Wounded Corpsman Fights PTSD
Army.com - Huntsville,Al,USA
Wounded Corpsman Trades Alcohol, Pills for Marathons
Nov. 12, 2008
By Fred W. Baker III
WASHINGTON (American Forces Press Service) – Navy Corpsman Daniel “Doc” Jacobs didn’t know he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. But he knew he had a problem.
“I actually almost ended up killing myself because of it,” Jacobs said.
He woke up one morning in late 2006 in a pool of his own urine and sweat after mixing his prescription medications with alcohol. He had blacked out and remembered nothing after the first couple of beers, Jacobs said.
Jacobs turned 21 that year and was recovering from the blast of a roadside bomb in Iraq and still was using a wheelchair. After his left leg was amputated, Jacobs said he started having a lot of pain. He had problems sleeping for several months, and when he did sleep, it was fitful and he had nightmares.
“I fell into a stage of depression. I turned to alcohol,” he said. “I figured if the pain meds weren’t going to (make the pain go away), then alcohol would. So I self-medicated and one morning I woke up and I had no idea how I woke up out of that.”
While Jacobs hadn’t intentionally tried to kill himself, it served as a wake-up call, and marked the end of the pill-popping and boozing for him. He flushed his medication down the toilet.
click link for more
Thursday, November 13, 2008
PTSD:After death of son, dad takes cases to Capitol Hill
Veteran's kin demands answers on PTSD drugs
Washington Times - Washington,DC,USA
After death of son, dad takes cases to Capitol Hill
Andrea Billups and Audrey Hudson
Thursday, November 13, 2008
EXCLUSIVE:
HURRICANE, W.Va.
A West Virginia man whose son survived the battlefields of Iraq only to die in his sleep at home is crusading to find other military families whose loved ones also have died after taking drugs prescribed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Stan White's son Andrew, who was found dead in bed at the family's Cross Lanes, W.Va., home on Feb. 12, 2007, is one among a cluster of young veterans in the state who have died in their sleep with little explanation. Now Mr. White wants the federal government to monitor the drugs it prescribes to some 375,000 soldiers who have been diagnosed with mental trauma.
Shirley White of Cross Lanes, Andrew's mother, says she and her husband want an investigation into the medications prescribed to their son and other veterans who died.
So far, he has identified nine veterans across the country - including four in West Virginia - who have died in their sleep after taking antidepressant and antipsychotic medications.
Mr. White has met with members of Congress and asked for Capitol Hill hearings to investigate the deaths. His research prompted a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigation into Andrew's and one other death, which were found to have been caused by "combined drug intoxication." But the investigation could not determine whether the prescribed medications were at fault.
click link for more and video
Wounded Warriors teach Air Force people about healing
Wounded warriors teach Air Force people about healing
Wounded warriors teach Air Force people about healing
As part of Warrior Care Month, we're including stories from Airmen who want to share their experiences with the wounded. Below is a story from Airman 1st Class Jonathan Charles about what it means to him to be an Aerospace Medical Technician at Andrews AFB.
By: A1C Jonathan Charles
779th Aeromedical Staging Facility
From across the Atlantic, wounded warriors fly to the 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility at Andrews Air Force Base, just minutes outside of D.C. Finally, after the $4.9 million renovation, on 9 October 2008, their welcome home is a little more worthy of their sacrifice.
There is little difference from others when we get up, put on the uniform, kiss our spouses, and go to work. Yet, few can say they feel more energized when they leave work than when they came in.
My unit, the 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility, is the first welcome-home point for wounded warriors. Some cry, some laugh, some just want to talk, but they all seem to think of others at the time when the focus is on them. Everyday, the fulfillment of the job comes not from the pride in the uniform, strength of the leadership, or thrill of the mission, but the humbleness of the wounded warrior.
click link for more
Wounded warriors teach Air Force people about healing
As part of Warrior Care Month, we're including stories from Airmen who want to share their experiences with the wounded. Below is a story from Airman 1st Class Jonathan Charles about what it means to him to be an Aerospace Medical Technician at Andrews AFB.
