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Nov
29
Vietnam Today
Filed Under Return To Vietnam, Vietnam Today | 2 Comments
by Lawrence Fuller
This is a guest post by Larry Fuller who is presently in Vietnam on a road of rediscovery. Larry is a friend of a friend (Charlie Dana). Following is a shortened version of his letter home:
Recent storm knocked out power and computer at my hotel, so I have wandered over here to the post office to see about sending some stuff home. Low and behold…I have found some good computers to use. I wonder how much it’s going to cost?!
Since the storm knocked out power, most of us sat in the lobby and talked by candlelight. After everyone decided to go to bed, I decided to go out in the storm (it was just a little storm). I wanted to find this Indian restaurant, strangely named “Omar Khyam’s Restaurant.” I knew the guy. He struck me as an excellent businessman and very organized.
Wearing my Wal-Mart special bright yellow poncho, I wandered the deserted streets and BINGO! There it was…a beacon of Indian de-light! He had the generator running always hopeful for another customer…and I was it!
I pulled off the poncho, hung it on the coat rack in the corner, and found a table facing the street. Outside, the wind was whipping the branches of the trees and the rain was beating against the windows, Inside, it was as cozy as could be with gentle classical Spanish guitar music playing over the speakers. Yes…it was one of THOSE moments!
I decided to order the Lamb Curry with hot masala tea and relax. He and I talked. He was Indian and was one of these guys who just got up from where he was, got out of a bad situation, and had built 8 restaurants throughout Vietnam.
I took my time and enjoyed the meal. The storm lashed the streets and his restaurant’s background music couldn’t have been more appropriate. I had selected one of the more expensive dishes on the menu. After all, it was Australian lamb! I thought, “Dog gone it…I deserve it and am worth every penny.” Filled with the delicious meal, I finally got up, paid the $3.50 bill, donned my trusty poncho and stepped back out into the night.
The street was filled with the bustle of motor-bikes, trucks, bicycles, cars, peddle rickshaws, and other indescribable forms of transportation.
Suddenly, I heard an American voice behind me, “Can you tell me how to get to a park.” I twisted around and noted a gentleman about my age standing there. His name was Lloyd, and he was 60 years of age. He wanted a place where he could just sit and think. He had been an American Army draftee, who had served multiple tours in Vietnam way back when.
I could sense some sort of identity with him and could see on his face that he had struggled mightily with life. He was from Indiana. He needed someone to talk to and I didn’t mind. As a matter of fact I wanted to…talking with someone who cares and could use some help.
He had struggled with the demons that had crept inside him from that War. He had lived a life of alcoholism crashing from one disaster to the next. His latest setback was a home and a bank that had foreclosed on him. No one had helped him with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder until just lately.
He had been angry with the Army and angry with every thing. He had finally quit drinking 6 years ago and now…every day was a challenge. He said he had returned to where his Vietnamese Army camp was located and found the Buddhist temple where he once entered with a gun.
I didn’t push for details. He said he had just broken down in tears when he left the temple and I think this had been a good turning point for him.
We talked about Heaven and Hell, good and bad, the reason for our existence, and America. We both knew we had an appointment up the road. I said, “Let’s get up and find that park.” He was going to head for Laos the next day.
We found the park and he thanked me. We were both on the road and I am grateful for having met him.
May God bless him.
Nov
18
Beyond November 11th
Filed Under American Patriotism, Events, Quilts of Valor, Veteran's Day | 1 Comment
Wednesday was Veteran’s Day. A twenty-four hour period where Americans are supposed to stop at some time during those hours to honor and reflect on the sacfrices made by our veterans so that others can live in a free and democratic country. Truly, I don’t know how many Americans did this… With the busyness of daily life, I didn’t see much evidence that many knew the honorary day existed. Yet, across the nation there many observances.
In our home we did something uniquely special. Something we have never done before, nor will we do again. The event was a culmination of several months of planning.
It included the thoughtfulness and generosity of family members and close friends, along with the sewing fingers of the Caring Quilters of “The Rabbit’s Lair” in Rogers, AR. Contributers are Betty Hayes, Marguerite Steiner, Nancy White and Patty Wilhelm and machine quilted by Donna Roche. All are dedicated to making a difference with the “Quilts of Valor”.
