Life After -- (Author) archerstaley

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Author: archerstaley
Timestamp: Jan 3, 2019 at 6:41 PM
Content: This story is based on truth. I have changed names, and locations, etc, but it is a true story after that. Please be gentle as I don't have any writing experience.

I will be detailing my life after I was severely injured in the Army. I am don't want to give too much detail away here, so please read and I will be posting chapter regularly. If you see typos or errors please point them out please.

Awake

The world was hazy. I remember feeling numb but an underlying pain. It was like that throbbing you get with you cut the circulation off to your arm. It didn’t hurt but I could tell it was there. I couldn’t see. I immediately started to panic. I couldn’t move one of my arms. I didn’t know where I was, but I could hear beeping and bustling around me. Someone was there. I went to speak but it was just a whisper without voice. I yelled as hard as I could and just enough sound came out.

“Uhhhhhggg!” was all that was produced. I heard movement stop. Then a woman spoke.

“Hi! You are with us again!” the voice was soft and kind. She got closer and touched my arm. I immediately started to calm down. My heart no longer racing as I relaxed back into the covers on the bed.

“Sir, you are in Germany. You suffered many injuries, but are still with us, mostly intact. The medevac was able to keep you going once until you got here, but they said they almost lost you three times. Once you got here, we had to get you into the OR immediately. You had shrapnel, burns, and fractures in your skull, spine, ribs, and upper and lower left arm. That was 9 days ago. We have use rod and pin to keep you straightened out and healing. The head injury caused severe brain trauma and you were kept in a medically induced coma until the swelling had receded enough. Let me be the first person to thank you for what you did and for our service to this country.”
My mind was foggy. I didn’t remember us getting hit. I was confused and my heart started racing again.

“I can’t see” It just came out of my mouth. I had barely tried to say it, almost just thinking it, but it felt like the first normal thing in the last 10 minutes.
“Yes. You have a bandage on your head. The injuries have caused severe swelling of the face and forehead. We will look at getting it removed as soon as we can, but for now you will need to wear it until the neurologist clears it.” She was direct, but I could tell she cared.

“Can you tell me everything? are there others? What about the rest of my team? Has my wife been contacted?” I was rambling, and she finally gave a sympathetic “Shhh”

“Your wife is here. She is staying in the guest house on base. I will give her a call in a few minutes. It is about 3 am and visiting hours aren’t happening, but I am sure we will make an exception for her to get here at first wake up. As for your team, I cannot answer that, but you do have two escorts from your unit staying at the hotel. I will call them as well and see when they can get here.”

I relaxed again back into the bed. I heard he pick up a phone and then she started speaking. “Can you get ahold of his wife? He is awake and requesting her. Also, please contact Lieutenant Westfall and let him know as well. He has questions and I don’t have answers.”

I couldn’t hear anything on the other end. “They will be contacted and hopefully here soon. I must step out now. The door has a bell. When someone walks in or out it will sound and let you know.”
I just laid there for what seemed like only a few minutes when the door chimed.

“Sir, I am PA Adams. I was sent here by Dr. Stevens. He needs me to run a CT on your head to see if we can get the brace and bandages removed.”
I hadn’t even noticed the halo my head was in. It explained the throbbing and why everything seemed so heavy. I heard him snap some stuff around on the bed and then I was moving. We made it about 15 seconds out the door when I heard yelling. “I was told he was awake! I have been here for a week and watched him sleep for 16 hours a day! Now you either let me pass or pick yourself off the floor after I have.” Her voice, even with the angry shouting, brought the most symphonic tones. I instantly could hear clearly. It was as if the audible fog lofted, but I couldn’t locate her.

I yelled out. “Amber! I am here!” My voice was suddenly strong. I could hear a reply, “Archer! Archer! OH MY GOD!” I could hear her fast approaching but without a visual was still surprised when she put her arm around me. Now I felt the pain in my arm and rest of my body and winced with a gasp. “Sorry, but I need this. I need you. I am so glad you knew my name! the doctors had been preparing me for the worst.”

I used my right, and only movable appendage, to try to hug back, but she was already in tears and kissing my face. “They have to take me down to get my head scanned, love. I will be back and hopefully have this thing off my eyes soon. Then I can see you.”

“Ok. Please hurry back and try not to get yourself killed on this trip.” Her sense of humor has always been dark. I loved that about her. She used it to ease the tension in tense situations. It always made me feel like everything was going to be ok.

I went to radiology on an uneventful trip and Adams brought me back without issues. “Dr. Stevens will be in around 0600. He will have a look at the scans and let me know if we can get you out of all that. Until then, is there anything I can get you?” I tried to move to face the direction he was in but wasn’t very successful. “Just get me a cup of coffee son. I need something familiar.”
“No problem, sir. I will have it in a few minutes. Black?”

