HONORING OUR WALTER REED CAREGIVERS
Over the last three years I have been blessed with the opportunity
to assist in coordinating a luncheon for some of the
ladies/caregivers from Walter Reed. Our Women's Republican Club
sponsors a spring luncheon in a beautiful private home not far from
the hospital. As many of you already know, over the years I have
grown very close to many of these caregivers and their families, so
I was honored to be responsible for invitations and
transportation. I wanted to share with you this exceptional
afternoon that took place last month.
As our guests arrived they were first greeted by the sound of a solo
bagpiper, Dan Friz, a Montgomery County policeman who is a member of
the MCFD Pipe and Drum. I have written in the past about the band
entertaining at the cookouts I am involved with at the hospital. As
the ladies approached the house there were warm welcomes from many
of our club members, greeting them throughout the house and out to
the backyard. Immediately there was a wonderful sense of
camaraderie that was shared by our eighteen special guests and our
sixty members and their friends. Threatening weather turned to
intermittent sunshine and our hostess' beautiful home was once again
the perfect venue for our gathering.
Our pot luck luncheon was a varied array of salads and desserts made
by some of our members with love. With guests and members settling
throughout the house and the backyard, it was an opportunity to give
these ladies our undivided attention, to hear their personal
stories, their journeys, the obstacles they have faced and the goals
they have attained. Stories of their wounded loved ones, their lives
turned upside down, their lives here at Walter Reed with their
children, and all things related to the recovery process. This
intimate time together is what makes our luncheon so special and the
reason we want to open our arms and our hearts to the women who are
the heroes behind the heroes.
After lunch we gathered in the living room to hear our guest
speaker, Mary Jo Myers, wife of Gen. Richard Myers, former Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. You can imagine with that many
people squeezed into one room it was crowded with ladies sitting on
the floor, on the sofas and chairs and standing in a circle, but it
was quite comfortable. Mary Jo clearly understands the plight of
the military family, the setbacks, the challenges, and all that they
go through as their lives continue to adapt to changes. What was so
touching was that her compassion brought her to tears many times as
she spoke. She truly has a heart for what they endure day after
day and she captured our hearts from the start. We were very blessed
to have her with us to share her knowledge and experience with
military families.
Next we set aside time for any caregivers who might be willing to
share their personal stories. First was Claudia Avila, wife of a
soldier, whose husband suffered grave injuries in Iraq. She shared
with us that her husband's medical team felt he would make a partial
recovery, but that his brain damage would not improve. She knew in
her heart that she would not accept that prognosis, and through her
determination and advocacy, his recovery has been miraculous. Kelly
Burke's message was about a family pulling together through unusual
circumstances. First Kelly's husband was wounded and she became his
caregiver. Not that long after, her son-in-law was also injured in
combat. She requested a transfer for her family to be here on the
east coast so that she could once again assist in the recovery
process along with her daughter. As she said to me later, it was
unusual to hear sniffles from the caregivers, but the emotions run
deep when you hear these compelling accounts of resilience, courage
and tenacity. Two or three of the guests attended our luncheon for
the second or third time!! Their wounded have been here for close
to three years!
Our club is an extremely generous one which enabled us to give each
of our caregivers a gift of appreciation for all that they have
sacrificed. Packaged in bright yellow envelopes we distributed
them and then selected names from a basket for door prizes....more
generous gifts.......gift cards to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse,
Underarmour, Target and more. Then it was time for the ladies to
return on the bus provided them by the Yellow Ribbon Fund for the
trip back to Walter Reed.
The event was without a doubt a wonderful success for all who
attended. I thank God for opportunities like this one, and I
believe everyone there felt the same. It is imperative that the
civilian world understand the sacrifices these women make on a daily
basis for their husbands, sons and families. For the caregivers it
is our genuine interest and compassion that give them a sense of
hope and comfort and on that day we could honestly say "Mission
accomplished".
