As promised here is the scoop on our special visitors from DANCING WITH THE STARS. I wouldn't call them 'Celebrities', but they are known by anyone that follows the US based show.
The following dancers visited us last week:
CHELSIE HIGHTOWER
TRISTAN MACMANUS
PETA MURGATROYD
- 4-inch heels should not be worn inside the airplanes and around medical equipment
- Wearing perfume will make a patient BARF
- Please (pretty pretty please) shake our hands and be nice to us. Yes, even when the CAMERA IS NOT AIMED AT YOU.
- 'Visitors' should be briefed on how to interact with the wounded. The following conversation is NOT APPROPRIATE: (Visitor vs. Extremely wounded but conscious patient).
- VISITOR: "So.....what happened to you?"
- PATIENT: "I stepped on an IED ma'am"
- VISITOR: "Uhhhhh hellooo, English please." (giggle)
- PATIENT: "Uh ok. I stepped on a bomb and blew up"
- VISITOR: Shoulder shrug and casual walk away. (Yes people, she just WALKED away).
- A "CORRECT" RESPONSE would have been: I am so sorry, how horrible for you. Thank you so much for your service".
From an observers standpoint, I'm seeing how the visit could have been so much better with a little more prep given to the visitors. I''m keeping my fingers crossed that the next group will be more comfortable/compassionate with the patients. I suppose they can't all be Angelina Jolie.
Oh btw, I have an update (inside scoop on her last visit). Ask about it in a comment, and I'll post it there as a response.
12 comments:
oooh oooh oooh what's the update?
Lol...it's nice that they visited but after reading your observations about how they reacted.....:(
Why don't they do an induction training?
you looked so much cuter--even in your military garb....sensitivity training ought to be required...or even a brief 15 minute....this is what you will see and this is how you should be.....thanks for sharing....I want the scoop on Jolie..you can send it to my email if you'd like..
ohhhh i wanna hear about it :-)
the DWTS people's behavior disgusts me.
Here's the Angelina Jolie Scoop:
Angelina discreetly snuck over to the Army hospital and went into one patients room that was unconscious/heavily sedated. The doctor slowly reduced the sedation drugs and this guy WAKES UP up to find Angelina Jolie SITTING ON HIS BED.
Could you imagine?
So the newly awakened patient rubs his eyes and tries to refocus. Looked at his injury, looked back at Angelina Jolie completely baffled - then back at his injury.....
So what did she do?
She said, "Hello, I'm Angelina Jolie. How are you feeling? Do you know where you're at?" All of this while holding his hand and continuing to find the perfect comforting words.
I think its important to point out that there were NO CAMERAS whatsoever. She was doing this because she cared.
Can you imagine this happening to you????!!! If I woke up and found Brad Pitt sitting at the end of my bed, I would def think I was DREAMING.
This patient now has one hell of story to tell his buddies. The funny thing is NO ONE will believe him.
I HEART Angelina Jolie.
Hi Girls!
I am forever grateful for the patient visits since it does help morale (guys are easy to please with EYE CANDY around).
But you're right - there needs to be some sort of sensitivity training before they interact with the wounded.
I'll ask to see if there is anything in place for that.
Interesting post! So cool that you got to meet some celebs, but boo to that insensitive behavior. Love that Angelina story - so sweet!
P.S. Is that a Glock on your leg? :)
You make me see Angelina in a whole new light so sad that the stars get no training before they come in but seriously it's common sense to show a bit of respect and empathy.
Wow . . . that's an amazing story about Angelina! I'm glad some celebrities get it. I'm surprised the DWTS cast didn't have any kind of training. I imagine that's all it would take so they would know a couple of appropriate responses. Not everyone is comfortable around injured people, but a little prep would have gone a long way.
We had a visit on our overseas base from the cast of survivor and my friend and I had to set up their booth and escort them around. They were pretty annoyed with people who wanted pictures outside of the designated time slot. I guess that's understandable, but celebrities walking around a military base 10,000 miles from home should kind of expect that! It really upset me and made me feel like they were just fulfilling part of their contract and not doing it because they wanted to.
Wow, they should be briefed! Not very smart on the PR team's side.
Wow, I can't believe she did that :( so sad. Miss keeping up with your posts... I have a long ways to go to catch up with them too. It has been absolutely crazy here for a while though. I updated early this morning and again tonight.
I love this post for its honesty. It's a little heartbreaking to know that people are that insensitive. I don't know that you can brief someone on how to be humbled and thankful for all that these men and women (you included) do for our country.
And I have to say, I've not been a big Angelina Jolie fan... ever. But hearing these stories is causing me to reconsider my previous thoughts of her. :)
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