Intro - Bloody_Limey

This Archive will be used for posts 6 months old and older

Moderator: Site Admin

User avatar
Steadfast
Rest In Peace Ranger
Posts: 20949
Joined: December 19th, 2003, 10:09 am

Bloody_Limey

Post by Steadfast »

Congratulations Ranger.

Three weeks after you arrive in your assigned Ranger Batt send me a PM to remind me to send you a packet.
RLTW
Steadfast

4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
User avatar
Bloody_Limey
Ranger
Posts: 16
Joined: October 26th, 2011, 3:50 pm

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by Bloody_Limey »

Well, my son is going to have his colon removed next month (total colectomy). The last colonscopy was so bad that the peds GI doc said if he didn't have it removed he'd get cancer. Pretty gnarly. He'll have an ileostomy (a bit of his ileum pulled out of the stomach wall which he'll poop through) for 3-months until he heals from the surgery, then they'll make a J-pouch, which is - as I understand it - where they connect the end of the ileum to the rectum. If he gets through all of that (25% of surgeries have complications), then he'll hopefully be 'cured' (that's 'if' it really is ulcerative colitis and not Crohn's disease - they've gone backwards and forwards on a firm diagnosis because the biopsies arent definitive) - he'll have an estimated 5 to 6 loose bowel movements a day for the rest of his life. No worse than he is now really, but without the ulceration and sickness.
My wife is amazingly dealing with all of that and looking after the two younger kids. When I first got to Fort Benning I remember attending a RASP graduation ceremony. The guest speaker repeated a quote that really struck a cord with me:

"Our nation is only as strong as the Army that courageously defends it.
Our Army is only as strong as the individual soldiers.
And each soldier is only as strong as the family who supports them."

There's a lot of motto's and acronyms bounded around in the military - so much so that alot of them lose all meaning and significance - but this one hits me hard every time I think about it. I have a tan beret and scroll. But really it's not just me wearing that. It's my wife and kids too. I think it's the same for everyone who feels the support of their family.

I said at the beginning of my little intro that my son is my inspiration. That's more true now than ever. His mom asked him what most scared him about the upcoming surgery. We were thinking about body image, and the emotions that go along with it (the mortality rate of kids with Inflammatory Bowel Disease isn't particularly high from the disease itself, but there is a high incidence of suicide) - he said the thing that scared him the most was if one of the kids from school runs into his stomach or a ball is thrown at it after the surgery. Practical as ever!

If an 11-year-old can go through all of that and remain focused and practical, I think that's a lesson in reslience for us all. You can deal with anything the universe has to throw at you. Just don't quit.

Look after your families, and 'Happy Mother's Day' to all the women out there looking after the children of Rangers.

Never quit!

Rangers Lead the Way!
"The truth about the world is that anything is possible. Had you not seen it all from birth and thereby bled it of its strangeness it would appear to you for what it is, a hat trick in a medicine show, a fevered dream..."~CORMAC MCCARTHY
User avatar
Steadfast
Rest In Peace Ranger
Posts: 20949
Joined: December 19th, 2003, 10:09 am

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by Steadfast »

I hope everything goes well for you son & that he continues to heal quickly.

Happy Mother's Day to Your wife.
RLTW
Steadfast

4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
User avatar
440mopar
Embryo
Posts: 9
Joined: October 17th, 2011, 11:36 am

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by 440mopar »

Blood_Limey

I wish you the best of luck and will pray for your little man, I could not imagine going through that at age 11. I was curious and researched the procedure online. It says 6 months after they make the J pouch, it gets better. Stool becomes semi-formed and medication is prescribed to decrease bowel movements. I'm sure the Doctor has already told you or eventually will. I'm just rambling on about what I learned on the internet. I just find it amazing that they can completely remove the large intestine from the digestive system.

Again good luck and God bless your family, Ranger.
User avatar
K.Ingraham
Ranger
Posts: 6143
Joined: January 25th, 2005, 11:59 am

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by K.Ingraham »

You carry a lot of weight on your shoulders, my beret is off to you Bloody Limey.
http://www.75thrra.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2d Bn U.D. for 75th Ranger Regt Assn

2d Bn(Ranger)75 Inf 1975-'77
RS 9-76
Former mentor to RANGER XCrunner.

