Soldiers' Angels

3rd visit in Landstuhl Medical Center

By Wilhelmine Aufmkolk, Germany

On the 10th May I have heard from a good friend from us that we have a wounded SFC S. from the 1st AD in Landstuhl. He is in the same unit as the wife from our friend. Her husband asked me if I can go for him to Landstuhl and visit him, because he has no one looking for his kids.

Carolyn and I we met us at the Landstuhl Medical Center. But we could not go into the Fisher House or into the hospital because the military police told us we have to wait….so we wait about 30 minutes, nothing was happened! On the way to SFC S. we met a very young man who was walking over the floor on crutches and he heard music over a headphone. We addressed him and give him our best get well wishes for a fast recovery and hand over him a bag with a T-shirt, underpants and socks. He was so surprised so that he could not say anything. So we could raise a smile on his face. So we went further with the filled backpack and greetings from us all to our wounded hero Sergeant First Class S. from a unit from Wiesbaden, Germany. Just as we enter the room he had lunch! At once he told us come in! He was so pleased over all his visits. I have given him his backpack and have shown him what we have had with us for him. And he was so surprised, I cannot tell you. We have done into it all the things which he could need: tooth paste, toothbrush, once razor, shaving cream, shampoo, soap, shower items, small wet disposable towels, soft candies, typewriting paper and envelopes, three under pants, 2 t-shirts, 2 pair of socks, one jogging trousers, 1 book and a few greeting cards from us and one from an American lady. And we gave him our all best Get Well Soon wishes for a fast recovery. He could not believe it that people who are alien for him come to visit him. A lot of people from his unit were coming to visit him. His face was full of sanies and open wounds. His left eye was very heavy injured. He was very glad to see that so much people are thinking on him. He was so happy. And I found he was in a very great mood. After a while he asked me after our business cards and he told us that we will see us again in Wiesbaden. He was so wonderful with so much vitality after his terrible events in Iraq. I told him that we are coming back to see how he is. For Carolyn is this easier as for me. She is living nearby Landstuhl. I the room from SFC was another wounded, he was in a very good mood too. As we have given him a bag with something he can use too, he was so happy about this. Carolyn has with her backpacks for the patients, too. Backpacks is a great thing which they all need so much from this. They need not great ones, a small one is good for them, too. So we went from room to room and have given them a backpacks and a gift, too. Only one Hero, a young wounded was lying in his bed with a lot of pain, you could see it on his face, told us he needs no gift and no backpack. So we went further. We went to the floor where we have visited a lot of wounded last week, as we are coming around the corner a nurse gave us a really warm welcome. So we have given a wounded patient their gifts. One wounded was sitting in the TV room, another was making a long call so we have taken his gift on his bed. By another patient we have done a backpack and a gift on their bed. All was glad that someone was thinking on them and looking for them. For the nurse on the floor, who has so much to do, we have had a nice cooking book with us. And she was glad to that someone has thinking on the staffs, too.

I have seen in Landstuhl that not all letters and cards which have been sent to our heroes, are not coming to the wounded directly! I have seen 2 large boxes in a corner on a large floor, in one box were the letters from the adults and in other from kids. I can imagine me that it is a problem to bring all the letters and cards to the wounded, but to do in a box, with the letters adult or kids on it, in a dark corner is not the right way I think. So we talk to our friends and the angels from the Soldiers Angel Foundation that it is better to send letters or cards to us directly and we are going to Landstuhl and bring it directly to the wounded. So we know that the cards are coming on the right place. Peggy, she is looking for the wounded in Walter Reed told me that she has seen the same in Walter Reed, too!

Later we have met friends from Carolyn, too. The backpack and the German/English cooking book are always a great thing for the staffs, too. One of the nurses told us that she is the oberoberkrankenschwester (in German Direktor der Pflegedienstleitung) She was the chief from all nurses and she was surprise that we have had a gift for her, too . Later in another TV room we met 2nd Lt J.C. freshly graduated from West Point he was ready to go back to Iraq. He was such a little guy, trying to be so tough. And another soldier he was wounded Sgt P. he was going at first at home and later back to Iraq, too. We have had a great conversation with them both. And they were astonished over what we do for them all.

Our last stop was in Fisher House to bring the Manager from the Fisher House something for their wounded patients and family members. We have had with us T-shirt, underpants, pair of socks, chocolate and deodorant sticks. She told me in her last e-mail that she has not one for the soldiers. She introduce us a young couple, she told me that she was now 12 days in the Fisher House and he was ready to go back to Iraq again. Those wounded soldiers who now are going back to Iraq again were so enthusiastic to do your duty for the freedom for other people! Further we met a Vietnam veteran and his wife, her son is so injured that he is now in Homburg Saar in another University Hospital. Terrible thing, I have worked in a University Hospital in Germany, I know what this means! As at first I introduced myself as a German, he told me he “I hate the Germans”. But I said him - not me. And he looked at me, I gave him my hand and said to him “Nice to meet you sir”! I can understand that. But I think we all must see that we have on one side the governments in both countries and on the other site the people and their friendships! A real friendships have not done anything with politic. But after a few minutes we have talked to each others. A few minutes later Kathy introduced as Ms. Fisher a family member from the Fisher House Foundation was there. She was with her husband on a visit here in Europe. I was a little bit with out words to meet Ms. Fisher. She is a wonderful lady and she was enjoyed that we do good to the wounded soldiers in the Fisher House, too. We have seen again, the Fisher House it a very good thing to provide military families here in Germany it is “home away from home” for families members to stay by their loved over the time where their ones receive major medical care in Landstuhl. Do you know that since 1990, the foundation has donated 26 Fisher Houses at 16 military installations and four Veterans Affairs centers? I am glad that I can do something for it. So we have had another wonderful day in Landstuhl and we could make new experiences and have seen that we do the right things for our Heroes.

Wilhelmine Aufmkolk, Germany

"May No Soldier Go Unloved“

SoldiersAngels.com

e-mail: JosephineFS@aol.com