The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[ladyhawke]

Words can't express the respect I have for all your loyalty and support.

The prayers must be working, Jim had the chest tubes taken out so he's in a lot less pain, and getting better every day but the loss of so many of his brothers is crushing to him and I'm sure to the families of those young men.

My sister and BIL are still in Bethesda with him.

[Nancy]

My Lady ~

Thank you for the recent update regarding Jim - we will know better how to pray for this special young man and for the families who have lost their sons.

God bless America and our armed services!

[dlr2424]

May God Bless him ...his family......and provide them all with much needed strength...........my prayers are with you...........

Donna

[mytime]

LH - Everytime I see Jim's picture I cry. So many families are making so many sacrifices but it is easy to forget b/c we get so caught up in our day to day. Please let him know how truly grateful we are for his service and to your family. As always - they are in my prayers. Mytime

[ladyhawke]

I can say how truly fortunate we are to have Jim with us.

Yesterday was a good day. Jim sat in a chair for the first time. Additionally, he walked a few steps! They removed the remaining two chest tubes, which was a source of great discomfort. No word on the ENT doctor, regarding the hearing in his right ear. While I was on the phone with Madelon, I could hear the doctor talking, advising them that they will probably start "downsizing" the trach in the next few days. Jim is still unable to talk at this time but is using a dry erase board to communicate. News keeps changing about how long Jim will be in Bethesda. It sounds as if he will spend more recovery time there than I last posted.

More details regarding the condition of his comrades from the humvee and the events from the day of the explosion, some from Jim and some from the other two survivors. Both Cordova and Turner are also in the Naval hospital. My sister had a chance to visit both men and their families. Tuner shared this story with Madelon:

When the humvee exploded, he and Jim were ejected in the same area. As he looked over and saw "the doc", his faced covered in blood, he dragged himself towards Jim. He thought Jim was dead or dying. He said he laid next to Jim because if he was going to die, he wanted to be with him in those last moments. Let me tell you what courage it took for him to crawl towards Jim. Tuner lost an eye, has extremely serious injuries to his arm and severe shrapnel wounds to his legs. Turner was overwhelmed with relief to know Jim was alive. What does it say about the courage, strength and friendship these men share? (Turner was riding in the front of the humvee with Grahm, the soldier that was killed)

The guys have not seen each other yet, all to unstable to move around at this point. I know they are anxious to meet again face to face. Jim had an unexpected visitor yesterday. In to his room hobbled Vic Lewis, another corpsman from Cleveland. Vic was injured a few weeks ago with a leg injury and has been recovering in Bethesda. Madelon said it was a special moment . . . she stepped out of the room allowing them to talk and catch up on their own. I know Jim found great comfort in seeing Vic. There is no way we can understand what these guys have been through and are going through, as they can with each other. I think being with each other is an important part of their recovery.



Also, Jim said that had it not been for his kevlar vest the soldiers have to buy with their own money, $1,000 he doesn't know how bad off he would have been.


Thanks, my dear friends for all your love and support for these guys.

[LuzInIt]

Good Morning Lady - I haven't had a chance to get to know you well yet due to online tech problems here, but as I'm trying to catch up on all that is happening with my Medi Friends I had to pause and add my prayers and best wishes for Jim and his family. Tears are running down my face as I'm reading your latest post and imaging the horror these young soldiers face, not only at the time of injury, but for so long after as they recuperate, and in many cases, need to learn a new way of life because of their wounds. I can remember back at the end of the Vietnam War when movies and documentaries came out detailing what went on and was appalled at my lack of real awareness and concern for the casualties and tragedies as they were taking place. We became accustomed to the body count every night on the news, and for most of us, gave it little thought after a while. I vowed it wouldn't happen again but it is so easy to go about our daily lives and not pay attention (unless of course it is one of your own in harm's way and we now do have a young friend serving in Iraq). Then every once in awhile, something jumps out and grabs you and shakes you to the core. For me it was a recent special on injured soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. For a week I brought it up whenever possible in my conversations; that not only are we dying in the Middle East, but these brave injured have such hard and altered lives ahead of them. We must be aware, we must pray, we must not let their service and sacrifices for this country go unrewarded and unregarded. Thank you for bring Jim to our attention and for the reminder that we all owe a huge debt to our military and civilian personnel, who put so much on the line. Sorry for rambling so, just my way of dealing with this fresh dose of grief and tears this morning for the sacrifice of your nephew and his buddies. I cannot believe that with as much money is spent by our government on crap, we cannot provide our soldiers with every single article of protective gear for themselves and armour for their vehicles to provide optimum protection. What better use of our monies!

