Today will end my second week of volunteering at the Veterans Hospital here in Dallas. Basically all I do is help veterans in and out of their cars and into wheelchairs. Sometimes Im given the honor of pushing them to their clinics. I really enjoy chatting with them. Their service extends from those who served in World War II through those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. How awesome it was for example, to talk to a World War II vet this week who told me that right out of high school in 1943, at 17 years old . . . he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He actually chuckled as he recounted his having made it through Guadalcanal, the Gilbert Islands only to be shot in the leg on Okinawa. That wound he said . . . ended his combat career. Once they taught him how to walk again . . . he enlisted in the Merchant Marines. It was there he said with a wry smile . . . thats where I received my death sentence. He now suffers from Mesothelioma. Just yesterday I spoke to a former soldier who had been in ASA during the Viet Nam war . . . who when I asked how he was doing . . . looked at me with a huge grin and said . . . not so good. Naturally I asked him what he meant . . . and with a full smile said . . . my leukemia is back. I asked how long he had been in remission and he laughed and said . . . Oh . . . about a week. He went on to say that his was the most aggressive form of the disease and beginning Monday . . . he was to once again to go through several weeks of in-patient chemo. He never lost his smile as he said . . . if that doesnt do it . . . well . . . itll be time to get right. He looked at me . . . never loosing his smile . . . but this time with a tear welling up . . . said he was headed home to tell his wife. He new she wouldnt accept the news well and said once she went off on her own . . . he was going to call his daughter. His car was pulled up and we exchanged farewells. Im telling you . . . it really is an honor to be in their presence. I try and suck up as much of their strength as I can.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:41:45 +0000
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