Today I thought of a friend who, when she was undergoing fertility treatments, looked in wonder at pregnant women. She knew intimately all that had to be in place for a successful fertilization to take place and decided it is amazing that anyone gets pregnant at all.
As Seth's "plumbing" slowly comes back "online," I have had similar thoughts. We all go about our daily lives without having to give much thought to our digestion, etc. etc., and yet it really is a delicate balance that, once thrown off, is difficult to bring back in line.
Highlights today were a visit from cousins who came bearing all sorts of healthful treats and, in just a bit of a contrast, a visit from some Hooters girls (not sure of the proper group term--a gaggle? herd? flock? Ah, a parliament is the group term for owls--maybe that works here). Who knew? Funny, Mom didn't get a photo to put on the blog . . .
Also, today, Charlie Trentleman had another moving column . I will make only one additional suggestion: please give blood. I don't have an exact number, but I can safely say Seth has received over 40 units.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
S-E-T-H, Gooooooo, Seth!
The Dilberian Cheerleader
This video really needs no further commentary--except to say, if someone knows how I can re-orient it, please let me know. (It was filmed on my Olympus digital camera, so pretty low-tech).
Bryan and Seth were surprised today by a visit from their fellow platoon member Garrick Zornes. Garrick was in Seth's squad, so he was on patrol with Seth when the IED went off. He told the guys some details they didn't know, and it was pretty rough for them to hear. Garrick is on leave and came up from North Carolina specifically to see Bryan and Seth. Thanks, Garrick.The only other thing of note is that Seth received two units of blood today because his hematocrit and hemoglobin levels were so low. We hope this will give him a bit more energy. When you see how much drainage is going into the wound VACs and consider Seth has had eight surgeries since we've been here, it's not surprising he needed blood.
Random Event:
- Unbeknownst to each other, Jerrica and I cut our hair.
TGIF
I knew Friday was going to be a better day when I entered Seth's room, and he greeted me with a smile and said, "I slept really well, Mom."
And so it was a good day. Seth received goodies and cozy blankets from friends and, the highlight, Jerrica arrived.
Seth got up in the chair again today. This time I stayed in the room while they moved him. It was quite the production, requiring four nurses. But the chair and the therapy went well today, and Seth came back tired but not in pain.
When I commented to Ethan about what a production moving Seth is, he replied, "But not as big a production as The Music Man." True. (Seth received the DVD of the Mathew Broderick version of The Music Man from some visitors yesterday and, well, let's just say he wasn't as excited as I was.)
And finally, as part of our documenting Seth's progress, a close-up of the pins in Seth's hand (and his comfy blanket).
What a difference a day makes.
And finally, as part of our documenting Seth's progress, a close-up of the pins in Seth's hand (and his comfy blanket).
What a difference a day makes.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Vicious Circles
Not a good day--and Seth didn't even have surgery.
Seth has a large, open wound on his backside; therefore, it is difficult for him to be comfortable sitting up. But he has to sit up so he won't get pneumonia, and he has to sit up to eat. His doctor's orders now are asking that he get up in to the cardiac chair twice a day. This entails a painful move from the bed and back, and, of course, sitting up. Today when he got back from his "trip," not only did the nurses have to move him, they had to move him twice because they discovered his sheets had soaked through from his wound. They decided this would be a good time to bathe him, another very arduous ordeal of sitting up.
By the time I could come in the room, he was besides himself with pain and exhaustion. The pain came under control quickly, but I could not convince him to nap because he was worried about not being able to sleep tonight. He didn't sleep well last night, which contributed to the difficulty of the day.
Seth is also under what we might think as enviable orders to eat as much as he possibly can. However, this is a heavy burden because he has no appetite and sitting up to eat is so painful. Almost every doctor who has come in in the last two or three days has nagged him to eat more, which then causes him stress and anxiety, which then makes it difficult to sleep. A vicious circle indeed.
As Seth was recovering from this ordeal, we were notified that the new Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, was coming to visit patients. Seth had no interest, but I decided I should take the opportunity even though I was in no state to meet anybody. Secretary Panetta was gracious, as most people who are in these kinds of positions are. I told him I wanted to ask two things of him: first, that the troops get ballistic underwear and second, that he make sure these guys don't suffer in vain. Ethan and I were photographed and one of his entourage took our names. He gave me a coin to give to Seth.
The bright spots of the day were the physical therapist's work on Seth's foot helped it to start looking like a foot instead of a blown up rubber glove, having Ethan here, and hearing from Charlie Trentleman that his call for donations to operationward57 had brought in $3700. Wow.
Seth has a large, open wound on his backside; therefore, it is difficult for him to be comfortable sitting up. But he has to sit up so he won't get pneumonia, and he has to sit up to eat. His doctor's orders now are asking that he get up in to the cardiac chair twice a day. This entails a painful move from the bed and back, and, of course, sitting up. Today when he got back from his "trip," not only did the nurses have to move him, they had to move him twice because they discovered his sheets had soaked through from his wound. They decided this would be a good time to bathe him, another very arduous ordeal of sitting up.
By the time I could come in the room, he was besides himself with pain and exhaustion. The pain came under control quickly, but I could not convince him to nap because he was worried about not being able to sleep tonight. He didn't sleep well last night, which contributed to the difficulty of the day.
