https://www.reddit.com/r/MilitaryStories/comments/14uxaci/intensive_care/
Dad was a WW2 paratrooper with the independent 509th. His nickname in the unit was Magnet because he was always getting shot. He had 4 Purple Hearts among his other awards.
In the end, near the town of Sadzot in December of 1944 dad was grievously wounded in the chest, face, throat and arms. After some battle field surgery he was evaced to a series of hospitals with each one triaging him as unlikely to survive.
He eventually got out of hospital in 1948 with 100% disability, married a Navy nurse and built a modest life and a large family.
It was in the 60's that dad's war wounds began to complicate his life and he was scheduled to go to Pittsburgh to a general hospital for major surgery which we were told he would likely not survive.
Dad's case came to the attention of Dr P, ( a Greek name which is unspellable and unpronounceable) the Chief of Surgery at the hospital and Dr P decided to perform the operation himself. It turned out that Dr P had been a battalion surgeon in WW2 with the 29th Infantry Division from D Day to Germany.
As my mom and my sister were both nurses, we got first rate information from the staff.
The story told was that as Dr P approached the table to begin the operation, the Chief Resident, who was assisting, tried to lighten the mood. He looked down at Dad on the table, noting the mass of scar tissue and wound marks on him and said; "This guy looks like he's already had an autopsy. I think we have the wrong patient."
Dr. P stopped moving, looked up and said; "The men who did this surgery were being shot at while they operated on him.... You're fired. Get out of my hospital"
Dr P performed the surgery and gave dad another 22 years. When he came out of the theatre he came straight to mom and said "He's fine. He will stay with us for as long as he needs to. There will be no fees, charges or bills. Here is my home number, call me any time if you have the slightest issue."
As a young teenager, I was in awe. There was perspiration on Dr. P's face and perhaps a hint of mist in his eyes. I think he may have lost enough soldiers in his career and wasn't losing any more.
After he departed, one of the senior nurses spoke to mum, "We've never seen him like this. He said that if any of the patient's vital signs change, he wants to be notified immediately." Consequently,, dad received excellent care as the staff were terrified that something would go wrong on their shift.
In 1975, dad pinned his Airborne wings on me at Fryer Drop Zone. I still have them.