Chapter 6
Jordan
Jordan’s memories surfaced as he walked silently next to Alex, the intense emotions radiating from Alex’s panic attack mirroring the turmoil in his own past.
He was nine years old again, back in his childhood home, where everything had started to go wrong. It began with small moments, ones that seemed insignificant at first. His mother’s calls from another room often went unanswered, and he found himself straining to catch his teacher’s instructions amidst the classroom chatter.
His mother, always attentive and loving, noticed these subtle changes. She saw the way he turned his head to hear better, the way he squinted in concentration when someone spoke to him. Concerned, she took him to various doctors, hoping for a simple explanation, a quick fix.
But as the weeks passed, the reality of Jordan’s condition became impossible to ignore. His hearing was deteriorating rapidly. Conversations that once flowed easily now sounded like distant murmurs. The vibrant sounds of the world—the laughter of friends, the melodies of his favorite songs, the rustling of leaves—faded into an indistinct hum. He felt like he was trapped behind an invisible barrier, isolated from the world he once knew.
After five months of countless tests and doctor visits, the diagnosis came: congenital hearing loss. Jordan’s hearing had fallen to the fifty-decibel range, making him hard of hearing. It was a relief to finally have an answer, but it also brought a profound sense of loss. The world he knew was gone, and his place in it felt uncertain.
The impact of his hearing loss was far-reaching, especially in his education. School, once a place of learning and discovery, turned into a battleground of confusion and frustration. His teachers, unaware of his condition, often misunderstood his inability to follow directions as defiance or lack of intelligence. They thought he was being stubborn.
When he started wearing hearing aids, the situation worsened. His teachers treated him differently, giving him simpler assignments and making allowances that made him feel singled out and inferior. His classmates were even worse, treating him like an outcast. He was no longer just Jordan; he was the boy with hearing aids, the boy who was different.
The pain of this isolation was immense. Jordan’s self-esteem plummeted. He felt like he was a burden to his family, especially his parents, who were struggling to come to terms with his condition. His father, a stoic and hardworking man, didn’t know how to handle the situation. He was used to solving problems, but this was something he couldn’t fix. His frustration often turned into anger, which only deepened Jordan’s sense of guilt and worthlessness.
His mother tried to be a pillar of strength, but Jordan could see the worry etched on her face.
The way her hands trembled when she thought he wasn’t looking. She was his rock, but even rocks can crumble under enough pressure.
Jordan hated his hearing aids. They were a constant reminder of his difference, a visible sign that he wasn’t like everyone else. The discomfort they caused was unbearable. By the end of each school day, his ears were raw and aching. He tried different models, consulted various audiologists, and practiced rigorous hygiene, but nothing seemed to alleviate the pain.
The doctors explained that his ear canals were sensitive and prone to inflammation. The friction and pressure from the hearing aids exacerbated the issue. They recommended taking regular breaks from wearing them and suggested switching to aids made of softer materials. But even with these adjustments, the pain persisted.
One doctor had the nerve to suggest that the pain was psychological, a diagnosis Jordan dismissed outright. His pain was real, both physical and emotional. It was the cost of staying connected to the hearing world, a world that had become a source of both agony and necessity.
As he grew older, Jordan learned to cope with his condition, but the scars remained. The hearing aids became a symbol of his struggle, a reminder of the ridicule and isolation he endured. Yet, he continued to wear them, knowing that they were his bridge to the world of sound.
Now, as he walked next to Alex, he couldn’t help but reflect on how far he had come. The pain was still there, a dull ache that he had learned to live with. But he had found a purpose in his work, a reason to keep going despite the discomfort. Providing care and healing to animals gave his life meaning, and in their silent companionship, he found a sense of peace.
Jordan glanced at Alex, who was lost in his own thoughts. He understood the weight of silent suffering, the burden of feeling different. And in that shared understanding, he felt a connection, a bond forged through the trials they had both faced. He squeezed Alex’s shoulder gently, offering silent support. They were both survivors, finding their way in a world that had tried to push them to the edges.
As they walked through the halls in silence, Jordan felt a glimmer of something he couldn’t describe. Despite the pain and the challenges, he and Alex faced, he knew that both of them would continue to fight, finding strength in their shared journey. At that moment, the world felt a little less isolated, a little more hopeful.
As they entered the recovery room, the sight of his amazing co-workers, and a restful Shadow lifted his spirits. When Emily saw Alex, Jordan saw her professional demeanor falter momentarily. Though she quickly regained her composure, Jordan noticed. He thoroughly planned to use it against her later. He thought the subtle blush on her cheeks was cute as she flustered at the handsome man next to him.
“Hello,” she greeted them with a friendly smile, introducing herself. “I’m Dr. Emily Rodriguez.” She directed their attention to Shadow. He lay on the examination table, resting peacefully.
“Shadow made it through the toughest part,” Emily explained. “We stopped the bleeding, and his vitals are low but stable. We are keeping him sedated for now to help him recover .
Jordan nodded, relieved to hear the good news. “That’s great to hear. Thank you for all you have done for him.”