Seth is also under what we might think as enviable orders to eat as much as he possibly can. However, this is a heavy burden because he has no appetite and sitting up to eat is so painful. Almost every doctor who has come in in the last two or three days has nagged him to eat more, which then causes him stress and anxiety, which then makes it difficult to sleep. A vicious circle indeed.
The bright spots of the day were the physical therapist's work on Seth's foot helped it to start looking like a foot instead of a blown up rubber glove, having Ethan here, and hearing from Charlie Trentleman that his call for donations to operationward57 had brought in $3700. Wow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Brothers
This evening, Seth's brother Ethan arrived. As we walked past the nurses' station, one said, "Are you Seth's brother? You look like twins!" Ethan gets to do the night shift for the next week. Thanks, Eth!
Today's surgery was almost six hours long. I don't know yet if they were able to get all the skin grafts done today, but the news I have so far is good:
Also today, the ceremony inaugurating the closing of Walter Reed and the move to Bethesda took place. There was lots of pomp and circumstance and, to top off the event, the Doobie Brothers in concert. Our nurses had never heard of them, if you can imagine such a thing. I didn't get to go, unfortunately.
Today's surgery was almost six hours long. I don't know yet if they were able to get all the skin grafts done today, but the news I have so far is good:
- the urologists said he is healing so well that they were able to take out some stitches
- his stomach wound is closed
- he is down to two wound vacs
- the wrap around his right foot was removed so we can begin physical therapy
- he came out of surgery so smoothly, it was amazing
Also today, the ceremony inaugurating the closing of Walter Reed and the move to Bethesda took place. There was lots of pomp and circumstance and, to top off the event, the Doobie Brothers in concert. Our nurses had never heard of them, if you can imagine such a thing. I didn't get to go, unfortunately.After the anxiety of waiting through another surgery, the feeling I am left with is gratitude. I am grateful for countless things right now but mostly for Seth's remarkable healing.
I am also thankful for Charlie's continued advocacy on behalf of our soldiers. Here's today's column: Trentleman's Column Seth has already been a beneficiary of the groups he mentions.
I am also thankful for Charlie's continued advocacy on behalf of our soldiers. Here's today's column: Trentleman's Column Seth has already been a beneficiary of the groups he mentions.
Random Recommendations:
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- My Grandfather's Blessing by Rachel Naomi Remen (thank you to the friend who gave this to me before I left. I am so enthralled with it, I have been tempted to just retype several chapters as my blog posts)
Address
For whatever reason, our mail service has been spotty. I'm hoping that this revised address may solve the problem:
PFC Seth Pack
c/o Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave NW
Washington DC 20307-5000
ATTN: DON--WD 57
(Seth went in to surgery this morning at 7:40. It is now 11:40. I will never say waiting is hell again, but it is still no fun.)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
And the Truth . . .
Shall Make Me Cry All Over Again.
Today Seth felt up to reading the blog. After a few minutes, he turned to me and said, "You know you got this part of the story wrong now, don't you?" I asked him to explain because I obviously didn't know. He said that Private Waters was killed in another blast--the one that injured his friend Bryan Dilberian. Seth said, "I was the one with the metal detector, and I was the one who stepped on the detonator."
I'm not sure how these details change anything, but it made me cry all over again. Perhaps it was hearing them from Seth's mouth; perhaps it was now visualizing what was true rather than what was assumed. Whatever it was, it was hard--and Seth asked me if I wanted to hold his hand. Yes, yes, I did.
People talk about things like this as an emotional roller coaster. I'm sure that will be true at some point, but right now it seems more like an emotional Scrambler--the ride at Lagoon where you hold on as tight as you can but still get thrown against the outside of the car on the outside of each rotation. Your only hope is that someone bigger than you is sitting on the outside of the car.
The good news of the day is that Seth got out of his room for something other than surgery. The PTs came and put him in a cardiac chair and took us to the athletic training center where we saw some very amazing people doing some very amazing things.
Tomorrow is another surgery. Besides the usual cleaning and closing of wounds, they will begin the skin grafts. If all goes perfectly, they may be able to get all the grafting done in this one surgery. That is my current prayer because this is a very painful process.
Today Seth felt up to reading the blog. After a few minutes, he turned to me and said, "You know you got this part of the story wrong now, don't you?" I asked him to explain because I obviously didn't know. He said that Private Waters was killed in another blast--the one that injured his friend Bryan Dilberian. Seth said, "I was the one with the metal detector, and I was the one who stepped on the detonator."
I'm not sure how these details change anything, but it made me cry all over again. Perhaps it was hearing them from Seth's mouth; perhaps it was now visualizing what was true rather than what was assumed. Whatever it was, it was hard--and Seth asked me if I wanted to hold his hand. Yes, yes, I did.
People talk about things like this as an emotional roller coaster. I'm sure that will be true at some point, but right now it seems more like an emotional Scrambler--the ride at Lagoon where you hold on as tight as you can but still get thrown against the outside of the car on the outside of each rotation. Your only hope is that someone bigger than you is sitting on the outside of the car.
 |
| Seth out and about |
Tomorrow is another surgery. Besides the usual cleaning and closing of wounds, they will begin the skin grafts. If all goes perfectly, they may be able to get all the grafting done in this one surgery. That is my current prayer because this is a very painful process.
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