The Day My Life Changed FOREVER

I’ve been considering the benefits it would have to do a blog on the way things where handled after my husband got hurt in Afghanistan. I’ve not been to sure that it would do any justice and seeing as I’m not some "Big" Sergeants’ wife I figured it would be blown aside. However, I’ve decided that if there is even a fraction of a chance that the right eyes may see this it may save another couple the trying hardships that where bestowed on my husband and myself. Well then its totally worth the effort.

Our story begins on May 28th 2010 at 12:30pm in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan. That day my husband and his unit set out on a mission in which I was informed that it may be a few days before I had any contact with him. This is terrifying for any wife much less one that is 8.5 months pregnant with her third child. Needless to say it wasn’t a few days before I heard from my husband. As a matter of fact it was the very next morning at 3:30am that I go that dreaded phone call.

When my husband called he couldn’t get a hold of me on my cell phone so he took his chances with calling my mother. Luckily she’s a way lighter sleeper than I am and was able to hear her phone. He told her that he needed to speak with me and she immediately new something was wrong. You see its unlike my husband not to make a few goofy remarks to my mother. She came into the living room where I had fallen asleep and woke me up to talk to him. When I answered the phone I still had NO IDEA that something had gone wrong. HORRIBLY WRONG.. My husbands first words to me where " Ashley I Love You and Everyone is Alive!" This My friend is when I realized it might be best for me to sit down. He continued on to tell me that they where out on a patrol and when they rounded a corner the MRAP () that he was in was hit by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) Or "Road side Bomb". He said that he had a few injuries but didn’t know if he would be coming home. This was way before they new the extent of his injuries. Boy was he wrong. He told me that he would call as much as possible and to be expecting a phone call from the military. Then he had to go. That ending of that phone call was so hard to do.

I got off the phone gathered my thoughts turned and told my mother who had been waiting close by what had happened. I then called his mother and his sister to inform them of the situation . After that was done my mom started to send out text messages to everyone telling them to pray and that she would keep them updated via text and Please not to bother me with phone calls. Good thing she did because between the military, My Husband and My Stealer support System of Army wives I didn’t get off the phone for the next 3 days.

My next 2 calls went to 2 of the most important ladies in my life. Lydia Russell and Kelly Wells. Lydia is an Army wife friend of mine that has always had the right things to say and when I told her she simply said to let her know what to do next . Let me tell you when I would ask for something it was DONE before I finished the question with that lady. :) Then there’s Kelly... Kelly Kelly Kelly! This poor amazingly sophisticated lady spent as much if not more time on the phone as I did over the next few days. She found every resource I needed and Yelled at every Army Official I didn’t have time to yell at. She cried she laughed she yelled she fought and she loved me for the entire entourage of events that where unfolding. She did this all without missing a note and without passing a single bit of judgment in my direction. She let me be crazy and say unrash things to her so that I could be calm cool and collective to the Officials Even when something may have offended her she didn’t show it in my direction. The Kicker with her is SHE DID THAT NOT KNOWING YET IF HER HUSBAND WAS SAFE. You see her Husband was My husbands Platoon Sergeant and very easily could have been in that MRAP. I wanted so bad to be able to make a third phone call to another young lady that I greatly cared about but seeing as my position in the FRG I wasn’t allowed to. You see this young ladies husband was my husbands Section Sergeant and I knew without any hesitation that Shawn was in that truck. I needed to call her and it broke my heart every second that passed and I was unable to. Thank GOD she called me that night and we where able to cry together on the phone. Gosh I wanted to be with her so bad but of course, I WAS ON THE ARMYS SCHEDULE!

On with the calls , To get you on the right date: May 28th 2010 at 3:30am my time My husband informs me of the incident, He doesn’t know specifics of whether or not he will be coming home. May 28th 2010 at around 9:00am My time I get another call from my hero. He tells me that he was in Jalabad and that he is a lot worse off than he initially thought. His voice was so hoarse form the blast that I could barley understand him but he told me he was heavily medicated and that they said his left ankle was crushed and his nose was broke. I told him ok and to get some rest and call me at his next stop, all the while thinking to myself "Ashley you are being way to calm this should so have you going crazy." <- Don’t worry its coming. lol After we get off the phone I send out my updates. Around 3:00pm our time on May 28th 2010 is when I get the worst call of all from my husband. He calls and tells me that he made it to Germany and would be stuck there for a day, (That’s fine I thought) then he proceeds to tell me that he has more injuries He now KNEW he had a broken back (In 4 spots) a Shattered left heel, a broken nose, a broken elbow a broken Coccyx and a mild concussion. WOW talk about being beat up. He didn’t know where he would be going but told me he would let me know ASAP.

