Stryker Brigade News

Once Scott's lunch was delivered, Dan, Kellan (Dan's son), Julie and I went to the cafeteria to get some chow. After I finished eating, I got to chase Kellan around. Of course, he stopped at every wheel he found on his trip and tried to move it, push it or roll it (the kid is crazy about wheels).

When we got back to Scott's room, we discovered he was taking a nap with Alyson. After she woke up, Kellan got his turn with his uncle on the bed. He seems to know something is wrong with Scott as he's pulling his punches with him. Sometime later, a surgeon came in to discuss tomorrow's scheduled shrapnel removal. He looked at the spot, asked a few questions and departed. About fifteen minutes later, another man (a surgeon, a nurse?) came in to discuss the same thing. He asked some questions about drug allergies and anesthetic problems. Scott rubbed his head and said something like, "Well, there's this..."

Soon it was 3 p.m. and time for Scott to go to Recreational Therapy and for Dan and Kellan to say their good-byes. Kellan played with Alyson's feet waiting for his turn to be hugged and kissed. I went to help Dan get on the shuttle bus, which ended up being thirty minutes late, of course. By the time I got back upstairs, Scott was halfway through PT. He's getting pretty good at throwing that stuffed "football" while standing on a balance board. His balance is getting better all the time and I liked the arm motion (most of the time anyway) when he threw the object. I'm going to have to get him a real football one of these days.

After PT, we returned to his room. We all discussed the upcoming minor surgery (which went from a simple bedside procedure two weeks ago to full-blown OMIGOD SURGERY! to light sedation and local anesthetic tomorrow about noon). Scott's NPO (no food or water) after midnight, which does seem a bit heavy handed for pulling a half-inch square piece of metal out of his right thigh. I will yield to the experts just this once, though.

Julie and I left for the evening so Tiffany and Alyson could have some family time with Scott. While at dinner overlooking the Lego Assembly Area at the Mall of America (not quite a romantic spot for dinner), Julie mentioned that Scott checked his e-mails while at Recreational Therapy today. She said he became upset at seeing a photo of a friend and his daughter taken at the Cavalry Ball at Ft. Lewis recently. She told me Scott didn't tell her why he became upset, but I could guess. He wants to get out of here and go home. I have an idea how he feels.

ST