Our Injured Soldiers

UPDATE Jan 21: (Bumped to the top). Recovery for the three soldiers isn't going as well as doctors would like. From ctv.ca today:

"...Saturday was not a good day for any of the soldiers, their Canadian doctor said, but it was Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey for whom he had the most concern.

Bailey, from Edmonton, remained in a coma with paralysis - both medically induced - while swelling in his bruised brain continued to concern medical staff at the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.

"Unfortunately, Cpl. Bailey is not recovering as well as we'd like to see," Maj. Nick Withers said in an interview from Germany. "His ability to return with the others on Tuesday is certainly in jeopardy."..."

Keep sending your thoughts & prayers in their direction. The families have truly appreciated the messages passed on by Soldiers' Angels Germany.

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Earlier today, after reading MK Braaten's post about how incredibly rude PMPM has been about the American hospital that is treating our soldiers (and the American military that transported them from Afghanistan), I posted a blanket "thank you" note on one of BlackFive's posts.

MaryAnn, stationed in Germany, saw it and through comments here offered to check on them, which was very generous. Following is what she has found out:

"Just spoke with the hospital. All 3 are in ICU. Since ICU patients are typically not conscious, as you mentioned, the nurses are often kind enough to put a note with them passing on thoughts and prayers that can been read later.

I will see what I can do in the morning when more of my contacts are working. If the families are coming they will probably stay at Fisher House, where I can also leave a message. At the very least we can make sure that they and their families know how much we all care for them.

Our wounded soldiers are so valiant and deserve all the support we can give them. I will keep these brave heroes in my thoughts and prayers"

She also offered the following:

If your readers would like to post wishes for these guys and their families in your comments section (or send to you or me), I will do my best to have them passed along.

So if you would like to pass your wishes for a speedy recovery on to Pte. William Edward Salikin, Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey and Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, pop them into the comments & I'll forward them along to MaryAnn.

And MaryAnn, thank you very much! Getting our messages to our soldiers & their families is a wonderful example of how, when we get the politicians out of the way, we can truly appreciate what good friends we have south of the 49th.

UPDATE: MaryAnn represents Soldiers' Angels Germany. If you have opportunity & means, they have a tip jar.

UPDATE Jan 19: MaryAnn wrote the following:
I've spoken with Capt Mietzner, the Canadian PAO/Liaison at Landstuhl. Family members of all three of your soldiers are now here in Germany and staying on Post at Fisher House, which is a wonderful "home away from home" for families of injured service members. Although specifics on patients' conditions are not communicated for privacy reasons, it sounds as though they are stable. One soldier may, in fact, be moved off ICU to a regular ward.

Everyone is hoping that all three soldiers can be flown home together, perhaps early next week.
Capt Mietzner thinks what you and your readers are doing is wonderful and looks forward to giving the messages to the families. He's asked me to forward newer messages not included in the current doc, so keep 'em coming!