Life is an adventure, so live it to the fullest.
By LINDA A. JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer
Quickly giving morphine to wounded troops cuts in half the chance they will develop post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a provocative study that suggests a new strategy for preventing the psychological fallout of war.
Researchers at the U.S. Naval Health Research Center led the study of about 700 troops injured in Iraq from 2004 through 2006.
“It was surprising how strong the effect of the morphine was,” said study leader Troy Lisa Holbrook, an epidemiologist at the naval center. The findings were published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.
Whether the Pentagon will adopt the practice on the battlefield remains to be seen. Dr. Jack Smith, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical and program policy, said in an e-mail that the “very interesting findings” are “likely to stimulate further research.”
About 53,000 troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have been treated for PTSD, a disorder in which someone who has endured a traumatic event keeps re-experiencing it and the fear it caused. Patients often have trouble with work, relationships, substance abuse and physical ailments.
Researchers have been testing ways to treat it, and the new study looked at whether fast and strong pain relief can help prevent it.
It was unclear whether it was the fast pain treatment or something specific to morphine that made the difference.
But researchers theorize that simply easing pain might reduce the severity of the psychological trauma, or that prompt relief might alter the way the brain remembers the attack or injury – in essence, causing the mind to file away the episode as less traumatic.
Troops in the study initially were treated at military medical facilities in Iraq, mainly for wounds caused by roadside bombs, bullets, grenades or mortar fire. A few dozen had burns or were hurt in crashes or falls. The decision on whether to give morphine was up to the individual doctor, based on the patient’s condition.
Of the 696 troops in the study, 493 – about 70 percent – were given morphine, most within an hour of injury. Two years later, 147 of them had developed PTSD. Of the 203 not given morphine early on, 96 developed PTSD.
That worked out to a 53 percent lower risk of developing PTSD for those treated early with morphine. No other factor, such as the nature or severity of injuries, had much effect on the chances of developing PTSD, Holbrook said.
“These are provocative and thought-provoking findings that should lead scientists to investigate the underlying mechanisms” in future studies, said JoAnn Difede, a PTSD researcher at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Difede and Barbara Rothbaum, who heads the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory University School of Medicine, said that until more research backs up the findings, the study probably won’t lead to many more patients in civilian emergency rooms getting morphine.
“At this point, I don’t see it having a huge impact” for civilians, Rothbaum said.
A second study in the journal found that Army wives were more likely to develop depression or sleep problems the longer, or the more times, their spouses were sent to Iraq or Afghanistan.
That study, by researchers at the University of North Carolina and elsewhere, examined medical records for outpatient care of about 250,000 wives of active-duty soldiers from 2003 through 2006.
Compared with wives whose husbands stayed home, those whose husbands were deployed for up to 11 months were 18 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression and at least 20 percent more likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders, anxiety and acute stress.
For wives whose husbands were deployed for more than 11 months, problems were even more common: They were at least 24 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety, and about 40 percent more likely to be diagnosed with acute stress or sleep problems.
The researchers didn’t have data showing whether husbands were deployed or at home when the wives were being treated for mental health problems.
That meant the scientists couldn’t conclude whether those problems were caused by worries about the spouse’s safety and the difficulties of being a single parent, or by stress caused by the returning spouse’s psychological problems or other behavior changes.
“I suspect that if you look at the Reserve and National Guard wives, the toll might be even worse,” because they have less social support than families living in a military community, Rothbaum said.
She said the effects of deployment on children also need to be studied so the military can figure out how to provide more help to families.
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On the Net: http://www.nejm.org
My editor just emailed me telling me that they would like to publish the book earlier than they said, get it out for the 4th of July. She asked if I could get leave to come home at that time for the publicity. Of course, I told her I could. So folks, it looks like things are going to step up a bit and we will be looking at it being on the shelves the last of June, first of July. I am going to be one busy person between now and then. Between the job and getting all the editing done, I am not going to have much free time for a while. Of course, I am not complaining. I love being under the gun, so to speak, as many of ya’ll know. With each step forward we make on this book and the closer it gets to being on the shelves, the more real it all becomes. But for me, I guess it wont totally feel real till I see it in print. Anyway, I am very excited. As soon as I have dates for the publicity and where I am going to be, I will let everyone know. Ya’ll all take care.
