Taken at Walter Reed
My grandmother is a proud Army wife. Even though my grandfather, a Colonel in WWII, passed away almost 20 years ago, Nana continues to be as devout to the service as she is to her church.
Recently, Nana turned ninety years old and with her advanced age came some expected health issues. As far as she is concerned, there is nowhere in the world as good as Walter Reed Army Medical Center and so she insists upon going only there. A few of her friends and family members have voiced concern over the facility as it has been in the news due to problems and neglect but she will hear none of it. In fact, she'd rather not speak to you if you are going to mention such things.
In order to keep her happy, we have obliged...until now.
Last Monday, Nana went in for an appointment and the doctors decided to admit her instead. They wanted to surgically scrape a skin infection and keep an eye on her to make sure that it healed properly. Since she was not expecting to be admitted that day, she had on her normal clothes and jewelery. As she got settled into her room to await the procedure, she asked that her valuables be placed in the hospital room safe.
The surgery went well. The doctors said they thought that they were successful in removing the infected area. They wanted to keep Nana and watch her for a few days to be sure. Her response was only more praise for the doctors and staff. She asked, "Where else do people get such special treatment?" and said once again how lucky she was to be an Army wife.
The afternoon after the surgery, Nana asked my aunt to retrieve her wedding rings and watch from the safe because she wanted to wear them. My aunt opened the safe, with the combination given to her by the hospital staff, only to find the watch and wedding band.
My grandmother's diamond engagement ring was missing.
My aunt turned the room over looking for the ring and called security to report the incident. We were all floored that something like this could happen while my grandmother, my poor, sick, ailing, ninety year old, prouder than proud Army wife of a grandmother sobbed uncontrollably. "Who would do something like this?" and "Who steals from sick people in their hospital beds?", she cried over and over. "I wish Robert were here. He would fix this.", she said with tears running down her pale, wrinkled cheeks.
We all wished my grandfather was there, too. He was a man of action and would not have rested until the thief was caught. But he also would have told her what we told her. "In the end, Nana, they only took your ring. They can never take away its meaning or the memories that it held."
It has been five days since the ring was stolen from my grandmother's hospital room safe and neither the ring or the thief have surfaced. We were told that the hospital was having a problem with incidents like this and that there would be an investigation. They moved my grandmother to a new room so she would feel more secure but I can't imagine how that helps considering it was someone on staff that knew the combination and stole from her while she was in surgery.
I'm sure the ring is long gone, most likely pawned away for next to nothing of its actual worth much less its sentimental value. I'm also fairly certain that whatever scum that works at Walter Reed and preys on the innocent, the elderly and the people who have given of themselves to protect our rights and freedom will get away as well. Something there is broken.
Even after this incident, Nana holds Walter Reed in the highest esteem. You can't convince her otherwise and with her health the way it is, no one wants to upset her.
Our family is outraged, as you can imagine. We've considered scouring pawn shops, offering a reward, or trying to replace the ring ourselves. Honestly though, it's the violation that haunts us most of all. We find ourselves being plagued by one thought.
You can find Kimberly in Petroville where she lives and writes daily.
An original DC Metro Moms post.
Recent Comments