From his Dad:

Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 9:02 PM

At 5:00 PM I had an opportunity for a long talk with Jason’s nurse and then I had an opportunity to talk with the surgeon who had assessed his condition and cleaned his wounds.  The good news is that although Jason is heavily sedated he is communicating through nods to the nurse’s questions.  However, because he is heavily sedated he will remember nothing about his treatments and travels until they reduce the drug dosages. Nurse and Doctor assess him as stable, good blood pressure, heart rate is good, temperature is normal, there are no internal injuries and he has movement in all of his extremities. 

The negative news is that he is on a ventilator (which the nurse says is normal for someone heavily injured).  The Doctor said that there are three main injury areas.  First, they amputate his arm below the elbow but if there is not enough soft tissue for a prosthesis they will be forced to amputate his arm above the elbow.  They want to keep the elbow if at all possible.  Second, some bones in his face seem to be crushed and it may require facial surgery.  Although Jason has facial swelling and maybe some broken facial bones, according to the nurse the facial injury does not seem to be too bad, i.e., ears, nose, eyes, mouth and hair all intact. A specialist in this area will examine Jason tomorrow.  Third major injury is to his both sides of his buttock.  This injury required surgery in Iraq and will require more surgery.  However, wound should heal.    The only thing that seem worrisome to the nurse was that they still needed to give him blood which she immediate assured me was normal for extensive injuries.

I ask the Doctor directly about Jason’s overall condition and what kind of recovery that could be expected.  He said that main concerns now were blood clots and infection but the Doctor said he is very unlikely to die.  Second, that Jason could have a full recover but it will require one or two years of surgery and physical therapy. 

Jason will be surgery tomorrow and we will have more information about his condition about noon central time.  He if remains stable the Doctor intends to have him flown to Walter Reed hospital on Tuesday.   They may keep Jason sedated until he arrives at Walter Reed.   Katy, Lisa and I will meet Jason at Walter Reed later this week.   If Jason stays at Walter Reed more then 30 days that will become his home military base.  Once he is recovered enough to leave Walter Reed, Jason will go before the medical review board they will decide the extent of his disability and he will be referred to medical care at his home address for any further treatments (i.e., right now that is XXXX).

I will keep you posted.  Katy and I have appreciated the notes and calls of support.

From my brother (Jason is the son of my wife’s brother, Brad is my brother’s son):

Brad has had a picture of Dad’s combine you took many years ago with Jason in it. That picture was on our wall in the trailer, but has been on Brad’s wall since we moved into the house. The kids only know Jason as the boy in that picture.