WOW! The last 36 hours have been something! First let me start with the book. As most know, and have seen the entry, Free Press Publishing sends out a catalog to the book stores so they can order the books they and to put in their store for the next season. Well, night before last, I received 3 copies of the catalog from my editors office. This is sooooo cool! I know I have been working on this book for several months now. Terry and I have been emailing each other almost daily as well write each chapter. Liz and I have emailed about the cover design and what pictures to include. We all have been working very hard on the book. But I have to say, it all didn’t seem real to me. I mean, we all do things in our lives that we think would make a good book or movie topic, but nothing ever happens to it. Then to have several someone’s actually tell you that you should write a book about something you did, that you see as just part of your life and who you are….. WELL, that is totally cool. As each step of this book has been taken, I have become more and more aware of the fact that this is really happening….. it isn’t a dream! But the other day……..well, that really brought it all home for me. When I got those catalogs and opened to the paged marked, and saw the catalog entry with my name on it……….. I was speechless! Now most of ya know, my being speechless is not something that happens very often, but I was, for a few seconds. When the guys in the office saw that I had quite talking in mid-sentence, of course they all wanted to know what it was that I had gotten. I smiled and turned the book around and showed them the page. As much as they have heard about the book and have known that I was doing it, I think they felt as I did about it. Holding this in my hands, made it real for not only me, but for them as well. Some of these guys are new friends and some I have known since I worked for KBR. You would have thought that it was happening to them. I got hugs, hand shakes and a lot of teasing! I was told I have to make sure they ALL get autographed copies! I think I am going to get writers cramp very quick when this thing finally does come out! Anyway, after I made it home, I took the catalog out and really looked at it. There is my name, in print, with a picture of what the cover is going to look like. “WOW! This is so cool! This is really happening!” was my thought. It still blows my mind!
Free Press, June 2006
Cindy in Iraq: A Civilian’s Year in the War Zone
It’s one of the least covered stories in the Iraqi war. Now, the writer of the popular “Cindy in Iraq” blog narrates her harrowing experiences during a year driving trucks as a civilian contractor for Halliburton.
Cindy Morgan was on the front lines of Iraq––not enlisted in the military, but in a job just as dangerous: as a convoy commander leading groups of fifteen to thirty trucks through perilous territory. Having promised her three sons that she would always tell them the truth about what she was experiencing, she started her blog “Cindy in Iraq” as a way to stay in touch with family and friends back home. “Cindy in Iraq” soon became a valuable resource for families of contractors, and those thinking about becoming contractors, as well as a telling story of the disturbing realities facing brave civilian workers.
Here, we see Cindy’s story in full detail—how, after thirteen years’ experience as a truck driver in the U.S., as well as orientation by Halliburton, she still was shocked by what she faced. Unarmed, with virtually no training, one of the only female truck drivers, she became a moving target for insurgents, constantly at risk of being ambushed, shot at, kidnapped, or executed.
Cindy’s journey in Iraq also became a voyage of self-discovery. Having left an abusive husband, she went to Iraq because she was “tired of surviving her life and not living it.” She went to Iraq to find out “who I am and what I am made of here….Honor, integrity, pride and humanity can all be discovered.” As Cindy relays her experiences, both she and the reader are transformed.
Cynthia I. Morgan drove a big rig across the U.S. for thirteen years before venturing into Iraq in 2003, where she was a civilian convoy commander in charge of up to thirty trucks delivering supplies to American bases throughout the war-torn country. After seven months back in the U.S., she returned to Iraq. She lives, usually, in Tennessee.
