Stryker Brigade News

The doc said that if there is no more infection found, Monday's surgery should be the last one. Praise the Lord. Each surgery sets us back a couple weeks and it sure has been tough on us all. Michael has his ups and downs but for the most part, being attached to all that stuff bothers him the most. He said he would rather be back in the field than stuck in that bed another night. I sure hope all goes well.

ran into Cindy the other day, as she talked about in her message about Travis. Plane issues kept him in DC for a couple extra days. Poor guy looked really tired after that ordeal. I am sure glad they finally got him to Georgia and I wish him all the best. He and Michael had a great talk the other night. You could tell there was a bond between the two of them even though they were in different units in the troop. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

Kathleen from soldiers angels stopped by and was very instrumental in me getting from point A to point B this week. I am amazed at the amount of good she does for the soldiers and their families at WR and elsewhere. Their organization is definately a Godsend. Between her, Cindy, Liz and Anna, a few more ladies that donate more time and effort than anyone I know, I have started to relax a bit about the whole situation. I am so impressed at the number of groups from all over the country that dedicate so much time and energy to our soldiers. America is truly a great nation because of the people in it. I am proud to be an American, or as Cindy's shirt says: American Infidel, ;-) with a stars and stripes font. I gotta get me one of those one day.

Not sure if Michael will be able to partake in the Thanksgiving Day feast at the hotel or at the hospital yet, but we should know more tomorrow. I sure hope he can get out again, it does him so much good to be relatively normal again. I can only imagine what he is going through after being in the sandbox for so long and now not knowing how long before he can be home again. Can you imagine missing Fort Lewis and those relic barracks??? God bless them, they make a home where ever they are at the time.

Michael starts PT and OT again tomorrow, slowly this time, and no work on his left side for a week or so. They will be going over the mechanics of the bionic arm, not sure the actual name of the bioelectric one, but I guess it takes some training. Once he gets used to that one, then the body activated arm will be introduced. That is the one that most people are aware of with the hook type of attachments that opens and closes. I guess the main area of training is to become independent without the prosthetic devices and only use them as an addition to what can be done one handed. They stress this to show the patient that they can be independent without the use of any device, just in case the arm fails to function at any time. Makes sense I guess.

Being here at WR sure has opened my eyes to some amazing things, some of which are so simple and basic that it makes me say Hmmmmmm. Ever button a shirt one handed? How about tieing your shoes? think about it.... Now have someone hand you this simple tool on a small stick that has a wire loop that is partly spring loaded. Stick it through the button hole, grab the button and pull it through. Pretty slick and so basic in function that it works like a charm. Now to the shoe laces. Tie them once but us a shoelace that is elastic lined. Slip the foot in while loosening the laces by pulling on it. Once the foot is in, let go of the laces. Whella, already tied and looking good with a tight fit to boot.:-)

Time to call it a night, thanks for listening, via the written word, and thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers. It means a lot to all of us.

God bless and take care,
Mike Oreskovic
Proud Parent of a Stryker Soldier