Staff Sgt Jason Ross - Marine

As you might expect, we all slept in after getting home this morning. Linda stayed up until after 02:00 and we got home at about 04:00, so we were all quite tired. The visit to the ER was very much what Jason said it would turn out to be. A UTI (Urinary Track Infection), and the doctor labeled it a "ragging infection." He put Jason on an antibiotic for the next 5 days and then it should be all cleared up. Of course we still have our appointments for next week, so he will be seeing his doctors before the 5 days are up, but that's probably a very good thing. The remainder of today was simply Linda and I working to put the house back together, in an orderly manner, and Jason resting. I think I may have done more physical lifting, but Linda worked longer so I would say she did more. Tomorrow I will be flying up to Livermore to pick up the rest of our belongings from out house and driving them back down here. I am ready for it to be another long day, and I will be very tired...

Not much to report on, as far as Jason's activities or his progress, though when I did his dressing change the area did look better, and he made the comment that he was feeling pretty good. My guess is that there really isn't going to be much of any kind of update until we get to the Wound Care clinic again, and they take down the wound vac and we can see what has happened with that area. There was, however a major improvement with Linda's and my status down here in San Diego. We brought the U-Haul truck in last night, and fortunately Joselyn was able to stay with him as late as we needed her to. This morning we had a few Marines come over, Jaime, Casey, Jeff, and Kazee and they helped us with several hours of heavy lifting and moving. We got all of it done, and we're down to one last smaller truck to bring stuff from Livermore. I will be headed up to Livermore on Monday and then loading the truck up and driving it back down. It will be a busy day, and probably a LONG...

Well, not much to report about, for the early morning activities. Jason and I had breakfast and we chatted for a little while, then I took care of a couple of chores. This gets us up to going to the hospital, and in case you were wondering... that's the most important aspect for today anyway. The ambulance got here, actually a little early and there was a smooth transition getting from the house to the ambulance; riding in the ambulance to the hospital; and, finally getting from the ambulance to Wound Care in the hospital. We're getting to know all the attendants for Care Ambulance, and so far they have all been very professional and courteous, Care Ambulance should be very proud of their people and their training. Once in Wound Care we were working with Rod again, and upon taking down all the dressings he was very pleased with how the wounds are coming. I was hoping that the wound vac was going to be removed, but as it stands, only half the wounds could allow for a removal...

Not much to report on today: It was a little rainy, early in the day and then there were several hours of great sunshine and then a little more rain. I only mention this because I got out and went for a longer bike ride, about 18 miles, and had a great time. I was tired when I got back home, but then I am still trying to build my stamina back up. I'd like to be able to go for the really long rides again, and maybe even a couple centuries. Jason has an important appointment tomorrow, so I hope to be able to provide some positive comments tomorrow. He is doing well and his spirits are still up. It has been a long and tedious recovery for him, and he is anxious to get out of that room, for more than just an appointment. Thank you, for all your continued support and prayers. Take care and stay positive.

A rather uneventful day, the kind that I like to come by every now and then. Actually, as I stepped outside I thought to myself, "Hey, this is just the kind of weather I like." Sort of that high fog, not very warm yet not at all cold kind of weather. I could really smell the ocean, so perhaps a nice breeze was wafting in the coastal air and keeping it this way. Anyway, the girls got up and Stacy is sort of crossing a threshold of sorts. She is now much more interested in helping me in the morning, rather than turning it into a major play time. Of course a big part of that is that little trick that Linda showed me, about getting their clothes ready the night before. That way they feel like they have already been involved in getting themselves dressed in the morning. Less fighting and much more happy laughter. Jason is still watching a bunch of different shows that he has been able to find on Hulu, and I am so glad that he made that connection, those months ago. I think it he...

A little crazy this morning, as Jason had an early appointment and I still needed to get the girls to their pre-schools. Then I found out that the Ambulance service, who was to be transporting Jason, didn't have a dispatch record on the books for Jason, today. They did have one for tomorrow, but there is no appointment for tomorrow. Anyway, I was on the phone with them and got it all corrected, and we still made the right time for the appointment. (more on the Care Ambulance folks later) At the appointment we took a look at the wounds and found out one very surprising thing... ALL THE ORIGINAL WOUNDS ARE NOW CLOSED! I was so happy to see this, and on top of that the incision that is still healing is looking better. I am very hopeful that the wound vac will be gone next week, and that in a matter of one or two weeks Jason will be able to sit up again. Probably not for prolonged periods, at first, but still able to sit up. This at least gets him back to the "new normal" a...