September 2006
Free Press
Biography and Autobiography
6 x 9, 256 pages
8 pages of black-and-white photographs
Carton quantity: 20
EAN: 978074328640452500
0-7432-8640-5
$25.00 hardcover
$34.50 in Canada
I thought I would let ya’ll know that Kenny is home. I am in Malaysia right now on my way back to Kuwait for 2 days then on home myself. My mom sent me an email and said that she had heard from Kenny and that he had made it home safe and sound. I am so glad to hear this after what little news I have seen while on vacation. I know from seeing Kenny in Iraq the two times I did and from the emails we shared, that it will be a while before he is truly all at home. I have heard the anger in his voice and have had it come at me several times over the last few months. I am relived that his tour of duty is over, now I have to figure out how to help him deal with his feelings and PTSD as well as my own. This is going to be another hard one for me. I solved my PTSD last time, by going back. Granted, that was not the only reason I went back, but I know it was one reason. With him having been a soldier and me a civilian contractor, I know our experiences are different, but yet the same. How do I help my son deal with the shock of coming home, when I could not deal with it totally myself? I guess for now, I will be just glad that he is home in one piece physically. Anyway, I just thought ya’ll would like to know that my son is home and that I am a happy and proud mom.
First off, I want to say that my son, Kenny, is ok and I talked to him this afternoon. He is pissed, as well as I am, but he is fine. Now let me tell you the story of my last few days and how cruel some folks can be.
A couple of days ago, about 0200 in the morning, I talked to my son in an YM. He told me that he was going out on his extended patrol. I know what that means and where it is. That afternoon, as I was pulling into the yard after doing a local mission, my phone rang. The call went like this…..
Is this Ms. Morgan?……
Yes it is…….
I was told to call you, because no one else will. Your son has been hurt…………….
How bad? Where is he? Is it life treating? ……..
It is not life treating and he is not being sent to Germany……………….
OK, then how bad is it?………
Ma’am, I can’t tell you any more than that. I am not supposed to be making this call and could get into trouble for it………..
Ok, tell me what you can. How do I find out more?………..
Ma’am, that is all I can tell you. You will get a call in a few days.
Then he hung up.
Since then, I have been going nuts. I talked to several military and they said they would see what they could find, but to be leery of calls like that, that are not official. It could be a hoax. I can’t imagine anyone playing that kind of hoax on someone, but I didn’t tell the family back home of this. I didn’t want to worry them, just in case it was. So the last few days have been total hell for me. I have talk to the Red Cross, their computers were down. I talked to military Chaplin, he said it would take him a few days to get me some information, but he would try. I talked to every military person I came across it see if they knew how I could confirm that my son was hurt. I even had one LT check the causality list for me. I have cried, I have screamed, and I have just plain gone out of my mind the last few days. I could not get any information at all. It is going to take time was the best I could get from anyone.
Then today, I walked into my room after my local and clear my screensaver and see Kenny signed on in Yahoo Messenger. I about fell out. I couldn’t get to my computer and type fast enough. I told him what I was told and he assured me that he is fine. Nothing has happened to him. He is going to inform his C.O. and he says that they will try to find out who made the call. I have been sitting here making calls for the last hour to let everyone over here know that he is ok. All my friends here have been such a great support and are relieved to hear that Kenny is ok. I just don’t know what to do with my anger now. I hope I never find out who did this because they will wish they had never known my name. How can someone be so cruel?
Anyway, through all this I have found that this has happened before and not just with soldiers and their families, but also civilian contractors. So please, everyone, if you get a call like this, make sure they identify themselves and get as much info on them as well. There are some very sick people out there. I don’t want anyone to go through what I have the last few days. I am going to go have a good cry now and thank God that my son is ok.
Local soldier opts to return to Iraq
By BETTY ADAMS
World Staff Writer
Specialist Kenneth W. Elliott, a member of the 39th Infantry Brigade Echo Troop 151st Cavalry, recently volunteered to stay in Iraq when the 39th came home.
He is attached to Echo Troop 101st Cavalry from Geneva, New York, which is attached to the 256th from Louisiana.
