At My Purple Heart Ceremony, My Stepmother Swung a Folding Chair Into My Arm—Then My Father Looked Down Instead of Protecting Me

He heard it.

“We were never fine.”

And for once, my father had no explanation ready.

PART 2 — WHAT THE PURPLE HEART DID NOT MEAN

The emergency department confirmed fractures of both bones in my left forearm.

Radius.

Ulna.

Both displaced.

The good news was that the skin remained intact and circulation to my hand was preserved.

The tingling in my fingers improved after the arm was stabilized.