Emily smiled, “We’ve administered antibiotics as well, to prevent infection. We’ll watch him closely as he wakes up, but for now, I feel comfortable saying that he is going to make it, but his recovery is going to be hard.”
“We will help him get through this.” Jordan turned to Alex and gestured toward the nurse. “Alex, I’d like you to meet Rebecca, our head veterinary nurse, and my best friend.”
Rebecca smiled warmly at Alex as she extended her hand. “Nice to meet you, honey. Is today your first day as a volunteer?”
Alex chuckled nervously. “Yeah, I just completed my onboarding.”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
Jordan introduced Alex to the rest of the medical team in the recovery room. “Everyone, this is Alex Bennett. He’s the one whose bedroom window Shadow crashed through this morning.”
Emily nodded. “Your quick response and the way you tied off his bleeding likely saved his life.”
Alex looked down. “I was just doing what I could. Thank you all for taking such good care of him.”
“We just spoke with Shadow’s registered owner,” Jordan chimed in. “She said that Shadow is her father’s service dog. She and her father have become estranged, and she doesn’t know why Shadow is in Oregon. She specifically requested that Alex oversee Shadow’s primary care while he’s at the clinic.”
Emily nodded. “That’s a unique request and a lot of responsibility.” She looked at Alex. He returned her gaze and nodded with a forced smile. It was an even faker show of confidence that appeared awkward.
Rebecca chimed in. “Alex has already shown that he cares for Shadow. The request makes sense to me. We both think Shadow wouldn’t have made it if Alex hadn’t slowed the bleeding.” She continued, “Now that I see you, I understand where all the big ass t-shirt bandages came from. You have great taste in T-shirts. My favorite was, ‘I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain this to you.’ I’ll write that to a few family members in my Christmas cards this year.”
They laughed, and Alex looked a little embarrassed. He replied, “When I was overseas in the Army, my best friend’s wife had a t-shirt business. She found a great shirt that fit my body type. He would tell her stuff about me. Then she would write sayings on them and send them to me in his care packages.”
Emily snickered. “Ah, that explains the shirt. ‘Meat shield, who better protect my husband?’” They all laughed again, but Alex went a little pale.
Alex replied, “Yeah, that one is special. He made me wear that under my uniform when we went on missions.”
Alex became stiff and guarded. He recovered quickly with a fake smile. It was barely noticeable, but Jordan was an expert at faking it through the day. He could spot a fellow faker of happiness a mile away.
“Alex signed up today to be a volunteer at the clinic. He wants to work with Shadow to help us with his care and to help him with his recovery,” Jordan said to the team.
“That is very sweet of you, Alex. Shadow is strong and will need extensive care over the coming weeks. He won’t regain the full use of his front left paw. The glass caused tendon damage. He will be able to put pressure on the leg with therapy, but he’ll likely have a permanent limp,” Emily explained.
Jordan noticed a sense of sadness coming from Alex, and he made eye contact and smiled at him. “He’s going to be okay, Alex, and we’re all here to help him and you get through this. Right, ladies?”
Rebecca replied, “That’s right. We’re a teaching clinic, so we will help you learn all the skills you need to be a top-notch animal caregiver. You want to help me move him from the recovery room to the kennel area and settle him, honey?”
Alex’s mood seemed to change instantly, and he perked up. “Yeah, I would love to help.”
Jordan looked at Rebecca and said, “Thanks, Becks. I’ll leave both of them in your capable hands.” He looked at Alex. “You get him settled. Once you’re done, let me know, and we can meet back up to review his treatment plan.”
Alex nodded. “Sounds good, thanks.”
Jordan and Emily began walking toward the office area together. Their early morning wake-up calls exhausted them. They both seemed comfortable walking together in silence down the hallways .
Once they reached their side-by-side offices, Emily said, “Are you doing okay? You seem like you’re in pain. You’ve had a lot of cases today, taking on my appointments while I was in surgery. Why don’t you go into your office for a while and take them out?” Her concern meant so much to Jordan.
He replied, “Yeah, I will. My ‘eavesdropping buddies’ and I are not getting along well today.”
Emily looked at him. “You take some time. Luckily, we both have a pretty light schedule this afternoon. Elijah moved some of our appointments to tomorrow because we started early today.”
Jordan nodded. “He is a godsend. I’ll thank him for taking that initiative. Thanks, Em, for everything.” He reached out and gave her a hug.
“You’re welcome. We did good today! I’ll print out the picture of Shadow I took earlier and hang it on the wall of miracles. It was touch and go with him for a while on the table, but he pulled through,” Emily said.
He nodded, smiled, and walked into his office. As Jordan sat down at his desk, he carefully removed his hearing aids, and a sense of relief washed over him. The tiny devices had caused him so much discomfort throughout the day.
He closed his eyes briefly, savoring the sudden silence that enveloped him. The constant, nagging pain that had built up over the hours subsided, allowing him to relax. The rawness in his ears gradually eased from the pain, and he could finally feel comfort.
Jordan took a deep breath in the quiet of his office, savoring the peace he found in this moment of respite.