Justin, thanks for the updates!! Man, we wish you the best. I know right now being in the hospital would not be ideal with no visitation. Keep us updated on how you are doing. I hope you can get mobile soon and start healing!!

Is there anything we can do for you or that you need? If there is let us know how we can get it to you.

If you are bored I can get you some coloring books and crayons as long as you don’t eat them.

Keep getting better, and really if there is anything you need let us know.

I would be to tempted by the crayons and rainbow poop might scare my nurses.

On a serious note I have probably the greatest nurses and dr’s at BSW, and I would recommend this hospital to anyone. They have taken great care of me and anything I’ve needed they have found a way to get it to me. Thank you for asking it means a lot.

Hang in there, we're pulling for a fast recovery.

Continued prayers for a full recovery sir!

Last update from the hospital:

I’m making great progress but man it’s a rough road. I’m off all Iv’s. Pulled my epidural this morning and it was a great feeling to sit under a shower, and not a sponge bath. Physical therapy is kicking my butt. I’ve been able to do everything asked of me and will be going home on Tuesday and not to a rehab center. That has been my goal and it’s took everything in my power to make it happen. There are still a lot of things I cannot do, but have all the basics down. Home Heath will continue to work with me for the next few weeks. My breathing is still short but that’s due to the broken ribs I believe as well as the collapsed lung. I think my hunting season is over for whitetail, but will be looking for an exotic doe hunt closer to my area the end of January or February to get the freezer full. I want to thank everyone for the Prayers and well wishes. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Years. Hug your loved one as you never know when one slip could be your last.

Justin

Good to hear that you are headed home keep doing what they ask of you. I’ll keep saying prayers for a speedy recovery.

Good luck sir

Still all green for tomorrow

Keep the faith brother, I know exactly what your going through and it brings back so many harsh memories reading your updates. I know today seems like the light at the end of the tunnel is so far away but one day turns to two, two turns to three and before you know it your walking again and to be honest that’s when your real challenges start but the same rules apply. Don’t think about next week, think about today and stay strong, keep your fight and mentally about beating one day at a time!!! Praying for ya bro

Positive thoughts Justin, get better.

Keep us posted.

Great to hear you are getting to skip the rehab place and will be home for Christmas. Have your cell phone with you with pre-programed numbers in case you need immediate help. Don't be timid about calling for help and don't hurt yourself and have to go back to the hospital.

Thank you you all for the kind words and advice. I made it home today and it feels nice to be home with family. God has been good to us for sure.

Great news! Merry Christmas!

Please don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything...lots of truly great people here!

It’s awesome to make it home, I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas

I was hit by a truck while changing a tire at 27. 8 ribs, collapsed lungs, and an open book pelvic fracture (pelvis split in two, plate and screws to put it back)

Similar type injuries. Do the breathing exercises as often as they say. Eat good and once you start walking and doing pt push yourself. Get used to the pain and discomfort but don’t let it discourage you. They told me to gradually get out of the wheelchair and slowly start using a walker. From the day I first stood up I never touched the wheelchair again. And I ditched the walker just as soon as I could. I walked into the Dr’s office on my own a month after getting on my feet for the first time and they expected me in a walker.

I thought I’d be screwed up for life and I am 42 and perfectly normal, no handicap or weird pain or anything. I got into running afterwards and did a half marathon at one point.. Keep a positive outlook and push yourself. You will probably have some amount of pain and discomfort for a good while, and lots of soreness as you recover. But the worst part is now. You heal everyday.

Thank you for this. Yes it sounds like we were neck and neck on injuries. The scariest part for me now is am I going to be normal when I heal. Will I be able to go walk through the woods scouting for 4 to 5 miles without worrying if it will give out. Will I be able to race my kids around the yard. Can I go on that elk trip I’ve been wanting to without losing my breath every 100 yards. Then I try and tell myself that people do it everyday and hearing your story gives me hope. I’m thinking of booking a hunt for the end of January so that will give me a goal to reach. I will be sure to find an outfitter that can accommodate me. I doubt I will be able to climb in a stand By this time. If y’all know of anyone around the Belton Killeen area shoot me a pm. Again thank you all for all the support. Y’all are a great group of men and women.

Good news!
Merry Christmas,Sir

Could not have said it better young man. Great news USMC born the year my wife was

I think you are going to be fine when you are all healed up. I think we all extrapolate our life expectations from where we are in the moment. For instance - I feel so darn good and life is so great and it’ll always be like this. Or - I feel Godawful bad, and wonder if I’ll ever feel good again. That kind of thinking is common, even if the person is tough (former Marines, like you and me).

After my second brain surgery, which I didn’t expect to survive or even be not paralyzed, I got back to being me again. Took a year or more and serious work on my part. I went back to tournament tennis, won a few trophies, and sent photos and notes to my Neurosurgeon, which pleased him.

Might not be easy or quick, but I think you’ll be back to the old you again. I get the impression that you’re a strong person mentally and physically. That’s what it will take. “Always forward”, which is Joe Pike again. And he was a Marine too. And, while you are laying around and not doing a darn thing, read The Watchman, by Robert Crais and learn about Joe Pike. He’s the guy we wish we were.

So a couple things- I remember in the hospital they gave me Boost drinks with every meal and I ate three full meals plus a nurse made me milkshakes at night. You are loosing muscle mass sitting still yet burning calories healing. You need more food than you think. So eat good and take supplements.

Physical therapy that is provided to you will not return you to your own standards of a young active life. When they dismissed me I was still in sad shape. So join a gym or or something that you can stick to till you feel 100%. I joined a gym cause I was totally evacuated and couldn’t do a push up. And I went on daily walks that turned into small amount of running then jogging distance. You were USMC so I’m not gonna insult your knowledge on how to do work, lol.


You will have a better understanding of you limitations when you get back in your feet. Push it but don’t be impatient. I could tell I was getting worn down cause I would start to limp. It was that way for a good while. And weird aches and pains would come and go for a couple years. But I’d say I was perfectly functioning w/in 12 months.

I don’t mean to throw up my thoughts but I remember this was a hard time in my life and I had no idea what to expect. So if you wanna message me with any questions feel free. All the best to you and Merry Christmas. When you can, drink a beer and know you beat the reaper.