Staff Sgt Jason Ross - Marine

I was one of those crazy kind of days, where we didn't think there were any appointments, however, he was out of one of his medications (he had made an error in calculating how many he had - - he counted wrong), so he needed to go in and ask for a refill. Yep, not only was he out, he was also out of automatic refills, so it was a double reason to go in. Anyway, the need required us to go in and have to talk to a couple of different folks, and while we were there we visits a couple more. It made the stay at Balboa go a little longer, but we had to wait for the Rx to be filled anyway. It was also one of those crazy days because Jason received a notification about how the use of utilities could possibly go up, unless a waiver was processed. The form needed to get in this week, as time was running out and we're going to be gone next week. Anyway, neither of us know 32nd Street (That is what the Naval Base is called, where we went), so we ended up driving around a bit, and even ge...

Kind of an interesting day for the two of us. We didn't have anything planned and no where to go, so Jason just stayed in his bed for the entire day, except for his shower and dressing change. Breakfast was simple, as I fixed cream of wheat, and lunch was soup and a sandwich. Also, I fixed the same for the girls, as they were now at the house with us. Jason received a text message from their mother and she asked him if we could take the girls today, because she needed to go to the ER. She came by at about 10:30 this morning and it did appear that something was bothering her, since she seemed to be favoring her left leg. I asked if we were going to be keeping the girls or was she going to be picking them up this evening. She didn't know at that moment and said she would let us know. Why her father wasn't able to watch the girls, I don't know, but it really doesn't matter, it is good to have them here with us. Jackie is in the early stages of potty training, or I gu...

Well, today was a pretty good day for Jason (and me), as we weren't rushed to do much of anything this morning, and only wanted to get up to Oceanside to take Gracie up to the dog training session. We left the house with enough time to get there, and headed over to the gas station on MCRD, across the street. When we got on base we discovered there was some sort of a running event going on, and there must have been in the neighborhood of about 5,000 runners, since I saw some of the runner's bibs numbered into the high 4,000's. Anyway, this caused a bit of a delay in getting to the gas station, and then when we did finally get the gas, we were again delayed getting away from the gas station. Normally it would have taken us maybe 12 minutes to fill up, and this time it was closer to 30. Some of the other drivers, behind us were getting a bit anxious, since it was taking so long. A couple of them got out of their cars, while we were waiting and walked up to me and asked what wa...

Jason spent the day at home, and I think it was something that he needed. Him staying down in bed, except for shower and dressing change, only helps the healing more. He did work on the leash he is weaving together, and it looks pretty good. He completed about 5 feet and he said that it was as long as he is going to be making that one. I think, since he wants to end up with one greater than 10 feet, he will work with at least twice the length of cord, as he was using on this latest one. I took care of a few things that I needed to get done, and I felt pretty good because I got them all done, including the smog check for my truck (Jason's old truck). The really big thing I got taken care of was making sure that the transportation plans are all in place so we can leave on October 5. Tomorrow we will be heading up to the dog training class, so we will have to get out of the house for at least part of the day. I don't think much else will be going on, so I might go for a short bi...

I just realized I forgot to mention something, in yesterday's post... It was the 777th blog post, since starting this blog a couple of years ago - okay, over 2 1/2 years ago. I hope it has been helpful for everyone who has been reading. Jason and I went to the gym this morning, and did a little exercising. Actually the trip over there was to see if he could actually take advantage of the gym here in the housing area, and he was to a very limited degree. The was it went was that we got up, and headed right over; stayed for a little over 1/2 an hour and then came back. I spent my time on a stationary bike, and it did make my back feel better, though my hip started to tighten up a bit. How come you can get out of shape so fast and it takes forever to get back into shape? After the gym we came right back home and took our showers. Jason wanted to go see the movie The Family, with Robert De Niro, and it was starting at 11:05. The movie was entertaining, and even funny in a few place...

Wow! What a crazy day! It started off very much normal, and the first thing that we had to do was simply get up and get ready to go. The girls wanted breakfast so I let them pick out their clothes and then had them head out to the kitchen. It is really cute how they know the routine and want to help set the table and get the napkins and spoons while Grandpa grabs the bowls and the milk. They seem to have two favorite cereals, Cheerios and Kix. There are a few that others that they enjoy, but those two are their favorites. We dropped the girls off at about 08:00 and after the extended good-byes (Stacy didn't want us to leave today), we headed back to the house. Before we got into the house, well, actually before we even got out of the van, Jason said he wanted to head up to Miramar because he was contacted and his clothes are ready, or at least some of them are. We grabbed some water and got back into the van and we were off. Now that we have gone up to Miramar a couple of tim...

