Tuesday September 23rd

so I know we haven’t done this whole writing in the blog to keep you guys updated in awhile… and for that I must say, I'm regretfully responsible for...but any ways, now: I’ve started back up at Palo Alto again...I’ve been here, for maybe two months, maybe!!!...but this time so far it has been great for me so far, both career-wise AND, I’ve been able to see a bunch of people back here, I think the only ones I haven’t seen are the couple of the nurses that ended up leaving here after I left...but its soo remarkable coming back up here and seeing them all again! This may be a different program I’m in, but I still get to see everyone at some points throughout the week! but, since it’s a new program, it’s like I have taken three steps back just to take the next step forward!.... because back when I was here in 7-D(the more intensive care in-patient wing)I had just about all the freedoms I wanted! Like I could go out and walk around freely and not have anyone be following me to make sure I don’t get lost! but at first when I 1st got here, the nurses had to follow me around to make sure I didn’t get lost, (which I understand, it’s just for my own safety) but it’s just really weird! And annoying! So now, I haven’t been told that I could walk around freely by myself, but I just do it any ways! but ya, ne ways, so far, I have had ALOT of fun, just seeing people that were here before and meeting new people, for instance, a few weeks ago, I met this retired coronal in the A.F. and he is going to be setting up a digital photography program and he wanted some of my help, and since I’ve taken 2 years of it high school, it may have been a few years since I’ve dealt with that stuff, but it’s kind of like riding a bike, (which I did before I came up here for the 1st time!!! That was sooo cool!!! I’m actually going to be doing a long bike trip soon! It’ll be from San Fran.-L.A. I went to aspen Colorado from Sept. 14th-19th there we’re going to go on Monday when we get there; we are going rafting down the Colorado River, which was a total blast!!! Besides the fact the water was freezing cold! Then, on Tuesday, we’re going to go to a ropes course and horseback riding where we were able to get the horses to trot before and after we went on the trail! And on Wednesday...we were doing the exact thing I didn’t then after that a few weeks from now; we’re going back down by my hometown in southern California, San Diego! When we’re down there we will do more beach type stuff, like sailing, some kayaking, and so on. But I am going to be getting my license back, I think/hope, here so that I will be able to get out a this place when I ask to leave before hand and get a pass to leave, and I also want to see if I can get a military house type thing, there’s this place called shanadoa...and there is a long waiting list for that...but, I guess if you talk to the right people, that really helps a lot! So hopefully I get at least on the waiting list for that...

July 8, 2008

July 8th, 2008
I put this on my myspace for those of you that have one.... if not, then here it is:
So I was at church last Sunday, which was the best service I've ever heard! The pastor asked us if we would die for someone? Then he asked, would you still do that if it were a painful and gruesome death? That got me thinking. You know what, that’s true, and almost completely changes the way you look at it! Like would you be tortured to death for someone else? I was thinking, good point, would I go through what the Jews went through in that war just so someone else could live another day? Then he told this story of a military guy that was going through Vietnam. The other guys that were with him, but behind him, ended up having a grenade thrown in and land in the middle of them all. So, he decided in a split second to jump on the grenade and absorb the full force of the grenade! And I mean, how many people would be able to do that? Without thinking, but to just jump onto the grenade and suck it into their stomach! Now THAT is a TRUE friend!!! Not just one that acts like he is your friend, but actually IS your friend!!! Now, THAT is a noble way to go right there! I don’t care who it is! Or what they’ve done in their life! I mean he could have done the worst thing imaginable to me, but STILL I would feel so horrible for that, that I would live my life like it was his life. And just do things that he would like. So would you do that for anyone? And not just the grenade thing, but also just going thru something HORRIBLE just so that some person could live another day? That made me think about why I'm in the military. Would I really do that for everyone in the US? I thought about that real hard for the last few days, and you know what? I hope I would! I mean even the dirty bums on the side of the road! Would I die so that they would be able to drink another jug of alcohol? And you know what? They may just be doing that, but at least they’re doing SOMETHING! Anything is better than being dead! Well hopefully.... just think about that for a couple days!

June 25, 2008

Hey today we went BOWLING!!! But I had the worst game EVER. I got one strike and one spare.... but the strike that it gave me, I just threw the ball 15 mph! And it just gave me a strike.... I only knocked like 3 pins down...but for some reason it gave me a strike! But I got like a 40 something and a 50 something...Now I have an emotional management class, which is a stupid class! But yesterday I had a presentation class which is where you give a speech and do some research for the speech you're going to be giving. Pretty much it's one of the retarded classes that I have. Next, I had O.T. where we played the wii, which was fun! Then I had "menu planning" which was just a few of us get to make ourselves lunch. We ended up making beef stroganoff, which luckily one of the ladies knew how to make it; otherwise I’d have been screwed. Then today I had P.T. with a guy named Matt and one of the techs named Karen, which was fun. I had to do a bunch of push-ups and sit-ups. I did about 100 push-ups and probably 150 sit-ups! I had to switch in between, like do push-ups then rest till I walked over to the bench where I would do the sit-ups, so I have a little resting in between, but not too much....



