Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife: Not Just Surviving But Thriving By: Barbara K. McNally

Book Description....

"Imagine sending your spouse to war with a heavy heart, then receiving a life-shattering phone call telling you he's been badly injured. Your beloved returns to your arms, but changed, broken, angry, conflicted, and in need of around-the-clock care. What do you do?

Meet the women who drew upon their inner resilience and prevailed. Their vivid personal accounts provide inspiration to those who face daunting challenges, and offer a path forward. Each one of these brave, strong military spouses shares her personal tale of reuniting, recovering, and rebuilding with her catastrophically wounded warrior.

Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife offers an intimate look into the chaotic and demanding lives of military spouses as they adjust to living with injured combat veterans. These women are thrust into caretaker roles for service members who return home with amputated limbs, brain injuries, burns, and disabilities, with virtually no support or training. Posttraumatic stress tears their families apart, and they must wrestle with huge, imposing questions: Does he still love me? Must I sacrifice my career forever? How will this affect my kids, my sex life, my happiness?

Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife reveals the innermost thoughts of women who faced these challenges and prevailed--to not just survive, but thrive."

Title:  Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife:  Not Just Surviving But Thriving 

Author:  Barbara K. McNally

Publisher:  Koehler Books

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife:  Not Just Surviving But Thriving" by Barbara K. McNally

My Thoughts...

Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife was a very interesting and courageous read that really is out there to help any combat veterans and their wives.  The way this author shares some extraordinary stories that have been faced by many military families 'especially for those who have had to shift their daily lives and even became the caretaker.'  This novel is definitely a book for military members, especially to those who have had to shift their lives ad become the caretaker.'  I found this a excellent read as one  meet wives and partners who drew upon their inter strengths as they 'share an intimate tale of reuniting, recovering and rebuilding their lives.'  What a collection in this reads of  'some personal stories of the aftermath of war on the home front that offered some good resources of advice and hope.'  With this author [Barbara McNally] who was a physical therapist witnessed a man who had jumped off a bridge inspired her to find out more about 'PTS and its effects on those who have participated in war' and what all she found out was truly something definitely needed for the wives of those wounded military survivors.  Ms. McNally's treatment plan SPA [Support, Purpose, Appreciation] would bring these [20]women together as a retreat giving them a day away for the caregiving role where many were able to vent with others who had similar situations.  Some of these stories had some happy ending while others are still being worked on. In the end there was a list of nonprofit and charitable agencies out there to help these 'wounded warriors.'   In the end I found "Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife" offering not only advice but hope not only to our warriors but to their families understand.  This was definitely a read that will give the reader especially a military family a better knowledge of what challenges that many families have had to face when a love one has returned home injured from war and even more so that the general population also need to hear.