Nice luncheon!

The TBI Guys came down and yessireeeeeeee MARINE Moms!  They got hugs from all of you!!!  ARMY Moms, they were from you, too!

Love the staff from their floor, they take great care of their patients, very caring and very protective.

So are the combat nurses, Corpsmen and medics on the combat wing.

We also served combat patients and their families, and some active duty patients who weren’t combat wounded, at Walter Reed for other medical reasons.

One of patients came in and had a German accent, spouse of a Veteran.  Imagine our surprise when Suzan started speaking German to her!  That was pretty cool…

We were reminded of HIPAA when one of the nurses came in and asked if we were taking names, someone had seen us writing something down.

I told her no, we were just making marks for each of the people we served and showed her the paper.

Keeping track of who we serve helps us plan for the next luncheon.   It also helps us budget our money knowing how much it costs per person to serve the luncheons.

Julie had made up snack bags and we had quilts and assorted varieties of Chef Boyardee on the niftie-giftie table to give out.

Roster: Dina, Jane, and Suzan, with help from Julie, Barb & Don, and Christie

Thank You All!  Job Well Done!

Menu:

Deviled eggs

cheese and pepperoni tray

BBQ pulled pork

turkey & cheese wraps

chicken noodle soup

fresh fruit salad

mac & cheese

cole slaw

green beans

assorted cookies

pound cake and apple pie

asst drinks

and smoothies.

Deep Gratitude to those of you who support the luncheons.  They are very much appreciated by the patients and families, more than you know…

There are times when the only food some of the patients have had in months is institutional food.

Other times a patient’s appetite isn’t good, nothing sounds or looks good to him or her, one of the family members goes back to their room with a plate of food and a few minutes later, they’re back in the luncheon room to get something for their loved one.  And sometimes, they come back a few more times… we never know what’s going to hit the spot for someone.  Today it was the deviled eggs.

March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month.

Troops are, and have been, coming home from war with mild to severe Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).  We’ve met severely injured TBI patients at Walter Reed.

Their injuries have happened during training accidents, in post-deployment leave accidents, or when they stepped on an IED, or their vehicle was blown up by an IED, or a blast from an IED 100 yards away affected them, or shrapnel hit them, or when they were shot in the head.

There are two different kinds of traumatic brain injuries

• penetrating brain injuries – caused by a bullet or shrapnel.  With this kind of TBI scars are often apparent.
• closed brain injuries – the brain gets rattled around inside the skull from an explosion.  These wounds are “unseen”, no scars.

Walter Reed/Bethesda provides state of the art treatment for traumatic brain injuries through their Traumatic Brain Injury Service / Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC).

BrainLineMilitary has extensive information about Traumatic Brain Injury.  Their website states:

In the military from 2000 through 2012, more than 266,000 service members sustained a TBI.  Brain injury has become known as the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most brain injuries are mild, and most people recover in a matter of weeks. BrainLineMilitary.org provides military-specific information and resources on traumatic brain injury to veterans; service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, and Reserve; and their families.

Many of these service members have young children.  Our Daddy Is Invincible! written by Shannon Maxwell, whose husband was injured in 2004 in Iraq, is an excellent book written for children about TBI.

Take the time to learn about the symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury.  That “forgetfulness” or “dizzy spell” you, your loved one, your co-worker, or your employee has may be a symptom.  As service members transition out of the military into civilian life we may be seeing more of these injuries in our communities.

If we, civilians, understand the causes, symptoms, and coping skills for Veterans with TBIs, it will help make their transition easier, won’t it?

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

Love and Hugs,

 

 

What a great luncheon our volunteers planned and what a treat it was for the families and patients!

Menu:
mini-egg rolls
sloppy joes,
tuna sandwiches
chicken soup and crackers
fruit salad
cole slaw
red beans and rice
green beans
brownies
cupcake cake
smoothies and asst. drinks

 

Special THANKS to

Cornerstone Deli and market for their donation of tuna and cole slaw

 

 

 

and to Olde Kent Quilters for their gorgeous quilts and pillowcases,

 

 

 

and to Carole and the Castaways for the slippers and hats.

 

 

 

 

Highlights?

