A Special Thank You to People Who Make a Difference

The past 8 months have been quite a journey. It’s had its ups and downs alone the way. Thankfully we haven’t been alone down this road. We’ve had God with us even before Justin was injured and He hasn’t left our sides. We’ve had friends and family praying for us, encouraging us, and caring for us. We’ve also been helped by quite a few non-profit groups…most of which we had never heard of until coming to Walter Reed. I’d like to tell you about some of them. There are so many more that I can’t possibly mention or remember them all, so I’m just going to mention the ones that have personally helped us. Quite a few groups regularly make rounds bringing goodies to our building and/or meals to the wounded warrior floor in the hospital. I’ve appreciated them all even if I don’t remember their names. The ones I’m about to tell you about are in no specific order, and if you would like more information about any of them, feel free to ask me or “like” their facebook pages. They are all wonderful organizations with a heart for healing our nation’s wounded service members.

The first group of people is the wonderful people who make the Quilts of Valor. Justin received two of these quilts when he was in Afghanistan and has received a third one since arriving here. These quilts have brought us much warmth and comfort during this time. They are beautiful and I know there was a lot of love for our service members that went into them. If you are a quilter and would like to know more about how to get involved, I can give you some more information about how to help our wounded men and women.

The group that came to see Justin while he was in Germany was the Wounded Warrior Project. This group is probably the most well-known due to their commercials and t-shirts. I personally think they could do a lot more good if they functioned on less overhead costs, but they do a good work in helping the wounded and bringing attention to them so that they aren’t forgotten. They have given us bags, clothes (including socks which gave us a laugh), and hygiene items. They visited Justin regularly when he was inpatient and brought milkshakes. One of the regulars at Walter Reed is also a wounded warrior missing both of his legs…though you wouldn’t know it unless he’s wearing shorts. He’s walking, living proof that there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.

The group that we’ve probably had the most interaction with is Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. I can’t say enough good about this group. One of Justin’s favorite hobbies has always been fishing. When he was injured, he thought he’d have to wait a long time to get back into fishing. Then he heard about Project Healing Waters. He was fishing in a tournament a little over two months post-injury. They come weekly to Walter Reed to teach the wounded warriors more about fly fishing, practice casting, making fishing flies, and overall being such an encouragement. Some of the trips, Justin’s gone on by himself and some have been with our whole family. Corey has come to love fly fishing from the trips he’s been on. They also played a part in the hunting trip Justin and I went on in Texas. Everyone we have met through this program has been so nice to us and we are thankful for them and the work they do.

I mentioned America’s Fund/Semper Fi Fund recently in one of my statues. They do so much to help not just the wounded warriors, but also their families. Some of their people go room-to-room to visit the wounded while they’re inpatient. They help out families financially so that visit a loved one when they’re in the hospital isn’t a hardship. They give out jackets and blankets to the adults and teddy bears to the kids. They help out with child care costs, pet costs, help alongside the VA to assist wounded warriors in purchasing new vehicles, help give back the gift of mobility by giving track chairs (the special chairs with the tank treads), and so much more. They also do so much for the caregivers to help keep our morale up.

Operation Ward 57 is named after the original wounded warrior ward in the old Walter Reed that was located in D.C. Now the wounded warriors are on the 4th floor, but I personally think Ward 57 sounds a lot cooler than Operation 4th Floor of building 10. Most of our interaction with them was on the inpatient side. When Justin got to Walter Reed, he was in no condition to be up and about, much less to deal with things like going to the barber shop. Operation Ward 57 brought the barber shop to him. They regularly bring in people to cut hair on the wounded warrior floor. For guys like Justin who have sported military regulation haircuts for so long, they feel not quite themselves when their hair gets too long, and the awesome people from Ward 57 made Justin feel more like himself. They also come around and have special events in the hospital like ice cream sundaes which may seem like a simple thing, but it really means a lot to the families on the 4th floor.

Heroes Haven is a small non-profit out of Sharptown, MD. Most of the people who run it are either in the American Legion or Sons of the American Legion. They’re the ones who helped Justin go on his first hunting trip post-injury. They welcomed our family and the other two participants into town with a police and motorcycle escort through a couple small towns where people lined the streets waving and holding flags and signs. They welcomed us into their town and into their homes and treated us like family.

Our family did not stay in the Fisher House, but we were helped by one of their programs - Hero Miles. The Fisher houses help families have a place to stay free of cost while their loved one is undergoing care at a military facility. For a smaller family like ours, the Navy Lodge and now building 62 are sufficient, but for larger families or cases where extended family stays for longer periods of time, the Fisher Houses provide a place for them to feel at home. The Fisher House Foundation also stepped up during the government shutdown to help families of soldiers killed in action with their expenses. When Justin was injured, the Army travel people booked me a flight to Walter Reed. I didn’t have either of our vehicles up here which at first wasn’t as big of a deal, but once Justin was discharged, we wanted to venture off the hospital complex more. To get our vehicle, we needed to fly back to Georgia to get it. This is where Hero Miles helped out. People donate their unused frequent flyer miles and Hero Miles uses them to pay for flights for the wounded warriors and family/friends. For us, it was to fly back home briefly. For others, it’s the only way family can afford to come visit.