A good day to end a nice weekend. Tomorrow is another follow up appointment for Jason, and I am hoping to see continued improvement. I know his energy level has dropped off some, and that might be due to a shift in his meds. I will be talking with the doctors tomorrow about that. The girls had a great day here and really showed an appreciation for the work that was recently done in the backyard. I think they spent two or three hours out there, and it was even good for Gracie. Since the girls were out there she wanted to be out  there with them. I really enjoy watching the interaction of the girls with the dog and you can see that Gracie can tell they are an important part of the family, and are connected to Jason in some way. Dogs are amazing animals sometimes. Tomorrow is the appointment, and because of the time of the appointment we will be working fast in the morning, so I can get Stacy over to her school with time to work with Jackie as well. Linda coached me in how to prep...

Today started pretty much as I expected it to start... Jackie came up stairs and jumped into bed and immediately wanted to know when Grandma was going to be back. I did my best to explain where Grandma was, and that if she wanted to stay in bed she needed to be quiet because Grandpa was still trying to sleep. It was only 06:10 and I wasn't ready to get up yet. Jackie was quiet for about five minutes and started singing to herself and playing with my hand. I finally rolled over and told her that if she wanted to play she could go back down to her room and I would be down later. She was happy with this and went on back to her own room. Of course I only got about another 20 minutes of rest, but it was worth the effort. We had some visitors today, with Jason's First Sergeant coming by. She stayed for a couple hours and played with the girls for about an hour of that. Actually, Jason was asleep when she first arrived so she and I talked for a little, then the girls came out (they ...

Getting a late start on the blog, and in fact there really isn't too much to update on. Jason is doing well and had a visit from Gunny Parker. The visit was the high point of the day and you could tell a positive uplift for him as a result. I'm going to see if I can get more Marines to come by and visit, just to allow for some folks who can talk the same language as Jason. The other great thing about today was that they finally finished the backyard area with ground cover, or mulch. It looks good and it is nice to have the environment where the girls can go out and play, and I don't worry about what they will be running on. The folks here at Gateway (a part of Lincoln Housing) have been doing a very good job of accommodating all of our requests and needs. Then again, I don't think we ask for too much, other than to keep things safe. Linda is still up in Livermore, and they had the awards dinner tonight. The awards are from the October event, and Linda going up this ...

As I sit here, writing this blog, it is easy to tell that Spring has sprung, as fireworks are going off over the Bay. We have been here for over two years have so far have not had the opportunity to go out and watch the fireworks display/show, and I am hoping that we eventually do get a chance. Happy Spring, everyone, it is the time of new birth and new life... though there is still lots of snow on the East Coast. We got up this morning and got ready for the trip over to Balboa. The appointment was set at 10:10 and the ambulance arrived at 09:10. When I answered the door I made the comment that they were really early, and that was still getting a few things together (I finally remembered to bring the supplies we have here, that we really don't use, and they do want). Anyway, I was finishing up the breakfast dishes and putting stuff away when I finally let them in, and they went to go get Jason on to the gurney, for transport. Once at the Wound Care, Rod was waiting for us and w...

Another Wednesday down, though it wasn't just another Wednesday. Linda flew back up to Livermore to take care of some things for us, and Jason and I will be down here without her for a few days (about a week). I'm not going to soft peddle it, it is going to be rough since we've gotten used to her being here. She will be back next week, so I know we can get through it. Jason is doing as well as can be expected, though new issue has come up. Because he is leaning more to his left, as he lays down, all the tears that normally form in his eyes tend to flow to one side. This has gotten to be a bit an annoyance so he is now using eye drops to help. Fortunately the wounds are still progressing so it is hoped that it won't be too much longer until he can get back to a more comfortable position. Tomorrow is the first time that Jason will be heading to his appointment, and Linda won't be there to help take care of Gracie. I will be bringing her along in another vehicle, a...

