What We Now Know...

We will be in DC for the summer. The doctors are closely watching Chaz's elbow. Basically the elbow is holding everything up. But if we are patient we will be rewarded. The cadaver soon be ready and Chaz will have almost full function to right elbow again. His shoulder and wrist and hand are coming right along just fine. The nerve that goes to your pinky is damaged but he can still move his hand and can even grab a cup now.

When school is over I will bring the girls up here to live with us. For right now, we will stay at the Fisher House. I have already applied for the Army's ADA fully furnished apartments for families with soldiers with Chaz's types of injuries. The earliest we can get into those is May. I think we'll be here until January, but I am not a doctor. I don't want to be here that long, but that silly elbow likes to control the situation. The doctors said Chaz will be here for 4-6 months just for the elbow. His legs are moving right along and he'll have prosthetic legs soon. I have been told when we build our new home we need to build a leg room for all the legs he is going to have. Also we are waiting for Ft Campbell to finish establishing a program similar to the one here at WRAMC so we can finish our Army stuff there and move on with our new normal.

We will not be selling our home at this point. Our family needs to have a place to return to. I do not know all of the details, but I do know we have enough family and friends to support us and make everything work out. We cannot bring pets here so that will be another issue I will have to work out. Allegedly I will get to bring Chaz home on leave in June/ July. If so we will go to our home to see what else we need to do to stay in DC for the extended time. Eventually we will buy land and begin construction on our new home.

The other problem is WRAMC is closing down this summer/ fall. If Chaz was to be moved today we would go to Bethesda. But there's also a chance he'd go to Fort Belvoir, VA when this is all said and done. To be honest, the Army has no idea where they are sending us and this will definitely be interesting. Both facilities are set up like WRAMC and that's the important thing. Chaz will continue to receive the same level of care.

If we are here for the school year, the girls will either go to Fairfax County, VA or Montgomery County, MD schools. The Army will not allow Army dependents into DC schools. What does that tell you?!

Now you know as much as we do. Please pray that the right decisions will be made and Chaz will continue to heal as well as he has. One thing is for sure the Allens are going to have a great summer and we will be utilizing every opportunity we have to make this the best for us.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support!!
=) Jessica