It was a secret for Tony, which took a great deal of evasive action and patience to execute. In honor of all vets, we took this day to symbolize such respect by paying tribute to one. Inviting several neighbors to share the evening, we ate a light dinner, then watched the touching movie, Taking Chance, the true story of a twenty-year old Marine who died in Iraq. The movie chronicled the journey of Chance Phelps from Iraq to his family burial place in Dubois, Wyoming. http://www.hbo.com/films/takingchance/
One member this evening, a former marine who flew helicopters in Vietnam, shared how, while he was waiting for his overseas assignment, was given the duty of informing two families of their loved ones’ death. It was information he had never shared with any of us before and we could tell that the memory still remained with him.
At the very end of the evening, we surprised Tony with his own Quilt of Valor. Needless to say, he was speechless and quite humbled. You see, he understood that this distinctive comforter of courage was not just for him, but for every wounded warrior from every war past and present. So Thank You every veteran for your sacrifice and service. We hold you warmly in our hearts and minds, not just on November 11, but every day of every year.
Nov
10
Veteran’s Day
Filed Under American Patriotism, Events, Veteran's Day | Comments Off on Veteran’s Day
Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2009
Following is a guest post from some dear friends. Thanks to all veterans on this day and every day! Lest we forget, “Freedom Isn’t Free”
Post by Larry & Nancy Thoney:
Battered & Tattered, Yet, How Proudly It Waves!
While traveling across the Navajo Reservation in the Monument Valley in AZ last winter, we saw an American flag flying in spite of what had obviously been some very hard times. It was symbolic and we had to have that picture!
The ragged, tattered old flag reminds us of our country and the fact that it has also been through some trials and tribulations, but never-the-less our life style and independence have prevailed. The reason our flag has continued to fly proudly, in spite of all, is largely because of the sacrifices of Veterans such as yourself.
Thanks so much for your contributions. We Americans are forever grateful!
Happy, Healthy Trails to you and yours.
Two Appreciative Americans,
Larry and Nancy Thoney
Post by Janet J. Seahorn:
Today is Wednesday, November 11, 2009… Veteran’s Day. Be sure to say thank you to every veteran you meet; not just today, but often. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their sacrifice for our country. A sacrifice that allows you and your family to live in peace and pursue your dreams of prosperity and happiness. Be sure you say an extra prayer for the families of our troops who are far from home in harms way. And may you live your life making a similar selfless commitment on behalf of others you may never know or meet.
Josh Groban in his song, You Raise Me Up, says it nicely.
You Raise Me Up
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened be.
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit a while with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
Your raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up… to more than I can be.
Thanks to you, members of our military, you have raised us up higher than we could ever be without your contribution to freedom and liberty for all.
God Bless America and God Bless our Veterans!
Nov
6
When Humpty-Dumpty is Mom
Filed Under PTSD treatment, Today's War, Treating PTSD, Women in Combat | Comments Off on When Humpty-Dumpty is Mom
by Janet J. Seahorn
War is hell, and there is no polite way to put it.
But when modern war is fought by women as well as men, it can take an even more challenging toil on a family and community.
As Americans, we are quickly learning that our country and its military facilities are struggling to provide appropriate treatment for its female troops. There are many services for men; yet, we are not prepared to offer some of the same options for women.
This week I had two events occur from two different parts of the country. The first was a disturbing phone call from a friend, who has several family members serving in the military. All have fought in Iraq. Her son has been to both Iraq and Afghanistan on numerous tours of duty.
Her concern, however, was for her female family member. After serving in Iraq the military woman has been home for almost three years, taking care of two small children while working full time in a demanding job. The young mother had been exposed to a great deal while deployed, and has done her best to return to normal life stateside.
Most of the time things are fine, but a few weeks ago, the memories, anxieties, and panic attacks returned with a vengeance. As we have discussed numerous times in our blogs, the ghosts of combat often come back to take up residence in the homes of the military personnel.
Without hesitation, this bright lady and her family sought help through the VA. She has wisely enrolled in our local VA Clinic upon return from combat. This time, however, she would need more intense treatment.
Not a problem, except, that the only facility that could accommodate women only is in another state, making the decision to leave her family and work a great deal more difficult.
