Honoring Veterans

Having been unsure what to write about this week, today I've been furiously

brainstorming fun topics. I thought about the curious date today, 11/11/11. 

I love dates like today's, and for the same mysterious reason I'm excited 

when my car's mileage turns to a single recurring number such as 55,555.

The corners of my mouth upturn, and I revel in the momentary numerical

perfection. But how could I write about numbers without lulling my readers

into a delightful afternoon nap?

Then it hit me like a lightning bolt from above. It's Veteran's Day... . Having

served in the U.S. Air Force for four years active duty, it's only natural

I should write about what it means to be a veteran. Why had it taken me 

so long to come to this conclusion? I blame it on being pregnant, and what

little brain cells I have left are being starved of energy, which is being

diverted to the tiny inch and a half long human growing in my belly. How

can something so small require so much? That's another discussion for

another time. 

I originally joined the Air Force to pay for the last year of my Bachelor's

degree and because I believed it was the best venue for practicing 

the best nursing care. "Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence

in All We Do," are the core values of the Air Force, all of which resounded

with my own beliefs. It was somewhere you could expect your coworkers

to give %110 every day. 

The challenges I faced shaped me into the person I am today and gave 
me a backbone to stand up for myself where I hadn't in the past. Although

there were difficulties, mostly interpersonal in nature, I'd do it again in 

a heartbeat. There's a special sense of patriotism that comes with 

having served in our nation's military, one that I'm not sure someone

could know without that experience. I know there are a great many

people who have not served who are deeply patriotic, but it's different

when you've volunteered service to protect our great country. 

Having been non-line or medical was also different from those who 

served more directly. I was never deployed overseas, but I took care

of many who were. I was also fortunate to care for those who had 

served during Vietnam and World War II. There are a few I know I'll

never forget. One was a seemingly tiny shriveled old man who was

admitted to our unit at least twice a month. He always stayed in the

same room, one close to the nurse's station that was also video 

monitored. Need I say more? He routinely cursed us for not letting

him have a glass of water to "wet his mouth," and barked orders

as I'm sure he was used to in days of old. Now, we weren't 

vindictive, cold hearted nurses. This particular precious patient

was continually admitted with aspiration pneumonia, which 

meant when he took a drink of anything, it went straight to his lungs. 

We couldn't trust him to "just wet his mouth." 

Because of this condition, he had a G/J tube which directly accessed

his stomach and small intestine. It was through this crude tube that

he received liquid feedings attached to a pump. Poor man couldn't 

eat or drink anything. I can't say I fully blame him for having been 

non compliant. Imagine not being able to eat your favorite foods, 

let alone holiday meals. Life without pumpkin pie? That's just

wrong. So was the latter portion of this weary soul's existence, 

temptation to taste, and his favorite was coffee. 

One year, within a week of Christmas, we received the sad news

he had passed. We read his obituary aloud at the nurse's station.

The list of accomplishments was long and commendable, but what

humbled us the most was that this man had been a green beret 

paratrooper, I think during World War II, but that's testing my 

memory a bit. All the years we had taken turns taking care of him,

we never knew his story. 

Our country's freedom has been bought with a precious price over

the years, right back to the birth of our nation. May we never take 

for granted the privilege it is to be an American and the freedoms

we enjoy. Let's appreciate, honor, and value those who have 

given so much for us and take the time to listen to their stories.