Staff Sgt Jason Ross - Marine

Well, we're a little closer to getting home, with at least a second target date now in front of us - March 15, at the latest. That still leaves open the possibility that it could happen sooner, so this weekend I get some of the packing accomplished. Fortunately, there really isn't too much to pack, and aside from his chairs, there really isn't that much to ship. Jason only had the one appointment today, so we got to spend some time visiting and going to a couple of different places at the hospital. It was nice to see some of the folks we haven't seen in a while, but still it was kind of strange going in with a conversation that went something like this: "Hi!, great to see you, we're leaving in a couple of weeks, or sooner." Of course that wasn't ever actually said, but that is how it felt to me. We had a couple of sandwiches for lunch today, and that was good, since we still do have some food here. Then for dinner tonight, we both kind of got i...

Jason is making good progress and about the biggest challenge we have right now, besides finding out when we're leaving, is getting some specialized supplies that he needs. I spent a few hours today, walking from one end of the hospital to another, going up and down in the elevators, and finally getting all the information needed to acquire this supply. That is, all the information except who actually produces the product. They are a specialized knit short that we have learned to use, to hold on his dressings, which allow us to not have to use any bandages or tape. The hospital doesn't actually carry this item, and it is currently only brought in via special order. With the national budget challenges going on, it is harder to obtain specialized items at a military hospital. Having said that, the folks at Wounded Warrior Project has offered to go out and purchase some, as long as I can get all the aforementioned information to them. Tomorrow, I believe I will be done. As for w...

Sorry for getting to this so late in the day, but I had to take care of something for Linda and it took much longer than I originally planned. I had to save off all the photos we've taken, over the past couple of years, and put them on to a USB memory stick. I purchased one with 32Gb and found that it was adequate, since the photos only took up just over 29Gb. I brought the device to the computer and plugged it in (good so far) and the computer recognized the device (step two is good) Then I attempted to create a separate folder, called photos, so that it would be easy to figure out where the pictures were. This is when it got very strange. I've never previously had a USB device not work, and it looked like this one was, only at the time of creating the folder it suddenly got stupid. I tried doing this a couple of times, with the same results so I figured I needed to take it back down to Best Buy, where I made the original purchase and took it over to their service geeks. The...

Good day today, as Jason went to his appointments and at the first appointment we found out about something, that we were only guessing at. Jason has been dealing with this chronic pain on his left side, and it has been there for several months. Today we saw the Ortho doctor, Dr. F. and he said that it was due to a nerve build up right at a spot where the bone was close to the surface, and it also happens to be a pressure point where he sits. Well, at least with this knowledge we now know why it is there, and some of what can be done about it. He is the doctor who went in and removed the 10lbs of H.O. from Jason's left side and he said that he would really rather not have to go back in and remove more; that there are other treatments now being worked that might help more effectively. Seems that Dr. F. got the idea of alternate removal methods from working on Jason, more than a year ago, and now he is got some research going. He felt pretty positive about what he was doing, that...

Well, I'm embarrassed that I didn't know there was a First Lady for California. I guess I wasn't following the life and times of Jerry Brown closely enough to know that he actually got married in 2005. Ann Gust Brown is our First Lady of California and I respectfully bow to that. Unfortunately, I did not see her at the luncheon, so I didn't get a chance to speak with her; she may have been there, I don't know. Thank you, to all those who pointed out my error, and educated me... I really need to pay more attention... ;-)

Good day and evening for Jason. He had a couple of visitors from his old EOD Company, and it was a wonderful opportunity for him to just talk with fellow Marines who really understand what it is he did, as well as having some idea of what he is going through. Both of these guys have been injured and are adjusting to a life with other challenges, and all of them can relate to one another. Neither of them are amputees, so that is unique to Jason, but that didn't stop the fellowship and bonding. We all went out to dinner and had a great time. I guess we stayed a little longer than the restaurant wanted us to, as the servers kept coming back, after we were done eating, asking that usual question, "Is everything alright? Can I get you anything?" That is usually code for, "We'd like to clear the table to make it ready for someone else." And I have no problems with that, except the restaurant wasn't that busy, and there were plenty of open tables. Anyway, we ...

