Posted by Jodie on May 22, 2009, 12:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Gibbons update: Jason had his first bath!"
66.215.57.194
Once again, we want to thank family and friends for your continued
support. We are very appreciative of all your good thoughts, prayers,
and many emails. So far, we have eaten a ton of cookies that you have
dropped off just to save Jason the extra calories (which he needs and
we don't)!
We have been in Wait and Watch mode for 2 weeks now and it
seems Jay needs another surgery which will be Friday morning (May 22).
They will amputate both his feet which will really be much better for his
prosthesis recovery. He continues to have a most wonderful positive
attitude, now saying, "let's geter done"! He is anxious to begin the
physical therapy calling it "two-a-days in the sun"! That was 20 years
ago but I guess you don't forget football 2-a-days ever!!
His right arm is great, ready for toughening up and then the
prosthesis. By the time he is conquering the right hand, the feet will be
ready for rehab. His left hand is coming along nicely, he's using it more and
more all the time. He will remain in ICU Burn Center for a few more
days before being transferred to inpatient rehab.
We spend most evenings with him and Kathy for dinner in the courtyard at the
hospital. Yesterday, Joe took him for the 'wheel around the hospital
sidewalk' and soon I saw them cutting across the grass which is not
easy to do in a wheelchair. They were hollering, "We don't need no
stinkin' sidewalk!" Why the chair didn't tip over I'll never know.
Sometimes you can't take the boy out of the man! The donor sites are
healing, his heart is bursting with energy, and he is eager to get
home. It is still a long journey for them, they realize the hard work
involved, but he wants to get back to NZ, is determined to surf once
again, and return to the Pole. Kathy is a godsend. Sacramento was
around 100 degrees last weekend. Kathy, the Polie she is, was drooping
by afternoon but soon recovered while Jason, recently living in an ice
cave, was enjoying the warmth. We are all graterful for the little
things! Give him another week and he will enjoy visitors. Be ready to
do rehab with him, he will love to arm wrestle with his new bionic
arm. We can't thank all of you enough but we do send our love to
each and every one of you. The joes
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