The Yellow Ribbon Fund does so much to help wounded warriors and their families. One way that they helped us was with their taxi voucher program. Before we had our vehicle up here, there were times where we wanted to get out or needed a ride to the airport. The Yellow Ribbon Fund provides taxi vouchers so that we’re able to get around for free. They also provide special outings and services for caregivers. On holidays, they bring gifts for the wounded and their caregivers.

Active Heroes isn’t a group that makes rounds at Walter Reed, but they definitely deserve mention. They organized a golf benefit for us last month and have another schedule for later this year. The proceeds all go into a fund that is setup for long term assistance or for help with immediate specific expenses. This is just one of the programs they have going. Another that is in the works is a retreat for wounded warriors and their families. They have purchased the land and are working on building it. I’ve enjoyed seeing the pictures they’ve posted on their facebook page. It looks like such a peaceful place that will be enjoyed by so many.

Operation Homefront is an organization that I’m not as familiar with, but I still appreciate them and what they do. On Valentine’s Day, I heard a knock at our door. When I got to the door, nobody was there, but at my feet was a nice bag filled with gifts for me. There was a bag at every door on our hall. Out of curiosity, I looked up the bag since it was a name brand, and I’d estimate they spent over $100 on each room. The majority of the caregivers around here are women – wives, mothers, sisters, other female family members, or friends. Most are probably like us where it’s rare for the wounded warrior to go anywhere without the caregiver, so it’s hard to buy surprise gifts. It was really nice of Operation Homefront to surprise the caregivers (and I know that Yellow Ribbon Fund has done similar on the inpatient side of the hospital) on Valentine’s Day.

Justin and I are used to being the ones that people call when they need help. We’re not used to being the ones that need help, but right now we find ourselves being the recipient of the help of these wonderful, generous groups/people. I don’t know how to thank them enough for what they’ve done and are still doing for our family. The best way I can think of right now to show my appreciation is by recognizing them and getting their names out there. If you’re reading this and you’re a part of one of these or any other organization that helps our veterans – both the wounded and the ones who were more fortunate – I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do! You truly are making a difference in lives.

8 month update - healing and making sense of things

Tomorrow it will be 8 months since Justin was injured – 2/3 of a year. A few days ago, Justin had his stitches removed and his left leg is looking great! Another week and a half until he sees his orthopedic surgeon to find out if he’s cleared to get his left prosthetic. Once he gets that, the hardcore rehab will start. I can’t wait to see him walking around the track with two legs…though he’s doing really well with one leg. He did 6 laps around the track with one leg and crutches yesterday. (Different crutches that are more stable than the ones he wiped out with in the Chick-fil-a parking lot a few weeks ago.) When Justin got his stitches out, it got me think as to when the last time was that he didn’t have stitches/lines/tubes/IVs/other assorted medical stuff attached to him. He got the PICC line in September, so it was before that, and he had stitches when he got out of the hospital at the end of July, so maybe for a brief time in August – if at all post injury. Pretty crazy. So glad he’s free of all that finally! Pain management is going great. The majority of his daily pills are vitamins. He’d like to be off of all the non-vitamins, but that’s something he’s going to have to work with his doctor on since some have some nasty reactions when you quit taking them. The H.O. bone growth hasn’t been bothering him too bad lately. The main thing that’s been hurting is the nerve pain mostly when he is laying down at night. We might have to juggle when he takes his nerve pain med if it continues. Overall, things are going really well for Justin’s recovery. Some R&R over Christmas and the recent convalescent leave did the trick…and got us into a warmer climate which is an added bonus!

Non-medically, how are things going? We’ve got Corey back with us in Maryland, so he’s having to adjust to being back up here. I’m also having to adjust to having a little alarm clock that likes to jump on me again. lol Justin is getting assigned to the unit up here, so we’re still trying to figure out exactly what that will mean for us. So many questions that we’re unable to find answers for at the moment – and some may eventually have answers we don’t particularly like. Right now we’re just having to wait and see…which drives me nuts since I like to plan and know what’s going to happen.

I also came to a realization last week about myself. Since Justin’s been more independent in recent months, he’s been able to go and do stuff without me. This is great because I don’t typically want to wake up early to do…well, pretty much anything. lol Early morning hunting is not my thing at all. Anyway, I realized last weekend that when he’s away from me doing stuff – especially if it involves a long drive – I get anxious and worried that something bad will happen to him. This isn’t because I feel he’s incapable of taking care of himself without me there, because he’s perfectly capable, and it’s not because I think he’s unable to drive by himself (though I did ask him to take a buddy in case he was too worn out after hunting to drive the 2 hours back to our house…which he didn’t mind because he got to hang out with a friend he hadn’t seen since he was injured). I guess it’s just that so many things have happened to members of my family in the past couple years, my anxiety is just me wondering what’s next and fearing it. While it’s probably a fairly natural response, it’s not healthy to live in fear. Now that I realized my problem, I can work on trusting God more. It’s so easy to trust Him when things are going well, when things are calm. It takes a lot more effort to trust when things don’t make sense and you’re hurting. For me, it’s never been an issue of knowing if God CAN do something, but if He WILL. I know that God can work miracles of healing and protection. I know that He always answers prayers, but sometimes He choose to answer those prayers with a “no”. God chose to answer the many prayers for Justin’s protection with a “yes” for his first two deployments. With the firefights he was in and the IEDs planted in his areas of operation, that’s nothing short of a miracle, and I’m thankful for it. This deployment, God chose to bring Justin home alive. Not in one piece like I would have preferred, like I prayed for, but he’s alive. I may never understand why God allowed Justin to lose his legs. Right now it just doesn’t make sense.