Another easy relaxed day, and we both enjoyed it. Both of us ended up sleeping in late, and Jason told me that he slept through the night, which he hasn't done in a long time. I could tell he was feeling good, as I felt pretty good too. I went to the gym for about an hour, after fixing breakfast for Jason, and then came back to the room. We did have lunch with the First Spouses of the United States (some of them are men, so it has to be said that way). Specifically, we were joined at our table by the wife of the Governor of Alaska, Sandy Parnell. She was a very nice lady who sat next to Jason and so we got to talk quite a lot with her. The First Lady of California wasn't there, so we didn't get to sit with her... wait a minute, Governor Brown isn't married, so there is no First Lady! Okay, so much for humor... Our time with Mrs. Parnell was quite nice, and she invited Jason and I to come up to Alaska to see all that they have to offer, for those who enjoy being in the g...

Just a quick update for today, as I am really kind of tired right now, as it has been a busy day. It was a good day, just busy. The wounds are looking good and the doctors are all sounding positive. We have to go with one more appointment on Monday and then possibly by Tuesday (maybe I'm an optimist) we should have a much better idea of when we might be heading back to California. I got another good workout at the gym today, though it was only about 30 minutes in length. I hope that being consistent with the workouts will allow me to lengthen the amount of time to go beyond an hour will happen in a matter of just a couple (several) weeks. Of course the transition to San Diego is going to have an impact on this, but I figure it will all be positive. Tonight we went out to one of the sponsored dinners, and it was at the Washington Press Club. The meal was excellent and we did not come home hungry, not even slightly. The folks from the Aleethia organization put it on, and they alw...

Well, we're a day closer to getting back to San Diego, though we still don't know when that is going to be. I am hoping that we find out a little more definitive information by Tuesday next week, or perhaps even sooner. I need to get the lease updated on the vehicle we have, on Tuesday, so it is pretty basic that we need to know. Today was a relaxed day for Jason, as he had just the one appointment, and then we needed to get to the grocery store. We managed to do some control shopping, in that we didn't want to have too much more food, than what we would need for the remainder of our stay here. We bought enough to get us through another week, and then we'll need t get over to the store again. We might have to buy more milk, but right now I think that will be all. Before going to the store we actually had a special guest come by for a short visit with Jason. I was up on the 2nd deck (that's what they call the floors - "deck"), and I happened to see a fa...

Another good day for Jason, as we were up and ready to go pretty early and arrived at the OT session right on time, which means about 5 minutes late... ;-) Actually, I got up a little earlier and went to the gym and had my first work out session, but really didn't do much. I'm going to have to get back into it slowly I guess. Funny how the body doesn't work as well at 60 as it did when I was 20 - I just can't figure that out. I got back to the apartment a little later than I wanted to and that's why we were a little late, despite the effort of getting up earlier. After OT Jason heads over to PT and Mike, who is also a Navy Lt., worked Jason pretty hard today, and Jason worked up a good sweat. We then went over to the Wound Care where there was a bunch of talk about how well the wounds were doing and Kara, the lead in that department, showed me some pictures of the wounds and how they have progressed over the past several weeks/months. After we were done with that ...

Almost back to our regular routine, except starting on Tuesday instead of Monday, and scheduled appointments for Monday are now doubled up for today, and everywhere was crowded because everyone else was also doing their Monday appointments and Tuesday appointments today... Other than that it was pretty much just a regular day... ;-) Actually though Jason only had his Wound Care appointment to deal with today, and they were busy, but we were done with everything before noon. We got to talk a little about what he would like to do when we get to San Diego, and mostly he is interested in seeing his girls, but I guess that probably isn't much of a surprise to anyone. The weather here got a little cooler, and then I found out that California weather got a bit cooler too - still warmer than here though. I went over to the gym to see what they have, and it is laid out really nicely. There is an Olympic sized pool; a nice gymnasium to play basketball or indoor volleyball ...