Easy day with very good weather, and time with the girls. The only thing that didn't happen was to get outside and play with Stacy's new "Stomp Rocket." It was one of the gifts she got for her birthday, and she really liked playing with it. She's been talking about learning more about rockets, and growing up to be able to launch bigger ones, all the way to the moon. We didn't get out side because by the time she and Jackie were done playing their Bingo game it was getting too close to dinner and then it was too late to be playing over at the park. Jason and I went over to Costco to pick up a few things, and as hard as it is, sometimes, we went into Costco and only bought what we intended to get. We came out with spending less than $100, and didn't feel like we forgot anything. We came back to the house and kicked back for a few hours and then in the afternoon I went back over to the CDC (Child Development Center) to pick up the girls. Not sure what was g...

Today is actually Stacy's fifth birthday, and even though there wasn't as much of a party, she still has a great day, and we had a good time before and after going to the CDC. Jason only had the one appointment today, and that was simply to get a blood test going (he has to do a blood test every few months, as well as a urine test - they're looking to make sure he is taking the medications like he is supposed to). Once we were done dropping off the girls and then having the blood drawn, we went over to MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) Exchange, so he could purchase a sewing machine. Yep, Jason is wanting to create a new "vest" for Gracie, his service dog. Actually he has a couple of projects in mind, and I think once he gets going he may start to crank out all kinds of projects. He has to learn (re-learn) how to do some of the sewing, since it has been so many years since Linda showed him how to sew, and he really didn't have a lot of time while in Afghanista...

Now that we're into Fall, the weather starts to change and the leaves begin to change colors. Well, okay, that would be if there were the traditional weather season here. In San Diego they only have two seasons - late Spring and Early Spring. Winter and Summer only last about a week each so I don't count them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I kind of like having a dependable weather pattern to deal with and I do generally wear shorts most of the year, as do many other folks around here, its rough, but I deal with it... ;-) Anyway, that's not what I meant to start the blog with, today. Jason is doing well and I am pleased to say that one of the areas of his wounds seems to have finally closed up. (Of course now that I've said that the skin is going to stretch and split open again). We spent so much time outside yesterday that Jason wanted to just stay in the house, and except for going to lunch with Anthony Netto and Angelica he spent most of the day ...

Stacy woke this morning excited to celebrate her birthday; she wore one of her princess dresses and kept asking when were we going to be going to her party at the park. I went ahead early in the truck, to secure tables and set up the decorations. Linda drove Jason and the girls later (getting her name on the van lease was such a good idea) and brought the cake and balloons. It win as  a low turnout of kids to help celebrate, and I attribute that to my poor kid-party planning skills, though I am still learning more things all the time. The kids still had a good time and because we had so much food left over Jason simply "donated" the extra pizza to a gathering of a group of people who were sitting relatively close by (I think it was a group like AA, though we didn't really know who they were). Actually, the rest of the day was relaxed, and we ALL got a chance to take a little nap. When we were all up and moving again we got to work putting things away and general clean ...

Hooray! Linda is with us again! She came in tonight on a Southwest flight and we were very happy to see her. The flight was over 30 minutes late, but then what's new. The only bad thing associated with it was the fact that Southwest hadn't contacted me about the delay. I always leave my phone number so they can call me, allowing me the freedom to relax a little instead of hurrying down to the airport to pick her up. We spent well over a half hour just driving in circles - I just love the way airlines have gone, and service has really taken a back seat. Anyway, Jason had a formation and an appointment today, and then that was it for the day. We did have some things to do, so that we could prepare for Stacy's birthday celebration tomorrow, and we knocked those out of the way quickly. We got back to the house and Jason got back in bed, with the hopes that he'd get some rest in prior to heading out to the airport. I kicked back for a little while, though I did bring down ...

Jason played a little basketball today, and I was able to get a few pictures of it, to share with everyone. He is doing well, and we really didn't do much else today. We got up, ate breakfast, and then Anthony Netto came over, and we went to go shoot some hoops. While he was doing that both Anthony and I were taking pictures. Afterward, we went to lunch and then turned and came back to the house. The rest of the day was spent at the house, and that was pretty much that for the day. I am pretty excited about his weekend, as Linda is coming down for a short visit. Actually it is timed to coincide with Stacy's birthday - she's turning five! Linda will be able to stay through the entire weekend, so I get two full days of her, besides the evening tomorrow and the morning on Monday (that's when she has to fly back). Not much else going on, so please enjoy the photos ... Thank you, for all the continued support and prayers, and take care and stay positive. ...

