Katy has a cold

Hello to all, Dow is in Chicago where I hear it is snowing and planes are "driving through the neighborhood" Here I have come down with an old fashioned cold while trying to keep Jason's room free from germs. So I am keeping my distance from my son, the patient. I asked the RN Lt Col and she said, "Rest, lots of fluids." So sad to say WR hasn't yet found a better way to treat the cold. BTW, while Uncle Bob was visiting we went to a lunch-time lecture on how Dr. Walter Reed and a group of researchers tamed yellow fever in Cuba a hundred years ago. Very interesting but not helpful for my virus. Jason is getting a decubitis on his left elbow now that it is out of the cast. The dermatology MD will make a visit on Monday.

Jason's day started with PT and Kyla having him work the same cones they use to practice in OT. However it was more painful as Kyla kept them out of reach with Jason working his lateral muscles as she moved to his right and left and Jason tried to stack them. They also played catch with a smaller sized football to help Jason's grasp, move the left arm, etc. A friend from Blacksburg days visited the evening before and left scrubs. Jason had not worn long pants since Iraq, so he thought he would give them a try today. The only problem is that he has lost 30 pounds so as Jason and Kyla attempted to walk today, the pants literally would not stay up! They had to go back to the room and get shorts. It did cut the walking time short, so he didn't set a new personal best.

Jason's visitors included a 18th Corp Sgt Major who left Jason a coin. Andrea and Spencer (retired Navy) returned with Captain bars for his uniform and a Navy sweatshirt. They spent OT with Jason while I headed back to the apartment for a rest. Later on while trying to get Jason's dinner ready, I sent the tray spilling onto the floor. Thankfully the medic found an extra dinner because patients had left the hospital, so Jason fed himself dinner Turkey Marsala with noodles using the wonderful bed tray from Lois and Dan. (I took a picture) After dinner another Blacksburg friend who is a teacher in Richmond, stopped by so I headed out to see if I can get some sleep with the help of Contact.

Jason has a question "Does anyone know the names of songs by P. O. D. ?" Jason says he will pay a quarter if you can provide. He has their songs on his IPOD but could not remember them today. They were to visit Jason in his room but we think they came while he was at OT. Tomorrow Jodi comes for the weekend. I will try to stay out of the way and spend time recuperating and drinking OJ.

And as chaplain:
We have been graced to have a baby girl named Gracie visiting with her dad in the room next door. While they have been with us, she took her first steps and was running in her walker gotten by her granddad. Today soldier dad age 25 was transferred by ambulance to a Rehab center in Richmond. We had to say "Goodbye" to Gracie and this wonderful family. A friend of our daughter Lisa had sent her a bottle of water from a shrine called Lourdes in France. I have blessed Jason with this healing water. Sophia prompted me to offer a blessing with the family. They are Lutheran but attended the RC liturgy on Sunday. (I told them, "Luther had it right, you know, especially about married priests." the first time I met them after mass.) I asked if they would like a prayer by bedside, they readily agreed. So his wife and parents, Gracie was with an Aunt, said a prayer and each person blessed this very seriously wounded soldier. We said a prayer and the patient responded to our saying of the Our Father. Graced moments and a goodbye, Jesus is present when two or more are gathered in His name.

As I left, as all too frequently, gurneys were lined up in the lobby to receive soldier patients from Iraq or Afghanistan. I stopped by the chapel as I always do before coming back to the apartment to say a prayer for Jason. I also said a prayer for these soldiers and their families that I am sure are gathering at Walter Reed just as we did 7 weeks ago. May God hold their beloved soldier and them in the palm of God's hand this night. Please remember all the soldiers injured or killed in this war and their families and communities.