Another relatively easy day - we got up late, and had breakfast; Linda did a little cleaning up and then some packing; and, Jason and I took her to the air port. It was sad to see her leave so soon, but she needs to get back to her day care, and in a matter of a few weeks (no more than 3 I hope) we'll be heading back to San Diego. When that happens we'll at least be closer to home, and then we can figure out what our next steps are going to be. I'm sending out a big Thank you, to our friend Rob for picking her up at the air port. I know he really isn't feeling all the great, but insisted on doing this for us. I am anxious to get back to Livermore so he and I can start our bike riding again. After Jason and I got back to the house I did another load of clothes and fixed dinner. Jason took a shower and then ate dinner and effectively went to bed - as in going to sleep. I did another load a little later, and as soon as I pop them in to the dryer I'll be going to bed ...

Pretty lite day today, Linda did a bunch of straightening out around the place, she really does love to get things organized, and packed up. She knows we're going to be leaving soon, so she wants to "know" that some of the stuff is going to arrive in a better state of being... ;-) I fixed breakfast, and dinner, and Linda fixed lunch. I have to admit her sandwiches tasted much better than the ones I was making - she says that a good sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it, so who am I to argue. Jason wanted to go out to the movies so we went and saw the new Bruce Willis Die Hard movie. It was kind of over the top Hollywood, with far too many crashes and lots of explosions, not to mention the number of people being shot. You'd think that maybe after a while the folks in Hollywood would get the idea that maybe, just maybe they should consider cutting back on the violence and start to send more positive messages to the general public. Invictus was a ver...

Easy day today, for everybody. We got a late start (everybody basically slept in), we didn't get going until after 08:00, and that was a nice change of pace. We decided to go out to breakfast this morning, since Jason knows his mom enjoys going to The Original Pancake House, he said we should go there this morning. Afterward we did a little shopping at Target and then headed back home. We were on our way back when we connected with  Steve and he came over to the house a short while after we got there. He apparently stopped off at a store on the way over and picked up a bunch of stuff to eat, so we'll be set for the next couple of days, to say the least. I can't wait to try the Mennonite fried chicken... that's what he called it. Tonight we ended up going out to dinner, since I had received a couple of gift cards for Barrabba's, and Jason wanted to do something different.  The gift cards came from Semper Fi and covered the meal and drinks, so we had a pretty good t...

Well, as a quick follow up to yesterday's rant about not having a bed - we made it through the night. I had some cushions on the ground and we slept okay. I went back to the Marines, and actually the Lead RCC and asked him why we didn't get a bed. He apologized, as did another RCC and they came up with the idea that I should just go out and purchase an inflatable mattress and then they would reimburse me for the expense. I did that, and now we have a place to sleep that is better than on the floor. Also bought sheets, just to make sure it was comfortable.  BTW - the RCCs are both civilian, as the Marines had little to do with this. Jason had a good day, though Mike (PT) didn't come in today. He had to pull a late night assignment and so he wasn't able to come back in today. That was okay, because it meant that Jason had that hour to do a few other little chores he wanted to get done, and I was able to get back to the RCC's (mentioned above) to get other issues tak...

Jason didn't have much in the way of appointments today, just his regular mental health visit. He enjoys going as it gives him another source to vent to. Afterword we took care of some personal stuff, including going to the post office and getting a hair cut. That took about another hour and then we came back to the apartment. The day, being Valentines Day, had decorations and hearts everywhere, including building 62. There were some tables set up at the front so we went over to check them out. I was all for it, since it was the first time I have seen Jason wanting to do something like that. He did pick up a couple of things, and then we headed back to the room, where I called Linda. It was getting late and I wanted to be sure to speak with her before she flew out to come here.   Not sure what happened today, but I was supposed to have been provided a follow up on what was going to be happening, considering Linda is coming in tonight - actually she should be here in about an...

Jason had a good day today, with a very good work out at the gym, I mean PT, with me doing most of the conditioning with him. Actually the day started as it usually does with OT, just prior to PT, only this time there was just a great deal of activity and there was no place for him to do his regular OT work, in their area. As a result he came over to one of the PT mats, and just stayed there for both hours. One of the Marine Generals came by to visit with Jason for a short while, and I think that made him feel pretty good. The General had come by to visit with Jason, shortly after he first arrived at that hospital, back in August, and I guess Jason had a bit of an impression on him. This was the first time for me to have met the General, and I simply did not get his name, so I apologize for that. Today was a little different for me too, as I received a message that I was "invited" to an NMA (Non-Medical Attendant) meeting, and it was starting just as we were finishing up wi...