I was surprised this morning, with the early rise of Jason. Typically he is awake when I come down, and he was again today - that's nothing new - so I went in to help the girls get ready. By the time I had Jackie up and dressed, Jason was at the door, ready to brush Jackie's hair. This was a very good thing, as far as I was concerned, since I still had to get Stacy moving. Between the two of the girls, Stacy is the one who likes to stay in bed longer, and can be a little difficult to get going sometimes. Anyway, I got her up and I let her pick out her clothes, with a little help from Grandpa. Once she was dressed she went over to Daddy and let him do her hair, too. I was so very happy to see Jason getting more involved with the girls morning routine. I like him doing more and more. We went to the base and dropped the girls off at the Child Development Center (CDC), and then on to his first appointment. The first appointment was with the folks in physical therapy, where Dawn w...

Today was a good day for Jason, and the rest of us actually. Jason didn't have any appointments, though we thought he did. Both of us made the same mistake in looking at the schedule (a new schedule is printed out each time a new appointment is made, and the old one discarded), and thought there was an appointment. We got up to the clinic and found out that we didn't need to be there we just turned around and left. He wanted to head over to do some shopping for Stacy, anyway. Her birthday is coming up and he was looking for a specific gift. We got to the store and there it was, so the price was good and he bought it. I think I'll make him wrap it, but then again, he'll probably just ask Mom to wrap it, when she gets here on Friday. I ordered  the birthday cake, and was assured it would be ready on Friday, and that was about the extent of all our running around. We did have one other thing happen, that I thought was pretty cool - Jason was offered an internship with on...

Today was a do nothing day, and I'm glad it went that way. Well, actually Jason did go to get a hair cut, so I had to drive him over to the barber shop on MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot), and he also got cleaned up and a dressing change. Other than those couple of things, we just didn't do much around here. I'm glad because my back is giving me some trouble. I think I'm going to need to see somebody tomorrow if it doesn't start to feel better. I hope everyone has had a chance to see the video now, and has a better feel for just exactly who Jason is and where he came from. You'll have to wait for the book to get details, and I guess I need to start working on it, if I ever hope to get it done. Although, procrastination is one of the thing I do best... ;-) Tomorrow we have to get moving early as there is a formation for Jason (every Monday and Friday), and he hasn't missed one yet. We also get the girls back tomorrow, for a couple of days and that is goi...

This is the video that was created for the concert that is coming up in October. If you can make it to the event it would really be great to see you there. It is taking place in Livermore, CA, at the Wente Vineyard outdoor theater. Video Created for the Warriors Concert at Wente Vineyards  Not much else to post today, as Jason and I pretty much spent the entire day at home, and really didn't do much more than we absolutely had to do. Except for the boxes Jason wanted to go through in the garage, about 8 of them, we just talked, and rested... and watched some TV. As for the boxes... we did find what he was looking for, and he was pretty happy about it. It was a binder that had all his military history, prior to being sent off on the 26 MEU, and then Afghanistan. Thank you, for all the continued support and prayers - Take care and stay positive.

Jason got to sleep in today, and so did I... ;-) I got up at about 07:10 and went down stairs, after cleaning up and brushing my teeth, and asked him if he would like some breakfast. For the past four days he hasn't had any breakfast because there just wasn't enough time to eat, and still get to class. Today was different, since the class, for him, didn't begin until about noon. I cooked some pancakes and eggs, and I think he was pretty happy about it. Typically he doesn't get that unless it is the weekend. Anyway, it was a slow and relaxed start to the day. I finished up some laundry that I needed to do, including the folding and putting away, and then we went over to MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot) where his class was. I let him off at class and went over to the base gas station to put some fuel into the van, then head over to Costco. Actually I debated this a little, wondering if the gas at Costco might be cheaper than on base; as it turned out I made the right...

Today was the last day of the early morning classes, and tomorrow Jason doesn't have to be there until about noon. What this really means?? Jason and I get to sleep in a little! Today was another early start, and Jason was over at the class before 07:30, by about 10  minutes or so, and I picked him back up at 11:00, almost exactly. The funny thing is that I attempted to gain access to the base, that would have allowed me to have enough time to get to the class room, so that I could have picked up Jason just as he came out side. As it was though, the guard at the gate, the same gate I've been coming into all week, had a patrol office there that wasn't aware of the rules or something. He redirected me over to the main gate, and then I was allowed in. I wouldn't complain too much about this except that it looked to me as though he was doing it with everybody! Both of the vehicles in front of me were also over at the main gate, gaining access. When they use the Marines to...

