Saturday, November 10th, 2007

9 PM Washington D.C. time.

Patty and I met David and the medical team at 5 AM this morning on his ward. They were busy getting everything together for his flight. At 6 AM the bus finally pulled out for Andrews AFB for their 9 AM flight with David and 1 other patient (who was able to walk onto the bus on his own) as well as Patty and a team of 3.

Patty called briefly from Scott AFB, where they spent two hours on the ground loading and unloading patients, although Patty had to stay on board.

She finally called about 3:30 PST to say that they were on the ground at Travis AFB. They made it, but it was a very long and hard trip for both. David was agitated, hot and sweating, and found it hard to breathe.

Tonight they are staying in the hospital at Travis AFB, Patty in housing on the 1st floor and David on the 3rd floor on a regular (non ICU) ward. Patty is pretty in tune with David and she insisted that he was not breathing normal, even though they thought he was. They finally gave in and traded out the inner tube of the tracea, and he was fine. If they would just listen to the moms! Patty said that David nodded yes a few times today. They will be picked up by a team from the Palo Alto VA Hospital about 9 AM tomorrow.

An exciting bonus for Patty is that Kristie Olson, a friend who used to work with her at Twinhill Elementary, now lives up in Vacaville and was able to get on base and bring food to the starving Patty and see David. Hopefully they will be able to hang out and catch up on all of the gossip. Not that they gossip.

I will catch a taxi in front of my Fisher House at 4:30 AM tomorrow, and fly out of Reagan International at 7 AM for Ontario, CA. Then my plan is to drive a car up to Palo Alto on Monday (very early) and meet them about noon.

So things are moving right along as planned, finally. We know that your prayers have a lot to do with that. Thank you, and please continue to keep David in your prayers.

Steve