Visitation at
HealthSouth Rehab Hospital of Albuquerque
|
|
Visitation at
|
|
|
 Luke rides through the cafeteria for a light snack before gracing the audience with his presence at HealthSouth Rehab Hospital of Albuquerque. |
 New Mexico Congresswoman Heather Wilson discusses with Abel how men should not be allowed to wear spandex---ever! |
 After being rode hard and put up wet, AJ has to walk Bullet into the facility. It seems as though only a week's worth of riding is what it takes to break a good steed. |
 HealthSouth's CEO, Sylvia, asks AJ if she can use all her hot air to help blow up the rest of the balloons |
 After 2 weeks of air baths, Abel seems to be drawing more flies than people although he questions why nobody wants to sit anywhere near him. |
 Abel attempts to auction off one of HealthSouth's televisions in order to purchase a new tiara for the princess. He's quite tired of her hissy fits in the middle of the highway. |
 With 100 freshly blown up balloons afloat, AJ only has enough hot air left to sing one chorus of "Oh, I Wish I Was an Oscar Mayer Weiner." She's particularly fond of that song since she's an Oscar Mayer amputee (below knee--bologna). |
 Luke is still determined to find the most sanitary facility available. He figured if he crossed his legs, it'd give him 10 more minutes to try to find the sanitary-est bathroom in the joint. |
 DMO Becky is grilling Luke and Abel as to the whereabouts of a certain princess. Becky heard that AJ was searching the facility for a clean bed so she could get some beauty rest. |
 Luke slyly tricks Josephine into taking over his position as the chief petty officer overseeing the daily displacement of the belongings of the AAA team in its entirety by telling her that raising her hand was the new international greeting of all amputees. |
 AJ asks Dick and Josephine where she could locate the nearest tiara store. They should be able to afford a real gem since Abel raised $942 by auctioning off that tv. |
 Abel's family comes out in full force to support him hoping that, if they applaud loud enough, he'll think he's done speaking and turn the microphone over to AJ who is such a eloquent speaker. |
 Luke teaches Steve and Dick the appropriate way to hold a poster in front of a camera. |
 Amy, one of Abel's former therapists, twists his arm behind his back in order to make him smile when he sees her. We have to keep up the illusion that therapy is fun and we all love our therapists. |
 AJ, Pam, and Jonathan plot to give Abel and Luke haircuts. Jonathan can hold them down, AJ can cut the hair with the dog clippers, and Pam can supply them with hats when the haircuts look lopsided. |
 Rosie (a recent below-knee amputee) and Christine take a few minutes out of physical therapy to have a Kodak moment. After meeting the AAA riders, Rosie found a new sense of courage and strength that she'll need for the therapy process. |
 The AAA riders are swarmed like bees when they arrive at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center. Everyone wanted to know the secret of how to take an effective air bath and still come out smelling dirty. |
 Buddy and her canine companion are picture perfect. Abel, Luke, and AJ are not. |
 The day ended after a gracious welcome and marvelous visit with the staff and patients of Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center. Our thanks to Sylvia Brown (CEO) whose office walls are now completely covered with AAA posters of previous years, and Becky Childress, DMO with her helper Ramona, who stepped in and organized a great event for us. Our most heartfelt thanks to the staff and patients at both HealthSouth Rehab and the VA Medical Center for their kindness, generosity, and warm welcome. HealthSouth and the VA, we thank you for your support and appreciate all that you do for AAA and for your patients each and every day. |
|
|