September 11, came and there were a number of events throughout the city of San Diego, just as I am sure there are all over the country. Even with those events, in place to allow those, who were killed by this terrorist attack, to be remembered and, to honor those who stepped up to do what they could to show that this country remains strong. I am very proud of Jason and what he has done, serving the nation in the capacity he has, and he continues to impress me, and others with all that he continues to do. This morning we went over to his training, and then I took the girls to their Child Development Center (CDC). I had a few things to take care of in the morning, and at about 11:00 Jason called me (and txt'd me) to let me know he was ready for pick up. We had lunch and then I called Linda, so she could hear the news... Jason has invited both of us to the Marine Ball, coming up in November. This is really a big thing, as neither of us has ever been to one, so you can imagine that ...

Day two of Jason's TRS training, and again we had an early start. The day did start a little differently this time, though as the girls wanted breakfast and we actually had the time for them to eat a bowl of cereal. I felt pretty good when they said they wanted breakfast, as that, to me, meant that they were eating more of what they wanted here, than at the school. We dropped Jason off and then headed over to the Child Development Center (CDC). Dropping them off is always kind of a game, with the girls saying good-bye and then me trying to get out of the class room. They usually come running over to me, holding on to my arm or legs and wanting one more hug and kiss. This usually takes about five to six minutes to get through, and they both tend to do it. The blessing is that I usually don't have a time constraint, so the extra 10 - 12 minutes is no big deal. I did get in another short bike ride today, where I rode up to the bike shop to put some air in the tires and apparentl...

Today started out early, with Jason needing to be over at his TRS (not sure what the letters mean, other than something to do with transitioning) training, over at MCRD. I initially thought we were going to be going over to Miramar, but this morning Jason said it was at MCRD. The good news is that it is effectively just across the street from his house. The tougher part was that access to the depot is a little tighter, and we had to make people aware that I would be going back and forth, without Jason in the van. It all worked out, and Jason got to class with time to spare and I was allowed back on to the depot with not problems at all. After dropping Jason off I took the girls up to Balboa, to the Child Development Center (CDC), so the girls could get to their respective classes, and then I simply came back to the house and figured I'd wait to hear from Jason, as to when he wanted to be picked up. Shortly after arriving back home it occurred to me that I had some time available ...

Today was a day basically spent at home and it was nice just relaxing and having the girls to play with. They spent some time with Jason, in his room and with me around the rest of the house. We had our pancake breakfast, and Stacy helped with the making of the pancakes. After lunch the girls took their naps, and Jason took his shower; then, after they got up we all went shopping at Target, to buy a few things for Stacy and a couple things for Jackie. The good news is that most of the clothes that Stacy grows out of, Jackie can put on, and Jason doesn't have to buy new clothes for her. He still does, to make sure she doesn't feel left out, but it is so nice to have all these ready to use clothes. The realization is that in a few years I don't know if that is still going to be done. Jackie is built differently than Stacy, and I suspect that she will soon be wearing larger sizes as she gets older and Stacy's clothes are always going to fit. When the girls went to bed to...

We all got up a little later than usual this morning, so that caused a change of plans for breakfast. I was originally going to be fixing pancakes and eggs for breakfast, but had to switch to the back up, cereal, because we were too short of time. That's okay, as I will do the pancake thing tomorrow... ;-) We all went to Jason's and Gracie's dog training lessons at the park, in Oceanside, and while he was there the girls and I went and played at the park and on the swings. As it turned out, there was a bunch of things going on, including an antique car club gathering. There were all kinds of trailers around and people doing dog grooming, with a particular focus on poodles. You know, those Standard Poodles are pretty big dogs, even if they do look a little on the silly side with those hair cuts. The girls were all over the place, though they mostly wanted to play on the swings. We also climbed the tree again, and they played on the jungle gym and train, and when we were ...

Today was a good day, as we got the chance to speak with the right folks with regard to the modifications needed for his wheelchair. There is going to be action done to make a "tilt" feature on the chair, and that is designed to help alleviate some of the pressure on the wounds, and even on areas that have already healed over. The good news is that the changes won't take long to do, once all the parts are received, and that leads us to the less-good news, as it will take some time to get the parts, though they may come in more quickly. Jason is feeling good, and he is getting a good work out, each time he goes into PT. Dawn is the therapist that Jason usually works with, and Mike jumps in to help on those times when Dawn isn't there yet, or has the day off. The good thing is that Mike is one of the senior therapists there and really knows what he is doing, so Jason has two very qualified and good people working on him. While Jason is being worked on in PT I usually ...