Another day and another sign of progress for Jason's wounds to be healing. Linda and I got the girls up and ready for their schools, and we had them over there in a timely manner. I actually walked Stacy to her class, as it only takes a few minutes (maybe 10 in each direction) and then I took Jackie to her day care while Linda stayed with Jason. When I returned I went for a short bike ride of about 11 miles. I would have liked to have gone further but we just had too many things to do today. We are still waiting to hear about what is happening with Jason's house and the property. The property has to be purchased first, before the house can be built, or even get started and for some reason that seems to be taking longer than anyone expected. Please keep this in mind when praying for Jason, as we need all the positive energy we can get, to get this thing going. The other area of waiting, for Jason, is for his truck. Right now there is some concern about the platform and the...

Three years ago Jason was brought back from his drug induced comma, for a little while anyway. The amazing part was when the psychologist came in and asked Jason what day it was. In Jason's natural mischievous manner he told the good doctor that it was March 17, 1729. At the least, the doctor was startled and a little surprised. What it did, though, was to change St. Patrick's Day forever - for me anyway. It showed Jason's mental strength and demonstrated just how strong his attitude was. Ever since then people continue to be amazed at how positive he is, and continues to be. Even after this recent surgery where he has to remain in an uncomfortable position for at least six weeks, and probably eight. I am so very proud of all he has demonstrated, and I can tell you that Linda feels the same as I do... but then again, she is his mom and you know you never get in between a mom and her cub. Today was a good day, as we went to the hospital for wound care and dressing change. ...

Nothing new to report, other than to say we're all doing well and Jason's wounds continue to progress nicely. I suspect that tomorrow will be very similar to today, and that means there will be another very short entry in this daily blog (that isn't truly daily). Thank you, all for continued to support and pray for Jason, and the rest of the men and women in uniform. Take care and stay positive.

Had a relatively early appointment for Jason this morning, though I still had a chance to go to the gym for half an hour. Going to the gym on a regular basis is doing me some good, I think, and it helps to allow me to eat whatever I want, like ice cream... Jason and I left for the hospital and Wound Care at about 09:45 and Linda and Gracie stayed behind. As it turned out, it was another busy day at the Wound Care Clinic and we actually had to wait about 20 minutes before we even got into a room. The ambulance team just waited patiently until that happened, then they had to wait in the waiting area. Once in the room we got to speak with the two main doctors who have been working with Jason and they let us know a little more detail on what is going on with the healing. A big portion of it is doing quite well, and we're hoping that it continues to do so. The section that is being set with a wound vac is also doing well, though healing much slower than we'd like. The down side is...

Not much to report today, as we had a nice relaxed and laid back day. We did have a visit from Anthony Netto, and he stayed for over an hour. It was good to have him here visiting with Jason, just to give Jason something different was wonderful. Like yesterday, when Tim Kirk came by and stayed for about half an hour, it provided a break for Jason. Anyway, it was nice as we also had a lunch with Anthony. From mine and Linda's perspective it was actually quite a productive day. We managed to get a few things done and even go to Costco to do some shopping. Our friends, back up in Livermore are still taking care of a few things for us, for all the things we left undone they are picking up the slack for us. It is always great to have such good friends, and now we are building friendships down in San Diego. Tomorrow is another appointment day for Jason, and I am anxious to see how things have come along. As always, I will be letting all of you know what we find out. Thank you, for al...

Today started a little better today, than the past couple of days, in that we got down stairs early enough to get the girls up and moving a little earlier. Linda and I split up the duties and it worked wonderfully. Stacy came out first and I got her breakfast, and just about the time she was finishing Jackie came out. I had already made Stacy's lunch, so I set Jackie up for her breakfast and then Stacy finished. A couple of minutes later we were ready to head off to the school and Jackie wanted to go with us. I took a look at the clock and decided that there was plenty of time so the three of us went. It was nice not having to rush to get to the school, and Stacy had plenty of time to get to their morning assembly. Jackie and I walked back to the house and then she finished getting ready and I took her to school. When I came back to the house I decided to head over to the gym and put in some time on the treadmill. I'm not really tracking my weight, so I don't know how muc...