By: A1C Jonathan Charles
779th Aeromedical Staging Facility
From across the Atlantic, wounded warriors fly to the 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility at Andrews Air Force Base, just minutes outside of D.C. Finally, after the $4.9 million renovation, on 9 October 2008, their welcome home is a little more worthy of their sacrifice.
There is little difference from others when we get up, put on the uniform, kiss our spouses, and go to work. Yet, few can say they feel more energized when they leave work than when they came in.
My unit, the 779th Aeromedical Staging Facility, is the first welcome-home point for wounded warriors. Some cry, some laugh, some just want to talk, but they all seem to think of others at the time when the focus is on them. Everyday, the fulfillment of the job comes not from the pride in the uniform, strength of the leadership, or thrill of the mission, but the humbleness of the wounded warrior.
click link for more
Soldier found dead in Fort Huachuca Warrior Transition Unit
Soldier found dead in Fort Huachuca barracks
Arizona Daily Star - Tucson,AZ,
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.12.2008
A 22-year-old soldier has been found dead in his barracks at Fort Huachuca, the second such death this year.
The body of Pvt. Paul Muse, a native of Oklahoma, was discovered Saturday morning in the fort’s Warriors in Transition Unit, officials announced today.
The unit provides physical and mental health help for soldiers wounded in action and other troops recovering from medical conditions.
On Jan. 28, another 22-year-old soldier, Pfc. Eli Baker of California, was found dead in the same unit at Fort Huachuca.
∫ Read more in Thursday's Arizona Daily Star
click link for more
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
9 months later, Mother finds out bus driver choked mentally challenged son on bus
I just found this on CNN and outraged over this happening, but more angry that no one bothered to tell the child's Mother. The WFAA news had to tell her 9 months later!
Bus driver 'chokes' bipolar student on tape
Bus driver chokes kid 4:50
Video of a bus driver choking a mentally challenged student sparks an investigation. WFAA's Shelly Slater reports.
Video shows Dallas bus driver choking student
12:01 AM CST on Wednesday, November 12, 2008
By SHELLY SLATER / WFAA-TV
DALLAS - A camera captured images of a mentally challenged-bipolar student being choked by a school bus driver in Dallas.
On a normal day, the Dallas County bus driver, Janet Pitts, would have a monitor on board to help with students like Xavier, a middle school student. But that wasn't the case one day in January. The monitor couldn't make it that day.
Within minutes of the bus pulling away from the school, Xavier began to act up by moving around the bus and shouting obscenities.
Watching the video, Pitts' patience begins to visibly wear out.
Bus driver 'chokes' bipolar student on tape
Bus driver chokes kid 4:50
Video of a bus driver choking a mentally challenged student sparks an investigation. WFAA's Shelly Slater reports.
Video shows Dallas bus driver choking student
12:01 AM CST on Wednesday, November 12, 2008
By SHELLY SLATER / WFAA-TV
DALLAS - A camera captured images of a mentally challenged-bipolar student being choked by a school bus driver in Dallas.
On a normal day, the Dallas County bus driver, Janet Pitts, would have a monitor on board to help with students like Xavier, a middle school student. But that wasn't the case one day in January. The monitor couldn't make it that day.
Within minutes of the bus pulling away from the school, Xavier began to act up by moving around the bus and shouting obscenities.
Watching the video, Pitts' patience begins to visibly wear out.
Just weeks ago, News 8 set out with only the tape in hand to find out the details of the incident. Once News 8 found Xavier's family, it was discovered they were never informed of the incident.
For the first time, Xavier's mom - Claudia Nava - saw the video, which was recorded nine months ago. The same week of the incident, Nava reported scratches on her son. A Dallas County employee followed up but never told Nava the driver admitted to choking her son.
"It makes me really mad," Nava said.
Nava said she knows her son can be violent. She requested a monitor to be on board the bus for that very reason.
