Heads,Hearts & Hands of Veterans and Military Families

Our second exhibition opened July 30 at 7 pm and is open for viewing until August 23.
11 artists are represented - 8 Veterans and 3 military family.  Peoples Choice award for best veteran artist went to Buddy Chadd for his woodcarving 'Blue Gill Trio'.  Peoples Choice for Best Military Family Artist was awarded to Rita O'Dell for 'Plantation Church' a pen and ink stippled drawing.
A total of 30 pieces are on display.

Mother to Mother #9

by Mavis McDowell

I hope the religious holidays were good for the Blue Star and Gold Star Mothers who may be reading these blogs.  I want to pass on what I have been learning from  recent  military health webinars   and other research   in the medical and scientific journals I sited in previous  blogs. Just want to give you some  condensed    information I think is relevant and helpful.  If I don’t have to do footnotes this will be faster and easier for all of us. This blog  will explore research and blog # 10 resources  to try.

                 One in four returning service members has a mild, moderate or severe TBI. You are fortunate that there has been so much exciting research recently into the brain. Researchers are responding to the need our returning soldiers have for help with these  injuries.  I love it when neurologists now talk about the plasticity of the brain. In other words new neurons being generated  for rehabilitated  function. Doctors didn’t think it was possible a few years ago.

Having experienced it myself, I know what a challenge it is to help your child after a traumatic brain injury,  or in our case many. In our situation I was also dealing with my own TBI.

                I’m telling you this because  I want you to know there is hope and healing. It has taken us many years because we were dealing with it on our own. Now there is help from the VA,   DCoE outreach, Wounded Warriors and the military health system.  Blue   and Gold Star Mothers   are designed to be support groups. Your warrior can expect a faster more  complete recovery than in earlier conflicts.

I hate to report this. The latest statistics  ( Washington Post )  Every day  22 US veterans  kill themselves.  Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are 30 to 200% more likely to  commit suicide than their nonveteran peers.  We are all aware that TBI and PTSD leave the person more vulnerable to  substance abuse and suicide.  Normal inhibitions may be affected by TBI. Doctors recommend social support works better than confrontation for   substance abuse problems.    They also tell us not to use alcohol in the year following a TBI to allow the brain healing time.  People are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol after a brain injury. Post-Traumatic Stress   compounds the problems you and your veteran must deal with.

                I’ve found some fascinating newly discovered  information  about the effects  of physical changes to the brain. Two concepts new to me  are;  Anhedonia,   the loss of ability to feel pleasure, and  Alexithymia , which  is the loss of ability to recognize   other people’s  or even your own emotions.                The newest theory is that  they may be more than psychological  and are caused by physical change or  injury to the   brain. Treatment  can be more appropriate when the real cause is known. ((Neurology Now)

                Scientists are now able to find the exact neuron in the brain that carries the memory of a certain person, or group of people. Responses of each cell are quite selective. They respond to  the  concept of  a certain person.  If those neurons in that area are destroyed you won’t remember that person, or the history and emotional content with that person.  At least until other neurons that contain memories of that person come back on line or respond later. If that happens.  I have to find the DVD of  “ The Promise”  a movie about a woman who forgets who her husband is after a car accident.  The most common comment about a returning  veteran is “He isn’t the same person .”  I think his memories have changed.   ( Scientific American)

                Magnesium   and B12 are recommended to those with TBI by Dr. Philip Hocum US Army. Dr. Oz recommends it for everyone.  My son and I also take melatonin and acetyl L carnitine.  (military health webinars)

                On his blog  ADAM AT EASE, Adam who was a sergeant in Iraq, talks about the symptoms of TBI. Which are; 1. headaches and neck pain that won’t go away. 2.difficulty remembering, especially short term ,concentrating or  making decisions. 3.slowness in thinking, acting, speaking or reading. 4. Aphasia, (difficulty recalling  words). 5.dizzyness or loss of balance. 6. Blurred vision and eyes tire easily. 6. Feeling tired all the time, lack of energy or motivation. Depression, PTSD and SA compound the problems of course.  He gives encouragement    and practical advice to others recovering from TBI.

The Link Between Mesothelioma Cancer and Veterans

Both during and after their time in the military, veterans face a number of service-connected conditions.

Some, like post-traumatic stress disorder, are extremely common. Others, like mesothelioma, are less frequently diagnosed – but equally deserving of attention.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that almost always develops after a patient is exposed to asbestos. It can originate in the lining of the lungs, stomach or heart, and it spreads quickly after it develops.

Mesothelioma is relatively rare, affecting around 3,000 Americans each year. However, a disproportionately large number of patients are veterans, with around 30 percent coming from a military background.

Mesothelioma can affect men and women from any branch of service. Every military occupation – from Navy technician to Army rifleman to Air Force mechanic – had its own set of asbestos exposure risks throughout the 20th century.

Asbestos exposure risks in the military were especially high before the 1980s. Although the government began phasing out their use of asbestos products in the 1970s, they had already used asbestos in many of their vessels, vehicles and bases.

The Navy even mandated asbestos insulation on all of the ships they produced from the 1930s until the 1970s.

The military’s most commonly used asbestos products included:

·         Pipes

·         Brakes

·         Gaskets

·         Valves

·         Boiler parts

·         Tiles

·         Cement

·         Caulking

Veterans often encountered these products on a daily basis. Many of their operations had the potential to disturb the fibers – as did damage sustained during battle.

Many exposure sites (i.e. ships, submarines and aircraft) were poorly ventilated. As a result, asbestos fibers often circulated in the air for prolonged periods of time.

Once inhaled or ingested, asbestos fibers can become lodged inside the body. Over a period of several decades, the trapped fibers cause scarring and inflammation. The fibers can also trigger malignancies such as mesothelioma or lung cancer to develop.

Resources for Veterans with Mesothelioma

Veterans who have already received a mesothelioma diagnosis can access treatment through the VA health care system. Some of the world’s leading mesothelioma experts – including Dr. Avi Leventhal – work at VA hospitals.

Veterans can use their VA benefits to cover the costs of treatment, travel and other expenses. These benefits are available to all veterans who can link their asbestos-related disease to service-related exposure.

Depending on their specific diagnosis, some veterans may even receive their benefits on an expedited schedule.

Veterans who have not yet developed an asbestos-related disease should consider registering for regular health screenings. These screenings can help detect mesothelioma and other asbestos-related conditions in their earliest stages, when treatment is most effective.

For more information on veterans, asbestos, and mesothelioma cancer please visit http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/ .

Author bio: Faith Franz has spent nearly two years researching and writing for The Mesothelioma Center. As an advocate for alternative medicine, she encourages patients to explore all of the treatment options that could potentially save their life.