11 month update

Today marks 11 months since Justin was injured. This past month has been a busy one. We started it out still on convalescent leave in Florida. It was a great time to get away, spend time in the sunshine, and get together with family and friends. Justin’s left leg continued to heal and the swelling from his surgery started to go down. When we got back to Walter Reed, wound care checked it out and were happy with how it was looking. A week after we got back, Justin participated in a fly fishing tournament with Project Healing Waters where he and his teammate placed 3rd. Two of Justin’s buddies from the Walter Reed chapter were on the team that placed 1st. It was a fun weekend all around, and we enjoyed the beautiful weather and spending time with some awesome people. He got back and looked in the mirror and remarked that he was starting to look more like himself again. That was the first time he’s said that since he was injured. It’s amazing what relaxation, time on the water, and a little sun can do to help a person feel better. The following weekend, we went to Sharptown for Justin to try to get a turkey. The turkeys must have heard that he was coming because they all were hiding. After an unsuccessful morning of hunting, the guys went fishing and Corey reeled in some nice sized catfish. I ran some (kid free) errands with Kim. It was a nice, relaxing weekend. So thankful for our friends in Sharptown who always make us feel welcome when we come to visit.

Another big step Justin made over the past month was getting off his painkillers. With the recent surgery, we were concerned that he’d be taking a few steps backward with pain management, but in fact, it ended up helping him. The doctors switched him from the pain med that he was on to a different one. They did it in such a way that he didn’t experience the withdraw symptoms. With the new med, he took as little of it as possible while keeping the pain under control. He needed so little that he was able to completely stop taking it without any problems. Now he’s down to just nerve med once a day and a few vitamins. HUGE progress! Because of being off the pain meds, he’s feeling so much better. He’s been hitting the gym most mornings before PT and OT. It’s so great to see him feeling so much better. Our friends at the tournament who hadn’t seen him since December comment at how much better he looked, and our friends in Sharptown who saw him a few days after he was released from the hospital last month saw how much better he looked in just a short time.

This week has been busy for Justin with his therapy. He asked wound care if he could start walking sooner than the original timeframe. They agreed that his leg was looking good enough that he could as long as he was careful and didn’t overdo. His leg was re-casted since it had changed shape a bit since those two weeks he had it before. His physical therapist has been very careful to make sure he doesn’t mess up his leg. Hopefully there won’t be any more setbacks and he can just keep progressing toward the “new normal”. Please pray that his legs continue to heal and grow stronger.

 Once again, I want to say how thankful I am for the non-profit organizations and the people who work for/volunteer with them. I try to focus mostly on the positive things because there’s already so much negativity in this world, but this life we’re living now can be downright hard sometimes. Sometimes it’s a constant battle with people who try to make things more difficult for us, likely not out of spite but out of ignorance for our needs…and in some cases out of laziness and not taking the time to do their jobs. In the midst of the stress of dealing with Justin’s injuries and the frustration with other things around here, the non-profits come in and can really turn things around. It’s not just the main purpose of the various non-profits, but the relationships they build with us. Project Healing Waters is a fishing organization, but it’s so much more. It’s about the people who give of their time to come to Walter Reed or take the wounded off the complex and help them relax and encourage them. They truly care about Justin and his progress and they’ve been there for him since we first met them. Heroes Haven started out as a hunting trip which Justin enjoyed, but the biggest blessing for us is the friendships that we’ve built and knowing that getting a break from Walter Reed is just a phone call away. Sharptown truly has become our haven when we need to get away. The people there have made us part of their family, and while the hunting is something Justin enjoys, it’s so much more. The America’s Fund/Semper Fi Fund help with financial assistance for families, but they do so much more. They also care for the caregivers and treat us to dinner every month. They give us a much needed break and give us a chance to unwind and get to know each other away from the hospital complex. They also have become our friends and encourage us along this difficult journey. Operation Ward 57 realized that building 62 is a bit lacking for kitchen furnishings and filled the gap with small appliances that aren’t always necessary but do make life easier. They keep track of the soldiers’ progress and regularly share in the celebration of “Alive Days” (what they call the anniversary of the injury – the day they almost died but didn’t) which are celebrated more than birthdays around here. The Wounded Warrior Project has a mentorship program that Justin recently has joined. A Vietnam veteran came over to talk with Justin and will be helping him work through some of the confusing aspects of things here. He was in the Army and was an infantryman. Like Justin, he hunted when he was younger and still enjoys fishing. He gave Justin some really good suggestions and will be following up on our questions. I think he will be a big help since he’s been there and has two Purple Hearts to show for it. He’s also mentored several before, so he’s got a good idea on how things are now. This is just a small part of what these organizations do, and just several examples from the groups that have helped us out just in the last month. There are so many more, and they all care. They fill the gaps where the hospital complex, the military, and the government are lacking. Many have been there with us from the beginning of this journey and others have joined us along the way. They share in our successes and help us and encourage us when there are setbacks. Every wounded warrior and every caregiver has a different (though sometimes similar) story, and each has been helped differently and by different non-profits, but I think they would all stand with me in saying how thankful we are for them and the work they do to make our lives easier.

the Walter Reed crew