What happened After...

[sheshe2]

My sister stopped by today. We haven't had a chance to have a one on one for awhile.

She is a nurse in a suburb of Boston. A Doctor at her hospital decided to sponsor a medical team many years ago to support the Boston Marathon. The tent spans two football fields. Five of her friends were there that day. They expected to treat blisters, hypothermia and heart attacks. They treated far more this year. Far more. There was a lead Doctor that day, after the blast's he announce, by megaphone, We know what to do here people. Let's move.

And move they did. Many were rushed to the ambulances at the rear of the tent, after hastily applied
tourniquets and saline drips were attached. Krystale Cambell was one of many that were treated there that day. Her sweet soul did not survive.

The volunteers continued relentlessly, without fear for their own safety. They saved lives that day. Had they not been present that day, the death toll would have been far greater.

Did any of this come at a cost. Yes it did. My sisters friends are still suffering post traumatic disorders. When I asked her if they were still in counseling, she said no, they never had any. This surprised me, as I had friends working a few doors from the blast sites. They all received initial support, some are still receiving it.

My sister listens to what happened that day, but will not ask questions, the pain is still raw. So many think what happened that day is over. It is not.

Boston Thanks you all.

Medical Reserve Corps aided injured after Boston Marathon attacks

The first responders who raced toward the finish line after two bombs exploded at Monday’s Boston Marathon included 151 volunteers from the Massachusetts Region 4A Medical Reserve Corps, doctors and nurses who expected to be helping runners with more typical and minor injuries get medical help.

Instead, the medical personnel who had been stationed a few blocks from the finish line heard the explosions and ran toward smoke and screams, some pushing empty wheelchairs, to help the seriously injured. The volunteers came from communities outside Boston, roughly bounded by interstates 95 and 495.

“They ran up and got the people to the medical tents,” said Liisa Jackson, coordinator for the Region 4A unit. “It was pretty chaotic.”

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/downtown/2013/04/medical_reserve_corps_helped_t.html


News > Health News
Boston Marathon Medical Tent Turns into 'Mass Casualty Center'

"It was a beautiful day, not hot like last year when we had so many heat injuries," she said. "It was really quiet in the heat injury section of the medical tent."

She decided to stay in case the next wave of runners coming in needed help. A few minutes later, the bombs exploded.

The first thing she did was look at her husband's face.

"He was in Special Forces for 20 years, so I know he knows what a bomb sounds like," Davis said.

http://www.wxlo.com/common/more.php?m=58&ts=1366197275&article=0A960DC8A75711E286DEFEFDADE6840A&mode=2

Boston Strong.

[WillyT]

1. K & R !!!

[sheshe2]

18. Thank you, WillyT. nt

[NYC_SKP]

2. K/R.

So many strong souls that day, proving the best that humanity has to offer.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Thank you for this report, my dear sheshe2...

I had not given a thought to the providers in the aftermath...

They were in a very tough place, and they came through.

They should be getting PTSD help.

[sheshe2]

7. You know Peggy, I still cry when I talk about this.

As my sister and I related new info, I had to grab a box of tissues.

You cannot do this yet without tears. The inside stories keep coming out.

So many helped, so many sacrificed. As nurses, I was amazed that they had not received automatic counseling. So many of my friends, outside the profession did.

Thank you Peggy.

[freshwest]

4. Aw, sweetie, got me crying again. Give your sister a hug from me and mine.

[sheshe2]

9. I will freshwest, thank you.

The tears will not go away for awhile, the pain is still raw.

Lives were saved that day. It was a heroic effort, an Educated effort that saved lives.

When I praise "First Responder's", it is Praise for every Cop, Civilian and Doctor to every orderly at the hospitals. From top to bottom , they played there role. They all helped to save lives.

Yes we are Boston Strong!

[sheshe2]

17. Well said by Dionne, freshwest.

To Boston, with love
By E.J. Dionne Jr,April 17, 2013

Boston is tough and sentimental, traditional and forward-looking, working-class and wealthy, parochial and global, warm and reserved, reform-minded and un-reformable, restrained and boisterous, superstitious and free-thinking, very new and very old.

Boston is the plain, practical three-decker houses of Southie, Dorchester and Jamaica Plain and the elegant Federal-style rowhouses of Beacon Hill and Back Bay. Great hospitals and high tech coexist with a blue-collar ethos.

