The adventures of Jacob

I am writing this from my IPad, so I will type as long as I can before I get annoyed with the chicken pecking. Here is a general run through of what has taken place.

Wednesday, July 20
2:30 a.m. I get a call from Red Cross. Jacob had been injured during a night jump. It was not life threatening. No other information can be given. I had total deja vu to when he was injured in Iraq. I go into Army wife mode. I call the medical center at Ft. Bragg, where his jump took place. I spend the next 45 minutes being transferred around, I am connected to the ER at Wolmack Army Medical Center. A PA let's me know he has broken two bones in his leg, it is not life threatening, and he would be having surgery soon. He told me to go to sleep and wait for a call later on.....easier said than done. I call my parents, my in-laws, and our friends the Burdens. I never got back to sleep for longer than 45 minutes...

4:30 a.m. I get a call from Jacob. He was drugged up and I could barely understand him. He told me he had drank some water so they had to wait to do surgery. I asked him what he wanted me to do....he said wait

I packed a bag, and made sure I had a plan for the animals. Then I waited...or tried to. I'm not very good at that part. I've been dealing with the military for 9 years. I know you have to do the work to get answers. I called, was transferred, waited on hold, was hung up on, and still got few answers. Around noon I found out Jacob was in the recovery ward. For how long, or how much longer I could not be told. Around 2:30 I learn he has been moved into a room, and they give me a number, but refuse to transfer me. I try the number....it goes to a generic voicemail. I was royally pissed. I was so frustrated I seriously thought I was going to crawl out of my own skin.

4:30 p.m. Jacob calls! He got me the right direct line. He was still really groggy. He couldn't really tell me what had been done to his leg. He knew he came down on the runway to fast, causing the injury, and there were 3 others from his jump somewhere in the hospital too. Then he said "I want you here" I was literally putting my bags in the car before we hung up.

5:00 p.m. I am smack dab in the middle of rush hour traffic.

11:00 p.m. I stop in Florance, SC. I drove as far as I could on my 45 minutes of sleep. My body finally gave into sleep around 1:30 a.m.

Thursday, July 21
5:00 a.m. The alarm goes off. I get up and out.

7:30 a.m. I get clearance to get on Ft. Bragg, and find the hospital. I have been next to Jacob's bed since.

The "Facts"
* this is quoted because nothing in the military is set in stone until you are in the present doing what they said. All is suject to change.

- Jacob has a rod that is attached by two screws to his knee, and three screws attching it to his ankle. He has a metal plate in his ankle connected by two screws that may be removed. Just the two screws, everything else will be needed for him to gain his leg function back. All this is in his right lower leg.

- We have been told he will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow.

- Jacob will need to stay at Ft. Bragg for at least two weeks. This base is quite large with at least 3 hotels here on base. I'm working with some lady at getting everything in order. He will need someone to be here with him,as he can really not do anything right now. He will need to stay here so the docs can check up on him frequently.

- No weight on his leg for 6 weeks. He is working on using crutches. After the 6 weeks we will start physical therapy.

- Jacob has asked his Commander if there is anyway for him to deploy with his unit, he wishes to. The Commander did not say one way or the other.

- Jacob was told he would never jump again. This is still hard for me to hear. My heart aches for him. He loves the thrill of a jump. He will however be able to keep his Airborne Wings, and stay in an Airborne unit. This is an honor Jacob takes seriously, and I am so thankful they will honor the years that he has served so far.

I am going to sleep at the hospital tonight. He is in okay spirits as long as he is drugged up. I can tell when it is getting close to med time. He let me know nights are the worst, which helped my decision to stay here with him.

I have written facts, not emotions. I am running on facts and not emotion at this time. I will have time to process, just not yet. I am sorry if there are typos.... Typing this much on a small screen is a lot more work than I expected.....

Thanks for all of your words, thoughts, and prayers. They are not going un noticed.