Sunday, September 23, 2007

Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund

Tonight I am celebrating. The weekend is over, I'm still alive, and I'm finally able to sit on the couch and update my blog. I've made a bloody mary (don't ask how strong it is) and I have taken control over the remote. It's fabulous.

This week in class the homework was piled on. I took my first sociology test on Friday morning. It went VERY well. I'm anxious to see my score tomorrow morning. I am also in the process of writing my first speech. It is slowly starting to come together. I have to finish writing it this week and start practicing.

J.R. is also digging away at homework. Being a full time student he is really feeling the homework. He is doing very well in his classes, but is finding it increasingly hard to study. As time moves forward we are checking more and more symptoms on the TBI (traumatic brain injury) list. Difficulty focusing, memory issues, short temper, lack of sleep and on and on the list goes. It is time to call the VA and get into a doctor. Hopefully we can get some answers and help. The symptoms are to disruptive to everyday life to continue without attention.

Work is going alright. I worked all weekend. I wont complain to much about it since we were super busy and I sold a lot of shoes. I finally made some money (the joys of working on straight commission)! We have a new employee in the shoe department and I hope she works out. Today was her third day and she was finding it very stressful. I found myself giving a pep talk the entire day. It was exhausting. I can't wait until I can stop cheering on other people and cheer myself on for once. Wont that be nice.

Now for the exciting news. This weekend J.R. and I received a grant from the Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund. Minnesota is currently the only state that has such a fund available for it's soldiers. Money is raised by the community, for the community. It truly is an amazing fund and I can only hope that other states across the country will set up similar programs. For more information on the MMAF please visit their website.

1 comment:

Lemon Stand said...

I have been reading lately about new strategies and therapies being developed to help with TBIs. A lot of interest in this area of medicine has been fueled by returning service members who have these types of symptoms. Hopeful thoughts and prayers being sent your way.

I am also so glad to hear there are other states that are providing grants and bonuses to military members. Currently MA has a similar program called the Welcome Home Bonus. $1000 to military members who served in Afghanistan or Iraq and $500 for those members who served for six month or more stateside or outside the continental limits of the United States.

These are different in that they are not funded by private donations but rather the state which passed a law to provide this for it's military members.

Your post has got me wondering how many other states have set up such programs?