For Thursday
Regular schedule of PT this morning. New job for me, I told you about Kyla asking others to help hold Jason's right leg while she pulls. Today, I got to hold Jason's leg while Kyla and her belt did their thing. She said that a leg is considered about 20% of body weight. Jason's weight is 200 and his right leg is 40 pounds or so...let me tell you "just plain heavy." A military aide came over and in the next set said, "I'll give you a break." So I lost my job but it was good to help my son.
During the day, Ms Hunt RN looked at the deep wound still covered with wet to dry dressing on Jason's back side. She checked it and said, "I want the MD to look at it, the flesh is pink; we may be able to stop the dressing." The last wound on his bottom, 12 weeks after injury by shrapnel may be healed! The wound on his head remains and no one has adequately described for me how Jason got it. All other "Iraqi Spots" on his head have healed and new hair has filled the spots in till I can no longer tell where they were. This one remains with a very thick scab. All around the scab (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter now) new hair is growing so I might have been wrong in my prediction that he would have a "tonsure" spot.
After lunch we spent some time in the room: Jason reading a sci-fi book and myself typing his application to Un. of Florida essays asking Jason for corrections. The goal was to have it in the mail by Friday but life at WR intervened and hopefully it will go out very early next week. We spent some time in Prosthetics with Dan from CA, the main creator of the artificial limbs. Today Jason was very excited as his Thai Fairtex boxing gloves had arrived and Dan was going to discuss if a prosthetic could be made to "hold a boxing glove." There are lots and lots of engineering questions to the reality of making such a "hand and arm." Dan has never had such a request before. They will continue the discussion next week.
Jason and I had to head to the PM and Rehab clinic to find a MD to write the prescription for Jason. We waited a while and the Col who heads the department came to our aid and signed the papers. I couldn't read his tag so I didn't know who he was till Jason told me. He has the presence of a "regular guy" and I would never believed that he was an officer. I don't know what each of these specialty hands costs, I know the full arm/hand cost $100,000. Jason will have three of these. Jason can order for the rest of his life whatever hands/arms he needs. While in prosthetics Jason was being fitted for his next arm. The tech would take the plastic that fits over his elbow and treat it someway. Heat? and come and try it on Jason. Finally it was tight enough that Jason could feel the contact with the sides of the arm. So this piece will be exchanged for the old one and maybe next week Jason can get back to practice with his right hand.
Mologne House and the Army are still discussing the provision of the box springs to heighten the bed so Jason can move to outpatient. We expect Jason to move next week but...only time will tell. Jason's social worker told me that his bath mats will be delivered to Jason's room at WR. Why I do not know, but it makes me suspicious as in "What if the box springs show up at WR too?"
After PT we went to Jason's room to wait the arrival of Martha who was taking us to Bethesda on a dry run in preparation for her retirement ceremony after 30 years in the Air Force. Jason read a book and left the "world of the hospital" and entered the "world of the novel." It was such a great blessing to see Jason relaxed and reading. Soon Martha came and we headed out in her van. We went to the White Flint Mall for dinner at a Chinese Bistro called Changs. I learned there is one in Chicago and Jason has eaten there. He said this one was more casual, being in a mall but it was very full of customers. Martha suggested we do appetizers and we chose about 6 different kinds including dumplings and spareribs and wonderful cucumbers (my choice). For dessert I requested "The Great Wall of Chocolate" six layers of chocalate cake with fresh berries and fresh raspberry sauce. It was like "Death by Chocolate cake" We each ate one layer covered in berries and sauce and Martha took the remaining three layers home to her husband Chuck whom she said would really like it as Martha "does not do baking." (She is a very good cook as I enjoy her food each Wednesday at Quixote.)
After dinner Jason wanted to walk a while through the mall window shopping and I learned that he likes Kenneth Cole clothes a lot. He said he would like to go shopping here when he feels better. He doesn't want new clothes as he is still having trouble feeding himself with his left hand between the arm injury and his mouth unable to be opened to normal width. We dropped Jason off at the hospital a little late for Jodi at 9PM but Jason now has his cell (from Iraq) so he called Jodi on the way home to tell her he would be late. Part of me wanted to laugh at young love; but didn't as my heart felt so light with Jason's affection for Jodi. My other choice would have been tears that Jason IS alive to feel the goodness of love and healing and life itself. Truly Jason's life is a miracle and great blessing.