[ladyhawke]

At Haditha Dam before the injuries:


Rev. Malmstrom, Jim and Vic Lewis - enjoying a little chow. Jim said he "slaved for 6 hours making sauce".

[Nancy]

I am thankful Jim was wearing his Kevlar vest.

Ladyhawke, I am shocked that our men and women have to buy their own gear...

The prayers are going up, up, up and he is getting better!

[ladyhawke]

Yes a lot of people are shocked to learn they have to buy the vests with their own money.

Jim's doing better every day, the tubes are out and he is able to eat now.

He had Veal Parmesan my sister brought him and wanted some wine!

He did not get the wine in the hospital.

[prata1973]

Hi,

I am fairly new to the forum and finding my way around. I am just reading this and I want to say along w/many others this family will be in our thoughts and prayers. I am sure at one point or another we all know how strong the power of prayer can be so pray it is....
Sincerly

Angie Prata & family

[Mommy2girls]

Ladyhawke (Celeste),

I'm just now reading this, (sorry I misssed it before) and I just want to extend my prayers for this young man and your entire family. I'm so glad his recovery is going well, and I hope he continues to heal quickly. I'm sure there are many, many rough recovery days ahead, emotionally and physically, and I simply cannot imagine, only pray that God can lead him. I have a very dear friend who's husband was injured severly in Iraq in late May 2003, he lost an arm and that is just the beginning of a long list of ailments. Their road to recovery has not been good and I don't ever think their family will be the same (sadly.)

My thoughts, prayers and THANKS go out to Jim and his entire family.
Sheila

[ladyhawke]

Sheila we will never comprehend what these guys have gone through and what sacrifices have been made we struggle with our weight and to us it is a big thing, it seems inconsequential to what they have done.
Sorry to hear about your friends Hubby, may God Bless Him and for the family I pray for a calm heart at least.

Michael and I are off to Cleveland today, Jimmy got his Purple Heart Wed at the Cleveland Airport the press was waiting for him, tons of them all my family was there and they brought them into a conference room.

Jim looks good from the pics,(a little like the Unibomber) with his hair and facial hair grown out, forgive me but it's just what he looks like.

Pics update later.

[Nancy]

Ladyhawke ~

Thank you so much for your update about Jim and the whole family. What an awesome thing to receive a Purple Heart and for all of you to be there. A medal will never repay the thanks for what he and all the others have done for us and we know it will not repair the physical or emotional trauma of war but we rejoice in this celebration to recognize the valor and courage displayed for our benefit.

Hope you and Michael have a great time and we pray that Jim continues to heal - inside and out.

[aimalasplace]

Ladyhawke,
I just read about Jim, I am glad that he is doing so well. I believe in the power of prayer and this could be a great example of it.
I really hate to think about all the pain and suffering that these healthy young men/women go through in war. It take a VERY strong person to give their life to defend our country
God Bless Them All

[ladyhawke]

Thanks again ladies, we spent 4 days in Cleveland with my family, I was unable to post the pics here so I sent them to our beautiful Nancy for Unca to post.

The pics are of Jim getting the Purple Heart at the airport when he arrived home in Cleveland and the other one is at a party my oldest sister had on Saturday at her house.





He has permanent hearing loss and if you note the white bandage at his neck is where the schrapnel went through, I guess there s till air coming out of that but he has all his limbs and is alive.

In every interview he immediately mentions his guys from the 325th Battalion that he trained with that gave their lives.