Waiting and Waiting and....Home Walk(Run)!

First I want to give a very Special Thanks to Ms. Bird RN and Discharge Planner. She had been working diligently since Thursday when Ms. Butz, "Thank you" contacted Ms Bird to follow up on why the vac had not arrived. Ms. Bird assured me that the company which supplies the vac would have the equipment here at about 3:30, Walter Reed being the first stop for afternoon delivery.

I arrived at the hospital about 9 AM Jason was still sleeping. The environmental worker again came in to check out "empty trash cans." I met him at the door of the room and I said, "You cannot come in. The trash is empty." I shut the door. Within 10 minutes, another worker and the LT were knocking on Jason's door. "Mam, you cannot forbid staff from coming into the patient's room." That was my last straw, "Let us step out into the hall and talk." I was very angry, I should have addressed this sooner except I assumed, very incorrectly, that Jason would be released Wednesday,or Thursday, and now Friday. "Last weekend I complained about the overflow of trash in Jason's room, since then staff has continually over 5 times a shift come into the room, made noise crashed cans etc. I believe it is in retaliation for my complaint." The Lt. said, "I thought you were not letting ANY staff into the room." "No,(with a shocked look on my face) that is totally not true." The LT looked at me, "I understand and I WILL address the situation." We were not bothered again by environmental staff the rest of the day.

Jason woke about 11 and I read the headlines from the Washington Post to him. Jodi called and I headed downstairs for lunch while they had their telephone talk. As I was leaving I spied the Pet Therapy dogs and their owners coming for a visit. "Jason, want a visit?" He hung up on Jodi and visited with the dog. Jason and the owner of the Corgi had a good discussion and he enjoyed the pets' visit. I was so glad he got to see them as I don't think he will be back in the hospital for a visit. After I chatted with Laurie the coordinator and we talked about their making visits at Mologne House Hotel. She has wanted to do this but did not know a contact. I called her back with numbers at MHH later in the day.

After lunch Dr. G and entourage visited to change the sponge. I explained what I had heard from Ms. Bird. Dr. G said, "If the vac does not arrive today, we will go with wet to dry dressings. Jason will be released today." He was emphatic about that. After he changed the sponge and checked the wound, Dr G gave this summation "he is healing well, wound is smaller,"I had to laugh. Dr. G, this is deja vu, I have heard this before. He looked downcast. 'I don't mean this surgery. I mean very early on when you would clean the buttock wounds." (Jason had butt vacs for months!) Dr. G smiled, "Yes, Jason heals so well." I asked about the stoma wound. Dr G replied, "We won't stitch the stoma wound as I am "taking no chances" for reinfection." Jason was released to Mologne at about 4:30 with a scheduled check with Dr. G on Monday. The vac company had sent 5 boxes of supplies with the vac; I loaded a wheel chair with a box of each: containers for the pumped fluids and one of sponges. Ms. Bird graciously said she would store the extra in her office and if I would notify her when they are not needed, she would return to the company. The vac makes a soft "perking coffee" sound every 10 seconds or so. The man who delivered it said it was normal and Jason said he was not bothered by it. We will see if he can sleep to it.

As it was warm and sunny outside, Jason said he would like to walk to Mologne. The trip was a very slow one but Jason said, "It is so good to be out of the hospital." I heard, "I never want to go back" in his voice. May this be so. Jason layed down on the bed, covered up with his Bear's blanket and rested. I headed back to the hospital to get his prescription of percocet as I wanted him to have pain control meds if he needed. Jason was complaining that it really hurt because Dr. G "really dug around in the wound" as he was putting in the new sponge. I am sure he was checking for infection.

As I crossed the lobby on the second floor, for the first time since I arrived 7 months ago, soldiers were being transferred from the "ambulance bus" to gurneys. My heart stopped, I began to weep. I put my back to the wall of the lobby for strength. As Roman Catholic womanpriest; I prayed for each soldier, each suffering circle of family and friends, and for the staff of Walter Reed now accepting these beloved sons into its heart. Sophia, Healing Spirit of God filled my body with the shivers of Her Presence as I stood on this Holy Ground. I prayed for healing and the end to the Insanity of War.

I thought later, "Where are the chaplains?" as each soldiers' caravan arrives. There should be great Pray-ers filling this lobby with healing Presence on the arrival of each wounded soldier. Doesn't have to be interactive, needs to be a consecration to healing, a lifting up of the suffering. A ministry striving to transform despair to hope.

We watched some of "Super Size Me" about the junk food lifestyle of Americans. I asked Jason what he would like for dinner and he said, "Chinese" He had eaten no lunch so I was glad he had an appetite for food. Jason had Wonton soup and LoMein and I had fried rice. After Jason was ready to rest and watch TV and I headed to Code Pink's reception and fund raiser.

CodePink
Codepink is an organization of women working for peace. They were in Baghdad before the war. They recently co-sponsored a month long tour of Iraqi women throughout the United States. (I attended Network evening and reported it on the blog). They will be presenting letters to Mrs. Bush requesting that she join in the work for peace as a mother. Codepink is sponsoring an all night vigil at Mrs. Bush's House starting at 3 PM today.