LuLu Rogers
06-26-2008, 12:29 AM
“Mommy!” Hawkeye called out from downstairs.
“I’m coming Ben.” I yelled back as I walked down the stairs to find him.
He was sitting on the couch petting our dog Jack, a huge smile on his face.
“Are you ready to go?” I asked him.
He nodded, grinning up at me.
“Ok, get your shoes and I’ll help you put them on.”
He ran to the kitchen and came back with his tennis shoes. I knelt down in front of him and helped him put them on, making sure the laces were tight so they wouldn’t come untied.
“Let’s get in the car Ben.” I smiled and ruffled his hair, following him outside to the car.
I started the car and turned on his CD for him. The only song on it is Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin, he loves listening to it over and over again. I smiled as I watched him laughing and singing along with the music. It was almost hard to remember the way he used to be before the accident.
Hawkeye Pierce had been a skirt chasing comedian with a heart of gold when I met him in Korea. He captured the heart of both me and my husband Trapper John McIntyre. After we got back to the states, Trapper divorced his wife Louise and the three of us moved in together. We couldn’t have been happier. Trapper’s daughters Becky and Kathy came to stay with us every other weekend and during the summer and Hawkeye and I quickly became attached to them.
About 5 years after we had been home, Hawkeye was in a very bad car accident. Frank operated on him and told Trapper and me that it didn’t look good. He had suffered some brain damage and they were afraid he wouldn’t make it. Trapper and I spent the next 3 months never leaving his side, constantly praying that he would come out of this coma and be happy go lucky Hawkeye again. When he did wake up, Trapper and I were ecstatic, but our happiness was short lived. Hawkeye had no idea who we were and he was acting very strange. After talking with Frank and Sidney and reading all of the research we could find, we concluded that Hawkeye was suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. The accident had affected the memory part of his brain, causing him to think that he was 4 years old again. Trapper and I were shocked and many people encouraged us to put him in a home, but we wouldn’t hear of it, he was still our Hawkeye and we still loved him.
It was hard to accept at first, after all, having a 170 pound, 6’2” tall 4 year old is definitely an interesting experience, but we adjusted. We still love him just as much as we always have, maybe more.
“Ok Ben, we’re here.” I smiled at him as we pulled up in the parking lot at McDonald’s.
Today Trapper and I promised we would take him for a lunch at his favorite place, then to the zoo. Naturally his favorite place to eat is McDonald’s, so Trapper and I agreed.
“Look over there Ben, who is that?” I grinned as I noticed Trapper standing by the door.
“Daddy!” Hawkeye screamed as he jumped out of the car and nearly tackled Trapper.
“Easy Ben, I’m glad to see you too.” Trapper laughed and kissed his forehead.
“Hi baby.” He smiled and gave me a kiss.
“Ew!” Hawkeye made a face at us, giggling.
“You know, Mommy and I can always take you back home…”
“No, I’ll be good Daddy! I promise!” He pleaded.
“Alright then, let’s go inside.”
We ordered our food and found a table near the back so Hawkeye could watch the kids playing in the Play Place. He was heartbroken the first time we explained to him that he was too big to play in it, so he insisted on at least being able to watch.
“Ben, do you want some ketchup for your fries?” I pointed to his food.
He looked up at me and grinned.
“I take that as a yes.” I smiled and opened a few packs for him before using some myself.
“Comment votre jour a-t-il été amoureux?” I looked up to see Trapper looking at me.
We often speak in French so Hawkeye won’t understand what we’re saying.
“Il a été bon jusqu'ici, que diriez-vous de du vôtre?” I smiled.
“Ainsi il est été bon puis?” Trapper asked curiously.
“Oui, il est été bon.” I grinned as Hawkeye took a big bite out of his hamburger, grinning from ear to ear.
After a few more minutes, Hawkeye was growing impatient.
“Mommy?”
“Yes my love?”
“Can we please go to the zoo now?” He pleaded.
“As soon as your daddy and I finish eating.” I promised.
He groaned in disappointment.
“Ok Ben, we’re finished, let’s go.” Trapper smiled and took Hawkeye’s hand and I followed them out to the car.
