War in Iraq,..What I will Always remember about it.

War in Iraq,..What I will Always remember about it.  I have keppt this Blog mainly for myself to reflect on and any friends or family who may not have heard the complete story to read.

• PFC David Tavis English was a victim of a Suicide Semi-Truck Blast at a power plant in Bagdad, Iraq on Sept. 14th, 2006 
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• PFC David Tavis English was a victim of a Suicide Semi-Truck Blast at a power plant in Bagdad, Iraq on Sept. 14th, 2006

CNN reported 2 dead, 25 injured, my son was 1 of the injured. However as of today, I now know there are 3 dead, 1 died on the plane to Germany, the same plane my son was on. These 4-5 e-mails are in Diary form 1 each day sent to my family and friends through out the past week. I am home in Santa Cruz, CA. now and Tavis will be in the hospital until Christmas Eve. The Army said they will fly me back to Washington DC to bring him home to San Jose if he is still unable to make it on his own then.

Dear Everyone,I got the call no parent ever wants to get. Tavis was wounded in a car bomb that took the lives of 2 soldiers and wounded Tavis early Thursday morning. The first call I got at work around 3pm PST, said he was hit in the right shoulder, then an hour later during surgery, they said a piece of shrapnel pirced his heart and severed his right Artery. He had lost a lot of blood and they did know if he would make it. They were trying to transport him to Germany. I left work pretty shaken and almost could not even make the drive home.  I made a few calls from home to family, and left my cell phone clear for the next call to come in.  I really felt so numb  that I thought I would colaspe.  I kept thinking to myself, "This can't be happening"  Your children are not supposed to go before me."  I then got down on my knees and prayed pretty hard and then called a friend at Mount Hermon that really calmed me down by having everyone I knew there, gather around the phone and prayed with me for my son.

I basically could not eat or sleep and sat watching and waiting for the phone to ring. The next call came 8 hours later, a little after midnight my time.  The Sgt. on the other end of the line, half the world away said something about the plane having to land in Northern Iraq due to Tavis's blood pressure dropping.  He promised to call me the minute the plane was back in the air. About 5:15 in the morning I got a call from the US Army command saying they were working on flying Teresa, Ezekiel & I to Germany and did we have passports available?  If not, they would board us on US Army transport plane and fly us into Germany with No Questions asked.  They said don't even worry about packing our bags, but they could not tell me a thing about Tavis at that time.  No new information and the not knowing was tearing me apart.  

I think I smoked a lot of cigarettes during all this time and tried to drink coffee.  Talk about a bad combination on yourself. At about 10 am today, (Saturday) while trying to reach the doctor in Germany, I got to speak to Tavis!  He didn't know where he was and told me his version of what he remembered. . . . He said he had just took off his shirt, plugged his IPOD in his ears and was listening to the Misfits, or was it Danzig? He couldn't remember. . . and the last thing he remembers is that the music stopped. He said dad, they blew up my fricken IPOD and I guess it saved my life too, since the shrappnel would have completelyripped through his body, if he had not been wearing the IPOD! He than said the drugs they gave him made him feel pretty good, was glad I was coming to see him and we will be getting on a transport to fly to Frankfurt Germany. 

We'll stay a week with him, Army paying for everything. I don't really know the extent of all the damaged done yet either, still waiting for the doctor to call, He will be coming home after he recupperates, which could be months?? Anyway, I forgot to mention we did see him on CNN news before we went to bed around 11pm Friday night and my sister Rossah found the site for those who need to know more.  (It basically said a suicide bomber had blew up near a check point in Bagdad and that 3 soldiers will killed and 25 more were wounded). Mean while, my son is Alive and somewhat well and we will have to go to the hospital to protect the nurses from him hitting on them for dates.

