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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Our WWII Soldier's Leg Wound Had to Be Opened Again



Oct. 27, 1944
England


My Darling Mark
         Hello Sweetheart! !
Got your very nice letter today. I also got one from Cec.
How is everything with you, honey. Are you still working 5 days a week now?
Honey, I don’t know what the hell to write in a letter anymore – there’s not anything worth writing. Don’t do anything unusual – same stuff day after day! I even hate to try & write a letter anymore. If I kept writing for the time it took me to write 2 pages – I could write you a book.
         Went to the show this afternoon & seen Charles Laughton “The Man from Down Under”. Pretty good – but I had seen it before.  I’ve seen some of the pics 4 times already just because there wasn’t anything else to do.
They didn’t graft any skin on my leg honey – they just cut the scar out & closed – but it became infected & had to open it again. I don’t know whether they’ll cut the scar out this time or not. Time will tell what’s what.
I don’t think I’ll get a 30 day leave honey – I’ll be lucky to get a short furlough over here! If I was back in the states – I’d probably get a long leave.
I honestly don’t think I’ll be sent back to the states honey – I would even say maybe. We’ll just have to sweat it out together & see what happens.
Well, honey I guess I’ll close this for tonight - & get washed & shaved – before lights go out. Then if I have time I’ll write Cec! He’s pretty proud of his kid!
Tell everyone hello honey.
I miss you & love you more every day.
Bye for now Sweetheart!!
Write soon.
All My Love
Always               Johnny


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Johnny’s leg was definitely a long time healing. The gash in his leg had also developed an infection, and the British doctors were leaving the wound open so it could be cleaned regularly and could heal from the inside out.  One of the Army doctors ordered them to sew up the wound and get him back to the front lines.

They did as they were told and sewed it up.  Over the next two or three days, the leg began to swell and turn red.  On the third day, one of the other patients a few beds down who was a medic, called to the nurse to go tend to Jambrosic, that he was going into shock.  The doctors and nurses came running, took a look at him and at his leg, and cut the stitches open.  Pus literally squirted out of the wound.  They had to start over again, cleaning it out and letting it heal from inside.  The Army doctor didn’t give any more orders about Johnny’s care!

The scar on that leg was over a foot long, from his hip to his knee, and about 5 inches wide.  He rarely wore shorts because he didn't want the scar to show, but the injury didn’t slow him down.  He was on a bowling team for years, and later played golf several times a week.  You’d never know he had been injured by looking at him.

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