Stryker Brigade News

Next up was RT where more assessment was undertaken and then speech therapy. The therapist is going on vacation next week (I think he said he's laying low at the house--a good plan!) and he introduced us to the person who would be taking care of Scott's therapy while he was gone.

From speech, we went to OT and more assessments. One of the tests was very important because it led to the discovery that Scott lacks feedback from his right side. This means that unless he is looking at his hand, he does not know where it is in space. The test involved having Scott close his eyes and then do with his left arm and hand what was being done to the right by the therapist. He came close in a gross way (arm up or down, for example), but was unable to do anything specific unless he opened his eyes. Another test had Scott matching the object in his hand with a set of objects on the table. He couldn't do it unless he was able to view the object in his hand. I guess the good news is that he did perfectly on the tests with his eyes open. Some persons are unable to do that. What this means is that if this perception (meaning how the brain handles the incoming signals, or sensations) recovers, Scott will be able to recover the use of his right side quickly because he will know where those fingers are and know if they're doing what they're supposed to be doing. If this does not come back, he may need to change dominance to his left side. The Dark Side, as I tease my sinister friends.

The ward where Scott is has a patient room converted into a small dining room where patients can eat with families and other patients. Today, we took advantage of this and it felt like we were in a family setting again. It felt pretty good to me and I think Scott enjoyed it as well. Scott waited in his room while the rest of us went down to get our lunch. Then we all ate together and talked a bit.

After lunch, Scott had some time to relax before PT began. We rolled him down there in his chair, but he got up and began walking between the parallel bars on his own while waiting for the therapist. The therapist came with a new helmet for Scott to look at. Scott took it and put it on (without even checking to see if the thing would fit). He said it would need some modification first and was assured this was possible. The therapist said she would have someone come by to measure and fit him for a helmet to see if he liked it. The helmet looks like what you would get if a hockey helmet mated with a World War 2 German paratrooper (Fallschirmjaeger) helmet. Watch the History Channel and ESPN and use your imagination until I get a picture of it for you to see.

The first PT task to be done today (and the last, as it turned out) was a test of his balance. He was supposed to sit up on a mat and put on a pair of goggles that had a camera showing his eyes. He was then told to lay back on the mat, but almost immediately sat back up and took off the goggles. He appeared to be in severe discomfort and wanted to lay back on some pillows quickly. As upset as he was, some important information was revealed by this test. Scott may have suffered some problems with elements of his inner ear (nerve or physical or both are possible) from the bullet passing near it, severing nerve connections or shocking them off-line. Scott is experiencing a vertigo-like sensation because of this problem. The therapist explained that particles (which help you maintain balance in one way) in the inner ear may have been moved (by the shock) into the areas where fluid helps you maintain balance. There is a treatment involving moving the patient into various positions that can help these particles get back to where they belong, but Scott couldn't tolerate seconds of the test, let alone two minutes in each of four positions. However, there is a substance/medication that can block these disturbing signals from reaching the brain (and causing the nausea, dizziness ,etc.) which might be helpful to Scott during the process. It may only need to be done once and if it works would restore his sense of balance. There is also a chance of causing him physical pain from the position of his head (and the nearly exposed brain therein). A simple case of the treatment being worse than the disease. If the problem lies with the nerves, Scott may always have the problem and need to learn some way to compensate. Or it could just go away with time.

Bets on which we hope it is?

Anyway, this now explains why he had a problem at PT that day at Walter Reed. It wasn't that he hurt his brain from bending over, it was that doing so made him feel like he was falling or made him dizzy or whatever it is that's exactly happening. Scott can't describe it for us as well as we'd like right now.

The usual "treatment" for this sensation Scott gets is to lie down in a quiet area with low lights. Eventually it passes and he feels his (modified) self again.

As Scott was recovering in his room, a friend of mine from GHQ models (www.ghqmodels.com), Jim Moffet, came by with some nice things for Scott and to see how he was doing. Jim was "our man" with the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, if you recall. Anyway, a proper greeting and introduction was made. Jim brought Scott eight 1/285-scale models of the Stryker vehicle, an M-1 tank, a Bradley, some HUMMV's and some Toyota trucks (for ING forces or insurgent technicals) in a nice carrying case. Better to push military vehicles around for OT than picking up nickels! We discussed the next generation models of the Stryker and the variants thereof. Jim made us some gracious offers of assistance that we will be sure to take advantage of in the near future, especially once Scott is able to get up and out of the hospital occasionally. Jim was also kind enough to loan me his copy (autographed, no less) of a history of the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. I will be careful with it, Jim. I promise!

After Jim left, we watched some television and then Scott eating his dinner. He's eating pretty much everything they give him here and we're happy about this. There's something about seeing your kid eat again that makes you feel they're going to be okay. As things were going fine, Julie and I left to give Scott, Tiffany and Alyson some family time together.

By the way, this is being written on Yahoo with an AOL dial-up connection. This is my least favorite way to communicate, but you shouldn't blame your tools...

ST