"I want everyone to understand he's not acting that way because he wants to," she said. "He just can't express himself."go here for more of this
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/
latestnews/stories/wfaa081111_mo_choking.1a3ac56a6.html
Slapped Iraqi soldier soots dead two US troops
Slapped Iraqi soldier soots dead two US troops
The Australian - Sydney,Australia
James Hider | November 13, 2008
Article from: The Australian
AN Iraqi soldier on foot patrol with US forces in the northern city of Mosul shot and killed two American soldiers and wounded six more, the worst such case yet of US-trained local troops turning their guns on their allies.
The Iraqi soldier, identified as Barzan al-Hadidi, was part of a joint daytime patrol on the streets of the dangerous city, considered to be one of the last strongholds of Al-Qa'ida and its local allies in Iraq. He was quickly gunned down by other members of the patrol, officials said.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said the soldier opened fire after he had been publicly slapped by an American colleague. Many Iraqi men, especially in the military, are intensely proud and conscious of any perceived slight to their honour.
“Two soldiers were killed and six wounded in a small-arms fire attack in an Iraqi Army compound in Mosul today. Initial reports indicate the attacker was an Iraqi soldier,” the US military said.
“The situation is fluid and still under investigation, so the casualty figures may change,” it added. A local morgue which received the Iraqi soldier’s body said it had been riddled with bullets.
There have been instances of Iraqi soldiers opening fire on their US mentors and comrades in the past, but never to such a deadly extent. Insurgents have also used Iraqi army uniforms to infiltrate joint bases in the past. One of the worst cases was in Mosul in 2004, when a suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi soldier blew himself up in an American army mess hall, killing more than dozen US soldiers.
click link for more
The Australian - Sydney,Australia
James Hider | November 13, 2008
Article from: The Australian
AN Iraqi soldier on foot patrol with US forces in the northern city of Mosul shot and killed two American soldiers and wounded six more, the worst such case yet of US-trained local troops turning their guns on their allies.
The Iraqi soldier, identified as Barzan al-Hadidi, was part of a joint daytime patrol on the streets of the dangerous city, considered to be one of the last strongholds of Al-Qa'ida and its local allies in Iraq. He was quickly gunned down by other members of the patrol, officials said.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said the soldier opened fire after he had been publicly slapped by an American colleague. Many Iraqi men, especially in the military, are intensely proud and conscious of any perceived slight to their honour.
“Two soldiers were killed and six wounded in a small-arms fire attack in an Iraqi Army compound in Mosul today. Initial reports indicate the attacker was an Iraqi soldier,” the US military said.
“The situation is fluid and still under investigation, so the casualty figures may change,” it added. A local morgue which received the Iraqi soldier’s body said it had been riddled with bullets.
There have been instances of Iraqi soldiers opening fire on their US mentors and comrades in the past, but never to such a deadly extent. Insurgents have also used Iraqi army uniforms to infiltrate joint bases in the past. One of the worst cases was in Mosul in 2004, when a suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi soldier blew himself up in an American army mess hall, killing more than dozen US soldiers.
click link for more
11 year old Brenden Foster sees his dying wish come true
This is the third post on this little angel. He's only been here for 11 years and has already managed to change this nation and how we look at homeless people. To think this wonderful child could have asked for anything for himself and it would have been given, he asked that we take care of the homeless and feed them. There are angels among us!
I was in the site for KOMO looking for an update and discovered this.
Go to the Problem Solvers donation page and select "Brenden Foster Food Drive" from the donation options list.
Dying boy inspires goodwill in people near and far
Watch the story
By KOMO Staff
Watch the story
BOTHELL, Wash. -- An 11-year-old boy's dying wish to feed the homeless has taken on a life of its own, sparking a movement to help the hungry nationwide. Doctors gave Brenden Foster two weeks to live. His time was up last Wednesday. "I should be gone in a week or so," he said last Friday. On Monday, groggy and medicated, Brenden was having a rough day. "Tired," he said, visibly weak. "(You) need some more medicine," said his mother, Wendy Foster, stroking his head. Leukemia halted the young life of Brenden, who once dreamed of becoming a marine photographer. Brenden has relapsed for the last time.