From Rossah: Subject: CNN Newstory on TavisDate: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:06:29 -0400http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/14/iraq.main/index.html (This is what I sent to Apple Computers, who by the way did NOT send my son a NEW Ipod!)  Did an IPOD save my son's life in Bagdad suicide bombing??? On Sept 14th, my son PFC David Tavis English became a casulty of a suicide bomb attack in Bagdad, Iraq. I first received a call from my friend Sigmond, who told me the US Army had contacted him and they needed my work number to reach me, they did not tell him anything else! 15 minutes later I received the call from the US Army 4th Infantry Division at work that my son was in serious condition late Thursday afternoon with shrappenel in his right shoulder and it was not Life threatening. 45 minutes later I got the a call from a Rear Commander in Texas saying that during surgery, they found a piece of shrappenel had pirced near my son's heart and severed a main artery, he had loss a lot of blood and they did not know if he was going to make it.

They were going to try and transport him to Frankfurt Germany asap, did I have passports available.  They would make arrangements to fly the family there.  They said only myself and 2 others could come and only a child under the age of 18 who lived in the home and was related to him would be allowed to come as well. The next call came 8 hours later saying he was on a plane to Germany, but his blood pressure had dropped and they stopped in Northern Iraq.  It was not until 12 hours later that I learned he was on life support, but they had done everything they could for him. Around 5am Saturday morning, when I called Germany to speak to a doctor about his condition, I was told he had been breathing on his own, moved out of ICU and I might be able to speak to him for maybe a few short minutes later in the afternoon. When the time came, they told me NOT to ask him anything, to keep him upbeat, let him know I was coming.  Short & Sweet, no crying. Hearing his voice and feeling overwhelmed and overjoyed I told him I was coming to see him in Germany.  He said, huh?  I thought I was still in Iraq.  Dad all I remember is taking off flak jacket and my shirt since it was like 100 degrees, all I remember was getting ready to rest and plugging in my Ipod. 

He then thought he saw flashes from his fireteam and reached down to grabbed his own weapon and turned around to fire from a foxhole. He then said, Dad all I know is that I was listening to the Misfits, Subline and Danzig and then there was a big flash and the next moment the music stopped.   Dad, they blew up my IPOD!   He said the doctor thinks the IPOD saved my life as I didn't have any went through his heart.   He then said can you please get me a new IPOD? I told him I didn't think I could afford one, but would see what I could do...He said tell Apple I would be their spokesman for life if they would get me an IPOD. I didn't get to say much else to him after that.  

He was in 8 Delta ward room 223 in Frankfurt Germany, but was told early this morning, (Monday Sept 18th) that he was being transported by air to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC and that the Army will be flying us out there in the next few days to be at his bedside. I have since learned that he has all limbs attached, he is in stable and more improved condition and that he will probably be coming home to Santa Cruz, California after a month or two for good. So today after thinking about it, all I could think of is what he said about the IPOD and how funny a kid cold only think of his IPOD and not his own life.  I realize it was an attempt at humor and to let me know he was okay. But the more I got to thinking about it and sharing it with people around work.  A llot of people began suggesting I actually contact Apple about this.

Sent: Sep 21, 2006 8:43 PM Subject: 24 hours & still no sleep My watch says 4:57pm, however this computer says it is really 7:55pm here in Washington DC.  It has really been a long day and NO one has had any sleep! We arrived at 7:20am and did not sleep a wink on the plane. Believe me we tried, at least I think I was just nodding off sitting upright. . . .I saw out of the corner of my eye, Teresa & Ezekiel having lemon lime soda over ice and assorted bags of peanuts & chips. Look like they were having a party and I tried to ignore them, only the sun was coming up and it looks like we loss time, or was it gained time?  We expected thunder showers and a US Army jeep to pick us up at the airport, but a driver holding up a sign with "English" on it, took our bags and placed us in a large Black Limo.  We then drove off with the morning sun shining, pass all the sights like the Washington Memorial, White House and the Nation's Capitol (things & places I've only seen on t.v. and movies) on our way pass the Colonial brick houses on our way to Walter Reed Hospital.