I once heard life here on earth compared to needlework like cross stitch. In this life, all we see is the underside of it. We see the colors and a vague pattern, but it’s not always very pretty. There are knots and tangles. It just doesn’t make sense. Once we get to heaven, we’ll see things from God’s perspective and we will see the picture clearly. It will be beautiful. For now, I’ll have to just trust that God’s plan – His pattern – will someday make sense because right now, there are so many things that don’t make sense to me. I just have to keep reminding myself that even though things are out of my control, they aren’t out of God’s. He knows my future and how everything will work together even though I don’t have a clue.

Medics, doctors, nurses, and others in the medical field

Tonight Corey and I were able to go to Awana at our church in GA. Afterwards I was on my way to pick Corey up when one of the ladies said that the dad of a couple of the kids was a medic and was wondering where/when Justin was injured. I talked to him for a little bit and it turns out that he was in the field hospital where the helicopter took Justin after his guys got him off the mountain. I showed him a picture of Justin and he recognized him. He seemed a little shaken up. He told me that with as many guys go through the field hospital, he copes by trying not to look at their faces. I was glad to be able to tell him how well Justin is doing. He sees soldiers when they’re in very rough shape, but it’s probably very rare to find out how they’re doing 6 months down the road except in the cases where the soldier doesn’t make it. That got me thinking about a few things regarding combat medics.

One type of combat medic is the one who is attached to a platoon. These soldiers train with the platoon before a deployment. They build trust and often friendships. The guy that he’s stitching up after getting shot or applying a tourniquet to after being in an explosion was the guy he sat next to and laughed with at a backyard BBQ a few months earlier. He does everything in his power to make sure his buddies survive and likely wonders if it was enough. He is most likely the first medical attention his platoon receives and his job is to get them stable and ready to transport to the field hospital. After that, they can only hope and pray that they’ll see their friends again. Obviously some wounds aren’t as critical as others, but others may haunt them.

Another type is like the man I met tonight. Soldiers come though the field hospital in pretty rough shape. Justin probably doesn’t remember much, if any, of his time at the field hospital. He was on some pretty strong pain killers. And as bad of a condition as Justin was in at the field hospital, I’m sure they saw much worse. Having to see so many soldiers severely wounded and others that are barely alive has got to be tough. It’s hard for me sometimes at Walter Reed to look around and see so many broken bodies, but at least I get to see the positives – the unbroken spirits, the families together living life as strange as the Walter Reed life may be, and these brave men and women pushing themselves toward recovery. The medics at the field hospital just see the bad stuff and very rarely have an image of those soldiers down the road of recovery to replace the one they have of them at their worst.

As with all of our military service men and women, medics need your prayers. Prayers for safety when deployed and prayers for the peace that only God can give to help them after the deployments. They’ve seen so much while helping so many. It’s because of men and women who choose to be combat medics that my husband is still alive. I’m so thankful for the man I met tonight, the medic attached to Justin’s platoon, and others like them.

I’m also thankful for the non-combat military medical personnel (and civilian doctors and nurses too). Since June, I feel like I’ve received a crash course in nursing except without all the training…and only have one patient that I’m responsible for. I know more about orthopedics, wound care, medications, and other random bits of medical knowledge than I ever thought I would. I can look at Justin’s blood pressure and tell you if it’s high, low, or normal and if it’s high, because I know him, I can usually tell you why. I can rattle off a list of medications and tell you when he takes them, what they’re for, and what will happen if he stops taking certain ones of them. I’ve learned that you can tell what stage in the healing process a wound is in based on the color. I know the difference between a flap procedure and a skin graft. For every bit of knowledge I’ve learned, there’s been a doctor and/or nurse who has explained it to me. They not only took care of Justin, but they also patiently answered the multitude of questions that I have had over the past nearly 8 months. They handled the unpleasant tasks without complaint. They joked around with us and helped lighten the mood on days when there really wasn’t much to smile about. Hospitals tend to be depressing places, but the right type of nurses/techs/medical staff can make the time there a lot more pleasant…though Justin and I would prefer to see them when stopping by the floor to say hi rather than being on the inpatient side again. The more time I spent with the really good staff members on the ward where Justin was inpatient, the more respect I have for people in the medical profession. It’s not a career field I would choose for myself, but I sure appreciate those who have chosen it. To the techs who check vitals and empty bedside commodes, the surgeons who perform life-saving surgeries, the pharmacists who make sure the patients drugs don’t cause bad reactions, and the nurses who do more than they ever receive credit for doing, and everyone else who is in the medical field thank you from the bottom of my heart.