Well, the food of course!!!

I wasn’t there so these are notes from phone conversations afterwards:

• Gladys’ first trip down to ICU with Elizabeth to invite the combat families up.
• The TBI guys came down. We love having them come to the luncheons!
• A combat family on the 4th floor came back several times, which is what we encourage!

The volunteers chipped in for cookie platters for the staff lounges on the 4th floor and 7 East.

Thank you all for a job well done!

The next luncheon is March 23rd, same time, same place, different menu, different crew!

Love and Hugs,

 

 

 

 

We hated to do it. Especially after telling them in December we’d be back to Mercy Hall in February.

Following the weather map for a week, seeing the storm creep closer and closer, watching the weather reports become more and more ominous as the luncheon date drew near, we didn’t want to take a chance being on the road during a snow storm.

Beltway driving around D.C. is awful on a good day, and we don’t live next door; our travel time has us out the door early in the morning to be at Walter Reed by 10:30 AM. And then there’s the drive home heading into rush hour.

The storm was predicted to hit Wednesday night and continue into Thursday afternoon, so on Monday, before Thursday’s luncheon, we went with our gut feelings, sent our regrets to the Liaison Office and cancelled with the hope of rescheduling.

Good thing we did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walter Reed closed down, too, essential personnel only.

If we don’t make it back this month or in March, we’ll be back at Mercy Hall on April 10th!

On another note, I just read this, dated February 13, 2014.

“Marines Don’t Plan to Cut Wounded Warrior Program”

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/02/13/marines-dont-plan-to-cut-wounded-warrior-program.html

But according to the article, the Army does.

Such a shame, our military being cut so drastically…

I’m reminded of this poem.

Tommy

 

I went into a public-‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,

The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”

The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,

I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:

O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;

But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play,

The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,

O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins”, when the band begins to play.

 

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,

They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;

They sent me to the gallery or round the music-‘alls,

But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!

For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;

But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,

The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,

O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.

 

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep

Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;

An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit

Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.

Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”

But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,

The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,

O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

 

We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,

But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;

An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,

Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;

While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,

But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,

There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,

O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

 

You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:

We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face

The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.

For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”

But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot;

An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;

An’ Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool — you bet that Tommy sees!

~Rudyard Kipling

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

Love and Hugs,

A Sunday Luncheon

I miss it so much when I’m unable to go to a luncheon I’ve signed up to help with. I feel like I’ve let the other volunteers down, and I just really enjoy being at the hospital and seeing the smiles when a Warrior or a family member walks into the room, sometimes guided there by the scent of “real” food wafting through the corridors of the 4th floor in Building 10.

Today’s luncheon was one I had to miss…

NO worries, though! When I spoke to Gladys she was ready and more than willing to take on a luncheon with just her and Bob if needed. Elizabeth and Stephanie were able and willing to drop food off and share their supplies if needed. Julie sent some food along with the pantry bags via Gladys, and Katie was able to be there to help Gladys and Bob, so! All was well and good to go!

Gladys touched base with me later in the evening and shared how the day went. I told her, “You know, we read about and watch on TV what’s going on and then we see the “back story” at the hospital, the people who made it happen, who were a part of it, who made history.”

And after thinking about what she had told me, I was reminded of this quote by John Stuart Mill:

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

You see, there was a patient there, with his family for support, and many of his Brothers by his side. They don’t serve for the money, or for the platitudes, or for the college benefits, or to build their resumes…

They serve for “Love of Country”. And they take care of each other.

Our country, and this world, is a better place because of them.

From Gladys:

Marine Moms-Bethesda served lunch at Walter Reed on Sunday.  We were thrilled to see many empty rooms!  We were honored to meet a wounded Warrior and got to meet his family and two other buddies that had flown to be with him and offer him moral support.  Their spirits were so high, and you could see immediately the spirit of camaraderie among them. 

The family members and some of the patients were so happy to be served some home-made food!  The menu was a hit and we had almost no leftovers!  It consisted of Chili with all the toppings, including cornbread and some out-of-this-world biscuits; home-made chicken noodle soup, finger sandwiches, fruit salad, a vegetable tray, and cookies and cupcakes for dessert.  As in the past, the strawberry smoothies that Bob made were a hit!  He has turned into quite a smoothies expert!  All the patients and their family members received a gift bag with some goodies, put together by another Marine Mom. 