There is no chemo, no more transfusions; just comfort medications. "I'm hoping I'm awake when he decides to pass because I want to make sure I'm holding him," Wendy later said. Brenden survived his leukemia long enough to witness his dying wish come true. Last Friday Brenden shared his last wish to feed the homeless.
I was in the site for KOMO looking for an update and discovered this.
Go to the Problem Solvers donation page and select "Brenden Foster Food Drive" from the donation options list.
Dying boy inspires goodwill in people near and far
Watch the story
By KOMO Staff
Watch the story
BOTHELL, Wash. -- An 11-year-old boy's dying wish to feed the homeless has taken on a life of its own, sparking a movement to help the hungry nationwide. Doctors gave Brenden Foster two weeks to live. His time was up last Wednesday. "I should be gone in a week or so," he said last Friday. On Monday, groggy and medicated, Brenden was having a rough day. "Tired," he said, visibly weak. "(You) need some more medicine," said his mother, Wendy Foster, stroking his head. Leukemia halted the young life of Brenden, who once dreamed of becoming a marine photographer. Brenden has relapsed for the last time.
There is no chemo, no more transfusions; just comfort medications. "I'm hoping I'm awake when he decides to pass because I want to make sure I'm holding him," Wendy later said. Brenden survived his leukemia long enough to witness his dying wish come true. Last Friday Brenden shared his last wish to feed the homeless.
On Monday, Brenden could barely keep his eyes open as he watched a video of volunteers feeding Seattle's homeless on his behalf.
Over the weekend, his wish went national on CNN. And KOMO News received phone calls from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Clearly in pain, Brenden still managed to smile as he listened to stories about the phone calls and e-mails his story had inspired. His story touched many people from all walks of life, from families fighting cancer to men in the military.
"I think it's great, all over the country..." Brenden said.
"He made my dream come true. In my lifetime, I wanted to change the world and my son did that," said Wendy. "The world is such a beautiful place and (that became) evident the last 72 hours, and Brenden did that."
Brenden has one more wish for the afterlife: become an angel who accomplishes even more in heaven than he did on Earth.go here for more
Soldier's diary sends mother on mission of her own
Soldier's diary sends mother on mission of her own
By Luke Duecy
Watch the story
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- The diary of a local corporal killed in Iraq sent his mother on a painful but inspiring journey.
The 37 pages helped the mother of Jonathan Santos walk through her son's final days and ultimately led her to an unexpected discovery.
"My brother went off to Vietnam," said Doris Santos, "but he came home. So (I thought) Jonathan would come home. I thought he'd come home."
But he never did. On Oct. 15, 2004, an improvised explosive device took his life. And just like those before him, he became another statistic, or so his mother thought.
In the days that followed, a large trunk arrived on Doris' doorstep. It contained all of her son's personal belongings. Inside were his beret, his lucky Shrek doll and several videotapes he'd shot in Iraq.
But something unexpected caught Doris' eye -- a little green book.
"I told my family, 'look at what I found. He kept a journal,'" she said.
There were 37 entries inside, one for each day Jonathan spent in Iraq. He wrote about his first days in the country and time spent couped up in the barracks.
go here for more
http://www.komonews.com/news/34317374.html
By Luke Duecy
Watch the story
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- The diary of a local corporal killed in Iraq sent his mother on a painful but inspiring journey.
The 37 pages helped the mother of Jonathan Santos walk through her son's final days and ultimately led her to an unexpected discovery.
"My brother went off to Vietnam," said Doris Santos, "but he came home. So (I thought) Jonathan would come home. I thought he'd come home."
But he never did. On Oct. 15, 2004, an improvised explosive device took his life. And just like those before him, he became another statistic, or so his mother thought.
