It's a fun weekend, but also one to REMEMBER...hey, please fly your flag in honor of those servicepeople!!
With love to all from the proud daughter of S/Sgt. John William (Bill) Crayton, USMC Div 4 ("the Fightin' Fourth"), WWII...
I am a proud daughter of Corporal Richard W Donley U. S. Army WWII. He was injured during the battle of Okinawa and left for dead. Only when he was concious enough to start groaning that he was found and received medical treatment. He spent his adult life working at the Lebanon VAMC till he retired. As a child I had no ideal that someday I would continue his legacy by working at the Lebanon VAMC. This weekend I will be working and enjoying the family. Please don't forget the Vets this weekend. They need us more than ever.
Shirley
Thanks, Shirley, for all you do for them and for helping them. You are a treasure too!
At every VA there is a need for volunteers. All anyone has to do is contact their local VA's and ask how they can volunteer. Most of the volunteers are getting to old to help and there is a need for people to get involved. It is a rewarding and gratifying experience.
Here is an example of one of my patients. Last fall I had a Vet who was a former prisoner of war under the Nazi's and was liberated by the Russians. During his imprisonment and liberation he witness tortures both by the Nazis and the Russians. As with so many World War II vets the only way he could deal with what had happened to him was to turn to alcohol. All of his adult life he spent working or owning a bar. He was able to keep his family intact even though he had multiple marriages.
Now in his 80's he was struggling with his health issues both mental and physical. He had spent his adult life running or drinking those memories away, but at the end of his life he had no where to go. The only thing that he could do anymore was to enjoy his life long passion of music. Prior to being drafted into WWII he was a dancer and a musician. The war took away his ability to dance and his memories of the war took away his ability to play music.
One night while I was in his room Barry Manilow happened to appear on TV. I think it was Entertainment Tonight. After Barry's appearance the man raved of how great Barry was and that he had saved all of Barry's records from the jukebox in his bar. Barry was his all time favorite musician, but he never had a chance to see him in concert.
That night I went home and dug out my pictures from the Platinum package that I bought in October 2004. For non-Barry fans that is a meet and greet package that you can buy through Barry's web site. The next day I showed him the pictures and the man was thrilled. He recognized Barry, but since I had changed my hair color he wasn't quite sure if it was me. After studying the pictures he realized it was me his nurse, who had indeed meet Barry Manilow. He left us to live in a nursing home a week later. Every time a family member visited I was singled out as the nurse who meet Barry Manilow, and had to meet his family.
What most of these Vets need is be understood and be respected. Unfortunately with what is going on with the wars today, the Vet community is growing. With the all volunteer military the youth who are serving are confronted with horrific situations. No one really knows what the human price of these conflicts will bring. Please keep all the Vets in your thoughts and prayers.
Happy Memorial Day,
Hopefully, we will have a chance to meet up at the PS dinner in October - if so, I'm sure you and Carolee willfind you have much in common. In the meantime I can only say "God bless you" for your efforts on behalf of the vets.
Have a great weekend, and all the best,
Don