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Mystery-ak has been twisting my arm to post my trip to Walter Reed - where I met up with 4 other FReepers from the DC Chapter. So here goes........

Five of us from the DC Chapter of Free Republic met to see Sgt. Santos. It seems his wife had flown in from Ohio and is staying in Malone House - free lodging for Military families while visiting their loved ones in the Hospital. (Similar to the Fisher House, for those us with Navy backgrounds.)

A Wardman said that he was either down eating dinner or up on the 6th fl. using the computer with his wife.

The four others from DC Chapter had to leave - turkeys in the oven and all that. I had nowhere else to go, so I took the magazines that kristinn had bought to give to Sgt. Santos, and waited.

About 45 mins later, I finally found him back in his room with his wife. He knew immediately that I was from Free Republic! The others had left a bag full of goodies on his bed - bumper stickers, a flag and other stuff - I'm not sure all of what they had in there!

I gave him the magazines kristinn had given me, but he only chose 3 of them, said to give the others to others! I handed him a bag of small size Hershey's chocolate bars (from Halloween) and he took one. I told him, "this is NOT Halloween, you can take more than one." He took 3. And his wife took 3 and put them over on the table of his only other roommate.

Sgt. Santos is using a Walker and expects to return home to a VA Hospital in Ohio in 2 weeks. He is very concerned about the fitness quals he will have to go through, to stay in the Army and I told him that we would pray for him. He looked really pleased when I said that. (REQUEST --Kayak, please add Sgt. Santos to our prayer list? - pray for his complete healing. He wants to stay in and continue to serve his Country!!)

I asked him to tell me about the accident - and he did. I had trouble not crying -Nov. 2, working as a Flight Engineer, moving at 140 MPH at about 200' above ground, and gets hit my a SAM. I took his hand and told him how sorry I was that his chopper had been hit, that he had been injured and that he was going to have to live with the memory of those who didn't make it; I also added that I wanted to thank him for serving, and that I would pray that his Army career could continue, since it really appeared to me that is he making a spectacular recovery.

He was also pleased when I told him that 1 SGT Mike Milam had told me to come and see him. "That's some special guy", he said.

His wall now is full of cards and posters. Frankly, I saw only one bouquet but didn't think to check for a card or ask if it had come from one of us.

While waiting to talk with Sgt. Santos, I met several other solders. Waiting in the area waiting room (or whatever they called it- oops just remembered - "Day Room"), I seemed to have a ministry to Father's who had to leave their son's rooms while some kind of nursing attention was being paid to them. I gave them some of the candy I had brought, and with two of them, prayed for the health of their son and for his recovery. Frankly, the Dad's were more concerned than any of the soldier's I talked with!

I really had trouble getting "rid" of the magazines kristinn had given me, and the bags of candy I had brought. I started going into rooms and leaving a magazine and multiple pieces of candy when I saw an empty bed but a clearly used room. I finally dispensed them all.

Now I have a special request. A wife I met told me about her husband, David, who retired Nov. 2002, and was admitted to Walter Reed on Sept. 5th, 2003, and is still there. He has cancer in his back and it is terminal. He hopes to go home Dec. 12th, for Christmas but most likely will be readmitted to the Hospital shortly after. He doesn't have long and his kids whom I met in his room, don't know that the cancer has returned. 44 years old, and he may not live to the end of the year. Only barely one year of retirement. I was struck by this family. Billy Ray Cyrus visited the Hospital last weekend and sat on David's bed and sang "Some Gave all", accompanying himself on his guitar. There was a autographed picture, dedicated to David, hanging on the wall. (BTW, his kids are 12, 10 and 6 months.)

Also, I learned that a month ago, Sec. Defense Rumsfeld had toured the entire hospital, visiting with everyone in the Hospital!!! EVERY ONE!!! That must have been some day-long visit.

I plan on going back over the weekend. But more importantly, after family has left from the Thanksgiving weekend, I'll be going back to visit others.

One final good report - this Ward 58 is practically empty (Neuroscience). That's extremely good news. And some of them who are still there are being released this Sunday. Yeah for empty wards!