He is the son of Kenneth Elliott of Helena and Cynthia Morgan of DeWitt. Elliott’s mother works as a truck driver for IAP hauling supplies in both Iraq and Kuwait. His father is music director for the Barton-Lexa School District.
While in West Helena, Elliott is visiting close friends, Scott and Lori Williams.
Elliot will be leaving Saturday and will return to Iraq, where he will serve there until September.
Elliott said one of the most awesome sights during his tour of duty was when the elections were held in Iraq.
http://www.helena-arkansas.com/articles/2005/07/08/news/news1.txt
Let me tell you a story of the visit that almost didn’t happen.
I headed out on a HET mission into Iraq last week. While at one of the camps on our way up, the CC told us that we were going to be getting our back haul out of BIAP. Well, ya know that got me excited. I talked to the Sgt and gave him all of Kenny’s information on where he was in the camp and he said that we would be dealing with that Unit for our reload. That was cool. We made it up north and unloaded and staged. The weather got bad and due to a dust storm we did not push out that night. I was disappointed. Kenny was going to be flying to Kuwait in a day or two and I was scared that I was going to miss seeing him. I had been told that I would not have to do a mission if it got close to time for him to be here in Kuwait, but on HET’s things just do not work that way. There are a limited number of us and if they need you, you have to go.
The next day was looking great for us to push out. The sand storm had blown over and I went to the MWR to shoot Kenny an email to let him know that I would be in there that night. Man was it perfect timing. I caught him online and we IM’ed for a bit. I told him I was headed his way and about what time I thought I would be there. We set up a time and place to meet. I was really excited now. Before I had been afraid that he might be out on a patrol and I would miss him. But with his knowing I was coming he said that he would talk to the Lt and he should have the day off.
Well, as my luck would have it, a few things happened that afternoon that had the camp on lockdown and nothing was rolling out. The Sgt told me to just wait till time to roll and he would check again and see if we could roll out. About 2 hours before time to push the Sgt told me he was headed over to check things out and would let me know as soon as he got back to the staging area. There was a bit of teasing about what would happen if we could not go. Everyone in the Greens and our escorts knew by now that my son was in BIAP and that I had not seen him since last December. They were all rooting for us to get there and for me to see him. When the Sgt came back from the meeting I was sitting with a couple of friends in the bobtail. Since the Sgt didn’t come straight to my truck I had this big sinking feeling. I told them that I was not sure that I wanted to go hear the news. I just knew that if we were going to get to push, he would have made a b-line for my truck.
Really, the whole unit made a deal out of me and my son seeing each other. It almost felt like it was as important to them as it was to me. I know that I probably bothered the guys in our crew talking about it. But what can I say, I am a mom and I wanted to see my son. Well, the guys kicked me out of the truck and told me to go see what he had to say. As soon as the Sgt saw me walking towards him, he hung his head and shook it. I just stopped, my heart sank and it was all that I could do to not just turn around and go to my truck and cry. I walked up and he told me that we were still on lock down. But that if at any time during the night they lifted it, we were going to be rolling out. The Sgt and the guys that were in his Humvee all said that they had a debate on the way back over because none of them wanted to be the one to tell me that we were not rolling. See, I was at the point that if I didn’t get into BIAP that night so I could see Kenny the next day, I was not going to get to see him, he was flying out for Kuwait the next night and I would miss him. There was a bit of joking as they tried to make me feel better, but nothing helped. I went and told Mike E. and Mike K. that we were not rolling and because I didn’t want the guys to see me cry, I went to my truck.
I don’t know how long I sat there with tears in my eyes and saying a little prayer that things would straighten out and we would roll. Everyone left me alone and let me sulk in peace. After a while I decided that I would check with the Sgt again and see what he had heard. When I walked up to his Humvee he told me that he had sent a message to MCT about us pushing out. See, the Military MCT gave us the SP time and KBR MCT told us we could not move. So the Sgt was trying to get the Military to over ride KBR. After about half an hour and no answer, the Sgt said that they were just going to go over there and see what they could do. I wished him luck, said another prayer and went to talk to some of the KBR tanker guys that were there that I knew.
