Single amputee = papercut

[Carol]

Sobering story referenced by mil-blogger Michael Yon:

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=106556

Kerr returned to the U.S. for rehabilitation at the military’s Walter Reed hospital. "There were just as many double amputees, and several triple amps. It gave me perspective," he says. He laughs as he says those with single amputations were nicknamed "papercut".

Michael Yon's blog:

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/

 

[Sukerkin]

Oh my! I knew that things were very, very bad in that vile conflict but I am shocked at just how bad they are. My sorrows go out those who have to try and implement the policy of their government under such circumstances.

My respect goes out to them too, for, when they are under such relentless pressure, the temptation to simply cut-loose and lay waste to everything must become overwhelming at times. The fact that they do not speaks a greater tribute to them than anything I could write, sitting here nice and safe in my home with no greater threat than paying the mortgage to handle.

 

[billc]

Michael Yon is a great reporter and an even better advocate for our troops.

 

[Tez3]

Oh my! I knew that things were very, very bad in that vile conflict but I am shocked at just how bad they are. My sorrows go out those who have to try and implement the policy of their government under such circumstances.

My respect goes out to them too, for, when they are under such relentless pressure, the temptation to simply cut-loose and lay waste to everything must become overwhelming at times. The fact that they do not speaks a greater tribute to them than anything I could write, sitting here nice and safe in my home with no greater threat than paying the mortgage to handle.

Things are far worse than most people realise, I can't do statistics, can't do the numbers but our Brigade out of 900 personnel, we had 30 triple amputees, 30 dead and 300 injured, last Afghan deployment, many injuries being life changing. And now the government has announced compulsory redundances...

The Taliban don't go for the kill, they want to injure as many soldiers as possible because they know it costs the country more and shocks more, with the idea that the citizens will deamnd the withdrawal of their troops from Afghan.

Mark, if you just buy a keyring from Help for Heroes it will help, if you can fundraise even better. We have a H4H Recovery Centre being built here paid for by volunteers and charity. It should be paid for by the government but if the charities didn't do it, it wouldn't be built. Regiments are fundraising like hell because they pay for things like the families travel to the hospitals, adaptions to houses, family accomodation near the hospital their soldier is at and stuff like that, even paying for better prosthetics. Your local regiment is the Mercians (3 Batt. Part of the Desert Rats), we have one of their battalions here, theyv'e all taken quite a battering so you'll have a lot of local lads (and girls I'm afraid) wounded and disabled.

I should point out that our troops are good at returning fire though, the numbers of enemy dead are considerable, doesn't seem to stop the buggers though, life is cheap on the their side.

 

[Brian King]

The large number of amputees occurring in the current conflicts is sobering but the thing about the numbers that people do not consider is that the number is actually 'good news'. In past conflicts the injuries seen today would have resulted in deaths. The improved body armor systems, improved medic training and capabilities, vastly improved trauma care training individual soldiers receive, improved medivac and immediate care, improved medical procedures and tools, all add up to soldiers and Marines being better able to not only survive trauma but to avoid the injuries that even a few years ago were life changing.

For example the shredding that the limbs today are absorbing are the same kinds of injuries from past conflicts, but there were also critical injuries to the torso and head in past conflicts that do not occur as often in today's incidents or when they do occur are less often critical due to the advances mentioned above.

One of the advanced not mentioned but also very important to the topic are the advances in post care. The advancements in prosthetics is truly amazing.

Regards
Brian King

 

[Tez3]

The rising rate of suicides among the badly injured though may mean that being kept alive at all costs is for some something they don't wish. To be left with only one limb, blind and brain damaged with care being given by family is something they don't wish for. Medicine has advanced so much that yes soldiers are surviving horrendous injuries but the cost is too high for some. You have to ask as well would you want to be left like that? people assume that you simply lose a limb when they say amputation but it can mean multiple operations, endless pain, you may not be able to have a prosthetic limb fitted, it can be literally a living hell. for every success story of good rehab there's two or more desparate souls in hell.

 

[Brian King]

I cannot speak for the UK but I have seen very recent studies that say that the suicide rates amongst US service members has stabilized and has even dropped if the numbers for National Guard and Reserves are figured in. These suicide trends are often cyclic and statics can easily be manipulated, so while I take suicide seriously I do not put much stock into ‘studies’ or headlines. That people and organizations might manipulate the headlines in order to do ‘good’ work is a fact of life but should not lesson the seriousness of mental illnesses and suicides.


Suicide rates amongst physicians is nearly double that of the general population. One of the frightening thing about that stat is the the suicide rate amongst male and female physicians is nearly equal, while in the general population females commit suicide much less than males. And these are the people that we as societies are often surrendering sole responsibilities to help heal our comrades, family members and loved ones. Not sure how that hits others reading, but it tells me as an active, thinking, and feeling member of society to never willingly surrender that responsibility, share it yes, certainly. But give it up, that is not going to happen.


There are steps people can take to involve themselves. The first and most important is to get healthy themselves. If depressed seek treatment. If cut off from family and friends reconnect, they need you and you need them. Connect with a church, most have programs that can help, and with no admittance charge.


The next step if healthy is to find someone who is injured and help them. The degree of help can be as simple as making eye contact and saying hello. A persons injuries are not contagious and it is ok to say hello. Too shy or too busy, there are all kinds of organizations (At least in the US do not know about Europe or the UK) and it is easy to get plugged in. Word of warning, not all organizations are legit no matter their web site. Easiest way to tell if an org is legit is to find a local organization that is helping, real help that you can see. Another way is to ask around and find someone that has been helped and asks them about that help. A group does not have to be a large national organization, small groups also do some great work. I personally like small groups as it seems what little money or time I can offer makes a bigger difference than it might with a larger organization.


The risk of being shot or blown up is part of a soldiers life. It is an understood risk. A wounded soldier or veteran is not necessarily a victim in the common usage of that word. They do not need sympathy. Sympathy does not heal or make things whole. They do not need faking, make believe ignoring of their sacrifice. Nor do they need fawning. Their injuries are there, they know them well. Ignoring the injury does not make it go away. What they do need is real people making real connections. They need people seeing the human being and the value of that human, not just seeing the injury.


What is the value of a shredded human with no arms or legs? When i find myself feeling sorry for myself I dig up some of Nick Vujicic’s videos. Here is one I like http://youtu.be/wOlTdkYXuzEhttp://youtu.be/wOlTdkYXuzE I dare anyone to watch it and not be inspired.


Warmest Regards
Brian King

 

[Tez3]

I don''t think of soldiers 'with sympathy', most I know enjoy the job and actually volunteer for war because they enjoy that too, most of the time. We have a large military Mental Health department here, I have friends who work there and train with us. There is a great deal of help for wounded service people here but the fact remains that for many being wounded, losing limbs, being blinded is such a life changing experience they cannot cope however much help they can get. We are getting so used to the 'brave' servicemen doing things able bodied people would fear to do ie trekking to the North Pole, rowing across the Atlantic etc that we are actually in danger of thinking that these things are normal. We project onto these wounded soldiers such feelings as they are 'and inspiration' and 'so brave' as if it's fine to have these people coming back injured because they will all be fine. The fact is they won't all be fine, life will always be a huge struggle that some will decide to end. As Brian says they don't need fawning on and they don't need all that faux sympathy but I think it would be a mistake to not realise that they are not dealing with huge problems that are often glossed over especially by the media, I tend to think the government colludes in this as while those killed in action receive attention those who are seriously injured are only mentioned when an 'inspiring' story is needed, as if to say 'yeah they are being hurt but look it doesn't really make any difference'.