When all else fails

Chapter 11

I start to come around and there is a lot of noise around me, I open my eyes and I realize I am in a field hospital. I don't know how long I was out or where I am. I try to sit up to realize I am strapped down to the stretcher. As I look down there are 3 straps across me, one over my lower legs, the next waist then finally across my chest. I notice I am hooked up to an IV I don't know what's being pumped into me. I feel the pain from before I passed out but its not as bad as before. The thing that concerns me the most, I can't feel anything from me waist down. I try to move my toes and there is nothing.

A nurse notices I am awake and briskly comes over to me pulls my chart at the foot of the stretcher. "I see your awake finally HN Fredrickson" she says with a small smile, like she is trying to disarm me before I blow up.

"where am I? How long was I out? What happened?" I croak out realizing by throat is very dry.

"You are at a field Hospital in Kuwait; you have been unconscious for 3 days. When you arrived, you where in critical condition. You where shot in your lower back and had to go in for emergency surgery. You are scheduled to be medevac'd to Germany in 2 days. I will have a Dr some around and explain the rest for you."

I lay my head back as a tear start to form in my eyes. My mind a swirl of emotion and thoughts of what happened. "Pvt Jessup, is he ok. Did he make it?"

"Yes, he is just fine. You saved that mans life. You both came in together you where the worse of the two of you. He has already been transferred to Germany you needed to be stabilized further before we could transport you."

"Thank god." I say more out of habit then any actual faith. "Is there any way I can get something to drink my mouth is so dry. And these straps can the go?"

"unfortunately, we can't get you anything to eat or drink just yet. And the straps need to stay. I can free your arms though." She undoes the strap across my chest allowing me to free my arms then promptly fastens it again.

"That would be appreciated thank you. Is there anything I can get to get a little moisture in my mouth ice chips anything?"

"I can get you a swab stick with a little water for your mouth but that's all I can get you"

"Please" I almost beg anything to get the dry cotton mouth feeling out.

"sure, thing I will be right back and let the Dr know you are awake." She turns placing my chart back. I lay by head back on the pillow placing my arms on my chest. I am thankful that Patrick was safe. Wondering the whole time what happened to me when I was out. A few minuets later the nurse returns with a small glass and what appears to be a white straw sticking out of it. She places it on the bedside table and turns grabs the chart and starts to notate something.

"Thank you" I say reaching over to grab the cup. As I look in, I see that what I thought was a straw is actually a plastic stick with a green sponge at the other end. I pull it out and place it in my mouth feeling the moisture instantly soak into the skin of my mouth.

"your welcome if there is anything you may need my name is Jannet. And the Dr will be here in just a few moments he is talking with another patient." I glance around realizing that I was basically in a long hall with a lot of other patients all around.

As I lay there I quickly loose track of time. A guy soon walks over grabs my chart and says "Its good to see you awake finally. I am Dr Soraski I am sure you are full of questions. I promise to answer what I can but if I tell you I don't know I really don't."

"thank you" I say after a moments silence. "what happened to me? Especially here. Last thing I remember was being drug by one of my Marines then waking up here."

"Well you where brought in a few days ago by helo. You had a gun shot wound that entered you lower back right under your flak jacket and traveled through your abdomen getting trapped in the front of the jacket. You where rushed into the OR where we found two of your vertebrae where completely shattered. Luck was on your side the bullet passed thought your abdominal cavity with out rupturing any of your intestines, there was some patching that we had to do that is why you can't eat or drink yet." He paused for a moment to let that all sink in.

"So what damage was done to my spinal cord?" I choke out as I start to get emotional realizing my life, my career was ended in a flash.

"We believe it was completely severed by the bone fragments. But there will be further testing in Germany when you get there. That's why you are still strapped down. We don't want you to move too much in case it wasn't severed. You are going to have to have probably several more surgeries one for curtain to fuse your vertebra. We are going to be getting you out of here in a couple days we just need to make sure you are stable enough for the flight. Right now, you have a catheter in place, so you don't have to worry about having to pee."

"I didn't even know. I can't feel anything from my waist down." I sob as I just can't hold back my emotions anymore.

"I am so sorry" the he says at a complete loss of words. "if you need anything don't hesitate to ask if we can get it for you, we will."

"Thank you" is all I can mumble as he places the chart back and moves on. The next days drag and fly at the same time. The nurse comes around those days and we form a fast yet short friendship. She really helped me come to terms with what happened and when I needed to cry just sat there holding my hand. When it's time to go, two aids come to my bed side with the nurse.

"well it is time for you to go." She says looking at me. "It has been a pleasure getting to know you, I hope everything turns out good for you. These two are going to carry you out to the transport and travel with you to the airport to load you onto the plane."

"thank you, thank you for all you did, and all the time you spent talking with me. I really needed the friend." I hold my arms out for a hug, she bends down and gives me a hug well the best she can do as I can't move.

As she pulls back, I see a tear in her eye. "you take care of yourself; I am glad I was able to be the friend you needed. I...... I needed it also." The aids take there positions one at the feet one at the head of my stretcher. They pick me up and start to carry me out. I reach out to take her hand one last time and out hands just brush as I am carried by.

The aids get me situated in the transport. There are 3 others in there already. When they close the doors, I feel us start to move, its an odd sensation laying and feeling a vehicle start to move when you can't see out. As we are driving, I doze off into sleep, that is disturbed by every turn and bump in the road as well as the dreams that have been haunting me since I awoke.

We stop and the doors are opened. As I look out the door, I see the nose of a Military transport plane that we will be taking to Germany. They start unloading the patients starting with me. As we exit, I see there are several other transport vehicles that where being unloaded as well. They place me in one of the racks and make sure my chart is tucked under my legs. They cover me with a blanket and leave. When all the patients where loaded the doors close. The Flight crew comes around checking to make sure we are all secured and to prepare for takeoff. As we start to taxy to the runway I fade back into sleep.