I am so sorry that it has taken a long time to post a real update today. Once I tracked Aaron down, there was a lot to hear from his exciting day in the hospital. Only Aaron could make a day in a hospital for severely wounded men sound like a thrilling adventure.
First off, Aaron has been told that he may be released from the Naval Medical Center as early as Wednesday, assuming that a spot at Walter Reed can be found for him. If that turns out to be true, I will get a new address for him ASAP, but in the meantime, he is receiving his mail just fine and anything that he misses will be forwarded to him. Aaron's doctors and physical therapists are amazed by how rapidly he is recovering. He said that today, he rolled himself into his physical therapist's work space and hopped up on the table on his own power. After working for a few minutes, his therapist began asking him how long he had been at Bethesda. When Aaron told her that he had been there eight days, she said "Did you come from a stay at another hospital?" He told her that he only stopped off briefly in Germany, and her jaw dropped. Aaron said she told him "I've never seen any amputee in this good shape after only eight days!" And that seems to the common response. Aaron's rapid recovery and good spirits seem to be raising eyebrows all over the hospital, and for that, we credit God Almighty. He is the great physician, and he is healing Aaron. As the hymn says, "Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."
It sounds like there is just too much good news to report from Maryland today. Aaron told me that he was starting to worry about how he and Kelly will pay their bills when they are back in Starkville. Their long-term plan was that by the time Aaron got back home, Kelly would have graduated from college and would be able to work while Aaron finished school. Aaron's combat pay would have provided them a significant nest egg to use for emergencies. But the injury and recuperation period has thrown that plan significantly off track. Kelly has had to leave in the middle of the academic semester and will probably miss summer classes as well. So now it looks like Aaron and Kelly will both be in the process of finishing school for more than a year and have bills to pay in the meantime. Aaron told me that today, he was starting to get worried about how they would make ends meet while they are both going to school full-time. It's a legitimate concern, because although Aaron will receive disability pay, it's not enough to live on.
Aaron said he hadn't really verbalized that concern to anyone but Kelly when they got some wonderful news. Aaron has been recuperating along with a young man named T.C. Rawlins. (I don't know if I'm spelling that right! That just horrifies my journalist soul.) T.C. was a student at Mississippi State University before he was deployed. He and Aaron have been spending a lot of time together, and Aaron and Kelly have also gotten to be good friends with this young man's mother. Today, just as Aaron was starting to worry in his mind about getting the bills paid while he and Kelly are still in Starkville, T.C.'s mom told them that she owns and rents apartments in two complexes in Starkville. She told them that they are welcomed to live in one of her apartments rent-free while they finish school. Can you imagine? What a burden off of Kelly and Aaron to not have to worry about rent! But even more importantly, as Aaron said to me today on the phone: What are the odds that Aaron would be recovering at the same time as another Marine from Starkville, whose mother owns apartment complexes and is generous enough to give Aaron and Kelly a free place to live? There is no explanation for that other than the abundant grace of God. We are so thankful to Him. Needless to say, we also owe T.C. Rawlins' mother a lifetime supply of cookies or whatever else she wants. Aaron and Kelly will still have finiancial issues to sort out after all of this is done, but this is a great help.
And the news just gets better. Today, Aaron received a phone call from his entire platoon in Iraq via a satellite phone. After Ryan, these are the people Aaron most wanted to hear from in the whole world, and he was able to speak to each of them in turn. He was so encouraged by this, and said that some moments in the phone call were quite emotional, especially speaking to Corbin (again, unsure spelling), the Marine who wrestled Aaron from the wreckage of his Hummer, risking his own life while they were under enemy fire, as well as the medic who tended him immediately following the attack, probably saving him from bleeding to death right there, and one of his favorite superior officers, Mayer. Aaron has also been hearing from the friends and families of his original platoon from Jackson and that is also so encouraging to him. What a blessing for Aaron to be able to speak to these men and tell them what we all want them to know, which is that we will be forever indebted to them for their valor and strength.
Aaron also got to visit with a childhood friend from Yazoo City, Andrew Ewing. Andrew came to visit him and went to lunch with Aaron and Mom and Kelly and Rawling and his mother. Aaron said he was absolutely bowled over that someone he hasn't seen in years would drive an hour and a half just to visit with him. He really enjoyed that. Thank you to Andrew and many other people who know us from years past who have visited, and people who have never met us who have gone to see Aaron. Being the social animal that he is, Aaron really enjoys having visitors.
In terms of Aaron's health, there is also good news to report. Today, he had a CAT scan to make sure that he doesn't have blood clots in his lungs or legs as a result of being sedated and in bed for so long. We are thankful that the preliminary report shows no blood clots, which is good news.
We are so very thankful to all of you for your prayers. We know that they are availing much for us. Tonight, we ask for your prayers for several things.
First, Aaron would like to be approved for a transfer to Walter Reed as soon as possible. Once he is at Walter Reed, he will be able to begin rehabilitation, and that will be one step closer to going home.
Secondly, we are trying to form plans for Ryan's graduation from Marine basic training on April 8. Aaron is talking to his doctors about the possibility that he might be temporarily released from the hospital long enough to go to Ryan's graduation at Parris Island. On the day that we learned of Aaron's injury, Dan and I were looking at airline fares for me to go to the graduation, but those plans have been on hold since then. Now, what we are hoping is that the whole family might be able to attend the graduation. We so want to be there to support Ryan on this important day. In order for that to happen, Aaron needs to get a clearance from his doctors to go out of town. It seems reasonable to hope that this might happen based on his progress so far. Please pray that he will continue to improve enough that his doctors will feel confident allowing him to travel. After that, I need to find a way to get across the country on fairly short notice. We have a few ideas on how to make that happen, but we'd appreciate your prayers for that to all work out as well. It is possible that this may not happen, and if that's the case, the next best scenario would be for me to visit Aaron at the same time that Ryan comes to see him shortly after Marine graduation. I would prefer to see the whole family, but it is important to me to see both Ryan and Aaron if at all possible. Compared to the rest of it, these are minor concerns, but they mean a lot to us as a family right now.
After that lengthy writing session, I need to go to bed. I owe a great many of you emails and responses to questions, and I promise to catch up soon. Please continue to pray for us. God is good.