Supporting the Whole Family After a Warrior’s Injury Wounded Warrior Project Builds Camaraderie for Families and Caregivers of Injured Veterans By Amanda Jekowsky
L
ee Medina smiles when she describes meeting her husband, Army Corporal David Medina, nearly six years ago. They met through friends, and even from opposite ends of the country – he was stationed in Washington state and she was in Virginia – their connection was instant. “We just knew when we started talking. We built a strong foundation by communicating with each other. We knew this was what we both wanted.”
68 percent of veteran caregivers who were previously employed either retired early or stopped working; 62 percent of those who continued working had to cut back on regular work hours. Despite these adjustments, most caregivers of injured veterans view their role as one of service, not sacrifice. David struggled with nightmares, loud noises, and the lingering effects of his injuries, and Lee left her full-time job to become his caregiver. When a neighbor told her about Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), she reached out in the hopes that David might have an opportunity to connect with other warriors and get out of the house. She could never have imagined,
That foundation was rattled when David was seriously injured after his Stryker ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq in November of 2009. He sustained serious injuries from the blast, including a back injury and a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as a result of his experience. David was honorably discharged and returned to Lee and their three “Soldiers are trained to go into battle, but caregivers children, but Lee knew something was different. aren’t trained for this, and it’s horrible when the “When he came home, it was obvious that the civilian world doesn’t understand what it’s like,” says life we were going to live was not going to be the same,” says Lee. “The world is different. Life Lee. “But you sit down with other caregivers, and you changes drastically. I didn’t know where to go talk, and they get you. They know what it’s like and or what to do. But what does a soldier do when they share tips to make it better. We don’t feel like another is injured? What do you think I’m going to outcasts anymore; we feel understood.” do as a spouse? I’m going to carry you.” Due to improvements in military medicine and technology, many service members are surviving combat injuries that would have previously been fatal. Often times, family members are those taking up arms for the battle back home, stepping into their new role as caregiver to their injured service member. In its 2010 study, “Caregivers of Veterans – Serving on the Homefront,” United Health Foundation revealed 70 percent of caregivers reported their veteran had experienced depression or anxiety, and 60 percent reported PTSD. In addition, the study revealed TBI (28 percent) and paralysis or spinal cord injury (20 percent) were other leading conditions of veterans who required caregiver assistance. The lives of caregivers are tremendously impacted by their caregiving role. As shown in the United Health Foundation study, caring for an injured veteran can become a full-time job, which in turn can play a detrimental role in the caregiver’s own health, employment, and financial stability. Accordingly,
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she says, the level of support, understanding, and camaraderie that her entire family would receive. The Medinas joined Family Support, a component of WWP’s Alumni program, which helps injured veterans, family members, and caregivers learn about WWP and network, heal, and engage with one another. “WWP recognizes the integral role that family members and caregivers play in a warrior’s successful transition and reintegration into www.homelandmagazine.com