“Yes. Please stop calling me sir too. Chief is fine.” I always hated sir. I spent too much time enlisted to now be referred to as a ‘sir’.

“No problem, Chief.” As he left, I heard the bell and Amber’s voice. “Well, you really did it this time. Do you know what it is like to talk to your mother 10 times a day? And you got to just lay there like it wasn’t happening.” I chuckled a bit and it hurt. “I’m sorry. I will try not to make you laugh. It is so good to be with you again.” She laid her head on my chest and I touched her head and hair. “I though you weren’t coming back.”

I took a breath. “Babe, this might be the worse shape you have ever seen me in, but I assure you it is not the worst I have ever felt.” I said with a slight chuckle and cough.

“You can’t keep doing this. Your life is more than just you now. We have a whole family to consider.” Her words were familiar. IT was the same sentence that was said as I accepted the assignment. I didn’t want to argue, and I didn’t really disagree anymore, but I was still young. Only 31 and a bit of an over achiever. I had made my way to Staff Sargent in the US Army before deciding to transition to Warrant Officer. I was encouraged with my knowledge of strategy and policy to become more than just a squad leader leading soldiers into combat. I had better planning, operations skills, etc. So, I made the move. The problem was I misses the connection with my soldiers too much. I often volunteered myself to take a squad myself. Normally when a ranking NCO wasn’t able. That practice led me here.

The door chimed, and I felt Amber lift off. “Just back with your coffee, Chief. I also saw Dr. Stevens in the locker room. He should be here soon.” I heard him set down the coffee and the door chimed again.
“You gonna help an old man drink his coffee?” I said hoping Amber was still the one left in the room.

“What, can’t do it yourself? Maybe I’ll just let you smell it.” He sarcasm was evident, but I know she could tell I was giving her the look of not funny. She lifted the cup up and I took a sip. Life started to piece back together fully after that. The warmth as it travelled through my body activated the rest of it. My lungs filled with air for the first time since waking and I could feel my toes and fingers.

The bell rang again. “Chief Staley, Dr. Stevens. I wanted to go over a few things with you. First. IT seems like you will need the brace for a few more days, but the bandages can come off. Just precautionary. I will have a nurse come in and do that right away. The door rang, and I assumed it was a nurse, but instead, “Chief! They said you were awake, but I didn’t believe it. You are one tough mother fucker you know that?! How the hell you are alive is a question only god can answer.” LT wasn’t known for his subtlety.

“thanks LT, but the doctor was just running through some stuff, can you give us a few minutes? Go grab yourself a cup of coffee and find one of the pretty nurses to harass.” I had known LT for a couple years now and we had become good friends. That was why the joke was funny only to him and I. I knew the LT wasn’t into females, so it made it hilarious to say. He chuckled. “Sure thing, Chief. Be back in a bit.”

The doctor continued. “Ok Chief. So here is the run down. You have a bad concussion. Looks as if that is dwindling quickly though so that is good news. Additionally, you broke the humerus on your left arm, Fractured the scapula, two lumbar vertebrae, four ribs, at least 6 fingers, the sacrum and ilium, and both the tibia and fibula in your left leg. You are pretty luck you aren’t paralyzed, but you will have some motor control stuff we will have to go over to make sure everything is good. The damage to your spinal cord will make it tough to walk at first but we should get you back on your feet after a little physical therapy”

The information processed quickly. It led me to the one question I think anyone like me would have. “Dr. Stevens, what does this mean as far as work? I just need to know I will be ok to go back eventually.”

I could hear him take a breath. “Chief, I don’t want to lie to you. This is all a lot. I have seen some pretty bad stuff roll through those doors. You are top 5 worst. Only once have I seen a solider come in looking like this and return to duty. Can it happen? Sure, but I want to temper your expectations. For now, let’s get you back up and running. We can make that determination later. Here is the plan currently. We are going to get you as patched up as possible. Once the head brace, neck brace and body cast are removed, we can size you down to regular arm and leg cast. That will allow some more mobility. Then we will work on getting you out of here and to the states. You will be sent to Sam Houston. They have the best neurological staff and physical therapy unit there. I have a colleague that is already waiting for you. Another week or two and you will be in Texas watching opening kick of the Football season. How’s that sound?”

I hadn’t paid much attention to the last part. Thoughts were swirling as I contemplated my career being cut short, but it quickly became determination. “Yeah, yeah, sounds good doc.” I said trailing off. I felt a hand squeeze mine. “It’s going to be ok. No matter what we will be ok.” Her positivity was welcomed and unwanted at the same time. Dr. Stevens said his goodbyes and I hear the bell only once.