While standing there, the KBR MCT guy drove up and told them that the lockdown had been lifted and everyone would be pushing out. I gave Chris a hug, he used to be in reefers with me, and wished him a safe trip and ran back to our convoy. I told the guys what KBR MCT had just said and we waited for the Sgt to show back up. We heard him on the Military radio tell us that we would be rolling in a few minuets and to get everyone ready for the briefing. When the Sgt rolled up he had the biggest smile on his face that I think I have ever seen on a soldier in Iraq. I asked him if he had something to do with this and he grabbed me, gave me a hug and told me about talking to a Sgt Major and telling him that we had been there for a while and what was up and that we needed to roll. The Sgt Major checked things out and lifted the lock down. We had our briefing and everyone got ready to roll. While standing there talking to some of the soldiers from the greens, one asked me why I was so excited, “Did I have a hot date or something?” I told him yes I did, with my son. He smiled and said that he couldn’t argue with that so lets get moving.
Kenny and I worked out that if I was not there by a certain time that he would be in that same place a few hours later. We were cutting it close when we pulled into BIAP. Mike K., our CS, told me to drop my trailer and get a move on. Both Mike’s went in a bobtail and I went in mine to find the place I was to meet my son. Because we went to the wrong place, I was late in getting to the right one and Kenny was not there. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it would just jump out of my chest. It was the early hours of the morning and I had no idea where the pad was that he said his room was. I was about to go nuts! We ran into some soldiers that were on patrol in the camp and talked to them. A Sgt said that Spc Elliott was one of his guys and he would go get him for me. I was to stay there with another soldier and he would bring him back.
A few minuets later, the Sgt came across the radio and asked what state the subject was supposed to be from. I told them and he said that they had the wrong Elliott. My heart sank again. I told them the information that Kenny had given me on how to find his living quarters. The Sgt said he would see if he could fine it. Another LONG few minuets passed and the radio crackled and said that they had found him and was in route to my location. I could hardly contain my self. As both Mikes and I walked back out to our bobtails, a Humvee drove up.
I knew Kenny was in it.
I can not tell you how good it was to see my son when he stepped out. He gave me a big hug and we chatted for a few minuets. I introduced him to both Mike’s and we talked for a while. The guys left and Kenny and I just sat there talking in the quiet of the night under the stars. I have to tell ya, it was one of the most beautiful nights in my life. I got to spend all day with him. I met his Platoon and a few other guys that live around him and are in his unit. I took him over to meet the crew I was running with and to meet the Sgt that had made it happen. It was such a great day. I sat with him and his room mate and listened to their war stories and told a few of my own.
When it came time to me to go back to the convoy so I could get some sleep, (I had been up over 24hours by this time), Kenny took me to meet another guy in his unit. When we walked up, Kenny looked at him and told him that he wanted him to meet his mom. You should have seen the guys face!! I wish I had gotten a picture of it. His jaw dropped to the ground. He looked at me, then at Kenny and then asked the guy standing beside him, “We are in Iraq, right?” It was so funny! Kenny and I both laughed. Kenny’s friend said that this was such a shock. Kenny had walked up and said he wanted him to meet him mom like it was nothing and we were all back in the states. He was so amazed. After talking for a while with him and several others that Kenny knew, it was time for me to go. Kenny walked me to my truck and we said our goodbyes. I told him that I should be back in Kuwait while he is down here going out on leave. Neither of us were sure if he would have the time to see me or not with him having to out process and all. I got back yesterday and am waiting to hear from him now.
I know that everyone has asked me over and over if I have gotten to see my son yet. I was starting to get frustrated at not having seen him yet. Several times I have been by the turn off for BIAP and not been able to stop and see him. Running convoys in a combat zone limits your being able to just stop and do what ya want and see who ya want. But this time, it worked out. I got to see my son. I got to hug my son. I knew that for today, he is alive, well, and all in one piece. I am a happy, and proud mom!!!
