Stryker Brigade News

His eyes are doing well and we will know the final results by the end of next week. With the last surgery he is now done with all of that stuff. Hopefully from now on it will just be rehab and no more surgery.

Things are getting pretty tight around here and I am working on getting additional help from some of the agencies that assist families. It is amazing to me how much paperwork it takes to get anything done. It sure would be nice if there was a Go To Dept. that would coordinate everything. Oh well, at least I am not bored.

I have started working part time for my company back in Oregon, which is really great. It takes a bit of time to get back into the swing of it but it sure makes me feel better. (The afternoons can be very boring here at times when there are no appointments to be at)

Michael and I have been having some great talks with Paul Wolfowitz at the friday dinner at Fran OBriens here in DC. A couple of great vietnam vets run a restaurant and donate their space to wounded vets each friday and it has turned into the best kept secret in DC. LOL. It is just their way of giving back to the troops by letting them get out of the confines of WReed. The DAV, VA, Wounded Warriors Project, and Military Order of Purple Hearts play a big role in making sure the troops have a good time. (great food too by the way)

Anyway, enough about that, on with the rehab report. The great news is Michael started phase four of his treatment so we are on the downhill side. He sent his arm off to the mfr today and will get it back next week all finished off and tailored to his dimensions. Next step will be the artists painting his arm and hand to be an exact copy of his right one. It is amazing to see how lifelike the artists make these things look.

Once the arm is back and he completes the last tests for the electric arm, he will be given the body activated ones. He will get two different types of these body powered ones. The new one is made by a different company but it does a bit more and is lighter in weight than the other. The final installment will be the cosmetic arm which does nothing but look real. Not used by many who have them, but they have their place during certain situations.

It looks like we should be able to get out of here in about four more months, if all goes well. Michael has yet to decide if he is staying in the Army or retiring. We hope to meet with the reinlistment officer next week to see what options are available. We filed his VA paperwork last friday to make sure they have it on file. Easier to do while here than trying to get things done back at home later. I can not say enough about how great the DAV is about getting the word out to the troops ensuring they do not sign the wrong stuff and get whats coming to them. These guys and gals deserve more than we can ever give them but it pains my backside to see how easy it is for some of them to slip through the cracks and be forgotten. Grrrr.....

I have posted a number of new pictures in our gallery the last few days, check them out when you have time. Some of them are from the different museums, monuments and fun areas around DC. Our trip to the Pentagon was especially fun and emotional and one I will never forget. James Davis, who works there, met us at lunch and presented us with a great momento of the visit. The department head signed it and we took some pics. Some of you will remember the Christmas time contest the Pentagon had when they decorated their doors. James used some of the pics from the gallery here about the good things in Iraq and I believe it took second place. It was an emotional event to say the least. Many thanks to James and the people at the Pentagon for their attention to all the troops during our visit. We were very fortunate at the timing of our trip as all the four star generals except two, were in attendance for a conference. I have never seen so many stars in one place. To date, there is only one four star general I have not met, maybe I will meet him before I leave here. :-)

The weather is starting to get a bit better here in DC so we hope to get out to see some more sites soon. Our afternoons are pretty much free except for Michael going to the gym. He is chomping at the bit to get back into shape. 'john j' is back at it again and wishes Sgt. Gentile and Williams were around to head to the weight room. ;-)

Well, gotta get to work and check on momma bear back home. Georganna is doing ok, but still needs to have some recovery time before she can travel. Say a prayer, we need her here as soon as possible. My daughter Andrea is doing such a great job being the grownup back home. Even though she is daddy's princess, I know she is a woman who can handle anything now. I am so blessed and can only thank God for all the good people I have come into contact with in my life. My stryker family is the best and we can not wait to meet more of you as time goes by.

Regards,
Mike Oreskovic
p.s. YO, TODD, CONGRATULATIONS DAD! WELCOME TO THE GROUP OF CONSTANT WORRIERS. LOL.