Bob Woodruff on ABC report as "to Iraq and Back" brought the eyes of the public issue of traumatic brain injury (referred to as the "TBI") war suffered by many of our veterans returning from Iraq. Through his own experience and miraculous recovery, he is now exposing this tragedy for the general public but also to provide a voice for our veterans, many of whom served their country have changed and now lives with a disability. Mr. Woodruff, the 13-month recoveryis not only amazing, but it is a purpose-driven event that will make changes in how the Veterans Administration provides long-term care for our returning veterans TBI.
Last year, Woodruff, a co-anchor ABC's World News Tonight, went to Iraq to cover the war for ABC News. 29 January 2006, he and his cameraman Bob Vogt were injured in a bomb blast that hit their vehicle. Mr. Woodruff returned to ABC on 27 February 2007 to tell his story. A special mission "to Iraq and Back"On ABC aired the same night. But Woodruff not only tell his own story. He spoke for many veterans, their brains have returned from the Middle East war zone with traumatic injuries.
The story of Mr. Woodruff's recovery nothing short of a miracle. He considers himself lucky, have received incredible care. He not only had the surgery and transplants go to the physical damage to his face and head repair, but necessary for the rehabilitation of the invisible damagehis memory, thinking and speaking. In addition to his first treatment after returning from Iraq, he needed constant follow-up therapy to recover his cognitive abilities. Coming out of a coma for more than a month, he looked at his wife, who sat by his bed all the time and said, "Where have you been" First he saw his two older children, but not his younger set of twins. Therapist and his family showed him cards of normal, everyday objects, many of which hecould not identify. Thirteen months after the bombing, he has an amazing comeback. But he still has much to do. He received a first-class treatment, based on the job as a reporter were injured and treated in major metropolitan rehabilitation facilities.
More importantly, is Bob Woodruff to give a voice now, many of our veterans are returning home with traumatic brain injury and did not meet the level of care available to him. While "in Iraq andBack, "said Mr. Woodruff us Sgt Michael Boothby, by an IED explosion in Iraq last September. Boothby was unhurt, wonderful care, as he for the first time from Iraq. But if he transferred to his native Texas, The VA has not have available the level of care that he needs to recover fully. It seems a large gap between VA services are in the big cities and in smaller cities. And, surprisingly, there is the return of veterans the war with undiagnosed TBI. Not all explosionsCause visible injury. There are service people come back with impaired cognitive skills and no visible damage to their bodies. These veterans need a comprehensive care for months and years after their injuries, some for the rest of her life. And many of them will never be able to live a normal life again, even for themselves and their families.
The tragedy of Bob Woodruff experience in Iraq has an opportunity to focus attention on the lack of VA services call forMany veterans returning from war with traumatic brain injury. Returning vets need their services not only when they return to the United States, but constant follow-up when they re-join their families in their hometowns. In addition, Bob Woodruff account has focused attention on the invisible injuries. We can see the amputees, blind, service and otherwise apparently injured man. But what about the veterans who come back and realize that their brains do not function asshould, although there is no obvious physical damage? Not all traumatic brain injuries are open. Bob Woodruff injury requires commitment to better care for returning war veterans with brain injury. Now that he has his personal fight gone by, and can meet the challenges relate to, he can punch as a journalist to use valuable his to changes so urgently needed for the men and women who have served our country are making.
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