Chapter 21—
A/N: As always the feedback I have been receiving is greatly appreciated… please continue.
The following weeks left Jeremy emotionally and physically drained. Every time that the fever would break a day or so later the fever would spike again. The infection in Jeremy's knee finally stabilized, but unfortunately Dr. Bartley had to take some extreme measures. The doctor was forced to do what he dreaded. He had to go back in surgerically and remove much of the hardware in Jeremy's knee. By removing the hardware the infection got better. Even though removing the hardware helped to heal the infection, there was another issue removing the hardware forced the doctor to reconstruct Jeremy's knee again; causing more loss of mobility. The doctor was not sure if Jeremy would ever regain enough mobility not to have to walk with a cane or a limp. This situation caused Jeremy to be even more frustrated than he was previously. But he did not give up; he still gave it all that he had in physical therapy to regain any and all mobility in the knee.
Jeremy was also able during this time to start some more intensive occupational therapy. Denise had contacted the staff at the 'New Vision Institute', an organization that works with wounded veterans to help them transition back into the mainstream. The staff at 'New Vision' took a proactive approach, meaning that they often use other wounded veterans of the program to help teach others. This approach often helped the current patients learn coping skills from others who had been in similar situation. Jeremy had been paired up with a young lady who had been injured in Afghanistan about two years ago. Stephanie had bee in a medical evacuation unit.
The evacuation unit ended up being in a dog fight on the ground and she was hit in the lower spine, and suffered a partial spinal cord injury, which left her confined to a wheelchair. It was surprising but Jeremy and Stephanie had become fast friends. This was the first time that Jeremy had someone he could really talk to about what his feelings about being injured. Granted, neither Stephanie nor Jeremy had similar injures, but there was still a common bond. This bond greatly helped Jeremy's disposition.
Jeremy had also decided to learn Braille. This was very difficult for him, but he understood that he had to learn it, because he wanted to go to college… and he was going to need every tool that he had to get there, and to get the work done.
One day Stephanie came into Jeremy's room and said,
"Sherwood, you and I are getting out of here for while, are you ready?"
"Excuse me? What do you mean we are getting out of here?" Jeremy was perplexed.
"You have been in this room so long… that I thought you would like to see more the worlds… ok perhaps see is the wrong word. I know that you can walk, so grab your cane and we will get out of here." Stephanie said with a certain amount of energy that Jeremy had not felt in a while.
"But… um…where are we going?" Jeremy asked as he reached for his cane. Even though he had lost mobility in his knee, he still wore a very durable knee brace to at least add stability to the knee, and with the brace he was able to walk with a very heavy limp.
"Well, I thought that I would take you out for lunch, and I thought we could talk about you going to college." Stephanie was about seven years older than Jeremy. She too had joined the Army to escape from her family, but she had also joined the Army to get a college education. Stephanie was from a small rural town in Arkansas, where a girl either got pregnant or married, and sometimes pregnancy did not always followed marriage. Stephanie had wanted more out of life, she had dreamed of one day becoming a doctor, but she selected to be a chemistry major so that one day she could continue to go to medical school. But she opted to be in a medical unit in Afghanistan, and the rest is history.
Stephanie's injuries to her spine devastated her, but with some help from a mentor from the 'New Vision Institute' she was able to learn to cope with her challenges, and with that she was waiting for the opportunity to go back to school. However, she had vowed that she would help someone else to learn those same life skills.
Stephanie and Jeremy walked down the corridor of the hospital. Every step Jeremy took sent pain through his leg, but he has become accustom to the pain. Jeremy was getting antsy to go home again, which in all likelihood would be a week or so. As Stephanie and Jeremy walked through the hallway Stephanie sensed there was something on Jeremy's mind.
"OK, Sherwood, spill it!" Stephanie said.
"What are you talking about?" Jeremy asked knowing very well that Stephanie knew he was thinking about something.
"Come on Sherwood… I know that there is something on your mind… and I do not think it is about your knee, or your eyes. Seriously what is going on?" Stephanie asked sincerely.