The second incident came via an article in the New York Times which was sent to me exactly two days after the first event. Reading over the article’s information was all too familiar. I had heard it just two days before. The article by Damien Cave stated, “Never before has this country seen so many women paralyzed by the psychological scars of combat.
As of June 2008, 19,084 female veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan had received diagnoses of mental disorders from the Department of Veteran Affairs, including 8,454 women with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress — and this number does not include troops still active, or those who have never used the V.A. system” (Internet, Nov. 1, 2009).
The article continued to comment on what we have heard from many female vets, that because they are women, “people underestimate what these women have been through” (Resick, Internet, Nov. 1, 2009).
Since war has been traditionally fought by men, we have seen the Humpty-Dumpty effect. But what happens when Humpty is Mom? What happens when Mom is the wounded warrior? What happens to the children? What happens to the organizational system of the home: the washing, cooking, cleaning, and daily tasks?
Who steps up to help nurture the nurturer when she needs comfort, care, and support? These are vital questions that need to be explored and addressed.
When Humpty-Dumpty is Mom, she can be put back together; however, the tools and glue may be pink instead of blue.
Oct
29
The Grim Reaper: TBI Can Be a Spooky Demon
Filed Under Brain Injury, Trauma | Comments Off on The Grim Reaper: TBI Can Be a Spooky Demon
by Janet J. Seahorn
Several weeks ago I talked about going to a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) conference and promised I’d write more about what I learned. Now I feel like the Grim Reaper explaining the various causes and symptoms of a TBI.
Luckily, being Halloween, perhaps the trick is dealing aggressively with the spooks of TBI injuries and the treat is getting better with focus and determination.
Much of this information is taking from a brochure, Brain Injury: How to Recognize and Treat It, by Harvey Jacobs, Ph.D. and Flora Hammond, M.D.
So let’s talk about some of the “tricks” of a TBI. First, it can be due to many causes: falls, car accidents, sports, blasts/explosions, strokes, viruses, or aneurysms (weak spots in the walls of the brain’s arteries and veins).
Since many of our war vets have experienced a TBI mainly from an outside force, I will concentrate on this area. If the force is powerful enough, it can cause bleeding in the brain, bruising, and/or tearing of the brain cells.
“Once a traumatic brain injury occurs,” according to the experts, “there is risk of additional damage over the next several days due to lack of oxygen or reduced blood flow or medical complications”. When a blast occurs due to an IED or other combat offenses, the shock waves move through the brain and injure the soft brain tissue causing cell damage. The person doesn’t have to be unconscious to encounter a TBI, but the results can be quite damaging, nevertheless.
Another trick of this demon is that no two injuries are exactly alike due to the location, size, and impact of the TBI; cells can begin to die within four minutes of losing oxygen because of the impact. Sometimes, if the injury does not appear severe or life threatening it can be missed, yet the results are nothing short of problematic.
The person,” according to Jacobs and Hammond, “may appear dazed or just a little confused for a brief time and then return to work or usual activities. Problems may develop later.” Often times other people notice the problems first, like a spouse, close friend, or employer. What they may notice is problems in the person’s short-term memory, difficulty in organizing and planning, shorter attention span or easily distracted, unclear speech, irritation, anxiety, depression, and other cognitive or emotional behaviors that weren’t present before the injury. Therefore, getting proper diagnosis and treatment is essential to restoring an individual to health and normal activity.
This Grim Reaper can’t leave you with such a dismal TBI spook, so take heart and recognize that help is available. There are more effective and innovative treatments than ever before if treatment begins immediately. Time is crucial. Don’t wait. The major part of the brain’s mending normally takes place within the first two years of the injury, but the brain can continue to mend far beyond that time.
Trust me, having experienced a mild TBI many years ago, I kept engaged with as many cognitive and physical activities as possible and this made all the difference with being able to return to a normal life – the best treat ever.
Oct
28
Obama Signs Veterans Health Care Legislation
Filed Under Veteran Benefits | Comments Off on Obama Signs Veterans Health Care Legislation
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2009 – President Barack Obama signed new legislation today that creates predictable funding for veterans’ health care.
