Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Journey's end for a paralyzed soldier - Seattle P-I
Capt. Drew Jensen almost lived long enough to see his fellow soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade come home.
Jensen, a West Point graduate, was shot in the neck and paralyzed in May. On Friday, doctors and his family followed his wishes and turned off life support at the Puget Sound VA hospital.
...
Jensen was on his second deployment as a mortar platoon leader when a sniper's bullet struck him in the neck during an insurgent attack in Baqouba, Iraq. Jensen was wounded as he tried to help a fellow soldier who was pinned behind a vehicle after a bomb explosion, according to e-mail updates sent to friends and family by his wife.
One of Jensen's last actions in life was to look out for other wounded soldiers at the VA Hospital in Seattle. Before his death, he designated that a $10,000 fund established in his name should go to help offset the housing costs of other families who travel far to be near their wounded loved one's bedside.
...
Jensen fought to regain as much function as he could. He was transferred to the Puget Sound VA on June 1.
"It was a great day when I walked in, and Drew announced he had been cleared to swallow water," his wife wrote in an update.
Doctors at the VA were also able to adjust his ventilator so he could use his own voice when he spoke, which freed up their communication.
"We usually read his lips and while perfecting this talent may help with my future career as a spy, I much prefer to hear his voice," she wrote. ...
Capt. Drew Jensen almost lived long enough to see his fellow soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade come home.
Jensen, a West Point graduate, was shot in the neck and paralyzed in May. On Friday, doctors and his family followed his wishes and turned off life support at the Puget Sound VA hospital.
...
Jensen was on his second deployment as a mortar platoon leader when a sniper's bullet struck him in the neck during an insurgent attack in Baqouba, Iraq. Jensen was wounded as he tried to help a fellow soldier who was pinned behind a vehicle after a bomb explosion, according to e-mail updates sent to friends and family by his wife.
One of Jensen's last actions in life was to look out for other wounded soldiers at the VA Hospital in Seattle. Before his death, he designated that a $10,000 fund established in his name should go to help offset the housing costs of other families who travel far to be near their wounded loved one's bedside.
...
Jensen fought to regain as much function as he could. He was transferred to the Puget Sound VA on June 1.
"It was a great day when I walked in, and Drew announced he had been cleared to swallow water," his wife wrote in an update.
Doctors at the VA were also able to adjust his ventilator so he could use his own voice when he spoke, which freed up their communication.
"We usually read his lips and while perfecting this talent may help with my future career as a spy, I much prefer to hear his voice," she wrote. ...
Labels: compassionate people, war
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