Veterans Day Teacher Resources

The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans' organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

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The Veterans Day National Committee also selects a number of regional sites for Veterans Day observances throughout the country. From stirring parades and ceremonies to military exhibits and tributes to distinguished veterans, these events serve as models for other communities to follow in planning their own observances.

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Schools and communities invite veterans of all backgrounds to share their stories and receive thanks for their years of service.

Presidential Proclamation

Mother to Mother - Complications

Mother to Mother #5

 

It’s not easy to be a survivor. Although others can’t see the scars from traumatic brain injury we feel the complications.  I get lost frequently, even if I have been to that place previously. It’s a scary feeling when you can’t find your way home. It’s embarrassing and very inconvenient. My sweet husband bought me a GPS (global positioning system) for my little car. Before GPS my travel was difficult. I could follow highway markers and drove myself and sons across the United States. Where there weren’t clear signs I’d miss turns. I’m sure I turned the wrong way 100% of the time.  I even navigated roads through Germany, France, Spain, Sweden and Denmark by myself. The signs were not in English but that wasn’t a problem for me. Going the right direction is a huge problem for me.   It’s always a surprise when I find the store I’m looking for. It isn’t something you want others to know about you especially if you are male. Remember it is an injury not a sign of retardation. Although it makes you feel stupid you are not.

                Explosions may cause broken ear drums. I found after my eardrum was broken I had no sense of sound direction. The doctors will tell you your ear drum heals by itself. My ear, nose and throat doctor says the scar tissue doesn’t always cause loss of sound direction discrimination. But it did in my case.

                With little driving experience and those two handicaps I finally had the freedom to drive everywhere. I have never had an accident. That is why I know the Lord looks out for his children. 

Mother to Mother #4

I’ve spent the last week at 5 events where Dr. Joe Heck has also been. One of them was the Gold Star Mother’s Sunday   Memorial  Service. Our local one is held in Boulder City, Nevada. The Veteran’s Cemetery is also in Boulder City.

            I mentioned Colonel Heck because he is our representative from Nevada in Washington D.C. and an emergency physician with the Army (now reserves). He wrote a paper for Joint Forces Staff college, titled;  Minor Traumatic Brain Injury:  Rethinking the Treatment Paradigm. Which I  may refer to in my blogs.

            Basically what  I  hear Dr. Heck  saying is too many of our service members do not get adequate pre and post deployment neurocognitive assessments. This is due to a number of factors.  The military does use a screening tool called   MACE  which stands for  Military Acute Concussion Evaluation. Soldiers themselves under-report incidents.  

What it means to us as parents  and spouses of service members deployed in “hot  zones”, is that we should be cognizant  of  undiagnosed TBI and discretely look for signs of memory loss or changes in motor function. If you do notice changes seek more information or professional help in dealing with them. It would have  made a significant difference in our lives  if I  knew how much  we were injured but that information was kept from me and my son. You know your loved one,  I’m not giving any advice other than given the nature of warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan be aware of the possibility of undiagnosed  mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. 

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Mother to Mother #3

My son’s brain injuries were repeated and severe. He didn’t get any help when they happened.  You  know the effects of recurring brain injury are cumulative. The fact that they are survivors gives us the chance to help them. I researched medical  journals  and  scientific magazines, the web and talked to my son’s doctors.

 I have found my son has benefited in the last   10 years from  some over the counter supplements. These include Acetyl-L-Carnitine-Arginate which promotes neurite growth, Omega 3 fish oil which aides brain function and Melatonin which promotes sleep and is protective against further neurological impairment due to chemicals produced from the TBI. Calcium supplements help prevent strokes. I also give my son vitamin  E & C + a multi-vitamin daily. The theory is that  E & C used together help prevent early onset Alzheimer’s which could be the result of TBI.

John was on Depakote for seizures from the brain injury for years. Doctors were surprised when they found out from tests and the progress patients made that Depakote actually helped promote growth of new neurons  in the brain. Recently John was switched to Lamictal  for his seizures. We have noticed he is functioning at a higher level than before this medication.

The challenge is  to get your child to a great neurologist that will work with you to restore as much of your child’s abilities as possible. I understand the heartbreak of finding your child’s life is  drastically changed. As the caregiver you can make a huge difference.  Learn as much as you can, find a friend you can talk to and just continue to love your child and appreciate the time you have together.

I am a mom like you, but I’ve been struggling to help my son for many years now. My hope is that what we learned from our experience will be helpful  to accelerate you child’s recovery.

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