Discharged From the Hospital

The nurses have shown me how to change my own bandages on my arm. Changing it twice a day will pull off a few skin cells from around the wound site and encourage the skin to continue to grow inward toward the center until I am all healed. I have gained a lot of mobility back in that arm allowing me to bend, flex and use my muscles in more directions each day.


I have already been discharged from the hospital as an out patient. I have begun to in process the local Warrior Transition Unit (WTU). That is a special unit in the army where your place of duty is to make your appointments with doctors and your mission is to get well. I live in the barracks now and have been issued a cell phone and laptop computer. My number is 210-548-7384.

I arrived at the WTU just as the weekend was begining so I did not get to fully in process and I have not yet met my case manager. The case manager is the ultimate authority on what happens and when. I am trying to get moved to the WTU at FT Carson, CO now that I have seen the vascular surgeon here. Some people say that I should be able to move very quickly, while others say it may take months to get me transfered. Ultimately, it is in hands of the case manager as to what happens. It is possible that the administrative work that would have to be done to get me moved would take so long that I would be on my way back to Afghanistan as a fully recovered soldier by the time it would be approved and in effect.

Hopefully I will gain some useful and trustworthy information on Monday when I meet my case manager. I will keep everyone posted on what I learn and what Tricia and I are planning to do as the situation develops.

I went to the PX after lunch and spent the $250 that the Army gave me to purchase civilian clothing. I was able to get three pairs of jeans, 9 shirts and two new hats. I will soon get a new issue of uniforms to replace all that was left behind me.