Boston is forgiving but relishes grudges. It values loyalty, sometimes to a fault — and rejects the idea that there ever could be any fault in loyalty. History is everywhere, and Bostonians ignore history whenever they feel like it.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-04-17/opinions/38616723_1_tom-menino-red-auerbach-southie

We can be a strange crowd here, yet we protect our own fearlessly.

I want to thank you, freshwest, and so many others that rushed not only to our aid, but to our defense.

When criticisms of Boston were launched, with our pain so new and raw to us, you and others sprang to our side to support us.

Boston does not forget, not ever.

You all are part of Boston now. You will be in our hearts and minds forever.

We are all Boston.





Forever in our hearts, you all helped us to be Boston again! Thank you.

[freshwest]

19. I'm thinking of getting someone I know one of these t-shirts. What do you think?

I think you know who I mean is going to get a Boston Strong shirt of some kind. That one is supposed to send the money to the One Fund.

I love that article about your home town. Much to be happy about living in Boston.

Thanks for the sweet reply, it was welcome at this very moment.

[sheshe2]

21. Your friend would adore that shirt, and wear it with pride, freshwest.

You are so welcome anytime, we'll ride the swan boats!






Thank you~

[LeftofObama]

5. Give your sister a big hug from me and all of us in

the running community! It's people like her that help keep us going.

[sheshe2]

10. Consider it done, LeftofObama!

Thank you.

[Cha]

6. Thank you for reminding us of the aftermath, she.

We go on with our lives but those who were victims of the bombs and those who were there to help will be enduring their trauma for a long time.

So glad Irene Davis decided to stay longer. thank you for this article on her experience and invaluable participation at the Boston Marathon.

I was sorry to read that some of the nurses who were traumatized haven't received counciling.

"Love Conquers Hate"

[sheshe2]

8. Love Conquers Hate.

It does, Cha.

It was great to see my sister today. However the telling, the inside story if you will was heartbreaking. It tells a story of sadness, yet one of highly skilled people doing what they had trained for, what they were educated for.

She related a story on Tufts Medical Center as well. They were one of the first hospitals that received the casualties. A backpack was discovered and they were immediately placed in lock down. The ER moved the patients to the entrance of the hospital for safety. One of the Doctors, who had been in a bombing before, looked up and saw they were surrounded by glass windows above the street. If a bomb went off would have been unable to survive. Once again they moved and found shelter for the wounded.

Again, their actions saved lives.

thanks, Cha.

[Cha]

12. It is heartbreaking, she.. but, so

necessary and important to live in the reality of it. It's surreal for those who live far away but your reporting on it keeps it real. thank you.

I bet it was great to see your sister, she! I appreciate hearing about the professional medical team in action. So thank her, please.

[sheshe2]

13. Consider it done, Cha~

[Ilsa]

11. There are specialists for this kind of PTSD.

I hope they all seek out the help they need. EMDR might also be helpful.

[SheilaT]

14. Thank you for posting this.

First off, encourage your sister and those nurses to get appropriate counseling.

Secondly, I do recall that day that more than one news outlet mentioned the medical tents set up near the end of the marathon, well staffed with medical professionals, meaning the injured would be well treated immediately. A similar bomb set off more randomly might have resulted in far greater casualties simply because of the time it would have taken to get medical aid.

[sheshe2]

15. Thanks Sheila,

You are correct. A tragedy could not have occurred at a better place. Not just the tent. They were surrounded by world renowned Hospitals.

My sib told me that there were doctors that were running and being treated in the tent. They sat up and ripped IV's from there arms to run back to help. This is a story about spirit and compassion. It is about excellence.

This is not just about Boston. It is about all of us. In times of need we rush forward, never backwards. This, this is why I love the human spirit in our world. The ones that take us forward and give us hope.

[SheilaT]

16. Yes. It is about us.

It would be far too easy to get lost in Boston, the marathon, the doctors. No. We are all in this together.

[okaawhatever]

20. Can we do anything to help them get the support they need? Is there someone to emai, call, petition

donate? First responders need care more than we recognize. They're supposed to be the ones who take care of everyone else, but often they are victims and healers. Hugs your way.

[sheshe2]

22. Thank you, okaawhatever.

The world has been so kind to us. Your support a balm.

Here is the finale, From the Boston Strong concert~

So many artists, many Boston locals came together, to celebrate and raise money for the One Fund. The artists donated their time and the proceeds of the concert supported the One fund. It was an amazing show in many ways. I have not seen the figures that it contributed.

The bombing victims were all at the front of the stage. It was heartwarming.

To Boston Strong, thank you~ okaawhatever.