Bad news turned good,,,kinda

[fishink]

My mom called yesterday to tell me that my brother Bill (OK, not biological or adopted, just my best friend in high school that they took in and treated like their son), a Chief Hospital Corpsman in the Navy, who has been stationed in Iraq on his fourth or fifth deployment, in charge of an Emergency Medical Evac Unit, was shot a few days ago.

*heart stops*

He is alive and will be fine.

*start heart beating again*

He will most likely need a total knee replacement. He is less than a year from his 20 year retirement so I doubt they will discharge him before he is to retire. If they do, it will be for a higher percentage than he would have gotten for his normal retirement.

The way this became good news, was only good for us. The day after Bill was shot, his Evac Unit's helicopter was shot down and all personnel were lost. So, basically, if he hadn't gotten shot in the leg, he would probably be dead now.

Sucks so much for those other sailors and Marines' families. Better for ours.

I told my mom that when she talks to Bill, to let him know that I am glad he got shot. LOL

She said she would reword it but let him know for me. It just makes me think of Forrest Gump's "Million Dollar Injury". Luckiest damn thing that ever happened to him.

Comments

[mileshedgehog.livejournal.com]

oh my god.

that's all I can say about that.

but after reading about his knee, well, it reminded me of my husband's injury from last year and his 50 year old uncle's injury and... that I know a lot of middle aged guys with knee injuries that are going to bug them their whole lives. My father-in-law had to have his knee replaced. At least Bill's injury wasn't anything really related to what he did - if that makes sense. My husband still kicks himself about trying to show off for our nephew. (but, really, who knew his patellar would snap from trying to kick a ball from one side of the backyard to the other?)

[rimrender.livejournal.com]

wow. good thing he's ok. Is he still in country or did they send him to Germany yet?

[revfish.livejournal.com]

When I talked to my mom, he was in Kuwait awaiting trasport back to the US.

[eac.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad your friend is still with us.

Whew

[killer-mongoose.livejournal.com]

I"m glad your friend is okay, and I"m sorry his fellow soldiers are not. Take care!

[frank-cotton.livejournal.com]

Holy shit. God rest the souls of his fellow crew members.

Reminds me of a story my dad told me...his dad was on the fire squad back in London during WWII. They ran around putting out fires caused by German bombs.

My grandfather and his fire squad buddies got together every Friday night at one of the guy's houses to play cards in his shed. My grandfather NEVER missed a Friday for years...then one Friday, he was feeling a bit sick. My grandmother nagged him and nagged him that he should stay home, and finally he did...

...and that very night, a bomb fell directly onto that shelter, blowing it and everyone in it to smithereens.

Good thing he was sick...and he listened to his wife.


Frank

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry it took getting shot to keep him safe. I have quite a few friends in Iraq from when I was in the military. I had two ankle surgeries when I was in the military and they did a really great job. I sure hope they do as good a job for him. One good thing about being in the Army is that he will always have medical treatments as long as he's near a place where they have one. Plus it only costs $8 to get any prescription given by the VA.

[atrum-exsilium.livejournal.com]

rough...good overall, but still rough...but they say that everything happens for a reason, so it's a good thing he didn't get on that plane (well, chopper, but the plane is the cliche)