Team Me

While we were at Walter Reed, a man got on the elevator one day with a golf bag. There were several eagle heads sticking out and I wondered what it was all about. A short time later, he came into Michael's room and informed us he was with a group of carvers that hand carved canes for wounded service members.  He had already given away all the ones I had seen sticking out but he promised to get one for Michael.  He took a lot of information and said we could expect to get one as soon as they could find someone to make it.  A man named Howard Walder is the carver that did this awesome cane for Michael.  It has his name, rank and unit on it. The date he was injured and the names of his buddies that were killed are on it. The medals he received are on it as well as the campaign ribbons he's earned.  The whole thing was done by hand and is a very impressive and an amazing piece of work.  It's too short to use as an everyday walking cane but I don't think he would use it that way even if it was long enough. He does think it's pretty cool.

  

Back on March 19th, I mentioned Michael got the telephone code for the PA system at the rehab center. He tried to get it from his computer instructor but she was too bright for that and wouldn't give it to him. One of the nurses (who didn't know who she was dealing with) accidently let the number slip one day and he instantly memorized it. He's been waiting for the chance to use it ever since and the other day his patience paid off.

While in class, he heard the PA click on and he was paged to call the nurses station (it happened to be computer class) and the instructor saw the look on his face and knew what was coming.  She immediately stated "I'm outta here" and left the room.  Michael dialed the phone and said, "I don't have the number to your phone but I'll be right there".  As he walked down to their door, he was cheered by a number of patients and instructors.  The nurse on duty said something like "Well, aren't you full of surprises?".  He got a real kick out of doing it and hit them again later that night.  Just about the time when everything was winding down, a voice came over the PA wishing each one of the nurses a good night.  He satyed in his room that time so he didn't get to hear their response but he knew they knew it was him.  I'm sure they haven't heard the last of it.

We really appreciate his sense of humor and how well he's adjusting.  He still struggles with braille but continues to work at it.  He is seriously looking forward to getting away from there and is counting the days till May 12th (his tentative release date).  We'll find out soon what the Air Force plans for him upon his release. We hope its a chance to come home to New Mexico and have no reason to believe it won't be. I know his mom is looking forward to being back at home and everyone here is looking forward to seeing him.