Do Remember : Your life is a miracle and great blessing!
Thank you for being on the journey with us.
During the day, Ms Hunt RN looked at the deep wound still covered with wet to dry dressing on Jason's back side. She checked it and said, "I want the MD to look at it, the flesh is pink; we may be able to stop the dressing." The last wound on his bottom, 12 weeks after injury by shrapnel may be healed! The wound on his head remains and no one has adequately described for me how Jason got it. All other "Iraqi Spots" on his head have healed and new hair has filled the spots in till I can no longer tell where they were. This one remains with a very thick scab. All around the scab (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter now) new hair is growing so I might have been wrong in my prediction that he would have a "tonsure" spot.
After lunch we spent some time in the room: Jason reading a sci-fi book and myself typing his application to Un. of Florida essays asking Jason for corrections. The goal was to have it in the mail by Friday but life at WR intervened and hopefully it will go out very early next week. We spent some time in Prosthetics with Dan from CA, the main creator of the artificial limbs. Today Jason was very excited as his Thai Fairtex boxing gloves had arrived and Dan was going to discuss if a prosthetic could be made to "hold a boxing glove." There are lots and lots of engineering questions to the reality of making such a "hand and arm." Dan has never had such a request before. They will continue the discussion next week.
Jason and I had to head to the PM and Rehab clinic to find a MD to write the prescription for Jason. We waited a while and the Col who heads the department came to our aid and signed the papers. I couldn't read his tag so I didn't know who he was till Jason told me. He has the presence of a "regular guy" and I would never believed that he was an officer. I don't know what each of these specialty hands costs, I know the full arm/hand cost $100,000. Jason will have three of these. Jason can order for the rest of his life whatever hands/arms he needs. While in prosthetics Jason was being fitted for his next arm. The tech would take the plastic that fits over his elbow and treat it someway. Heat? and come and try it on Jason. Finally it was tight enough that Jason could feel the contact with the sides of the arm. So this piece will be exchanged for the old one and maybe next week Jason can get back to practice with his right hand.
Mologne House and the Army are still discussing the provision of the box springs to heighten the bed so Jason can move to outpatient. We expect Jason to move next week but...only time will tell. Jason's social worker told me that his bath mats will be delivered to Jason's room at WR. Why I do not know, but it makes me suspicious as in "What if the box springs show up at WR too?"
After PT we went to Jason's room to wait the arrival of Martha who was taking us to Bethesda on a dry run in preparation for her retirement ceremony after 30 years in the Air Force. Jason read a book and left the "world of the hospital" and entered the "world of the novel." It was such a great blessing to see Jason relaxed and reading. Soon Martha came and we headed out in her van. We went to the White Flint Mall for dinner at a Chinese Bistro called Changs. I learned there is one in Chicago and Jason has eaten there. He said this one was more casual, being in a mall but it was very full of customers. Martha suggested we do appetizers and we chose about 6 different kinds including dumplings and spareribs and wonderful cucumbers (my choice). For dessert I requested "The Great Wall of Chocolate" six layers of chocalate cake with fresh berries and fresh raspberry sauce. It was like "Death by Chocolate cake" We each ate one layer covered in berries and sauce and Martha took the remaining three layers home to her husband Chuck whom she said would really like it as Martha "does not do baking." (She is a very good cook as I enjoy her food each Wednesday at Quixote.)
After dinner Jason wanted to walk a while through the mall window shopping and I learned that he likes Kenneth Cole clothes a lot. He said he would like to go shopping here when he feels better. He doesn't want new clothes as he is still having trouble feeding himself with his left hand between the arm injury and his mouth unable to be opened to normal width. We dropped Jason off at the hospital a little late for Jodi at 9PM but Jason now has his cell (from Iraq) so he called Jodi on the way home to tell her he would be late. Part of me wanted to laugh at young love; but didn't as my heart felt so light with Jason's affection for Jodi. My other choice would have been tears that Jason IS alive to feel the goodness of love and healing and life itself. Truly Jason's life is a miracle and great blessing.
Do Remember : Your life is a miracle and great blessing!
Thank you for being on the journey with us.
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 1/20/2006 06:04:00 PM
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