Georgy leaned out from his cover just as a grenade exploded a step away from him. A piece of shrapnel tore off his left arm. Stunned and not feeling any pain, he stood up and looked around. All the members of his scouting group were dead, their bodies mangled and covered with dirt and broken branches. The shelling had stopped, and the smoke had cleared. Georgy was standing on his own arm. He picked it up from the ground and started walking in the direction their group had come from that night. He had to walk about a kilometer before he found a supply truck, which took him — still conscious — to the medics.
After the war, Georgy Ivanovich lived more than 65 years without his arm. But he never again visited a hospital. For him, even a simple blood test felt as terrifying as that battle with the Germans. Even in old age, he could kill livestock with a single blow from his one hand, but he would feel faint at just the mention of a clinic.
His daughter, grandson, and great-granddaughter have all lived their lives with a fear of losing blood.
After the war, Georgy Ivanovich lived more than 65 years without his arm. But he never again visited a hospital. For him, even a simple blood test felt as terrifying as that battle with the Germans. Even in old age, he could kill livestock with a single blow from his one hand, but he would feel faint at just the mention of a clinic.
His daughter, grandson, and great-granddaughter have all lived their lives with a fear of losing blood.