A
big “thank-you” to the Kahuna and his daughter for this page! I certainly hope many more citizens out
there appreciate the history that this soon to be gone generation represents. I wholeheartedly agree with this next line: DebV
This
should be required reading in every school and college in our country. This
Captain, an Army doctor, deserves a medal himself for putting this together.
SOON TO BE GONE
By A MILITARY
DOCTOR
I am a
doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level
One-Trauma Centers, both in San Antonio , TX and they care for civilian
Emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military
retiree population in the world living here. As a military doctor, I work long
hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long
hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human
suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean
more pay, only more work.
Most often, it is a
victim from a motor vehicle crash.
Often it
is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large
military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my
enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama , I have caught myself
groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick, elderly person from
one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not
stopped to think of what citizens of this age group represented.
I saw
'Saving Private Ryan.' I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by
the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly
survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized
that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept. and
had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did
for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that
conflict are priceless.
Situation
permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would
never bring up the subject without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an
amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an
Emergency Dept. encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible
individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on
their last admission to the hospital.
There was
a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic, trying to start
an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and
the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a 'hard
stick.' As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across
her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply
said, ' Auschwitz .' Many of later generations would have loudly and openly
berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response
from this person who'd seen unspeakable suffering.
Also,
there was this long retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from
his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an
octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he
lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by
the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age,
he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized
his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the
phone to make a long distance call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With
great pride we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his country
and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it
ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and
I couldn't drive him myself.
I was
there the night M/Sgt. Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. for the
last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him, but I
walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he
didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and
wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later.
The
gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders,
the
survivor of the Bataan Death March,
a
survivor of Omaha Beach , likewise for
my brother, Harry
F. Rottman, another survivor of Omaha Beach, now 89
and in the first stages of dimentia, Alzheimer's; there are still good days and many special blessings.
Gott sei Dank!
the 101 year-old
World War I veteran.
The
former POW held in frozen North Korea ,
The
former Special Forces medic - now with non-operable liver cancer,
the
former Viet Nam Corps Commander.
I
remember these citizens.
I may
still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am much more aware
of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women.
I have
seen a Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who've sacrificed
so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally
engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such sacrifice.
It has
become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware
of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their
response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not
lost in the next generation.
My
experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation,
and this nation knows not what it is losing. Our uncaring government and
ungrateful civilian populace should all take note. We should all remember that
we must 'Earn this.'
Written
By CPT. Stephen R. Ellison, M.D. US Army
If it weren't for the
United States military, there'd be NO United States of America.