Hola!  Como esta usted?

I am well; hope this finds you the same.  

In case you don't remember, my name is Jesus Cristofer Ventenilla.  I live in San Gabriel, Puerto Rico, with mi familia, but I have been here in Nashville, Tennessee, undergoing a rigorous regimen of physical, emotional (mental), and occupational therapy to help me get back on my feet again.

It has been hard, but the payoff is wonderful.  I am no longer sitting in a wheelchair, feeling sorry for myself.  I am now walking again, under my own power!  I am still using the crutches, but hey: at least I'm getting more mobile each and every day!  It's still painful, but pain pills (and hot baths in the pool) sure do help take the edge off somewhat!

I lost my legs (one below the knee, the other, above) in a bomb blast in Iraq.  I was a part of "Operation Enduring Freedom" when I was injured.  It's a miracle I wasn't killed, but I paid the price.  I will no longer be as I was and at first, I was incredibly depressed, but I am working through that and it's been a godsend.  God has given me another chance and I am learning to lean on Him to get me through whatever I may face.

In short, God is my Crutch.  He will help me stand when I want to fall over.  

I am happy to say that I will probably be leaving to go back home to Puerto Rico in a few weeks, just in time for Christmas.  I was supposed to have gone a few weeks back, but I developed a case of MRSA, and it set me back a little bit.  I am feeling much better, but I still feel pretty weak; that MRSA tried to knock the stuffing out of me.

I had Thanksgiving here at the hospital.  I did have turkey and all the trimmings, but I can think of better places to spend the holiday.  The nurses did their best to make it a festive affair, but let's face it: a hospital is still a hospital, no matter how you look at it.  And it ain't no fun to be in one on holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I have been keeping in contact with mi familia in Puerto Rico, and they are thrilled that I am doing much better.  I'm just sorry that Mami, Papi, or mi hermanos y hermanas couldn't come to see me when I was so sick with the MRSA.  Now that I am doing much better, the computer has been my constant source of contact with mi familia, be it on YouTube or on Facebook or MySpace.  I'm on it several times a day (like now).  Or I write in my journal, which is how I am doing this story, so you can see how I am doing.

Well, the vampires are here: guess they want some more of my blood.  I'm really surprised I'm not anemic by now, the way they keep poking and stabbing me, just to get a little vial of blood!  GRRR!  I guess that means I gotta go.  I will write in here again, and hopefully the next time I do, I will be home, in Puerto Rico.  Home.  What a beautiful word!!

~Jesus.

~To be continued.~