My eyes are Red and hurt like hell and I have a head ache!It is sunny and humid here and my brain is like mush. I looked at my watch and it is 4:20am in the morning, I mean 7:20am and I can't handle no sleep.  I was able to see Tavis at about 10am and I was able to speak to the doctor about his injuries. They came and took us from the hospital to locate a place to stay on base, ate lunch and signed hundreds of papers and forms that the Captain said I would be signing until the ink ran out of the pen. It seemed like it too.  Back to the hospital and actually walked with Tavis to physical therapy, he still has 2 rubber tubes coming out his back and had to hold onto a rolling i.v. bag, but he has to be connected to a heart monitor as well. But he was very happy to just see me and it really felt good to see him too. Most of the bandages are off and really he is healing faster than what the doctors have expected.  They removed 1 off the tubes and about 3 feet of tubing from him this afternoon and a team of doctors came in and for the first time sat down and talked to us both about what really happened to him. 

Tavis said he was probably going to get a Purple Heart for this and the doctor interupted to say this would make like his 4th one, after reviwing his files.  Tavis said He could not believe he was that close to death and asked the doctor 3 times, "How close was I to death?" He was shocked and said he never really had a clue, due to all the drugs they had given him for pain.  The Army sent us to the PX to get all the things we could not take on the airplane and then we went back over to the hospital to eat dinner, well Teresa & Ezekiel ate and I spent 2 hours with Tavis just talking. Then Tavis would not let me leave the room until he dressed me in new clothes.  And let me say that even Teresa & Ezekiel didn't know who I was when I came back down to our hotel room.

It's 8:29pm right now and I am a zombie. I have been writing this while they are in the bathtub and now were all ready to pass out and catch up on 2 nights sleep. I am expected to see the doctor tomorrow morning and hopefully he will make arrangements for Tavis to visit Ezekiel. The main thing it will have to be on another floor, as where Tavis is at, it would Traumatize him as it did me. It is not only aweful, but sad seeing guys more wounded and burned or without limbs.  The last thing I saw made me almost lose my lunch, and this was when I said all of Tavis's injuries close up. Imagine a guy on a surfboard, and a Great White Shark takes a bite out of his back. Well that is what Tavis looks like, and he is pieced back together with about 30 metal staples. I left the room crying.  Anyway, I'm off to sleep and discovered the Army has placed this computer in the room for me to e-mail out, how nice and unexpected. I can keep in touch and will update more when I can.

Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:18:52 -0700 (PDT) Lou wrote:David,Thanks for the update.What else is wrong with him? Lou, I woke up @ 3am our time, 6am here and walked over to the hospital and sat for past 3 hours this morning just talking to him. Laceration to eye?No, both eyes find. he said no complaints there Severed arteries? Doctor said his artery is healing up very well, they removed 1 tube yesterday from his lung. They are leaving the other one in for maybe a few more days. Broken ribs heal - why is he being discharged? Turns out that only 2 ribs were fractured, and seem to be coming along nicely, according to doctor, but he is having difficulty breathing.

Ask the doctor to disclose all medical information directly caused by the attack.

The docors have given me all the breakdowns of every stage that Tavis has went through so far, they have really answered any question I have asked.

Permanent disabilities?

This we do not know yet, it all depends on what they can determine, wether by them or by what Tavis relates and the tests they put him through to determine what they feel will be a disablity. They say this process will take weeks months. He will be released from hosiptal, but remain on base as an out patient for at least the next 6 months.

How long does the government cover his injuries?

For Life!

Is there anything you are required to do that might help him with his injuries?

I was handed my orders yesterday evening, but did not read them until this morning and I MUST carry these where ever I go on base.They read: Purpose is invitation of the Goverment of the United States of America, to ASSIST with the RECOVERY of Private First Class David T. English. I am authorized per diem to be at the bedside of my soldier.

