Military Nurse and GIVING THANKS

GIVING THANKS
Name: RN Clara Hart
Posting date: 11/22/07
Stationed at: a military hospital in the U.S.
Email: clarahart2@yahoo.com


I held the hand of a soldier today and watched helplessly as he sobbed uncontrollably. I held the hand of a soldier and listened with growing horror to the litany of complaints; not sleeping, having nightmares, anxiety, dreading report for duty, uncontrolled crying, feeling irritable, not eating. I held the hand of a soldier and listened to him say, “I may not have been shot at or blown up but I also serve!”

As I looked into his red rimmed, tear filled eyes I thought, “You are a wounded soldier too." Because, you see, this wounded soldier is a United States Army Nurse.

This wounded soldier cares not only for other wounded soldiers but their families and their friends. This wounded soldier cares for not only the physical injuries but also the emotional injuries and social fallout that soon accompany. This wounded soldier sees the others being recognized for their injuries and is quick to say, “I don’t want to be given anything, the quilts, the coins, the clothes, the meals, the trips. I don’t want any of that."
go here for the rest
http://gocomics.typepad.com/the_sandbox/2007/11/this-wounded-so.html

After reading this, I feel really, really bad about not paying enough attention to the nurses and medics in combat. I include them in my thoughts and prayers, but honestly, I do not separate them the way I really should. This article offers a glimpse at the inclusion of nurses when we think about combat roles. I, among many, feel they should not be lumped in. To me, they are a truly special breed of individuals. They risk their lives just by being in the combat zones but they also have to try to take care of all the wounded brought to them. We need to remember, aside from the technological advances in medical care, without them, the survival rate would not be historically high.

I've seen many horrific images of the wounded. I cannot imagine seeing such suffering face to face. We need to remember how much they go through and why so many suffer after. Yes, even they get PTSD and yes even they get killed and wounded.