Gru Update

It sounds like each day is getting a little better. We will continue to pray that the progress continues to be good and that a complete recovery will come soon. If anyone can overcome all the obstacles, Gru can!

Greetings Family and Friends,

I sincerely hope that this letter finds you all doing well and blessed. As it leaves me, it leaves me doing much better than the last letter.

First off I would like to send out thank yous.

First I want to thank God for allowing me to survive the accident. During that first weekend in the hospital, I did have a doctor tell me that had it not been for my size and the healthy condition that I was in, I probably would not have survived the accident. So thanks to our Father above for not taking me home on 6 Feb.

Thanks to Ursula and my princesses. I always imagined me being the breadwinner and taking care of them, and now here it is they have to adjust their schedules to take care of me. Now of course the unconditional love they have for me they do not see it as a sacrifice, but I just wanted to publicly thank them.

Thanks to all of you. The emails, the prayers, the cards, the phone calls, and the build-a-bear (which resembles my current condition) have truly lifted my spirits and I appreciate it all of it. Ursula has taped your cards to my “hospital room” in the house, so I see them when I lay down to sleep and when I wake up in the morning. Hats off to Rich Thompson, that card had me rolling that it started to hurt my pelvic injury (lol).

As for my present condition, I’m getting better by the day. The progress is slow, but that is fine with me. I don’t want to rush this recovery so that I can come back just as strong, or better, when I fully recover.

Some of the improvements: I can lift my right arm above my head without assistance, I am using the wheelchair less and less, and I am able to complete the exercises through Physical Therapy which includes riding a stationary bike. I can also get myself dressed and undressed, to include put on and tie my shoes, as well as take a shower on my own. Some of these improvements are within the last two weeks.

Some of the still need improvements: lifting my legs on my own when lying on my back (i.e. the leg spreader exercises or flutter kicks). Because of the pelvic injury and the doctors having to split those muscles to repair, my doctor states that that injury will need the full six weeks to repair.

Lastly, I want to ask that you all send up an additional prayer for Evan McQuiston and the men and women that have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan that are in his situation. Evan was struck by an IED while serving under my command in Iraq. He is about to undergo more surgery and I would like for you all to say a prayer for him. Thanks.

Well, I have rambled on long enough. I just wanted to say thanks and provide everyone with an update.

Take care and God bless,

‘Gru