Tavis shared with me today, the first account in detail what he rememebers today and has NOT told anyone one of these things and said he will probably not repeat any of this to anyone again, not even the doctors. I left to get some breakfast and to wake up Teresa & Ezekiel and to digest all that he said. What means the most to me, and to him...is he said that he is really glad that I am here with him right now.

He said he decided he wanted me here as long as I can stay with him and he knows now how much I really love him.  He said he realizes now, how much he really loves me too. He knows people MUST have been praying for him and God spared his life. I am watching these events unfold before my very eyes.I'm going to eat grab a little more sleep and see him at the hospital in a little while. Hopefully arrangements for Tavis to use a different room in another ward for Ezekiel & Teresa to see him later on today. I'll let you know more later on today.

Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:03:59 -0700 (PDT) Okay this is the latest update, since I was too tired to write anything yesterday. First off California time has caught up to me and it is hard to function 3 hours ahead. I woke up about 5:30am here and after a quick cup of coffee, I walked over to the hospital to see Tavis. I have mainly just sat bedside and we have talked, or should I say I mostly listened. Some news from back home & friends seemed to disturb him and got his blood pressure up a bit. Just tried to keep him calm. Between Nurse and doctors coming in the room, he really has told me alot in a short time. Like he really remembers a lot more now about what happened the day, I mean the night he was injured. On the lighter side, he showed me his dog tags and where it is supposed to have your religion, his says "JEDI"

We took a short trip off base to the PX at another base in Maryland to try and get him some music CD's, but no luck getting him anything really. I called him from the PX and told him some titles and he told me the doctor was removing the other tube from his lung in a few minutes. I talked to my brother Joel by cell for a time, to only find he is really 3 1/2 hours away from the hospital and not a stone's throw. We grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to the hospital where I went directly up to see him and Teresa & Ezekiel went back to our room to take a nap. I was surprised to see him up and dressed in jeans and a polo shirt and he had just came back from the PX here in the hospital!  He said that I lied to him about the PX being opened in the Hospital and to make a long story short. I guess I left the base for No reason at all. I guess I didn't understand what the staff told me and communication is so good here, I certainly know everything!

However the shock I was in due to the fact he up and dressed wore off when he said he was in pain, sat down and called the nurse. Then Lou called my cell phone, and Tavis got to talk to him for a bit and he really seemed happy after that call. He said it is good to talk to family and said he really missed everyone. He really wanted some supplies I could have gotten him to wash his face and think he does not like being confined to a room. But my opinion is he may be pushing himself too far and too quick. We talked for an hour and then he asked if he could take a walk to the next floor, then asked where an ATM machine was and was told it was on the 1st floor and they let him go there with me. He snuck outside, just to be outside and while we were standing there talking, he told me he was paying attention to what I was saying, but I could see he was distracted.

When we went back inside he said he was looking for snipers and notice there was 3 cameras on the side of the hospital we were on. He said he couldn't help doing this and also said loud noises startled him. We got back to his room and I think he was worn out. I told him I am concerned about his pushing too far and he said he need pain medication and his side was really hurting. They then informed him that he was going down to xray at 4pm and I took that time to go back and check on Teresa & Ezekiel.

They were having some Free dinner going on for all the soldiers and their families and I decided to get something to eat and then called Tavis to see if the Doctor would allow me to bring him a shredded pork sandwich to eat. He said that sounded good, but he didn't feel like eating anything when we returned. He drew me a picture of his xray and Left side looked normal but right side looked only like he had 1/2 a lung. I could tell he was concerned.

Teresa & Ezekiel got to come back to his room and the doctor came in to say they noticed a little fluid and maybe an air bubble in his lower left lung. they were going to see how things go, before they will know if the tube has to be put back in. The metal staples in his back and side are to come out on Monday. We didn't want to tire him out too much and we were going to leave early, but he talked Ezekiel into letting him cut his little tail off his hair and then gave him $10.00 to buy a toy. Then he decided he wanted to walk us out and I think he really wanted to try a quick smoke. After much protesting on my part he took 1 puff and said I guess I'm going to quit. He sent Teresa & Ezekiel back and asked me to walk him up, in case he fell.