Every time we serve lunch at Walter Reed we are reminded of the sacrifice these young men and women and their families have made for all of us.  We are proud and honored to continue to support them and are already looking forward to our next lunch.

Semper Fi!

Gladys

Thank you Gladys, Bob, Katie, and Julie for your help with the luncheon! Job Well Done!

Jaime from “Touch of Relief” was also at the luncheon providing free seated massages for the family members.  Thank you, Jaime!

To our Supporters, you do a wonderful service, enabling the luncheons through your kind generosity.  What is better than “comfort food” when you’re so far from home?  Thank you for your support.

Our next luncheon will be Thursday, February 13, at Mercy Hall, serving the residents and their families. Serving time 11:30 to 1:00 PM, but if you’re going through before or after those times, stop by anyway. We know you have places to go and things to see – rehab, doctors appointment, physical therapy, med boards, meetings. We’ll have take out boxes available for you.

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

Love and Hugs,

 

 

Hamburgers and hot dogs?  Yes, Don’s at it again!

Last month’s 4 East BBQ was a hit, the weather was great, Don and Barb enjoyed being over at Mercy Hall grilling and had offered to do it again.  Would the weather hold?  It looked like it would so we went with it!

By the time Barb, Don and I arrived at the hospital Katie, Kathy and Dina were upstairs setting the room up while Gladys stayed with our stuff downstairs.  Andrea and Nancy were not far behind us.  This was Andrea’s first luncheon with us, and Nancy had driven down on Friday from Connecticut to join us.

After every thing was up in the room I took Nancy over to Mercy Hall so she could see where we grill and do the Mercy Hall luncheons.  Don already had the grills cleaned and the coals going.

We went back over to the room to finish setting up and things got pretty busy.  Barb went back over to Mercy Hall to pick up the first batch of hamburgers and hot dogs from Don.

Most of the “niftie gifties” were with us this time. “Warrior Song – HARD CORPS” t-shirts for Marines and their Mom/Wife/Girlfriend/or Sister from an anonymous Elf; baby quilts, mom quilts, manly quilts and pillowcases from Bayside Quilters, cards from Cub Scouts, word search books, encouragement notes, and pantry bags.  The pantry bags, quilts, pillowcases and notes were a little bit depleted by the time we remembered to take pictures.

We have the slippers and hats from Carole and the Castaways but with the temps being in the high 90′s and low 100′s, I decided to leave them home to save for cooler days.  The music and movie CDs will come with us next time.

The cards Katie brought from the Cub Scouts are so cute!

Sometimes I wonder if people think we only serve Marines, but we serve ALL service branches at our luncheons.  Seeing Army insignia on the doors is new to us so when we get home I look them up.  This one, when I saw it, I thought it had to do with an Army Medic because of the snakes on it, and I was correct.

God Bless him, we know he has saved a lot of lives over the years and wish him the best.

It was a good luncheon.  Menu was hamburgers, hot dogs, brats and all of the fixin’s, chicken salad, pasta salad, potato salad, tossed salad, green beans, of course the cheese, pickles and olives, fresh strawberries and angel food cake, cookies, smoothies and assorted drinks, different flavors of pie – apple crumb, blueberry, sweet potato, and… pecan? I forget.  The grocery store sells them in half sizes so we were able to offer so many different kinds.  Pretty cool.

Almost as cool as finding green bean casserole in cans for Thanksgiving the first year my Marine was deployed so many years ago…  Things have come a long way since 2004, ’05. ’06… All kinds of care packaged-size things now that weren’t around back then.  Medical advancement has come a long way, too.  Lots more support groups now than there were then.  Laws have changed as well.

