Jodi Arrives

Today was PT as usual. Kyla said the exercise to pull Jason's mouth apart as she does to his leg is working. Jason can now open his mouth to 2 centimeters. Today Jason was late for PT as the RN took an extended time doing personal care. So Jason told Kyla to skip the warm up which is heat treatment through packs on his neck and upper back. Kyla said she could tell his mouth was tighter without it. Jason was not to have OT this morning or afternoon as OT was taking patients willing to go horseback riding. I wish he would have gone so I could have seen it but Jason has little affection for horses. I just saw Stripes with the grandkids, I was looking forward to seeing horses and maybe a zebra.

I left Jason and headed back to the room to read the Christmas cards we are just now receiving. Looks like about a month late for most of them getting through the Army security system. Thank you for sending them, I will read to Jason as time permits or as he allows. I try to read a couple each day to start the morning with your good thoughts and prayers for Jason and ourselves. The backlog of cards to "any soldier" is so great at the Red Cross office that a volunteer said that they will deliver till June. I watched as they put "any soldier" in one box and "name and address" in another! Jason may be gone before they are done! The volume of Christmas mail to WR is mind boggling.

I returned after lunch and continued typing on the school applications till 2 when Jason went to buy tickets on computer for his date tonight with Jodi. I walked to the Enterprise office about 1.5 miles N on GeorgiaAve. picked up my car, did some shopping including a Jamba Juice for Jason and returned just in time to find that Jodi had arrived from FL. Martha was coming to provide the van for Jason and Jodi for the weekend so we headed downstairs to the first floor lobby to meet her husband Chuck who would drive her home. Chuck brought Olivia: a huge black but very, very gentle Newfoundland. Chuck said "She is only good at sleeping." They are a water rescue dog. If Chuck throws the ball out into the lake she will retrieve it easily. However Olivia lets go when she can touch the bottom, figuring her job is done. Chuck says he has to wade out the last 5 feet to get the ball! Not sure how this would work with a drowning person? Olivia was very good as we stood outside and waited for Martha. A postlady drove over in a minivan. She requested, "Please leash in your dog," and really wouldn't get out of her van till Chuck held Olivia tightly. I used to be a paper girl and got bit regularly. I thought "She must have been bitten once to0 many times." The postlady just couldn't see this big soft cuddle bear was...a big soft "I think I am a lap dog" dog. When she returned to her van, same request. After being safely inside the van, she opened the window and wanted to learn all about Olivea! What a hoot.

Jason and Jodi headed off to their movie and dinner and Chuck and Martha headed off to VA. I headed off to the room to clean and pack for my weekend trip to Richmond VA where a very good friend from our years in Blackburg now lives near her grown children. Marlene knew Jason from when he was two till 18 when he left Blacksburg to go to Villanova. She has wonderful Irish hospitality and I am looking forward to a weekend of friendship, faith and politics. I will return to WR later Sunday evening.

Thank you from our hearts for your ongoing prayers and good thoughts for Jason's healing. Let us pray especially that he would not have to have surgery on the excess bone in his left arm, that his jaw and smell and taste will heal. Let us pray that he will make good choices for this next period of his life after he leaves the hospital and rehab. Let us pray for Jason's health-mind, body and spirit and a long, rich and rewarding life.

Prayers for all your intentions, thank you for surrounding Jason and each of us in your love and care.