LT must have walked in as the doctor was leaving. “So Chief, what did the doctor say? You going to get a bunch of bionic parts and stuff now?” I sighed at his joke and Amber squeezed harder. “He said it is too early to tell, but I am not one to let many things stand in my way.” I tried to push a smile across my face.

“Yeah. I don’t think anyone would accuse you of being someone who bends under pressure. I am sure you will be ready for the next Army Birthday 10K.” I could hear the doubt in his voice though. I still hadn’t seen the damages, but from the wavering in his words, I was starting to get an idea. The LT had a positive personality but was a terrible liar.

“LT. What about everyone else? Did everyone make it?” It was silent after the question. I heard a chair move across the floor. It was the kind of movement you hear when someone is about to have to sit down before they can give it to you straight.

“Chief. They called for fire, but by the time they could get support, it was too late. There was no way to deliver because everyone was spread out. Medevac brought back eight. Six of them made it here. Only four made it past that. Henderson, Vaughn, Julius, and Detric. There wasn’t anyone else. No reports of anyone captured either. Vaughn was able to give us pretty clear details. He isn’t well upstairs, but he told us what happened. You saved them. The only reason they are alive is because Bellamy rammed your truck into the others to get them out of the way of fire. Bellamy made it back after you dragged him out but couldn’t make the trip to the hospital. Vaughn was in the seat and Julius took charge, but you started yelling to find cover when everyone wanted to stay in position for the fire call. You knew they wouldn’t make it that long, you got 11 people to safety before they hit you all hard in the building. Support showed up just as the wall exploded and collapsed. Kells jumped on you and Bellamy to shield you. He never made it back. It was no win, Chief. It was bad intel on worse recon. The fact that 5 of you are still alive is a miracle.”

The door rang again. It was finally the nurse. “Hi there. I am here to get these off your head and eyes.” The wrap came off slow and the light was fierce as it penetrated everything in the room. It took over a minute for my eyes to adjust.

The first face I saw was Amber. “I touched her face and she smiled. I looked over at LT and he was just waving. The door rang again and this time I looked up to see. Three guys in hospital gowns with their bare asses to me.

“Chief! They said we would only be able to walk backwards and naked for the rest of our lives!” It was Julius. He was always the one putting all the other up to stuff like that. I laughed anyways.

“you guys couldn’t get them to make you better looking while I was under?” Henderson chuckled and they all turned around.

“Chief, you look like shit. If anyone needs a makeover it’s you. I didn’t know you could get uglier!” Julius kept on with the jokes. He knew that was the best route to take.

“Eh. Well what can you do? Have you guys been keeping up with family and stuff? Have you heard how the families are doing?” I was choking up a bit but held it together.

Vaughn stepped forward. “Everyone is shook up, Chief. There isn’t much we or anyone can do right now. The unit is supporting all the families and Henderson’s wife is here too, but really, you shouldn’t be worrying. You did what you could. We all did. Let’s just get you better and back in formation.” His voice rippled with guilt. I knew he blamed himself. Vaughn was the kind of guy that would handle being a survivor hard.

“Ok guys. Well, if you don’t mind, I am going to get some rest and make some room for my wife here in this bed.”

“Damn Chief, don’t you think you should at least wait til that cast comes off?” Julius was smiling.

“Just go you idiots.” They all laughed and turned. “Henderson.” I stopped him as the others left. “Keep an eye on Vaughn. He is going to need help. I can already see it. He thinks it’s his fault.” Henderson looked at me funny.

“That’s not it Chief. He was already told he is going to be discharged. The brain damage effected his balance. It isn’t repairable. He is struggling with that.” I sighed and repeated myself. “Roger, Chief. I will talk to him and see who he has to help him.” I gave him a nod of approval and thanks and he left.

“You know, he was the one that dragged you to the helicopter?” I had almost forgotten LT was still there. “Even after he had that hole in his head. He dragged you five hundred feet to the helicopter. He wouldn’t stop until medevac came out to help him. Then he collapsed. He just woke up yesterday.”

I stared at him for a second as he got up to leave. Amber was squeezing my hand as the tears started to fall. LT leaned in close. “You can cry, Chief. When we all heard what happened, we all did. This world needs you. Now it’s our turn to fight for you.” He put his hand on my shoulder and started walking out. I started to really lose it at that point. He walked out and the bell range one last time for the morning. Amber cuddled into bed and I drifted to sleep.

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Author: archerstaley
Timestamp: Jan 4, 2019 at 3:08 PM
Content: Thank you for the kind words. This chapter takes place in 2013. not long ago. I have been keeping a journal for the years since then and I am turning it into a few different stories.

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Author: archerstaley
Timestamp: Jan 5, 2019 at 3:04 PM
Content: Thank you. I should have It done this weekend if not early next week. I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

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@jasonm03. I am here if you ever need to talk.