On Monday, he had to go to shooting practice early that morning but got home around 10:30. He was supposed to catch a flight around noon but realized that he had a long layover in Phoenix so he was speaking with the airlines and pushing for a later flight for his team. He ended up leaving around 3:00 that afternoon. We got to go out to lunch before going to the airport. We also got to see him off at the gate. I was pretty brave, putting on the poker face as we sat and talked at the gate. I had been through this before and I knew we could do it again. It wasn't until the kids started asking Joe about the timeline of when he would be home that I started thinking about all that he would miss AGAIN. I was still trying to be brave, talking with and comforting my children but when Clark and Kate both started crying hysterically, I lost it. It was almost time to board the plane so we started our goodbyes. After hugging him tightly and crying, we slowly walked away. The kids were looking back at him but I couldn't do it. Clark and Katelyn were still crying and Jake had his head hung so low, I thought it was going to fall off. He kept looking back at Joe and then turned back around with his head hung. Carlee was just asking why everyone was crying and I was trying to control my emotions and explain what was happening. We headed back to Grandma and Grandpa in the airport and then were on our way home without Daddy again.
Joe spent the next 6 days at Travis AFB while the military was figuring everything out with the medical teams going and coming and who was there and how to get things organized. It was frustrating because at that point, Joe was thinking, "Either send me to Haiti now or send me home. This is a waste of time sitting here in the states and we're going to be too late in getting them the help they need." Because he was already gone, he just wanted to get there, do his job, and get home.
Sitting on the plane waiting for departure to Haiti
Sleeping under mosquito nets to prevent getting malaria
The first few nights they slept on the ground under tents
The USNS Comfort
Sleeping Quarters
The Bedroom
The shared Bathroom
Joe with our friend, Drew Johnson, who is a neighbor and in our ward
Helicopter transports for bringing patients in and out
Most of his cases were amputations, complex fractures, and bone and soft tissue reconstructions. Things started slowing down after about 3 weeks and the patient load wasn't as high. He was doing 2-3 cases per day and patients were doing well. Many hospitals and facilities were provided by the Dominican Republic and the United States, specifically in Miami. Air-conditioned medical tents were finally set up so that they could send the Haitians to tent hospitals and other facilities around the area. It seemed as though things were starting to get done and people were getting back on their feet.
Air-conditioned EMED tents
On Wednesday, the 17th, Joe called me early in the morning and talked to me briefly but woke me up so we didn't talk long. He said that he would call me later. Late afternoon rolled around and I hadn't heard from him. I thought it was really odd because he had called me numerous times the couple days before that. I called my friend, Jen, whose husband left with Joe to see if she had talked to or heard from them at all. She hadn't so the wheels in my head started turning. I didn't know what was going on. But in my gut, I had a feeling that he might be coming home. I checked his email. I had been checking it for him while he was gone and just passing on important messages since it cost so much for him to check it every day. I read some previous messages saying things like, "It was great meeting and working with you," "Safe travels", etc. I thought those were in reference to him leaving the ship but being the "Charlie's Angel" that I am (or always wanted to be), I thought maybe they were wishing him luck because he was coming home soon. I made dinner that night and after putting the kids to bed, checked his email one more time. I still hadn't heard from him and it was too weird for him not to call. There was nothing in his inbox so I checked his trash (I know, I'm completely snoopy). There, sitting in his trash box, was an email confirmation from American Airlines to arrive in Las Vegas the next morning! I was freaking out. He hadn't told me and I didn't know if he was going to take a taxi and surprise me or call me in the morning to pick him up when he got to the airport or what. I didn't know what to do. I just cleaned my house like a mad-woman (luckily it was my cleaning day, anyway) and tried to stay calm.
A couple of hours later, I was folding laundry and watching the Olympics when I got a text from my husband. He typed, "Turn on CNN. The Idaho "kidnappers" are arriving in Miami and I'm on the same plane!" I texted back, "What? You're on the same plane?" We texted back and forth for a few minutes as he explained that he was arriving in Miami and would be home tomorrow! When he disembarked the airplane, he called me and gave me the official word that he wanted me to pick him up the next morning. I was so excited and yet frustrated because he hadn't told me sooner. He explained that things happened rather quickly. They didn't need that many ortho docs there anymore and because he had deployed more recently and had board exams coming up, he was the one sent home. He didn't want to tell me and get my hopes up in case something happened like another earthquake or a building collapsed where they needed him to stay or there was something wrong with the plane. He wanted to touch ground in the states so he knew that he would make it home.
The next morning I got the kids off to school without telling them my secret and Carlee and I headed to the airport to pick Joe up. We met him at the baggage claim and he looked great. We hurried home before Jake got home from kindergarten. Joe and I decided to just sit on the couch watching T.V. when Jake walked through the door. Jake came home and dropped his backpack and jacket. I was asking him about his day and he turned to answer me. He looked at Joe for about 10 seconds before realizing who it was and then ran to the couch tackling him. It was awesome. We then went out to lunch and ran some errands before heading to the school to pick the kids up. Clark was auditioning for the school play so it was perfect that I picked them up. We walked onto the playground with Jake on Joe's shoulders. Katelyn was looking right past Joe to me and then realized that her brother was on a man's shoulders and that the man was her dad! She ran to him and hugged him tightly. Then she ran back to her teacher yelling that her dad was home from Haiti early. It was cute. Clark walked across the playground and noticed Joe about 10 yards away. He took off running and just plowed into him. It was great. Clark went to his auditions and then we headed out for a family dinner at Claim Jumper. Eating out does seem to be the celebratory tradition for our family. Now that our family is back together again and happy, we can continue with play rehearsals, soccer practice and games, baseball practice and games, theater class, dance class, homework, chores around the house, work, and just regular life...
