It's a strange thing to see a strapping, young, 23 year old soldier walking with the stiffness and uncertainty of a 93 year old OLD man. It's even more strange when it's your brother.
He looks normal. Until he gets up and takes hold of his zimmer frame and tells you he still can't climb the stairs because he just doesn't have the strength. He LOOKS like he has the strength but I take his word for it. Shuffle Shuffle.
It was about a month ago now that Brendan fell 30-40 feet off a ridgeline in the mountains of Afghanistan and suffered severe spinal/neurological injuries. The first phonecall came while I was in Boston visiting my sister. Brendan had been injured. He was being evacuated to the hospital in Germany. It was bad. Concussion. His spine was damaged. We didn't know to what expect.
There is nothing worse than "not knowing". "Not knowing" allows for imagination. It allows for worst-case scenarios. It allows for uncertainty and fear.
What followed was an intense period of waiting as we each waited for our phones to ring and for updates to be given. The army/hospital would call my parents, my parents would call me and my sister, I would call my husband, he would call his family.
It was like we were all suspended on one, long, inhaled breath. But can he walk?
He could not.
At first.
But then, a little involuntary movement. In his sleep. The nurses saw it.
All the tests came back with positive results. Nothing severed or broken. A miracle. But he still couldn't move his legs and was having "seizures". He would be kept in Germany until they decided he was stable enough to be sent back to the US.
About to head off on her own big, adventure in Sudan, my sister decided a detour was necessary and went to stay with Brendan in Germany during some of the worst days of initial recovery. The effect of her visit on the spirits of my brother were visible to all the hospital staff. They were reflected in the improved state of my brother's health. The seizures abated and Brendan was given a departure date.
Family, in times of crisis, are essential and irreplaceable.
Back in the US there were more tests, more hospital exchanges but little by little (or rather a lot, depending how you look at it) Brendan has improved and recovered and is now at the Shepherd Hospital in Atlanta in the "Brain Injury" department as part of the Share program. A program constructed to help him get back to full capacity, mind, body and soul. He is loving it. They give him counseling for the PTSD, they are helping improve his cognitive skills (he said his brain is slow and he can't remember stuff), they are working with him physically - relearning how to walk, regaining strength and balance, they take him through ocupational therapy and make sure he can take care of himself. He's doing great.
I'm here because the hospital have asked that he have someone with him 24/7 and it's my turn. Mum has been with him for weeks and this week is my week. We've all had turns. Ashley went to him in Germany, Mum and Dad have been with him throughout his movements in the US, Amy has been with him for two visits, and we're even getting Derrald down this weekend.
With some time to reflect I have felt several things:
~ incredibly grateful for whoever has been watching out for my brother and that he is as lucky as he is
~ family support is worth it's weight in gold
~ no matter how hard we think our lives are, someone else has it harder
~ a sense of humor makes all the difference
~ amy's friends make the best cookies ever
*sorry, no pictures this post... i'll try to get some for the next one.
You are such a good sister! (And wife, wink wink)
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