Update: 9:30am on 6/8

The Forrest has landed. Forrest’s medical jet touched down at Charlottesville Airport at exactly 12:30 midday. It was on time and I was there waiting for 44, Rae and Austin. It was nice of Forrest to let his Mom and Brother come along on his private jet. A waiting ambulance gathered up Forrest and Mom and we all headed to UVA Medical Center. Austin rode with me and told me that they had thumb wrestled during part of the trip. Aunt Tricia loaded up the remains of the Atlanta apartment and spent the day doing the long drive from Atlanta to VA. He was sleepy and tired from his trip and wasn’t very responsive for most of the day. He indicated through finger raising to Austin at one point he was bored and I’m sure he misses his team from Shepherd that he knew so well and always kept him entertained. Austin and Mom went out and bought him some games and Mom worked on securing housing.

It was nice to see some familiar faces from UVA and he was ushered to his nice spacious room, his 21^st different room since this odyssey began, his first room being three floors down from where he is now. He is still struggling with the remains of the nasty respiratory condition and still dangerously low on reserves and energy. He is still struggling with the stiffness in his muscle that has plagued him for the last several weeks. He has had some intestinal difficulties in the last several days which at one point threatened to stop the transport but seems to be doing better currently. He has some clot abnormalities in his arms but so far no major complications. We spent part of the early morning meeting with the UVA neurosurgery team and talking options and timing of cranioplasty (putting the lid back on). Everyone is agreed that he needs to be adequately over his last infection before we proceed on to the next step.

It bears noting that our modern medical system that has supported Forrest and his “won’t quit” attitude thru a dozen major complications. All of these treatments and medication have side effects and consequences not easily foreseen. So we approach each step with caution but never the less we must continue to move forward to progress.

So Forrest has made it back to Virginia and we hope the next few steps will go more smoothly than the last couple months. We look forward to getting 44 going again but acknowledge that it is a long road.

I repeat my quote from an earlier blog.

"No sense wishing for what we had, the past is already gone. Let us instead hope for what may be, for tomorrow anything is possible." Forrest’s Dad 2011

Thanks to all the help from Shepherd Center and all of Forrest’s friends and family. We continue to welcome your thoughts, prayers, posts and support.

Dad and Team 44

Saying good bye to part of the awesome Shepherd team

Distracting Forrest playing "Angry Birds" on the jet ride

Transferring from jet to ambulance in Charlottesville, VA