Jason seemed to be at a lower energy level today, though he stayed positive and went through the motions. I think he is missing his girls more, especially since Valentine's Day is coming up and he wanted to get them a couple of little gifts. Problem we ran into was that some of his appointments ran a bit longer than originally planned, and he didn't have time to get to the post office before they closed, so he could send them off in time. Maybe its my imagination but he seemed a bit lower today. He typically does not have many (if any) appointments on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Today he had four appointments, and they were scattered out through the day, and on top of that a couple of them took a bit longer than we had hoped. There was good news with the appointments, as we found that everything was moving along in a good positive manner, and everyone was feeling good about all that was happening. We have a "general" idea of when some of the next surgeries are going to b...

Today was a very good day for Jason, as he went to his OT and PT appointments and showed that he was indeed improving in many ways. The only down part of it was that I didn't grab the camera before we left the apartment  (I've decided to start calling it an apartment, because basically, that's what it is.). The OT went pretty normal, with him getting the electrical stimulation in his right hand and arm, and he engaged in some very good conversation with a few other folks while we were there. I figured that with the way he was going today, it had to be a good day. I had no idea it was going to get even better. When he went over to the PT area, I helped him get set up on the workout table/platform (its an adjustable 8ft X 8ft padded platform that can go up to about 3 1/2 feet in elevation or down to about 18 inches). Mike, Jason's main PT therapist came over and started him working out with a number of exercises. I went and picked up the 20lb medicine ball and did some ...

This was a do nothing day - well, okay we did a couple of loads of laundry and cooked a couple of meals, but otherwise we didn't do much of anything. Tomorrow begins a new week of activity for Jason and I'll be keeping track of it here so that the rest of you can follow along. Thank you, all for your continued prayers and all your support. Take care and God Bless.

A bit of a different day for us today, in that the only thing we did, other than hand around the "house" was to go grocery shopping. Jason got in the mood to do some cooking, and I wasn't about to stop him from doing what he enjoys doing. We went and purchased a few things that I knew we needed, and then several things that Jason wanted. Afterward we came back home and put the stuff away and Jason got back into bed. I did do some laundry, and made lunch and then we kind of kicked back. He will be doing the cooking tomorrow, so I'm actually kind of anxious to see what he plans on making. He is a great cook and very adventurous when it comes to food. Tonight I did some stir fry and it came out much better than I thought it would. I don't have a wok, so I had to improvise, and it still worked. Also, I loaded some pictures up on FaceBook, as there are a number of people out there who have been requesting photos, so they are now posted. I'll continue to put up pi...

Good day for Jason to be feeling good, 'cause he was worked pretty good in PT today. Mike (his PT Therapist) had Jason doing a bunch of different things, all focused on strengthening his arms, shoulders, back and most importantly... his heart. Jason was sweating so much that his towel was actually noticeably heavier when he was done, and Jason was noticeably tired. He had already done his OT exercises, and electrical stimulation of the right arm, so once he was done with the PT we were off to Wound Care. Wound Care was quite busy today. Busiest that I've seen them so far, though it hasn't been quite a month yet. We were backed up in the hall way for a few minutes, and then they were able to finish with two of the guys, and get everybody into their respective "rooms." They each have at least three walls and a curtain to provide some privacy, and some of them have four walls and a door. Today was different because Plastics was there checking on the guys with the h...

Jason had only one appointment today, so we really didn't do that much. We got up a little later than usual, about 08:00 and I fixed some scrambled eggs with sausage and toast - and then we went off to the appointment. The appointment was only one hour, and it was over until next week, when we'll do the same thing, only I'm going to go for hash browns this next time. We came back to the room and I did a little cleaning, though there really wasn't a bunch of that to do. I went upstairs to make sure everyone was aware that Linda would be coming out, and we're hoping that all goes well, so that she can be here on the 14th. I also found out that because of the success of the Marines, and their process for keeping track of what and how the Wounded Warriors are doing, it is being adopted DOD wide. That basically means that the Army is going to have to start doing things like the Marines and in order for them to be able to do that they are going to be wanting to intervie...