Put this video on my blog. It’s the craziest video ever! This guy does a back flip on a wheelchair.
aaron fotheringham

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

so today was allight... i woke up a little late bc i didnt have an alarm on my phone to wake me up....but i made it to my first therapy on time! and when i was in there i met the coolest person that they have here! her name is carrie and she in the AIR FORCE!!! so thats half the reason why we hit it off pretty well. (shes married.) she has been in the Af for 8 years. her hubby is in the AF also. but ne ways shes pretty cool to talk to and hang out with.
but also i had to wipe down the lil padded beds with disinfectior stuff. but i had to do that with my left hand which was pretty complicated, but i did it! i was kinda suprised that i could do it but i just kept telling myself if i get my left arm working again then there will be no stopping me! lol and im down for ne thing that does that faster. so if you have ne ideas please lemme know.

Monday, May 5th, 2008

so since my parents arent on top of my blog like they used to be im going to have to do my own on here..... so, i dont know where they left off, but now im at casa colina, over by my house. its in the city of Pomona. its alright, but i liked the VA hospital in Palo Alto ALOT better! i guess ill just have to get used to this new place too. but its all sooo confusing how to get around and remembering where everything is at. so that sucks! AND there is this guy there that bugs the hell out of me! luckily God has given me enough patience to deal with him. as much as i have been tempted to just hit him, i have resisted to the best of my ability! this guy wouldnt even know that i cant stand him! im THAT good at what i do. but ne ways, new topic. the therapy there is pretty cool. the other day i actually ran! there was one of the few hot therapists behind me, pushing me to get up the speed. it was still slower than what i could have done b4 the accident, but hey! you gotta start somewhere. so as long as she is behind me pushing me the whole time ill be able to run. which i wouldnt mind, bc she is hott! but ne ways today i went kayaking in balboa bay. i was surprised that i could still do it! a couple of times i told my dad, who was with me, to stop paddling so i could do it alone. then i told him to paddle on the right side so i could paddle on the left and work out my left arm. other than this nothing has really happened except that while i was on my 30 day convalescent leave I got my old job at the movie theater back, which i guess the Air Force isnt supposed to know about.... so dont tell them. ill try to update you all as often as i can, but no guarantees. Also, let me know if its a good idea for me to post this, otherwise ill have to complain to my parents to start their job back up again. but its harder for them to know what to put on there bc they have to talk to me and get the information bout my life and what im doing.

David

Friday, March 14th, 2008

It is so great to have Steve and David home. I realized when they showed me pictures of the staff and friends at Palo Alto, just how much I miss them. They have played an important part of our lives the past few months. What great people, friends and professionals, they are! Thank you to all of you there for your warmth, kindness, friendliness, and medical advice that put David where he is today. Thank you God, for your promises to be there with us through the hard times and give us your healing and peace too. The journey isn't over, I know. But as I showed David off at work to another family of friends there, it was exciting to see the disbelief on peoples' faces of how great he is doing! David helped me at school, testing students' fluency and correcting Math Tests that have been sitting around for a couple of weeks! His cognitive skills seem to be doing great! He continues to be motivated to do things by himself. Continue praying for him to be motivated to work on his therapy homework too! I can tell this will be a challenge. Actually, he did lots of them today. We're going to hike tomorrow at the Santa Rosa Plateau I think. I'm excited to take him bike riding at the beach on the 4-6 person bikes soon too. (I'm not so excited to try to put everything away that we brought home from Palo Alto!) Wow, how can you leave with two overnight bags 5 months ago, and come home with 3 car loads full of stuff! LOL. Patty

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Today was the best day EVER! I got to go to school with my mother and talk to her students, and they asked me a ton of questions. It was soo cool. I answered to the best of my knowledge.... I was surprised at how they had so many questions for me. (Tomorrow I get to get up at the butt crack of dawn and go to school with her again.) Then to finalize the perfect day, I got to go to my old movie theater I used to work at and talk to the managers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like I'm getting to work there again! That's going to be so awesome! My parents think that during the 30 days I’m away from the hospital I should be relaxing and not exerting too much energy to do anything hard. So I had to tell them that working there again would be more relaxing than anything. Plus, it’s a great way to see all my friends again! What better way to see them than to work with all of them again? So, I’m really excited for this. Not only will I be getting paid by the Air Force but I can make a little extra side money working at the movie theaters. I’m going to be rolling in the dough pretty soon....hopefully there is even more to come on the way! What a great story this is going to be for me to tell my kids.
David