“I’m coming Ben.” I yelled back as I walked down the stairs to find him.
He was sitting on the couch petting our dog Jack, a huge smile on his face.
“Are you ready to go?” I asked him.
He nodded, grinning up at me.
“Ok, get your shoes and I’ll help you put them on.”
He ran to the kitchen and came back with his tennis shoes. I knelt down in front of him and helped him put them on, making sure the laces were tight so they wouldn’t come untied.
“Let’s get in the car Ben.” I smiled and ruffled his hair, following him outside to the car.
I started the car and turned on his CD for him. The only song on it is Don’t Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin, he loves listening to it over and over again. I smiled as I watched him laughing and singing along with the music. It was almost hard to remember the way he used to be before the accident.
Hawkeye Pierce had been a skirt chasing comedian with a heart of gold when I met him in Korea. He captured the heart of both me and my husband Trapper John McIntyre. After we got back to the states, Trapper divorced his wife Louise and the three of us moved in together. We couldn’t have been happier. Trapper’s daughters Becky and Kathy came to stay with us every other weekend and during the summer and Hawkeye and I quickly became attached to them.
About 5 years after we had been home, Hawkeye was in a very bad car accident. Frank operated on him and told Trapper and me that it didn’t look good. He had suffered some brain damage and they were afraid he wouldn’t make it. Trapper and I spent the next 3 months never leaving his side, constantly praying that he would come out of this coma and be happy go lucky Hawkeye again. When he did wake up, Trapper and I were ecstatic, but our happiness was short lived. Hawkeye had no idea who we were and he was acting very strange. After talking with Frank and Sidney and reading all of the research we could find, we concluded that Hawkeye was suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. The accident had affected the memory part of his brain, causing him to think that he was 4 years old again. Trapper and I were shocked and many people encouraged us to put him in a home, but we wouldn’t hear of it, he was still our Hawkeye and we still loved him.
It was hard to accept at first, after all, having a 170 pound, 6’2” tall 4 year old is definitely an interesting experience, but we adjusted. We still love him just as much as we always have, maybe more.
“Ok Ben, we’re here.” I smiled at him as we pulled up in the parking lot at McDonald’s.
Today Trapper and I promised we would take him for a lunch at his favorite place, then to the zoo. Naturally his favorite place to eat is McDonald’s, so Trapper and I agreed.
“Look over there Ben, who is that?” I grinned as I noticed Trapper standing by the door.
“Daddy!” Hawkeye screamed as he jumped out of the car and nearly tackled Trapper.
“Easy Ben, I’m glad to see you too.” Trapper laughed and kissed his forehead.
“Hi baby.” He smiled and gave me a kiss.
“Ew!” Hawkeye made a face at us, giggling.
“You know, Mommy and I can always take you back home…”
“No, I’ll be good Daddy! I promise!” He pleaded.
“Alright then, let’s go inside.”
We ordered our food and found a table near the back so Hawkeye could watch the kids playing in the Play Place. He was heartbroken the first time we explained to him that he was too big to play in it, so he insisted on at least being able to watch.
“Ben, do you want some ketchup for your fries?” I pointed to his food.
He looked up at me and grinned.
“I take that as a yes.” I smiled and opened a few packs for him before using some myself.
“Comment votre jour a-t-il été amoureux?” I looked up to see Trapper looking at me.
We often speak in French so Hawkeye won’t understand what we’re saying.
“Il a été bon jusqu'ici, que diriez-vous de du vôtre?” I smiled.
“Ainsi il est été bon puis?” Trapper asked curiously.
“Oui, il est été bon.” I grinned as Hawkeye took a big bite out of his hamburger, grinning from ear to ear.
After a few more minutes, Hawkeye was growing impatient.
“Mommy?”
“Yes my love?”
“Can we please go to the zoo now?” He pleaded.
“As soon as your daddy and I finish eating.” I promised.
He groaned in disappointment.
“Ok Ben, we’re finished, let’s go.” Trapper smiled and took Hawkeye’s hand and I followed them out to the car.