One of them is The Family and Medical Leave Act Military Family Leave Entitlements.  I will never forget during our first visit to the hospital in October 2005 when a Marine mom told us she had used up her two weeks leave while at Bethesda, and had to choose between staying there with her son, or going back to work.  If she stayed, she was going to lose her job.  Now, this was a HUGE company she worked with.  She never did tell us who it was, just that it was big.  She stayed with her son.  Although families still have to make decisions like this at times – stay or go home for different reasons, the laws have come a long way.  The latest updated information about The Family and Medical Leave Act Military Family Leave Entitlements can be found here:

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28a.pdf

Thank you Barb, Don, Katie, Dina, Nancy, and Andrea so much for your help!  Gladys, we missed having you with us.  Thank you for helping out with the shopping and delivery.  Job WELL Done!

Love and Hugs,

 

 

 

Battle Plans:

Barb suggested a BBQ, Mary thought it was a great idea and Don offered to do the grilling, so two fronts for this luncheon – the grills over at Mercy Hall and the conference room on the 4th floor.  A first for us for a  4 East luncheon!  The question was: Could we pull this off?

Plan of Attack:

1. Arrive at 9:30.
2. Unload -15 minutes.
3. Mary, Jillian, Barb and Gladys take stuff upstairs and begin setting up.
4. Don and Jane go over and get the grills ready.
5. Clean grills – 15 minutes.
6. Coals heat up – 15 minutes (We’re up to 10:15; serving at 11:00.)
7. Jane to go back to the luncheon room to finish helping with set up.
8. Don to call Barb when the first batch of hamburgers and hot dogs are finished cooking.
9. Grill half of the stuff -20 minutes. (We’re up to 10:35.)
10. Begin serving at 11:00.
11. Grill the other half of the stuff – 20 minutes. (11:05)
12. +15 minutes for Semper Gumby stuff (cause we know it always happens, right? 11.20.)
13. Don finishes grilling and is back to the luncheon  room by 11:30.

Arrived on time.  Unloaded on time and the Liaison office had three carts! Yes!!!  We took the stuff upstairs then Don and I headed over to Mercy Hall, unloaded, and oh joy!  We were able to park at the end of the building instead of the parking garage.  This saved us 10 or 15 minutes.

Front 1: The grilling.  We cleaned the old coals out of the grills, loaded them up with the huge bags of charcoal and then, Sempeeeeeeeeer Guuuuuuuumby…

Don: “Did you bring starter fluid to start the coals?”

Jane: “It’s Matchlit…………… aw maaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!! I didn’t…!!!!!!!!”

Jane: “I DID!”

We had two huge bags of regular charcoal and one little bag of Matchlite leftover from past luncheons. I didn’t even think of the starter fluid when we were packing the car, had the Matchlite on my mind, and thank goodness Jerry included the little bag of Matchlite in the car just in case we needed extra charcoal.  So we split the Matchlite between the two grills and sorta kinda got the coals going.  I left Don to head back over to the luncheon room.

As I was going through Mercy Hall the guy on duty, who was very nice, had helped us unload, asked me if there was anything else he could help us with.

!!!

Jane: “Mmm…. you don’t by any chance have starter fluid for charcoal, do you?”

He did!  He saved the day!  When I left, Don had the coals going really good. It was about 10:35 by now.  Plans always look good on paper, don’t they?

Meanwhile, Front 2: In the luncheon room, the ladies were busy setting the tables up.

And after that, who knows what time we were at according to the Battle Plan.  The first batch of hamburgers and hot dogs arrived shortly after 11:00 and we began serving around 11:20 and all was well.  Families were ready to come in and once they came in, the cameras were put away until things slowed down again.  Their privacy is very important to us.

 The menu was hamburgers, hot dogs, and brats with all kinds of fixin’s for them, two kinds of baked beans, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob, cole slaw, potato salad, the best macaroni salad ever, fresh fruit salad, tossed salad, PB&J sandwiches, pickles, olives, and a cheese tray, brownies, cupcakes, and snickerdoodles, smoothies, and assorted drinks and water.

About the time we began packing up Brother Dave stopped in to say hello.

He has been volunteering at Bethesda since at least 2006 and every once in awhile our paths will cross.  It is always so nice to see him.

Not long after we saw Brother Dave, Sgt. Major Ploskonka stopped in to say hello.  He was there visiting the wounded Warriors.

We really enjoyed speaking with the patients and families.  I thought Don would be lonely all by himself over at the grills but I should have known better.  He made a friend, one of the guys who lives there kept him company.