The Veterans Healthcare Reform and Transparency Act fundamentally changes how the Department of Veterans Affairs receive health care funding. The reform calls for appropriations a year in advance after more than two decades of regular budget delays, Obama said from the White House East Room.
“Over the past two decades, the VA budget has been late almost every year, often by months,” the president said. “At this very moment, the VA is operating without a budget, making it harder for VA medical centers and clinics to deliver the care our vets need.”
Obama said that because of budget shortfalls, new doctors, nurses and critical staff aren’t hired on time. New health care facilities and programs often are put on hold, leaving veterans to pay the price for the government’s neglect, he said.
“This is inexcusable. It’s unacceptable. It’s time for it to stop,” he said. “And that’s just what we’ll do with this landmark legislation.”
The law gives VA more funding predictability so officials can better budget their needs, recruit better-trained professionals and upgrade equipment. Mostly, Obama said, the law gives veterans better access to quality care.
“In short, this is common-sense reform,” he said. “It promotes accountability at the VA. It ensures oversight by Congress. It is fiscally responsible by not adding a dime to the deficit, and it ensures that veterans’ health care will no longer be held hostage to the annual budget battles in Washington.
“Keeping faith with our veterans is work that is never truly done,” he continued. “Today’s veterans expect and deserve the highest quality care, as will tomorrow’s veterans, especially our men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Obama pledged his administration would continue in efforts to build a 21st-century VA. Since he’s taken office, the White House, VA and Pentagon have been working to “cut the red tape and backlogs,” he said.
He noted the administration has invested in mobile clinics to give veterans in rural areas better access, and cited the VA and Pentagon’s work to develop a single health care record for servicemembers to make their transition out of the military a simpler process.
Obama also vowed to end homelessness among veterans and praised the success of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which offers qualified veterans better opportunities to attain higher education and training.
“All told, we have made the biggest commitment to veterans, the largest percentage increase in the VA budget in more than 30 years,” he said. “As a nation, we’ll pledge to fulfill our responsibilities to our veterans, because our commitment to our veterans is a sacred trust, and upholding that trust is a moral obligation.”
Oct
22
Here’s to the Heros: A Military Tribute
Filed Under American Patriotism | Comments Off on Here’s to the Heros: A Military Tribute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL-0mdEg0U4
Oct
20
PTSD Suffering & Control
Filed Under PTSD, Trauma, Treating PTSD | 1 Comment
By Janet J. Seahorn
This may be one of the most important blogs that I have written. Important because we are quickly becoming a people who, due to the recent attention on Post Traumatic Stress, are beginning to lump into the same basket all vets who return from conflict challenged by PTSD.
This is a major dilemma. It is vital that we as a nation, as communities, and as families start to have a more accurate description of the effects of combat trauma. Important because without correct information, we cannot help to mend the minds, hearts, and souls of those who suffer.
For that reason, solid facts through research on PTSD lead to better care. The problem, however, occurs when the media focuses only on those individuals who behave in extreme ways. Ways that make news casts, papers, and internet reading more exciting.
For the vast majority of veterans who return from combat tormented by the memories of war, the battle is within and remains there, silently distressing the individual.
But here is what is key to remember; the majority of vets are not personally or professional “out of control”. In fact, they spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to remain in control. For many, the periods of distress are when the person is alone, safe within the confines of house and home, or experiencing a severe physical or family crisis.
For most, the only people who see the anxiety and panic are not the outside world, but rather those within the vet’s inner-most circles: spouses, children, siblings, parents, and very close friends.
There are already many young (and some older vets) who are refusing to acknowledge they have a problem, or seek medical interventions even when they realize they need it. And why would they? Fearing they will be labeled and thrown into that “media basket” of dysfunction, they prefer to maintain a mask of silence. This isn’t acceptable, nor is it effective in mending the situation.
Yes, PTSD is a reality for many in our world, not just combat vets. For sure, it is a challenge like any “reordering” of the mind and body. Yet, most individuals move forward to live productive, successful lives. And if the individual gets appropriate medical and professional attention, that life and those who are closest to him/her, the living becomes immensely easier.
So let’s begin to write and tell stories of these quiet, courageous men and women. Stories of heroes and heroines who survive and manage to prosper in many areas of their lives; appreciating the fact that to be a hero requires an extraordinary act of bravery within an ordinary human spirit.