Today started with the same chaos as Monday, and we still managed to get the girls to their Pre-Schools on time. I think the girls look forward to the fun and play each morning, while Grandma and Grandpa scramble to make sure they're dressed and fed before they go. I guess it is going well, because there is always plenty of laughter and smiles and we do manage to get there with a few minutes to spare. After the early morning "rush" we were able to settle back and relax just a little. Jason's appointment wasn't until 11:30, and the ambulance wouldn't be arriving until 11:00, or at least that was when it was scheduled. It actually arrived about 10 minutes earlier than we had planned, but that was okay, it didn't mess with the schedule. They two men from the ambulance transport company were professional, as all the others have been, and simply said they didn't know about the 11:00 scheduled time and that they only responded to the dispatch they were sen...

Not much new to report on today, as the girls are both doing well, and amazingly full of energy - One of those things that I love best about them. Linda and I got up and we were able to get them fed and off to school with a little time to spare. I even had time to go to the gym, after dropping off Jackie, and when I came back into the house afterwards, both Jason and Linda were taking a nap. Every now and again we have a nice relaxed day, and it feels like life is getting just a little bit better. I did the dressing change on Jason, this evening/late afternoon, and things were looking good. I am really happy with the wound vac, as this is the longest it has had to stay in place and it is running wonderfully. We will be heading in to the Wound Care tomorrow, and from what they told us last week, it is going to be a busy day (for them). Actually, going in tomorrow was decided because they felt Monday was even busier than Tuesday. Anyway, we are all doing well and feel tomorrow should b...

Quite the easy day today, as we didn't have much to do. Linda was dealing with a headache and not feeling 100%, and really would have rather stayed in bed. However, Linda got the girls to church despite her discomfort and I stayed back to be with Jason. After they returned I grilled some burgers and that went over well. Otherwise it has been a nice laid back day. I did receive an email from my youngest son, Sean, and he is struggling to figure out how to survive his student loans. Originally Linda and I had said we would be able to pay for most of his schooling, just as we did with David, but the economy had other plans. He is searching out other avenues for taking care of his student loans, one day he will figure out just what he needs to do. Thank you, for all your continued support and prayers. Take care and stay positive.

A nice easy day for all of us, with the wound vac working like it is supposed to and no problems with any of the other wounds. We really didn't do much at all today, other than me getting a chance to take Gracie for a walk and also take the girls over to one of the local parks. The girls had a great time playing, and even made a new friend, while they were there. We only stayed for about an hour, and then headed back, and I received no protest for leaving early. The rest of the day was spent taking care of things around the house and not doing much anything more than that. I did make a quick run to the grocery store, and fixed an easy dinner of meatloaf (Turkey), so all-in-all we had a very nice relaxed day. Thank you, for all the continued support and prayers. Take care and stay positive.

This is the 923rd post for this blog. I have not posted every day, though I have posted on most days. I hope most of the posts have been informative, and have helped to keep people aware of what is going on with the recovery and healing of Jason. Today is the 3rd anniversary of the incident, and both Linda and I remember it very well. It changed our lives and things have not been, nor ever will be, the same again, for any of us. Jason suffered catastrophic injuries, and by all rights, he should have died. Thanks to the intervention of the medical teams along the way, and God's hand keeping Jason's life viable, we still have him here and probably the more amazing aspect is his attitude and outlook. Despite the loss of the lower half of his body; despite the continued pain that reminds him every day; despite the ongoing poking, sticking, pulling and cutting he has to endure, he has a very positive personality and it shines through. We have met some amazing people along the way,...

Today started out with me getting up and going for a short run. The real good news about that is that my achilles tendon has not been giving me any trouble or pain, and I can get out and move a little again. The down side is that my running is really short runs, and I have a long way to go to go out for a 10K again. Other than that, the morning was fairly uneventful... and that's how I like them. Linda took care of Jason while I took off to go to the pharmacy at the hospital. I was expecting to pick up a tube of ointment for Jason, and when I arrived they handed me six. Actually I was happy to see that much, as I didn't want to have to keep going back and forth, every time I ran out. Jason stayed in bed today, thus completing two full weeks, since the surgery. The healing is coming along well, and he is still in good spirits, though really wanting this to be done. We do get to head over to Wound Care, at the hospital a couple times a week, as they want to do the wound care th...

