Posted on 8/9/2004, 4:02:20 AM by Rastus
Back from Iraq one step at a time
Maura Lerner
August 8, 2004
In early June, Jessica Clements woke up in her hospital bed to an alarming sensation.
She could feel pain, barely dulled by morphine, throughout her left hip and backside. Her head throbbed. She could hardly move.
Chances are, she didn’t even notice the strange lump in her abdomen.
Woozy and confused, she saw her mother at her bedside. “Mom, did somebody beat me up?”
Her mother, Kim Wyatt, had a ready answer.
“You’re in the United States,” she said gently. “You’re not in Iraq. You’re safe. We’re here to take care of you.” Moments later, Jessica nodded off to sleep.
The next day, when Jessica woke up with more questions, her mom gave the same answer.
It was just about all the truth that Jessica could handle, her doctors figured. At least for now.
In truth, her mother knew only part of the story of what had happened to Jessica Clements.
A month earlier, a truck carrying Jessica, a 27-year-old Army Reservist from Akron, Ohio, had strayed into the path of a roadside bomb near Baghdad. She spent the next three weeks in a coma. By the time she was airlifted to a military hospital in Washington, D.C., on May 15, her mother was told she had only a 2 percent chance of surviving.
As Jessica lay in her hospital bed in Washington, the gauze strips couldn't hide what had become her most striking feature: a dent on the side of her head where nearly half of her skull used to be. It was her most visible scar, one that doctors could fix -- if she survived.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
You Go Girl!
What a story, it brought tears to my eyes.
Doctors may give you their best guess, but there are times when they can be way off, I think in part they do so to prepare the relatives for the worse case scenario.
Amazing story ping.
PING (Sniffle)
Thanks for posting that incredible story. She is an amazing young lady and soldier. My eyes are still wet from crying while I was reading.
Amazing, wonderful, beautiful story!
Bump!!!
I just read it all. Such a beautiful girl and what a miricle she survived!!
(snip)
Her mother, Kim Wyatt, had a ready answer.
“You’re in the United States,” she said gently. “You’re not in Iraq. You’re safe. We’re here to take care of you.” Moments later, Jessica nodded off to sleep.
In early June, Jessica Clements woke up in her hospital bed to an alarming sensation.
(snip)
Her mother, Kim Wyatt, had a ready answer.
“You’re in the United States,” she said gently. “You’re not in Iraq. You’re safe. We’re here to take care of you.” Moments later, Jessica nodded off to sleep.
bump
Rastus, thanks for posting this story.
±
"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty." 
Toward FREEDOM
What an amazing story!
Words fail me.
Bump
I don't know if you've been pinged to this story, but you and those on your list might be interested in it.
I am so proud of this soldier........:o)
Big Ole Croc tears after reading the story.........Stay safe ya'll
Misty thank you for the ping..Such a miracle....Thank you for serving, Jessica and may God be with you as you continue to gain strength...
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