13 weeks and we are finally outpatient!

Today has been exactly 13 weeks since Justin arrived here in Bethesda. It's been an up and down roller coaster, but we can finally say that he is officially outpatient! The last few days here have been extremely busy getting ready for outpatient. Today we went non-stop from appointment to appointment, and tomorrow is a jam packed day again. Justin is making great progress and his doctors couldn't be happier. It is just amazing how much he has been through. 13 weeks ago (tomorrow for us since we didn't get here until the day after him) we walked into seeing him for the first time on a ventilator. Now 13 weeks later he is able to transfer himself and do things he used to before the injury.

Probably the biggest news today besides moving to outpatient is that Justin stood up on a leg for the first time today! The right leg is still not cleared because the skin graft isn't healed. This morning they casted and took the impression of his leg, and at 4 pm today they put Justin on the tilt table and put on his left leg! It was such a happy emotional experience! To see where we started to where we have come is just amazing. We owe so much gratitude to the doctors, nurses, corpsman, Marines, the Marine liasons, friends and our fellow Bethesda wounded warrior families! We also thank our family and friends at home because we couldn't have done this alone.

Now Justin is going to start really working hard. Since he is finally medically healthy he can start really focusing on therapy. There are still going to be some huge challenges ahead, but he has a very positive attiude. Standing in his leg today was such a huge milestone for him. It was also very heavy and added extra pressure to the bottom of his stump. This is something he is going to have to get use to wearing. He is definitely excited to have a leg though. There is a chance he may walk in the parallel bars in therapy tomorrow with the one leg. Hopefully the right leg will be cleared soon so he can beginning walking on his own. The leg he had today is higher than the shortys will be when he is offically cleared for the right leg. We are hoping in the next month or so he will have both legs.

Thank you again for the continued love and support I know I say this all the time, but we really appreciate it. We seriously can't thank or repay everyone for all the support we have received.

Enjoy the pictures!

 Justin and Mike

Justin and Mike with Caitlin the Occupational Therapist