"Well, Mom got an email from Amanda yesterday. Mom thought that I would like to know how Amanda was doing in college." Jeremy admitted.
"AND?" Stephanie asked.
"She was having fun. Amanda said that school was hard, but she was learning a lot. And she had found someone. She really likes her classes. And from the sounds of it she is happy." Jeremy said.
"Ok, so the problem that you are having is that she is dating someone?" Stephanie was good at getting to the root of the problem; she was a very direct person, which had gotten her into some trouble in her life.
"I would not say that it is a problem… what I would say is…" Jeremy was not sure as to how to describe his feelings.
"She has moved on with her life, and you still have feelings for her, and even though you told her that she needs to go experience life, you still feel that you two could still be more than friends? How close am I?" Stephanie hit the nail on the head… that is exactly the way that Jeremy was feeling… but there was something else.
"You are close. However, I guess I dislike being my limbo life at the moment. She had gone off and discovered a life, while I have been here in the hospital always recovering from something." Jeremy replied. Stephanie knew these feelings well. Before her injury, she had been engaged to be married, and she too had taken the road letting her finance leave the relationship to find a new life. She had spent months in the hospital and rehab as well, learning how to cope with life with her own physical challenges.
"Jeremy, you have gone through a lot over the past months. Lets see, you were injured in the line of duty, you came home to recover from a knee injury, you learned that you will be blind, you had a massive seizure, you started to learn how to cope with the situations, you basically dumped your girlfriend, you had an infection that could have killed you, and you had surgery that made you lose some of the mobility you had worked hard for… umm… if that is limbo… Jeremy what are you expecting?" Stephanie certainly knew how to put things in perspective.
"What do you mean…'what am I expecting'?" Jeremy asked, as he was confused.
"What I mean is… cut yourself some slack. You have been through a lot, and frankly you have come out it better than a lot of people would. All those months ago when you let Amanda go; you made a choice, and I am not going to tell you if that was right or wrong, it was a choice. However, what is it that you want? Believe me it will take time, and you should be happy that Amanda has moved on." Stephanie certainly had a way with words.
"I am happy that Amanda moved on, but I just cannot help but think… that I would like to get on with my life, as well… am I making any sense?" Jeremy was having trouble articulating what he was trying to say.
"No you are not making sense… but I think I understand." Stephanie said with a laugh.
"What is so funny?" Jeremy asked.
"You are… do you realize that you just left the hospital, and we are walking to lunch? And you have not once mentioned that your knee hurt?" There was a little restaurant around the corner from the hospital that Stephanie and Jeremy had walked to. The restaurant was a favorite of Stephanie's, because it was quiet and it was easy to maneuver through with a wheelchair.
"Come on… I am not that big of a basket case about my knee. Am I?" Jeremy asked becoming a bit self conscious.
"No you really are not. I just like to give you a hard time." Stephanie said with a smile. They were quickly seated at a table in the back of the restaurant.
"So what is good here?" Jeremy said flipping through the plastic menu like he was actually able to read it.
"Jeremy, you are such a goof." At this point they were both laughing.
"Stephanie it is good to see you again… who is the guy?" The waitress said as she came up to take their orders.
"Thanks Meg, it is just a guy I picked up at the rehab center… you know I like 'em challenged." Stephanie said with a laugh.
"Hi, I am Jeremy… the challenged one." Jeremy said playing with his cane. His smile made Stephanie happy to see.
"Jeremy it is nice to meet you… Stephanie is a regular here… but usually she is alone." Meg, the waitress said.
"Meg could give us a few more minutes… as I have to read the menu to my friend." Stephanie said.
"No problem, I will be back in a few minutes." Meg said walking away.
"Ok… I recommend the turkey and bacon sandwich with homemade chips, and a diet coke." Stephanie said.
"Ok… is that all they have on the menu?" Jeremy asked wondering if there would be something that he liked better.
"Trust me… its good…" Stephanie said reassuringly.
"Fine… a turkey and bacon sandwich it is." Jeremy agreed.
