It is amazing how different people process the same information so differently, Judi began wailing “Mom has no legs.” The nurse hit her with a shot, within a minute she was out. On the other hand Jaci seemed to have no reaction for some time, in fact she did not respond till after her sister was sedated. She stared at the doctor as if to say, “In a minute you’re going to admit you’re lying.” Her first reaction was to try to push her body into a sitting position. When she realized she could not do it herself she looked at the doctor for a couple of seconds and then almost demanded, “Help me sit up, I need to sit up. Help me now.”

He shrugged and the nurse raised the bed till she was nearly sitting. When she was stable she pulled the sheet till it came loose from the bottom of the bed and continued to pull till it got above her feet. She could see her left foot and the crutch tip that replaced her right foot. She stared for a couple of seconds and then pulled the sheet to expose her knees. She could see her left knee, and most of the pole that replaced her right leg. She continued to pull she could see the remainder of her bare right leg above the prosthesis. She stared at it for a while, reached down, touched the upper part of her left leg and slid her hand down to her knee. Then she touched the upper part of her right leg and slid her hand down over the plaster socket till she touched the metal pylon. That done she started to cry softly and moved her hands back to her left knee and the pylon where the right knee would have been. It was as though she was exploring a new area. The nurse was there with a shot. Jaci saw it and protested, “Don’t give me that, I have to get through this myself. I have to stay awake. I don’t need the shot. I don’t want it. I’ve got to get through this. I can’t do that all drugged up.”

The president motioned to the nurse and the doctor nodded. She stepped back and covered the needle. It would be available if needed. The other two were sedated. They would not be awake for about a half hour. Jaci needed Dave now. She moved her hands over both of her legs for a while then finally she wiped he eyes and looked at the doctor, “I read a book last fall. One of the Army guys gave it to me. It was about a British fighter pilot that lost both of his legs before the war. He walked and he flew a plane, and he flew combat, was an ace. He shot down a bunch of Germans with no legs. Will mom and Judi be able to walk?”