Stryker Brigade News

He got all of them correct, some immediately and others took a while. We discussed getting a device called "I am Sam" that allows persons like Scott to communicate. She said she didn't think Scott would need it yet, so she won't order it now. After this, they played a game of Sequence. The object of this game is to play cards from your hand on a board made up of pictures of the cards, putting a colored chip on the board location matching the card played until one player gets five in a row (victory). Julie arrived just as the game was getting underway and she gave Scott hints until he understood the nature of the game. We had to call the game early as it was time for lunch.

There was a special lunch at the Fisher House today and Tiffany was there. We were supposed to go, but there was no way we could get there and back before a meeting with the social worker scheduled for 12:40. We all managed to get there. Scott was able to clearly express his desires with respect to discharge from the hospital and convalescent leave. Basically, the plan is for Scott to get 30 days convalescent leave. He wants to leave here soon and go to Escondido for the holidays, then go to Ft. Lewis sometime after New Years' Day and spend the rest of the leave there. The team wants Scott to have 24 hours a day supervision and to have therapy, particularly Speech Therapy, while he is on leave. The social worker will attempt to get therapy set up at Madigan Army Medical Center at Ft. Lewis or at the nearby VA facility at American Lake. The social worker said to plan for discharge on December 17th. We agreed a departure on the 18th would give us more time to get Scott discharged and ready to travel. There will be a team meeting, including all of us, on the 15th. Tiffany and Julie will likely leave on the 16th, Julie to go home and get things ready. Tiffany is going to drive down from Washington. (Excuse me, I have to go put the clothes into the dryer now. OK, I'm back.) Scott and I will fly out of here on the 18th. We don't have a reporting date to Walter Reed, yet, nor do we have a date for the cranioplasty. Whether Julie and/or I go to Walter Reed in mid-January depends on the date for the cranioplasty and whether or not Scott needs some advocacy there, as before.

By the time Scott arrived at PT, he was not feeling well. We tried to determine if this was due to positioning his head wrong, his recent illness or some other cause. He was upset because he couldn't do much and returned to his room after telling the other Speech Therapist he wouldn't be attending a session with her.

We went back to Scott's room and found a package from Todd at Strykernews. Inside was a hooded sweatshirt for Scott and a "onsie" for Alyson with the Stryker vehicle printed on them. Scott was very delighted to receive these. There was also a very thoughtful note inside. Thanks, Todd, for everything you've done and do everyday for the Stryker Family. I've got to wonder if you had any inkling what was going to result when you first started posting articles on the new vehicle.

Dr. Champagne came by and talked to Scott about the "issues of the day" including his not feeling well earlier. We discussed the planned body X-ray to locate other shrapnel and the visual field test (the results of which no one seems to know). He was feeling better at the time and was talking about as clearly as he was at the meeting earlier today. I went to PT and tried to talk them out of scheduling Scott over the weekend, but since they've got a new ankle brace they want to try out, I decided he probably ought to go on Saturday. He's off the hook for Sunday.

I returned to the room and discussed this with Scott. He seemed ok with it, so we packed up and walked over to the Fisher House. Once there, we discussed plans again briefly. Julie wanted more time to get ready for the holidays than two days. I suggested she invite some of her friends over to help and have a little "work party." After a bit, Julie and I left so the kids could have some family time.

It occured to me that these updates will have to end one day. The updates will probably become less frequent, even intermittent at times. This will be especially true during the upcoming period of convalescent leave. I know some of you very much look forward to them, but the sooner I can stop writing them the happier I will be. This will be because Scott has returned to duty or has improved as much as he's going to. I suppose they will sort of taper off until I stop writing them one day. So, if there isn't an update one day soon, let's say "no news is good news."

Besides, I think I'm about out of ways to make Physical Therapy sound interesting (Sorry, Jim Sibbet).

ST