I have been deployed most of the last 14 years as a FRONT-LINE Department of Defense Engineer in Afghanistan (7 yrs), Eastern Africa (2 yrs), Somalia (2 yrs) and Guam, Qatar and others (3 yrs). I barely got out of Somalia after Covid started. After a long illness, (originally injured in an IDF rocket attack at Bagram in 2016) I ended up in an ICU for 7 weeks at one Hospital. After I was released to a skilled nursing/ rehabilitation home. I had 2 more incidents resulting in 2 more hospital/ICU visits lasting 5 weeks. After being released I was diagnosed with severe brain damage and placed here for long-term skilled nursing care. My wife signed me in here and has not visited me since September 2022. I have slowly recovered (GOD IS GREAT) much to everyone’s surprise, including my medical team- I can again talk, feed myself, move my arms and legs and sit up.
I am now trying to walk after almost 2 years. My wife is unable to be reached by the medical staff and my social
worker to let her know my unbelievable progress. My brother said she was despondent after the diagnosis and filed for divorce a few months later according to my social worker. My Psychology Team has recommended getting some familiar clothing to ease my transition back to mainstream life. The same fine folks who worked with me relentlessly to reinstall my memory with God’s direction and St. Jude’s perseverance of asking Him to help me.
I need to raise money for solid athletic shoes with support and grip( I need those to get started on a walker transition- $65), underwear (I no longer need depends, but it is all they have here), socks, pants & shirts, toiletries, everything… I have nothing!!!
I also would like some fresh fruit, peanut butter and the twice- a-month Subway or other food break from an institutional diet based for 75- 85 year-olds. (I was 59 when I arrived)
My wife also kept my laptop, cell phone and MILITARY IDs. I am using a donor laptop using Windows 7 and M/S Office 2010. The cost of that upgrade and the online DoD classes I want to take to get re-certified and get my continuing education credits, a cell phone are extra to the clothing amount. (About an additional $850). I am hoping and praying to start this transition as soon as possible so I can get back to work hopefully and again deploy forward to help our brave military members on their missions across the Middle East and Africa. So there is NO misunderstanding- I am “deployed forward” , ON ORDERS as a DoD Civilian with “all the rights and privileges of Active Duty Military Personnel”. I am armed, wear complete “battle rattle” and stand right next to usually Special Operations personnel. I am an active member of the USAF Redhorse/Prime Beef Civil Engineers and The Society of American Military Engineers. I was Awarded 12 Awards on 16 deployments.
Thank you SO VERY much and GOD BLESS YOU!