Oct
13
Brain Trauma, Soul Trauma
Filed Under Brain Injury, TBI & PTSD, Trauma | Comments Off on Brain Trauma, Soul Trauma
by Janet J. Seahorn
OK, here is something to ponder; can Brain Trauma cause Soul Trauma?
By “brain trauma”, I mean a traumatic brain injury, a verifiable medical condition caused by some insult to the brain, i.e., car accident, falling, hitting one’s head, being in or close to an IED explosion, shaken baby syndrome, stroke… and the list goes on.
Every year over 1.5 million Americans experience some type of traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Personally, I believe the number is higher, as many incidents never get reported because no one knows or realizes that such a trauma has occurred. Which is why all of the information on TBI makes me muse over what actually goes on in the brain/mind, body, and soul when it has been injured?
I think about the mind and wonder how such a magnificent organ can be in command of so much in a person: body, emotions, perceptions…
I think about the soul and wonder how such an invisible concept can make such a difference in one’s life; a difference that gives one strength, courage, and hope to make it through some truly desperate times.
I think about how anyone who experiences a restructuring of the brain after some internal or external trauma can move forward in ways that are nothing short of miraculous. A healing that leaves the brain changed, but the person still functioning.
I think about how the soul and spirit must somehow be part of the healing that takes place in the organ called the brain. How the soul/spirit may give some kind of divine direction to the mind that allows it to mend. In many cases it may not mend itself back to its original state but reorganizes in such a manner that perhaps enhances the individual with greater compassion, humility, and fearlessness.
I’d like to believe that angels watch over us and it is this entity that connects the mind, soul, and heart. Noah benShea thoughtfully noted, “Faith sees around corners”. Maybe these celestial beings are also within the corners of our battered minds, soothing, comforting, and mending.
Most days, though, I am just immensely appreciative that something more powerful than I can ever imagine is taking some charge over all of our well-being, perhaps from that place we call Heaven.
Oct
7
Coming Home
Filed Under American Patriotism, Life, PTSD, Today's War | Comments Off on Coming Home
by Stars and Stripes
He’s a businessman now. He has leisure time. He reads his law books, looks for a house to buy. He sleeps on clean sheets, and takes Hawaiian cruises with his family.
But a part of Dave Johnson is still in Iraq.
A couple of times a week, he wakes up there – “in the middle of a giant explosion,” he said, like the one on his second tour that took out his patrol base, killed one colleague, maimed another and injured a dozen more.
The former sergeant, who enlisted after getting a law degree to do his duty for his country – then was stop-lossed for 18 months – revisits the battleground in his waking life, too.
Every now and then, he says, he’ll have a flashback – “a very, very vivid memory” – of one among six or so events during his first Iraq tour.
A certain suicide bombing in a market, for instance.
“It was the last one I ever went to. We were the first responders,” Johnson, 30, said. “I felt the concussion. The blast wasn’t as big so there were much larger body parts, an arm here, a leg …
“It was me and Capt. [Matt] Lee and a member of the British Parliament. The entire market burned to the ground,” he said.
The memories creep in without warning, he said, and the acute flashback, including increased pulse and perspiration rate and a pounding heart, lasts about 30 seconds. Johnson’s twin brother, who spends a lot of time with him teaching him the family roofing business, can tell when it happens.
“He says, ‘You’re twitching again, dude.’
So Johnson wasn’t surprised to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The nightmares, the residual feelings of terror, the loss of sleep – all of it “affects you all day,” he said. And to have a flashback in the courtroom would not be good, he said.
Experts estimate that fully 20 percent of Iraq-deployed troops have developed PTSD and that nearly all show some post-combat anxiety. Yet despite a Defense Department effort to remove the stigma surrounding such psychological impacts of combat, many soldiers are still hesitant to admit they may be having problems and seek help.
Now Johnson spends his days learning the family roofing business from his brother. He’s looking for a starter house. Evenings he reads up on civil law so he can assist with the firm’s legal work.
Life is good, he said.
Yet as glad as he is to be out, he has few regrets about having been a grunt.
“Riding in a helo, staying up for 50-some hours straight, carrying a machine gun … I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.”