Our Alpha and OMega

Hi to everyone as I sit at the Embassy suites in Tampa that the Va suporters so generously donate. Rick is at Dustin's new house in Sanford (north orlando) with Sandy our new servic e puppy golden retriever in training. She is beautiful and doing quite well. Her list of places she has visted continues to expand. She patiently waited for 6 hours while Dustin was in surgery at Tampa General and has visited him in the neuroscience trauma unit as well. To catch you up, we went to a workshop at the spinal cord expo in Orlando and could not resist since there is such a need for puppy trainers. We also attended our first training with the trainer where we got her (New Horizons Service dogs) and she did quite well all considering the short time we have had her.

On another note, I guess I should back up. As always, it seems like a whirlwind but we all continue to press through. It was determined that Dustin has a rapidly growing traumatic brain aneurysm from the car accident and brain surgery was performed this past Thursday. They were not able to do a "coiling" which is somewhat an easy surgery but had to do a craniotomy (crack open your skull) and then through a very complex (more than they expected) teased out a bunch of blood vessels feeding the aneurysm before cutting its blood supply off. He came out of surgery after 6 hours of anesthesia and it was a bit disconcerting to say the least. He had a very long and difficult time coming out of this and had several seizures along the way. They had put him on the vent before he went into surgery and this is the last thing Dustin would ever want with all of the past repiratory trauma he has had. As of today, he is off the vent but still getting oxygen, coming back to his normal self and doing well. The poor kid has had no food for 5 days and they were about to reinsert the PEG feeding tube which had been removed a while back if they could not get him off the vent. Well, praise God, they didn't have to do that as he was able to get of the vent.

Today he had orange jello, every other bite with nasty smashed up pills in it . What a rude awakening for food. He drank some supplements and hopefully tomorrow they will begin to feed him again. Knowing him, he will not want the hospital food, preferring anything that anyone would bring him. Il'll work on that when I return tomorrow.

Well after brain surgery, the realtor was so nice to come find us in the Tampa General Hospital to sign papers for the house closing. We were not able to leave when we were supposed to due to the extended time to the surgery. So here we are in the hopsital McDonalds, puppy in tow, Dustin in recovery and us signing for a house. I suppose that is all in a days work for us lately. OUr realtor was absolutely the best, even convincing her husband they needed to discuss family issues so could he please ride to Tampa with her to meet us and they could accomlish 2 things at once.

We made it to the new house and it is really a dream come ture. NOt only is the house very accessible, but our neighborhood and neighbors are something out of the Beaver Cleaver era. Most have lived there all their lives, sharing yards, mowing etc. It is a very safe and comfortable place with a big fenced yard that Sandy runs with along with the neighbors lab. We were blessed to meet Tucker (Rick's son from Naples) and his new girlfriend and 2 children who drove up to meet us. We spent a fun day today at the Sanford zoo and then I headed to Tampa to see Dustin. He is much improved, mind is pretty clear with a little loss of memory at the present, but nothing rest, God and keeping people out of his brain won't cure. Once again, God has brought this kid through. We just keep adding another chapter to the book or movie that we hope Dustin will write some day.

Dustin is still in pain, most likely because he has not moved for 5 days, as well as they said to expect headaches for the next 6 months or so. I think not!! I talked to him for awhile and then left to come back to the motel while Rick is in the new house meeting cable people, contractors etc and dog training. He is the most awesome man in the world and I am proud to call him my husband! I will go see Dustin in the morning and then head back to Sanford. We need to buy a refridgerator and lots of house stuff. Rick and I are using this time to be very quiet (not hard with no TV, no internet (until today), limited furniture etc. It is actually really fun and probably we needed something like an empty house to make us stop. We look forward to holding hands, walking the town of Sanford and sleeping. I will plan to make the 2 hours trip a time or two more as I am not sure when they will transfer Dustin back to the VA. We actually really miss the VA and the familiarity that it has for us.

Until then, please continue to pray that all seizures are done, all anesthesia is eliminated from his body quickly, and that his strength, breathing, lung function etc will be perfected in Jesus name.

We love you all
mary pat