I would like to say that I am overwhelmed by the amount of support that I have received since October 15th. In particular, I would like to thank my brothers and sisters in IVAW who have been aiding me in my recovery here in Philadelphia as well as Chantelle, Larry, Geoff, and Robby who came up from DC to visit. Although it physically hurts to laugh, I have been doing a lot of it thanks to my IVAW family. My girlfriend, Liz, has been here every step of the way to make sure I am taking care of myself and I would not be well on my way to recovery if it were not for her compassion and strength. I also owe a great deal of gratitude to all those who have emailed and called with messages offering support in any way possible. To everyone, stand strong and let’s make sure that justice is served. To all veterans and GIs; let’s make sure that our voices are heard, let’s ensure that our brothers and sisters are getting the adequate care and RESPECT that we deserve for putting our lives on the line for this country and our Constitution.

Here is an update on my physical condition for everyone I have not had a chance to speak to personally…

I have spent several hours at the VA in Philadelphia and will be having surgery on Thursday, Oct. 23rd [today] to stop my eye from sinking into my sinus cavity. The lower orbital (cheekbone) on the right side of my face is broken in three places. My nose may be fractured but will heal by itself since it is not out of place. I also have scrapes, bruises, and significant pain in my ribs (the x-rays were negative).

Every day someone tells me how much better my face looks. The stitches are still in and look like they are ready to come out. The swelling has almost subsided but there is still a fair amount of blood around my eye. My vision is a little blurry sometimes but it should get better. I don’t have feeling in a portion of my upper lip, nose, and upper right set of teeth. The surgeons said the feeling might come back depending on what type of nerve damage occurred. It’s getting much easier to eat. I just have to make sure to stay away from crunchy things and to take small bites, as my mouth still won’t open completely. Sleeping isn’t exactly easy because I can only sleep on my back due to my injuries…but other than all that, life is good!

The surgery will be fairly straightforward (from what I can gather). They will go under my eyelid and possibly above my gums to insert a degradable reinforcement for my cheekbone. They will obviously be monitoring my eye closely for quite some time. I will do my best to keep everyone posted upon recovering from surgery. Again, thanks to everyone for your concern and support!