for the Christmas give away and their need to participate in the mammoth over abundance of calories from chocolate and every variety of cookie made!
Lisa and the Trek to DC:
Our daughter Lisa was to fly with our three grandchildren (ages 8, 7, and 4) to DC this afternoon. However, Mother Nature decided to fog Tampa in. Lisa was to make a stop in Miama before heading North. Of course she arrived late, the door to her DC plane was shut and they would not open the doors! I thought "Humpf" nobody making decisions in this instance has three small children who have been stranded in the airport for the afternoon. The upshot is Lisa and children will be very, very late getting into the airport in DC. Dow will pick them up and take them to where they will be spending the week. He is just going to spend the night and bring them to WR in the morning!
I pray your day brought many good memories for you and yours. Blessings!
Dow walked Jason back to his room to wait for Jodi to arrive and I stayed behind to eat some breakfast. Jason gave Jodi a pair of diamond earrings for Chrismas and a Cat Lady figure with lots of cats (from the Simpsons); Jodi gave Jason one of those moldable head pillows. Later we would open the stocking gifts gathered by Jody and Lisa in Tampa.
During breakfast, one of the family members I talked with has an ex-soldier son who at age 33 has cancer. They have 4 children and his wife is pregnant. They are living in FL so dad is here and plans to stay for the duration of the chemo treatments being received at the rate of every two weeks for colon and liver cancer. After he left, I spent time with another mother who is divorced and whose son is at WR, believe he was hit by and IED. She was upset and started to cry because of tensions in the family dynamic. She is a lightening rod for the family's anger. I spent a long time listening to her story and offering suppport. I looked at my watch, "Oh, oh" I would be late for liturgy at the hospital. I gave her a hug and dashed arriving at the homily to a full service, I'd say the chapel holds about 50. Chap Thad gave a good homily "We are Christ for others," my kind of theology. Sharing the Sign of Peace at Christmas liturgy in Walter Reed with wounded soldiers and their families touched me deeply.
Then it was on to the Walter Reed Christmas luncheon; beef, chicken, and tilapia; shrimp cocktail, salad bar and desserts. Of course the Piece de Resistance, the chocolate fountains for fondue; still very impressive. We took a bowl of milk chocolate fondue over the protestations of dining hall staff. "No one does that," she told Dow. Dow knew that I had taken a bowl of each flavor at Thanksgiving so he looked at her and calmly filled a bowl for Jason. When I had gotten the fruit earlier, I didn't get the chocolate because at Thanksgiving it hardened on us and I thought, "We'll get it at dessert time," worked better. Rules don't apply if patient comfort is involved. Jason had a great time eating strawberries dipped in the chocolate fondue. Wonderful present for him! Jason told us about a Discovery channel special on Santa Claus. The original St. Nicholas bones exude a perfume at Christmas each year and Jason was fascinated by the phenomen (for non Catholics: Roman Catholics had this tradition during Medival times of cutting your saintly bones up and putting pieces in jars, called relics.) Then another father (retired military) came over and Jason and he argued against a draft; Dow and I argued for one saying "If everyone's children were subject to the draft, I think the country may have a more clarifying discussion before going to war." Just like the "lively discusssions" you probably have around the holiday dining room table in your family. So the dinner was complete! Different circles same discussions.
After dinner we went back to the fifth floor, Jason took a walk, then we hung out in the room discussing gifts and Christmas traditions and receiving visitors, including a group that wants to get Jason involved in kayaking, left a video. The Assistant Sec. of Defense visited with an entourage that included two secret service (not too secret because they really do wear trench coats and those phones in the ear attached by a clear wire), a Navy Captain to take pictures, and other folks in various uniforms. Oh, also the Asst Secretary's wife, "She bakes the best cookies" and they gave Jason a sample. He gave Jason and we a mini-lecture on the value of the Iraq war. The Pentagon coin is cool, it has cut outs. Air Force Col Andrew and his good wife Lisa stopped by to extend their Christmas wishes. She was wearing miniature Christmas light jewelry today. They truly are a very special support system for the soldiers who are amputees. Their good will and cheer always brighten the room with sunshine when they visit.
Jodi and Jason wanted some alone time so we packed up the gifts to take to the Mologne House for storage and a bag of treats for the security men at the gates of WR, two sets of two men with guns, 24/7. We decided the RN station was now unindated, we couldn't see the RN's for all the goodies stacked on the counter and the LTCol of the ward had requested, "Please no more." We figure everyone in the actual Walter Reed Building #2 is now "stuffed like the Christmas goose" but those outside....fair game for the Christmas give away and their need to participate in the mammoth over abundance of calories from chocolate and every variety of cookie made!
Lisa and the Trek to DC:
Our daughter Lisa was to fly with our three grandchildren (ages 8, 7, and 4) to DC this afternoon. However, Mother Nature decided to fog Tampa in. Lisa was to make a stop in Miama before heading North. Of course she arrived late, the door to her DC plane was shut and they would not open the doors! I thought "Humpf" nobody making decisions in this instance has three small children who have been stranded in the airport for the afternoon. The upshot is Lisa and children will be very, very late getting into the airport in DC. Dow will pick them up and take them to where they will be spending the week. He is just going to spend the night and bring them to WR in the morning!
I pray your day brought many good memories for you and yours. Blessings!
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 12/25/2005 05:47:00 PM
1 Comments:
I'm an email friend to my adopted soldier Spence Burnett... who is Jason's friend. I read with delight each day about Jason's progress and how diligently he works. The love of family, friends, and of course our Lord has been tremendous in his healing.
I enjoy the news even though I do not know you personally....but our prayers are always with you. I pray for parents' strength as well.
Keep up the good work. Dorothy Franks
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