"I am well aware that by no means equal repute attends the narrator and the doer of deedsSallust ‘The Catiline Conspiracy’
KW Driver
Ranger/Moderator
Posts: 6581
Joined: December 8th, 2004, 2:20 pm

Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by KW Driver »

K.Ingraham wrote:You carry a lot of weight on your shoulders, my beret is off to you Bloody Limey.
Just saw this and have to agree. Good job Ranger/Dad.
A Co & HHC 3/75 '93-'98.
RS 10-94.


200 meters of green shit next to a river in the desert does not qualify as a "Crescent of Fertility" -me

"The meek shall inherit the earth, one meter wide and two meters long" -Lazarus Long
User avatar
Bloody_Limey
Ranger
Posts: 16
Joined: October 26th, 2011, 3:50 pm

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by Bloody_Limey »

About 3-months into SOCM now. Doing good. Enjoying it. Very challenging course. Some amazing instructors with a huge array of knowledge. I feel very fortunate to be here.
My son had his total colectomy a couple of months ago. In and out of hospital in 5-days! He has an ileostomy now and is so much happier. Putting on weight. Not missing any school. Amazing turnaround from before.
Wife is doing an amazing job of managing his medical care. She went half-crazy trying to find colostomy bags that stick and don't slough off. She ended up having to have a cholecystectomy herself the week she got back from my son's surgery! Talk about rotten luck.
Looking forward to Christmas block leave. By December, I will have seen the wife and kids for 62-hours out of the past 12-months.
Back to studying...
RLTW
"The truth about the world is that anything is possible. Had you not seen it all from birth and thereby bled it of its strangeness it would appear to you for what it is, a hat trick in a medicine show, a fevered dream..."~CORMAC MCCARTHY
User avatar
Jim
Rest In Peace Ranger
Posts: 21935
Joined: March 8th, 2005, 10:48 am
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by Jim »

The Good Lord never gives you greater tasks than you can handle; but damn, dude!
Ranger Class 13-71
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
KW Driver
Ranger/Moderator
Posts: 6581
Joined: December 8th, 2004, 2:20 pm

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by KW Driver »

Jim wrote:The Good Lord never gives you greater tasks than you can handle; but damn, dude!
But he can be a right sadistic fuck some days.

Good on ya, Ranger, one foot in front of the other
A Co & HHC 3/75 '93-'98.
RS 10-94.


200 meters of green shit next to a river in the desert does not qualify as a "Crescent of Fertility" -me

"The meek shall inherit the earth, one meter wide and two meters long" -Lazarus Long
User avatar
RgrDoc0310
Ranger
Posts: 14
Joined: March 26th, 2009, 7:46 am

Re: Intro - Bloody_Limey

Post by RgrDoc0310 »

Limey,

I would truly like to write more than right now, but I'm too tired, sore, and hungry to write more than a quick post. But, after getting filling my belly and drinking some painkiller, I will write in great depth to you tonight.

But, before I sign off here, I do want to leave you with a few words of wisdom and, by posting here, have you keep me updated on your progress.

You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and the right attitude as you make your way into Regiment as a medic. But always remember that, at the end of the day, if they (your platoon) hasn't completely their mission, then you haven't completely your mission. You're there as a force multiplier, to maintain the combat readiness of your platoon/company/battalion. Taking care of soldiers is part of our job; but we need to do while maintaining the mission. since I've gotten out of Regiment and worked with the 'Nasty Guard', too many times I've seen medics that pushed issues of soldier care to the point that it interfered with the mission. Yes, I do believe in taking care of the soldier. BUT, we also need to complete the mission.

More to follow....Best of luck to you.....I'll post more later and I hope to hear from you directly (PM), esp. so I can see how much the RGR MED program has changed since I was there.

Doc Strous
B Co & HHC, 3/75 RGR REGT
1991-1994
Task Force Ranger 1993

ALWAYS REMEMBER
COMMON SENSE, ISN'T....
FRIENDLY FIRE, ISN'T....
INCOMING FIRE HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY
Locked

Return to “Introduction Archive”