But in reality Tavis really wanted to dress me up again to look nice and even made me posed in some Tom Cruise poses from the movie Roadhouse, with my shirt cuffs rolled back and I just can't explain the fun he was having my making me do his bidding to get him to be happy with the camera. I got home and Teresa commented on how nice I looked and could see Tavis was at work on his dad again! I pretty much was pooped out and had to crawl in bed.

Today is Mine & Teresa's wedding Anniversary and we will hopefully be celebrating it with an overnite pass from the hospital and Tavis spending the night with us! This is the best news and we both know we can spend our anniversary when we get back home. I figured I better e-mail quickly and go down and get some breakfast now, before we head over to see Tavis. Talk to you later, PS, my cell phone is dead at the moment

Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 10:54:03 -0700 (PDT) It's 9:58am California time and almost 1pm here. I have to be over to building 11 shorty to close out my orders. While I'm waiting I thought I'd give my last update while I am here. Yesterday, (Sunday?) I woke up 5:30am here 2:30am California time, (and believe me it still feels like it. I went over to the Hospital and checked on Tavis. We talked till they served him breakfast and I went back to the room to wake Ezekiel and Teresa up. It is our Anniversary today and not sure if we can do anything special.

They were serving Continental breakfast that consisted of Orange jucie, coffee, a hard boiled egg and bagel & cream cheese. At least it was Free!  I have been buying all our meals at the Hospital, which is more selections but nothing there really excites anyone to eat it. We all walked over to the hospital to see Tavis and he decided to stroll around the Hospital, err go to the 5th floor where an atrium is. That is an area of trees outside to the roof, but not leaving the hospital.  That was not good enough for Tavis and he stuck outside the rear of the hospital again, but didn't go to far. We also found out the roof of the Hospital is a helicopter pad and that the President of Afganistan was coming to visit someone at this Hospital on the 5th floor and Hospital was going into Lock Down mode and only enrty was through front door and well we got to his room only to find out the doctor had come and went, so he won't be getting his staples out today.

Teresa & Ezekiel went back to room to nap while a Female Major took over the 4th floor during lock down and I got stuck in Tavis's room. After an hour or so he became restless and somehow managed to actually get the Major to okay his going down to the flower shop with me on the 1st floor. (He sweet talked this black woman into this and I really did not think this was at first even possible).  We took a elevator down in a Restricted area to get there and found the Flower shop closed till 9am Monday. How he found the woman who ran it and got her to open the door to sell me anything within a few minutes is something like I cannot believed happened.  But it did and he arranged for Roses, vase, teddy bear and even got a little piece of jewelry thrown in by him and even PAID for Everything, while I looked on as I was merely filling out an Anniversary card.  It was a done deal and we went back up to see if the Major would give him an hour pass to see Teresa's face light up, as he put it to the Major. Only to be told "NO!" He told her that he had a bill with her face on it, a Dollar bill!  She told him that it would take a lot MORE of those to convince her.   So he tried various ways about 3 more times before she said in a matter of words, "NO!, it's just not going to happen."

Well I went back and made Teresa brighten up with the roses anyway.  I told her to get dressed, (as Ezekiel & her had been napping) so we could go back to the hospital and eat dinner. Let me just add that the worst day to eat at the hospital is Sunday night dinner. There really isn't any dinner to speak of, it is old dried up left overs, (Left over from the whole week) or seemed like it. I would be more happier eating my socks!