Today was a smooth and nice day for Jason and me. We got up early and I fixed some oatmeal for breakfast. I had blueberries with mine, but Jason won't touch anything that has "erry" on the end of its name. I think it has to do with the fact that Linda (Mom) ate strawberries just about everyday while carrying Jason, but that is another story. We headed over to the MATC where Jason got his OT work in. They are still working on his right hand and arm, getting the flexibility and ulnar nerve working like it is supposed to. There is some progress, and still more to accomplish. Next we went over to PT, where he basically did a number of exercises. I'm anxious for him to continue working with the weights and building up. My guess is that he will be able to work well with up to 25lb. dumbbells before we head back to San Diego. Jason worked up a good sweat and then when he was finished we headed over to Wound Care. This is where he gets his wounds checked out and new bandage...

A very nice day today, to be sure. Even though the Niners failed to win the Super Bowl last night, we woke up feeling pretty good. We got up and got ready to head over to his appointments, and the day went well. OT and PT didn't reveal anything new, other than Jason can toss a 20lb ball (one of the old medicine balls) to his therapist, and even a few times to me. When you get hit with the ball you know you've just stopped something heavy. It was pretty impressive how well he handled it, and just how hard he could toss it. Anyway, he was worked pretty good at PT, and Mike (the therapist) also worked on Jason's right shoulder a bit more, to get it loosened up. After that we went over to Wound Care and all that looked good, and making some progress. There is still quite a bit to heal up, but progress is still very good. Once we were done with all this we headed over to the Post office where I was disappointed that the package from Linda didn't arrive yet. My guess is it ...

Well, Jason and I went to the Super Bowl "Party" at the cafe' and we had a pretty good time. We saw some people we haven't seen much of, and met some new folks as well. The biggest surprise though, was connecting up with Theresa Sareo, who we got to know a couple of years ago (almost) when Jason was first in the hospital. We ended up having dinner with her and talking for a bit. We took a couple of pictures and then watched some of the Super Bowl. Oh, and one other person we got to meet was Joe Andruzzi, from the Patriots. He was there with his three Super Bowl Rings and let Jason wear them for pictures. He proved to be a very nice guy and went out of his way to allow us to take a couple of pictures with him. He also autographed a photo for Jason. The game started at 18:30 (6:30pm) and we had been there for almost 3 hours by then. Jason wasn't able to stay up in his chair much longer, and still be comfortable. We headed back to the room where he got back in to b...

Well, its the end of the day and I'm ready to go to bed. Jason is probably watching something on TV right now, as he was, when I told him good night a little while ago. Since then I've spoken to both my son David and Linda, and told both of them good night, so now on with the blog. Jason spent a good portion of the day sleeping, and that tells me he is still healing up, and his body is using a great deal of energy repairing itself. I did a little more cleaning around the place and even a load of laundry, and basically it was a relaxed day for the both of us. I got out for a few minutes to go see what they were doing in the dinning area, it is where there is to be a Super Bowl gathering. I don't want to call it a party, though it will have a festive atmosphere. From what I can tell, there are going to be several groups/sponsors with their tables set up, and lots of things to be given away (t-shirts and hats, and stuff like that). There are two large screens set up, so that...

Many apologies to everyone - I just realized I didn't do a posting last night, and I fully intended to. I will also post tonight... as long as I don't forget... ;-) Jason had a pretty good day yesterday, as we began with a hot oatmeal breakfast, and I had blueberries with mine (Jason doesn't like blueberries), and then we were off to his appointments. His first stop was with OT, and the therapist wasn't there. There were others, but they didn't know where the electrical stimulator was, for his right hand/arm. Jason was okay with not getting the "shock therapy," as he calls it - instead he grabbed a Lego model of one of the Star Wars sweep-wing fighters and began putting that together. He made it about half way through before we had to leave for his next appointment. It is the kind of thing that he really enjoys doing, especially getting to work with the small pieces and following the detail. The therapist did show up, towards the end of the visit and exp...