Staying Healthy in Winter

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Ask Mary Beth

Q. Does acupuncture hurt?
A. Many patients report that their experiences range from feeling almost nothing at all to a brief ache, or sensations of energetic activity near the needle. Many people who have been fearful of acupuncture also report being amazed and surprised by the pleasant experience of complete relaxation. The needles, being the width of a human hair, are the finest needles and only shallowly inserted into the body.

Military Families

Often, the first casualty of war is the soldier’s family

As the mother, mother-in-law, and aunt of active duty servicemen and women, my life has been directly touched by the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although this experience does not make me an “expert,” it calls me to living my highest intention, offering my deepest compassion for the dependents of all of those called to serving. As an acupuncturist and healer working in Reston, Virginia, I serve the community whose loved ones are serving in the ongoing efforts to eliminate worldwide terrorism.

Many of you are wives and mothers, and loved ones who support the efforts of those serving. We are the loved ones who sacrifice and live with the possibility of receiving the knock on the door. We are the citizens who have sacrificed our families—the births, weddings and every precious day of living a “normal” life as a family gathered together doing ordinary activities, just as nature ordains. 

The average American does not live with these concerns; for them many of these issues remain only an abstraction. We are a minority. It can be challenging to find people who can even begin to understand what we experience as we continue to care for and support our loved ones who have been actively engaged in combat in this last decade of our collective history.

Although many services are offered to the returning servicemen and women, I extend my caring to the families who have had to bear the deployments of their loved ones. I also reach out to the children of active duty military who are often unable to cope with their grief and anger and emotional isolation at school and in the community. In this way, you, the foundation of the first line of support—the heart and the soul of the endeavor, can receive compassionate listening and treatment in order to meet the requirements of the chain of command.

"What you need is someone to take hold of you-gently, with love, and hand your life back to you." Tennessee Williams

After your loved one returns home, of course, nothing is ever the same; you will require support to understand maybe that which cannot be understood. The veteran is not the same person and neither are you. Think about the needs that you have to reestablish your communication and your relationship. Please take the time to care for yourself before, during, and after the deployment of your loved one, and take advantage of all the support that is available to you.

The Army has used acupuncture and other therapies for PTSD, especially in the Restoration and Resilience Program at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Lt. General Eric B. Schoomaker, the Army Surgeon General, has made 109 recommendations for pain management strategy, one of which is the focus on soldiers and families.

More information:

"Helping veterans reconnect with home," Montgomery Meigs, Washington Post, 11/13/2010.

"One percent of Americans are touched by this war," Jaffe, Greg, Washington Post, March 2, 2011.

Angels of Mercy Program, P.O. Box 9401 McLean, VA 22101