Through out that day he called me off and on just to talk or because he forgot that he had already called or to give me an update. I loved these calls I could her him and Staff Sergeant Lohmier talking and poking fun at each other which made me smile. I new in my heart as long as he was with Shawn he was ok. After a few hours of these phone calls my husband went to sleep for the night and of course I DID NOT SLEEP. The next morning he called to tell me it would be later in the day before he transitioned to the states and to just stand by until I knew anything. That wasn’t going to happen. We where going on 24 hours of my husband being injured and I had NOT received a single call from the Military. Enter Kelly and her Amazing powers. I told her my concerns and she quickly got on it. She gave me so many numbers to begin calling. Which I did. Of course this is when the panic sets in. The first office I called was the Transportation office, I wanted to get a head start on my travel orders, Well they didn’t have any record of my husband being injured or on his way home. DEAD END. Finally around noon my time I got a call from my husbands rear D, This Poor man, Only doing his job, called to tell me that My husband was at Fob Bostick AFGHANISTAN with Bilateral foot pain. SAY WHAT!! Are you crazy?!? I then informed him of everything that was wrong with Joey and he proceeds to "try to keep me calm" and tells me that sometimes in a frantic situation they may think there injuries are worse than they are. I mind you the DOCTORS confirmed these diagnosis in GERMANY. We quickly ended that call. I then tried the travel office again and to no avail. Still didn’t have information on my husband. REALLY!!! To Make this part of the story a little shorter for you. about 11 phone calls from me a few from Kelly and a few to rear D we realize the ARMY has NO CLUE where my wounded husband is. The only people keeping accurate tabs on him are the brave men still in a WAR ZONE.

After hours upon hours of begging and pleading they finally call Germany and confirm my husband is there and get his flight plan. FINALLY some relief. NOT!! I begin the paper work for my travel orders and somewhere in there they hear that Imp 8 months pregnant. Hearing this they decide I’m to much of a liability for the Military and they wont pay for me to go be next to my husbands bed side in Augusta Georgia. Yes he’s in the states and I still CANT see him. It took Not only me, but Kelly, My mother and My Doctor to convince the IDIOTS at the travel office that the stress they had me under not letting me go was much worse for me and the baby then them allowing my parents to escort me to see my husband. By the time the army came around I was already in the back seat of my mothers car in Tennessee. My mom had said Screw IT we will pay for you to go see him out of our own pockets and we hit the road. THANK GOD FOR MOMS. around 7.5 hours later thanks to my dads amazing driving abilities I finally pulled into Augusta Georgia. It was really late and I didn’t want to wake my husband So I made the extremely tough decision to wait till morning to go see him.

The next morning I got up at 6 and got dressed looking as cute as I could for an 8 month pregnant wife. ( You see he may have only been gone a month BUT this was my HOMECOMING and sure as heck wanted to be as cute as possible.) Then went to see my hero. So many crazy emotions went through me as I was walking up to the hospital. Should I hug him?, Should I kiss him?, Should I even touch him?, Will break him even more? Then before I knew it I was at his room. "Breath Ashley its ok" is all I could say to myself. I put a smile on my face walked through the door, look to my left awwww SHAWN!!! Wait what where is he look to my right NATHAN!!! ( the other dismount in the back of the MRAP. ) A few steps further tucked behind a wall to my right. RELIEF My husband was ALIVE and giving me that famous dopey crazy looking smile. :) Gosh I love him I thought. Then my mom hugs him, My dad says "Hey" <- That’s a big deal! he he and He looks at me. I just stand there looking at him afraid to touch him and he says " You know you can hug me!" So I lean forward hug him, kiss him and immediately realize that I’m 8 months pregnant and HE RIEKS!!! But HES ALIVE AND SMILING AT ME!! Thank you Jesus!