I went back up to Tavis's room and he wanted to sneak out, only they said they knew what he was doing as there is a chip on him that alerts them to what door he goes out of and can see him on camera every time he thinks he has been sneaky. They told him to behave and walk the hallways only. But you know, he ended up sneaking out anyway and I lived in fear of the Military policing coming to get us while we sat on a bus bench behind the hospital talking. Okay this is one story he told me about being in Iraq.(Deleted, per Tavis's request) . . .

He said it reached temps up to 140 degrees sometimes, and he didn't think humans could live in such heat. He said: "Dad you cannot imagine wearing all the protective gear and surviving in such extreme heat." (end of story.) It is so humid and warm here in Washington DC, thought to was going to Thunder shower, but it never really did. So we talked for more than 2 hours with me telling him every 10 minutes that we should go back in. He is so stubborn. We finally went up when it was time for his meds and I went back to room to sleep, but ended up checking e-mail from family and watched alittle t.v. before crashing out for the night.

I woke up early here today and bought a newspaper and read it to give Teresa & Ezekiel more time to sleep today. When I got back to my room, there was a knock at the door and the boy had snuck out again! He stayed here checking his e-mail for 45 minutes and then we got him back to his room in time to get his staples out.

We ate breakfast, went to Red Cross to get paper work for his Cousin Lars to fly out and be his Non-Medical Attenant when we leave. We saw a social worker about Tavis's being Released as an Out Patient today and then I have to head over to building 11 to get my Orders closed out to arrange a plane home for us. When I told Tavis this was the plan, he became very angry with me and asked me to leave. He said that I was sponging off his money. Yeah I gave up my vacation days, some days without ANY pay and to collect Less money than I make in a day???

Yeah, this really HURT me deeply inside. My own kid would say this to me. Like a came here to take a vacation?  I can certainly think of better places to go and better things to do. I know I have lack of sleep and no engery. In fact I was very upset and started crying. His Social worker came and got me to talk to me about his outburst was not really directed to me, but my leaving him to go home. I told her, do you really think I want to go home? I would stay here as long as I could, but if I did, then I wouldn't have a job or an apartment to come home to. this whole situation sucks and I can't do anything about it. She sent me to take a time out and will go talk to him. So I am using this time to e-mail out now. I'll be in San Jose at noon tomorrow, so this will most likey be my last e-mail until then.

Okay everyone, First off let me say that Tavis was released from the Hospital on Monday afternoon and his staples were taken out in the morning. He callled Teresa at about 3:30pm in the room, I was elsewhere on base making all the final arrangements regarding Tavis, Lars and our plane trip home. Teresa called me and we all headed to the hospital and he got out about 4:30pm and he came to spend the night in our room.

Lars, his cousin being in the National Guard stationed in San Jose, is being flown out as a Non Medical Assistant, (which my friend Stuart in England asked about). Since Tavis is an Out-Patient on base and will remain there for the next 90 days, he will be reporting to different buildings through out the day for therapy 8 hours a day. He will have nights and weekends off and the Army will give him all kinds of FREE tickets to sights and things to do such as: See a Redskins Football game, go fishing, Smithsonian Muesum, etc. Lar's job will be to accompany Tavis to each buliding and assist him in any way he may need. That will be his main job.But since Tavis's just informed me he bought an X-Box 360 right after I left, I know there will be plenty of goofing around time as well.

Tavis wanted to order Pizza when he got back to our hotel room and didn't believe me that no one would deliver on Base, or that we didn't even have a phone book in our room. He was told by the Front desk downstairs, that due to Security issues, no one can deliver food on base, as they might be Terrorists and our food could blow up! We caught a cab and he treated us to FINE Italian dinner somewhere out in Maryland? and said we were celebrating LIFE! Mainly his, and the fact he was here. 

Afterwards we came back to the hotel to pack our bags while he checked e-mails and said his buddies in Iraq had gathered his stuff and was sending it out to him in the States. We got in bed around 10pm and I think mostly everyone fell asleep but me. I had to thank God for everything he had done for me. Tavis called room service ansd asked for about 5 pillows for his back and Ezekiel slept between Teresa & I, which it was hard to sleep, (you see little kids need a whole bed to just themseves, they roll all around and suddenly after an arm or leg in your face, you smell their butt).