Today, Jason and I went to the base, and dropped of the girls at the Child Development Center (CDC) and then headed over to his appointments (and my one appointment, too). We were all done before noon, and then headed back to the house, so he could take a shower and relax. We were also given tickets to go see the Giants and the Padres play, and the seats we were given were very nice seats, indeed. As it turned out the Padres organization had people there to greet us, as we got to the gate, and had made arrangements for us to come in through the VIP gate. Only trouble with that was that I wasn't told until after we had arrived that we were supposed to do that, so we came in through the Home Plate gate, which is right next to it. We still were escorted to our seats, as the people who were sent to great us, found us quickly. Our tickets were actually supposed to be along first base side, but they knew we are Giants fans, so they arranged for us to sit on the third base side, and in fa...

Jason had formation this morning, and then we needed to get up to General Surgery (that's what they call the area where he goes for general examination and getting prescriptions  refilled) to see some of the folks there. I also picked up a few supplies while we were there, just to be sure we had plenty. We then went and visited a few of the other people down in C5,  and gave them a few updates on his condition and then finally over to the ASYMCA - Armed Services YMCA. All together we were in and out of the base in a a matter of a couple of hours, and then headed back to the house. Not much else going on, other than to say we're going to be attempting another outing tomorrow, as we have been given tickets to the Giants/Padres game. We ended up with a bad experience when we went to the football game, over at Qualcomm Stadium, so we hope that this one will be better. Pet Co Park is a new facility and from what we've heard is supposed to be much more in tuned with ADA type ne...

Jason and I had a pretty good day today, as Jackie's new bed is now together and set up for her. The mattress people said they would have it here by noon and at 12:08 there was a knock on the door. They didn't hit their time, but they were close enough. After they brought the stuff in and the bed was set up Jason and I headed off to Target and purchased sheets and other such stuff. The funny part is, I am sure the girls are still going to fight over who "owns" which sheet set or blanket, and we'll have to get them to understand sharing. All part of growing up... and its wonderful. Tomorrow we have to be over at the base for Jason's 07:30 formation, and I would like to get to bed early tonight. So with that, I'll say, good night. Thank you, for all your continued support and prayers. Take care and stay positive.

An interesting day for Jason and I, as we went out and found a new mattress and box for Jackie, and they will have it delivered here tomorrow morning. Now all I have to do is take down the crib and put up the new bed. Other than making a quick run to the grocery store we spent the rest of the day at home. I did some laundry and a few other odds and ends, but otherwise just relaxed. Tomorrow is labor day, and we have some things planned, like putting the new bed together, and just enjoying the weather, even if it is a bit warmer than usual. San Diego generally has moderate weather, and seldom gets about 80 to 85 degrees around here. These last few days it has been in the 90's and that is pretty warm, especially with the humidity running up around 80%. I know it gets worse in some other areas of the country, but that is extreme for around here. Jason is taking it all in stride, and does his best to avoid the hotter times of the day. Thank you, for all your continued support and praye...

Okay, I have the information that some of you have been requesting, and I will also be putting this out on my FB page. Sorry for any trouble it has caused, but anyway, here it is: Concert Info: Here are the correct links for the tickets: Ticketmaster:  http://www.ticketmaster.com/ event/1C004B1EAAB354C2 Our Event Website: http://concertforwounded.com/   Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ WoundedWarriorsConcert Each link takes you to Ticketmaster.  Tickets won't be released for sale until  Tuesday  (it says  Wednesday  on the site but I have heard Tuesday ). I am encouraging people to login in to ticketmaster or create an account so that they get notified as soon as thickets go on sale.  But if they just check back Tuseday afternoon or  Wednesday  morning they can purchase tickets. Take care and stay positive - we'll get there... ;-)

It was brought to my attention that the connection/link to the concert isn't working, and there are a few folks out there who are wanting to purchase tickets. I have asked about why this is the state of the website and am waiting on a reply. My guess is that someone slipped and this was thought to have been done but obviously isn't. Because it is a holiday weekend it probably won't be corrected until Tuesday at the soonest, so I ask that you hang in there and please be patient. It will be corrected though. Take care and stay positive.