WP: Wounded (ABC) Newsmen Show Slow Recovery (info from Brokaw)

[DeepModem Mom]

Wounded Newsmen Show Slow Recovery
ABC Likely to Use Substitutes for Anchor
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 31, 2006; Page C01


ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman showed "slow improvement" yesterday at a U.S. military hospital in Germany and remain in serious but stable condition after sustaining head injuries from a roadside bomb in Iraq, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Woodruff and Doug Vogt showed "early signs of reaction" in response to neurological tests at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, said hospital spokeswoman Marie Shaw. Col. Bryan Gamble, the hospital's commander, said both men would have been killed had they not been wearing body armor....

***

On the "Today" show, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said he had spoken to Woodruff's wife, Lee, about the bomb that exploded while her husband and Vogt were standing in the back hatch of an Iraqi military vehicle to tape a report. The vehicle then came under hostile fire from three directions.

Immediately after the blast, Woodruff asked a colleague, "Am I alive?" and then said, "Don't tell Lee." Brokaw said Woodruff "began to cry out in excruciating pain" but was able to walk to a helicopter for medical evacuation.

Doctors were able to reduce Woodruff's brain swelling by removing part of his skullcap but "don't know for sure whether shrapnel penetrated the brain," Brokaw said. He said Woodruff had also suffered a broken collarbone and broken ribs. Both journalists are under heavy sedation, hospital officials said....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001565.html

[CottonBear]

1. They were airlifted to a hospital in DC this morning.

Head injuries are awful. Brain swelling is ultra-serious. Removal of part of his skull to accomodate swelling indicates severe trauma. I doubt he will ever be the same. :( I hope his family and the photographer's families are doing OK.

[goclark]

2. Prayers for them and all of the soldiers as well nt

[psychopomp]

3. Yes

His first reaction to his predicament--I think it is very touching that he would think of protecting (the feelings of) his loved one.

One more sad story from Iraq. Sigh.

[Danieljay]

4. Like other soldiers, body army saved their life, but not their WAY of life

Many will never recover so the emotional and physical pain on them AND their families will be with them the rest of their (please define) "life".

The question still remains: "What the hell for?"

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Well said, Daneljay. nt

[brentspeak]

6. Removing part of his skullcap?

He's more injured than I thought.

[AzDar]

7. Jesus Christ ...THERE'S a phrase I hope I never hear again. I sure

wish the best for both of those gentlemen and their families. And for everyone put needlessly in harm's way for the Winged Monkey's Evil War.

[LizW]

8. That part's not the worst.

I thought they had brain trauma from the concussion of the blast, which is bad enough, but it also says that shrapnel may have penetrated the brain. Pretty horrifying.

My friend had a skull opening after brain surgery for an aneurysm. It looked quite shocking at the time, but it actually does grow back closed. They stitched her scalp back in place, and she looks perfectly fine.

[Javaman]

9. I wonder if he can still hear? Being that close to an IED going off. n/t