Meeting people from all over the country is interesting.  I try to guess where they are from by their accent – or if they have cowboy boots on. I think the Alabama accent is almost like the Tennessee accent… and then there’s the New Jersey accent which is one of a kind, and the West Virginia accent reminds me of “home”.  Did the Army mom from Arizona bring today’s sunshine and warm temps with her? (If you did, Thank You!!!)    The Warriors and their families – God Bless Them All.

The combat surgical wing at Bethesda/Walter Reed is the beginning of a new journey for most of them.  For others, it is a return for additional surgeries and follow up.  Sadly, not everyone who makes to Walter Reed makes it home for a happy homecoming… a very few succumb to the infections that set in or their bodies just cannot handle the injuries they sustained.  This is one of the reasons we continue collecting notes of support month after month to hand out during our luncheons.  They may be the last thing they read.  I was astounded when my husband came home from Rolling Thunder a few weeks ago, and out of the 1,000′s of people there, he told me he had met a Gold Star Mom who had been to one of our luncheons – three years ago, whose son did not make it.  (And if you are reading this, Mom, Thank You!!! xoxo)

It is such an honor to serve our Warriors and their Families.  And so very humbling.

To Marine Moms-Bethesda’s Supporters, thank you so much for supporting these luncheons. We could not do this without you, and your support is VERY much appreciated by the wounded Warriors and their families.  The luncheons are a tremendous morale booster for them.

We are not serving one branch of the military or one specific unit.  We are serving our Nation’s sons and daughters from the Marines, Navy, Army and Air Force.  Coast Guard, too, if they are there.

Our annual quilt raffle is going on right now.  “Stars and Bars Forever” was donated to us by Bayside Quilters to raise money for the luncheons. (Thank You!!!) 100% of the funds raised from it will directly support the luncheons.

None of us receive compensation for what we do, other than reimbursement for the food and supplies needed specifically for the luncheons.   Often we add to them out of our pocket.  Today’s luncheon came in at just over $730.00.  I don’t know how we do it.  But we do. With your help. Thank you!

One day – hopefully – the combat ward will be empty, other than regular medical needs. The needs of our war Veterans will not end when the war ends, though, and I hope our country keeps it’s promises to them.  I would like for Marine Moms-Bethesda to still be around 50 years, 75 years from now, serving our Veterans and their families.  Perhaps the mission would be a little different.  Our young service members and wounded Warriors of today will be like our World War II generation today.  Wars may end, but the needs continue.

Today’s luncheon crew:  Don, Barb, Mary, Jillian and Gladys.  Thank You! Job WELL Done!!!

Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.

Love and Hugs,

Jane wasn’t at this luncheon.  Here’s the After Action Report from Katie, slightly edited:

May 20, 2012 – 4 East luncheon

From: katie

To: jane
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 11:34 PM
Subject: last Sunday

Hi Jane – I wanted to fill you in on how Sunday’s luncheon went.  We did have plenty of time to get everything set up, we were ready to serve at 11.

When I walked in the lobby a Marine was leaving with his wife, baby and Mom.  They were going to go to the mall.  He is doing so well.

Another 2/5 Marine wheeled himself down to the room and had us in stitches, he was having a great time and loved the food!  He and his wife came in to see us a couple of times.

I met with other 2 Marines from the 2/5 and their families that day too.

Unfortunately I did not take pictures of the food set up.

Julie worked the smoothie making.  Dina did the “cold” table, the salad, fruit, 7 layer dip.  Kathy worked the dessert table.  Mary and Elizabeth worked the hot food.

I worked the door.

We only had some soup left over.

Kathy and I went up to the TBI ward to invite them down.

I went to ICU but I don’t think any families came down.

The strawberries were from the Swann Farms in Owings Md.  the owner Joe Swann sold me the 12 pints (1.5 flats) at wholesale price. We should mention his farm on our contributor list next month.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Swann-Farms/106242809412794

We only had one gift bag left.  We left it in the pantry.

Katie

Thank you, Katie, Julie, Elizabeth, Kathy and Dina for making the day so special on the 4th floor!