I slept in fits and had to keep removing body parts from around my head. I have made it home! Woke up at 4:30am EST but since I never changed my watch, it was and felt like it to me, for all intent and purposes,1:30am! Gave Tavis his pain meds and a kiss on the cheek goodbye, he said my breath smelled like cow poop. Then he really gave little Ezekiel a goodbye hug that will keep the little tyke going when he returns home. (Tavis is a Hero in his eyes and really means a lot to him). We barely made a plane, due to a mistake by the Army, the Army never makes mistakes and so they had to get a Special Driver to whip lash us to the airport and we still had to run all the way to the plane!

We all thought we would sleep on the plane, except for Ezekiel who said he was not tired. 20 minutes in the air and we looked over at onereally zonked out kid. I bought 2 headphones for the in flight movie and Teresa and I settled back for the 4 1/2 hour ride to Phoenix, only I looked over at her and she had conked out on me too. Naturally I watched the movie because it was filmed in Washington DC and the plot was to Kill the President, I had to see it to the end and now had a couple of cups of coffee under my belt. Due to not knowing the correct time and what time going forward or backwards, I found us running to the next gate in Phoenix and making our connecting flight just before the door closed on us, when I had thought we had an 1 1/2 layover.

It took 30 minutes to run from 1 side of the airport to the other. We arrived at San Jose at noon and my brother Lou picked us up and took us out to Lunch, which after only free drinks on the plane ride and about 3 cookies a piece, we were hungery and thankful for his generosity. He has really already did more than enough and I didn't want him to go out of his way further, as he came and got us to take us home to Santa Cruz. He also bought me a new battery pack for my laptop at home and made a quick stop at his house to pick it up. Teresa had never been there and it brought a lot of memories back from of my mom and her funeral.

These are good memories, as all the family was there. We got back and pretty much died ourselves. Made a few phone calls to let everyone know we were safe and at home, and then we all crawled in bed. I headed into work the next day and we are keeping Ezekiel out 1 more day to adjust to his normal schedule here. I have to walk across the street and see if the Trooper has been fixed and the damage done. It was being towed there when I first got the call about Tavis.The Clutch went out??? I'm pretty much FLAT broke coming home with about $28.00 left in my Bank Account.

I ran out of here last week and just left it at the shop to get fixed. I'll have to wait until Payday to get it out now. Oh yeah, some people asked me about pictures, I bought a disposable camera at the PX and did take some pictues, but 3 were just for Tavis.they make gross some people out, but I took them of his wounds and 1 close up of his staples. these are for his bragging rights later on.However I think the scars will be enough to show anyone. I'll drop the camera off to have the roll developed on CD. I mainly wanted to let everyone know I was home. And thank you for all your Prayers, as God has really shown his hand in all of this.

Okay some time passed and Tavis's cousin Lars has flew to Washington DC to help him out, which was pretty cool to have family there with him.  Tavis and Lars practically grew up together too.  Both served in the Army and both get into trouble together! Anyway, I had made a random call to check up on the boys and Tavis told me he bought an X-Box 360.  He also said that the Army had finallysent him some of his gear from Germany, the rest of it he had left in Iraq would come later.

Then Tavis went on to tell me this.  He said:  "Dad stick out you hand and look at the first fold in your thumb and then look to your index finger."  He said this is about the size of the piece of metal that he guessed the doctor had removed from him and placed inside a plastic bag and sent it inside his duffle bag from Germany. I asked him if it had resembeled an Ipod?  He laughed at that and said "No" but he said it was dirty brown and paper thin.  He thought it was pretty cool that the doctor saved it to send to him.

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Again please note I have kept this Blog mainly for myself to reflect on

and any friends or family who may not have heard the complete story to read.

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