Meg came back over and took their order. Stephanie and Jeremy kept talking about everything, from music, to friends, and their challenges. Then Jeremy touched a nerve when he mentioned her family.
"So when are your parents coming to visit?" Jeremy asked knowing that Stephanie was dreading their visit. Stephanie had not had the kind of relationship with her parents that she would have liked. Her parents had not understood why that she wanted to stay in South Carolina, and not come home. This had been an issue of contention for her parents for a number of years. They never understood why Stephanie had joined the Army.
Growing up in rural Arkansas was troubling at best for Stephanie. Stephanie never liked being confined to one very small town; where the most excitement that there was going to Wal-mart a few towns over. Furthermore, Stephanie knew people that loved that life, and that included her parents. She knew she wanted more, and she needed more, that is why she joined the Army… it was her way out. After she got hurt, her parents did everything they could to get her come back to the same rural town that once stifled her, but she just could not do it. She wanted to finish her education, and create a life for herself. This had caused a great argument between her and her parents. In fact for almost a year, they rarely spoke. It was not until recently that the lines of communication had been opened, by her parents. This explains their upcoming visit.
"In about ten days, shortly after you go home from the hospital. I am dreading it. My mother is going to look at my apartment and have all kinds of comments like, you pay how much for this place, and if you come home you could save that money. Or dad will say, well are you sure that you are safe in this place, as I have read that women in wheelchairs are more likely to get mugged. Or something like that." Stephanie said mimicking her mother's and father's voices.
"Oh, come on… it will not be that bad. Besides they are only going be here for a couple of days! Your parents cannot be that bad. They do care about you… you may not realize it, but I think they only want what is best for you." Jeremy was trying to be reassuring.
Meg put the plates with the sandwiches and chips in front of Jeremy and Stephanie. Jeremy was hungry, so he dug in to his sandwich.
"Actually this is very good!" Jeremy said shoving the food into his mouth.
"I told you so." Stephanie said with a smile. Stephanie liked Jeremy, he was a good guy who had been dealt an odd hand, but she had the feeling that he was going to do well.
They finished their lunch and headed back to the hospital. When they got back to Jeremy's room Denise was waiting for them. Before Denise could say anything….
"Hi Mom, Stephanie took me out for lunch." Jeremy said.
"Some day, I am going to change my perfume, just to through you off." Denise laughed.
"Hi, Stephanie." Denise continued.
"Hello, Mrs. Sherwood." Stephanie said.
"Please call me Denise, Mrs. Sherwood makes me feel older than I am." Denise liked the change in Jeremy; he seemed a bit more at ease with himself since he met Stephanie.
"Ok, hi Denise." Stephanie replied.
"So how was lunch?" Denise asked
"It was good… the food was good, and so was the company." Jeremy replied.
"I can imagine. So Stephanie, Jeremy mentioned that your parents are coming to visit soon, you must be looking forward to seeing them." Denise knew that this was not the case, because Jeremy had told her as much.
"No ma'am, I am not really looking forward to them at all." Stephanie frowned.
"Why is that?" Denise questioned.
"My parents and I do not always get along, and they keep telling me that I am wrong to stay here." Stephanie replied.
"And you do not agree?"
"No… I like it here. I have a lot of opportunities here that I would not have back home." Stephanie was hoping that Denise would understand.
"But anyway… I need to find some stuff for them to do while they are here. They will be here in about 10 days, do you have any ideas?" Stephanie asked Denise and Jeremy.
"Well… how about if I have dinner party for you and your parents? You have done so much for Jeremy it is the least I can do… and besides Jeremy will be going home in a few days… and I like to cook." Denise offered.
"You do not have to do that!" Stephanie said, as she thought it was very generous offer.
"I want to. Frank and I would love to have you and your parents over for dinner. I will not take no for answer." Denise said.
"OK." Stephanie was very surprised at Denise's offer. Perhaps this visit would not be as bad as she thought… she was going to share her parents with the Sherwoods for the night, this would definitely take some pressure off… or so she hoped.
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