Perspective

We had a motivational speaker at work on Monday who helped me regain perspective.  The speaker was John Kriesel, former National Guard soldier, former state representative, and current director of veteran services in Anoka County.  John spoke about joining the National Guard and how he volunteered to go to Iraq in 2006 so he could be with his buddies.  He called his buddies his brothers.  He talked about his first night on a base in Fallujah.  The tent he was assigned to was right next to a spot on base that had been blown up by a missile the night before.  Insurgents would fire missiles into the base from the back of a pick up truck and then take off before the retaliatory missile could get there.  From his bed John couldn't tell if the missile was coming or or going out.  He didn't get much sleep that first night.  One night they went out to investigate an intersection.  Soldiers had spotted someone planting something on the road - probably not flowers.  He was in the second vehicle.  The first vehicle, a small tank, missed the trigger switch for the IED by inches.  The front left tire of his Humvee triggered the switch.  He woke up in the ditch.  His right leg was barely attached.  His left leg was mangled.  One of the soldiers from his vehicle was pacing back and forth repeatedly asking, "What time is it?"  The plan was for a hot meal that night if they could get back to the base on time.  Hot meals were rare.  John told the guy to forget a hot dinner tonight, it wasn't going to happen.  But the guy had a concussion and couldn't remember so he kept asking, "What time is it?"  Medics were called and were on their way via helicopter and ambulance.  A medic's first job, according to John, was to comfort the patient.  The first medic came by, smiled, and said, "I'm not gonna lie.  Your legs don't look great.  But you are going to be alright."  He put a tourniquet on his left leg and went to check on the others.  The second medic came by and with the fakest smile ever seen said, "John.  You look amazing. I've never seen you looking so good."  He put a tourniquet on his left leg.  John felt itchy but was not in much pain.  He was extremely tired and kept falling asleep.  His medics tried to keep him awake by slapping him in the face.  After the fifth slap John said that was enough.  He didn't want to have to explain to his wife why he was beat up besides the leg problems if he lived to see her again.  Instead they assigned his concussion friend to keep him awake.  His concussed friend asked him the name of his wife and kids.  "Katie, Elijah and Brody," he answered.  Fifteen seconds later his concussed friend would ask him the same question.  John was so grateful when the helicopter arrived.  He thought he just might live through this.  Then they moved him to a stretcher and moved his legs up over his abdomen.  He passed out with the pain and didn't wake for eight days.  When he did wake up a nurse was calling his name.  She asked him if he knew where he was.  He guessed - Germany?  She said he had been in Germany but was now at Walter Reed hospital.  His wife was in the room.  She asked if he remembered her name.  Actually he didn't remember her name.  But he was smart enough not to guess - Tiffany?  Mary?  Brittany?  He waited and did not answer until it came to him.  Her name was Katie.  He had passed her test.  Although sad to learn he had both legs amputated, he was more sad to learn that two of his buddies, two of his brothers had been killed in the blast.  One of the brothers was Kevin McDonough.  Tears sprang to my eyes when he said this.  I actually went to Kevin McDonough's funeral at the Cathedral of St. Paul.  I didn't know him. I didn't know his family.  I knew he was a local soldier that was killed in Iraq at the same time Offspring #1 was in Iraq.  So I went and stood in the pew with a sibling and mourned with everyone else.  John said he was sad but because of his wife and his two little boys he chose to look on the bright side.  Being positive had always been a part of his personality but it was never so strong as it is now.  He had to wait 3 months for his pelvis and coccyx to heal before he could stand on his prosthetic legs.  He had surgeries to take care of the damage the shrapnel did to his abdomen.  When he recovered he decided to run for office. John wanted to prove that a regular guy (non college graduate) could be elected.  He was elected. He served one term.  Then he stepped down because he had promised to teach his boys how to hunt. Now he works in veteran services helping other vets get the benefits that are due to them.  John said it is true he suffered but others have also suffered.  What you suffer isn't ask important as your attitude. Will you be content to play the victim or will you try to make something good out of a bad experience?  The choice is ours.