In the days that followed, a large trunk arrived on Doris' doorstep. It contained all of her son's personal belongings. Inside were his beret, his lucky Shrek doll and several videotapes he'd shot in Iraq.
But something unexpected caught Doris' eye -- a little green book.
"I told my family, 'look at what I found. He kept a journal,'" she said.
There were 37 entries inside, one for each day Jonathan spent in Iraq. He wrote about his first days in the country and time spent couped up in the barracks.
go here for more
http://www.komonews.com/news/34317374.html
7ft tall 12 year old medical mystery in Washington State
Brenden Adams, right, is seen with KOMO 4's Eric Johnson.
YouNews™Story Published: Nov 10, 2008 at 11:27 PM PST
The life and times of a larger-than-life boy
By Eric Johnson
Watch the story
ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Imagine being 7 feet tall. Now imagine being 7 feet tall while you're in grade school.In my business - sports journalism, here's the skinny: if you work enough, you'll meet a few big fellas. But in the lengthy history of tall drinks of water, there has never been anyone quite like Brenden Adams."I don't know of anyone else like Brenden, and I don't think anyone else like Brenden has ever been reported before," said Dr. Melissa Parisi, a geneticist.
He is a medical mystery, a riddle and a miracle. And despite his outward and upward appearances, he is just 12 years old.
go here for more
http://www.komonews.com/news/34256879.html
CBC journalist's kidnapping in Afghanistan 'happened so quickly'
CBC journalist relied on instincts to survive Afghanistan kidnapping
The Canadian Press - TORONTO
1 hour ago
TORONTO — It all happened so quickly, the big men with guns jumping out of the car, stabbing her in the shoulder and shoving her into a car.
CBC journalist Mellissa Fung had just enough time to yell out to her Afghan fixer, telling him not to call the police, but rather a CTV colleague who would know what to do.
She knew it was money they were after when they kidnapped her Oct. 12 after she had just finished interviewing Afghan refugees.
And she knew she would spiral into a depression if she thought about all the terrible things that could happen to her, so she was determinedly optimistic.
"I'm not dying here," Fung, 35, would tell herself. "Dying is not an option. Help is coming. I will get out of here one way or another."
"That's not to say that there weren't some really awful days...There were some days when I thought, 'When am I ever going to get the hell out of here?"'
She was released Saturday after being held for a month, and she spoke to the CBC on Wednesday about the experience during an hour-long interview in an undisclosed location overseas.
In the midst of her abduction she fought back and hit one of the kidnappers. They stabbed her in the shoulder, shoved her to the floor of the back seat of a car and sped off.
Held down on the floor of the car and bleeding from the stab wound on her shoulder, Fung didn't know where she was going or who was taking her there.
"That was one of the scariest moments," she said. "I didn't know what was happening
click link for more
The Canadian Press - TORONTO
1 hour ago
TORONTO — It all happened so quickly, the big men with guns jumping out of the car, stabbing her in the shoulder and shoving her into a car.
CBC journalist Mellissa Fung had just enough time to yell out to her Afghan fixer, telling him not to call the police, but rather a CTV colleague who would know what to do.
She knew it was money they were after when they kidnapped her Oct. 12 after she had just finished interviewing Afghan refugees.
And she knew she would spiral into a depression if she thought about all the terrible things that could happen to her, so she was determinedly optimistic.
"I'm not dying here," Fung, 35, would tell herself. "Dying is not an option. Help is coming. I will get out of here one way or another."
"That's not to say that there weren't some really awful days...There were some days when I thought, 'When am I ever going to get the hell out of here?"'
She was released Saturday after being held for a month, and she spoke to the CBC on Wednesday about the experience during an hour-long interview in an undisclosed location overseas.
In the midst of her abduction she fought back and hit one of the kidnappers. They stabbed her in the shoulder, shoved her to the floor of the back seat of a car and sped off.
Held down on the floor of the car and bleeding from the stab wound on her shoulder, Fung didn't know where she was going or who was taking her there.
"That was one of the scariest moments," she said. "I didn't know what was happening
click link for more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)