Jason had an appointment with Wound Care today, so we had a relatively busy household this morning. First we had to get the girls to their respective schools, and that went very well, and without incident. Getting Jason to his appointment wasn't quite so smooth. First thing I did, after getting breakfast done, was to call the transportation folks, and found out that they didn't have any idea what I was talking about. Well, perhaps I should clarify that, and say that the person I was speaking with didn't know that an ambulance was supposed to be scheduled to come and pick up Jason, to get him to his appointment. I thanked him for his time and immediately called the hospital and got hold of Ellen, the social worker, who assured me that the trips were set and that I should be able to just call and ask for them to happen. She called the ambulance company and then called me back, to let me know that all was as it should be, and that the person I was speaking to was simply unaw...

I woke up first today, and again found Jackie in bed with Linda and I. It was so cute that I couldn't disturb either of them, so I edged my way out of bed (its one of those TempurPedic types, and you don't feel too much when your partner moves - sorry didn't mean to sound like a commercial). I was up and dressed in a matter of a few minutes and went down to get Stacy going. Stacy has a more strict time for arriving at school, so I worked with her to get things going. Actually she was great and she was up and dressed in just a few minutes as well. While I got her breakfast and made her lunch, Linda came down and asked how she could help. I let her know that I was just about done with Stacy, but she could help with Jackie. All this time Jason was listening in and occasionally shouting out commands about not forgetting this or get Gracie out to the back, or whatever was on his mind. Jason didn't have an appointment today, so he got to just relax and stay in bed, though my ...

Today started out well, though a little different. It was already after 07:30 and I hadn't fixed breakfast yet. I knew I had to get something going because Jason was scheduled to go into the hospital for his appointment. Well, we were all up and all had eaten breakfast when the ambulance arrived. We didn't expect them until 09:15 at the earliest, and they arrived at about 09:10, so we were all pleasantly surprised, though caught a little off balance. Linda was getting supplies together, as well as the two blankets we had brought home this past Saturday. I hadn't put my shoes on yet (I enjoy going around in my bare feet) so I had to get that done quickly, while also finishing getting everything packed up for Jason. I rode with him to the hospital and that was the end of the "fast" part of the day. Once in the hospital we walked over to Plastics and Wound Care (they share an office area) and they took Jason to a room. I was just sitting there with him, waiting on ...

A very pleasant day for everyone. It rained like a good mid-western thunderstorm, for awhile this morning. When it let up a little I went over to the gym, to get some cardio work in; I didn't get as much as I wanted as I don't like being away from Jason for too long right now. In another couple of weeks it will be considerably better, and then I can go for a better work out. We didn't have to go in to the hospital, as the wound vacs all seem to be functioning like they're supposed to, and tomorrow Jason gets back on schedule and will be heading to the hospital for a SCHEDULED appointment. He is in pretty good spirits, though he would probably like to have a few more visitors. Cynthia Queen, from the Presbyterian Church that we've been to a couple of times, came over for a nice visit. She also brought over some flowers and a copy of the UT (local newspaper) that had the article about the Gary Sinise Foundation concert at Balboa, and it had a picture of Jason. Other...

A very interesting day indeed. I woke up at 04:00 and went down to check on Jason, since I wasn't comfortable that I really can't hear him very well, up in our room. It is also a concern because of the wound vacs, and I am not pleased at how they have been performing. Actually, Jason calls me, via the cell phone, if he really needs to get in touch, so I am never more than about 30 seconds away. Anyway, I went down and sure enough a couple of problems were starting to show. I reset the vacs and it seemed like they were working again, so I went back up to try to get back to sleep, at least for a little while. I was back down at about 07:00, and again the vacs were not working correctly, only this time they would not recover/reset correctly. I spent several minutes working on it and finally called in to the hospital. I spoke with one of their corpsmen, who knows the vacs and we trouble shoot as well as we could. I told him what steps I had already done and he finally said he w...