This is not the blog I had intended for today but there are a few stories I have come across which I feel I must share with my fellow military spouses.
Recently, a fellow USMC wife and blogger (of a different military website) passed away at age 26 from complications after giving birth. She left behind an active duty Marine husband, a 4-year-old daughter and a newborn son. When I read this story my heart broke into a million pieces.
My heart breaks for her family and children, I cannot imagine their pain. I cannot help but ache for her husband and think about the anguish he is going through.
Another story I have been following on Facebook is that of an Army soldier who was sent home from Afghanistan because his then 34-week pregnant wife fell into a coma.
Doctors delivered their baby prematurely via c-section. The baby is thriving but the mother is still in a coma. A soldier can train and prepare for war but how can they survive something like this?
As a military spouse, I admit I have thought about how I would survive if something happened to my husband during combat. Where we would go and who would help us?
I don’t want to let those dark thoughts enter my mind but that’s the reality of this lifestyle. It is a deep and dark fear that I do not often speak about but it happens to other families and I know it is a possibility.
Military members may think about that reality also as they leave behind the family that depends on them. That cannot be an easy pill to swallow either. We have all seen and heard the heartbreaking stories of pregnant wives and children who will never meet their hero father.
But very rarely do you hear the story of a soldier who loses his wife.
We prepare our wills and finances and have the “talk” when my husband goes off to war but never have we discussed what would happen to our family if I were not here. Even after I experienced complications with the birth of my first son, we did not discuss what my husband would do if something happened to me. Who would take care of our children? Would my husband stay active duty?
My purpose for sharing these stories is simple: life is precious. Don’t wait until the days before a deployment to spend special family time together.
Our military members are not the only ones who make sacrifices and we all work together in a military family to keep the household running smoothly. As spouses, we are important and loved and needed just as much as our military members.
Enjoy your families. Let your kids eat dessert before dinner. Let your husband throw his wet towel on the bed (my pet peeve). Our future is not a guarantee.
