r wonder what the W.W.ii generation wou.ld say if they came back and witnessed what is now happening in the·1united Statestoday? I believe they would be shocked. My mother Celia was a Mass. General nurse who joined the Army during the war. She wassent to N. Africa and Italy and received a Purple Heat when she washit with a piece of sharpnel during a bombing in N. Africa. Sherecovered and was then sent to Italy. Eventually shearrived back home to Rhoades General Hospital before beingdischarged with many memories of ,this devistating war. Mymother never talked about her war experiences except during the,last 5 years of her life. rt was then that she mentioned a fewof her experiences. After she passed away in 1989 and later when her sisters passed away, over 100 pieces of her wa correspondencewas discovered. They were

given to me and what a story they told. I reflected “This is apiece of American History.”

1.
It was at this time I read an article in the Boston Globe onselfpublishing. I contacted One of the four self ,: -publishingfirms listed and published with First Books from Bloomington, Indiana. rt was not a good experience and I received less than $700in royalties. I contacted the Attorney Generals · office iµIndiana and was sent pages of complaints against this firm.

I contacted a representative from First Books and told him of myconcerns, He laughed and said “People have tried to sue us butnever win.” I hung up my phone and found, another publisher.

I published “Celia, Army Nurse and Mother Remembered” and my second book “A Glass Heart An

Inspiration 0£ Love”. Thi i. is a collection of 43 of my publishedarticles with·-the Woburn
Advocate which I enjoy writing.
For many years my mother worked at a Jewish rehap in Boston and enjoyed her work. She was a dedicated evening supervisor. But she said to me “May I never go into a rehab. May God just take me quickly.” God granted her ,wish on September 1ga9.which happened to be the Feast of the Exhaltation of theHoly Cross. This was also the birthday of one of my youngerbrothers,

Peter. He had;_,a drug problem for many years but at the end of his life, Peter came back strongly to his Catholic faith._ He became addicted to heroin in the 60’s along with many of hisfriends. When Peter died in 1995 all of his friehds had died withthe exception of one who was in the

process of dying too What a tragedy for families and for ournation to see so many deaths taki taking place especially in the u.s.today. I have heard 4 persons a day ae dying in Massuchu­setts.

I also question what is wrong with our health care today? In January of this year I fell And fractured my right knee in 2places. It’s been an excruciating experience when Lahey Medical failed to diognose my fracture. After days of extreme painI was sent to the Wingate Rehab in Reading. After a few dayscomplaining I was sent back to Lahey for an x-ray. I was thendiscovered I had 2 fractures in my knee. Aalso I received abusive treatment at the Wingate Rehab and called my insurance. I toldher what was happening. She said “Do I have your permission tofile a complaint with the state,? I replied “absolutely” and I also filed a
complaint with the Department of Public Health in Boston. One of theproblems that happened was when 2 C.N .A. ‘s were putting me into mywheelchair. They let the hoyer liftislip and

hit my right calf of my paralyzed leg. It opened up a wound thatwas in the process of healing and caused other wounds . Bloodsplattered out onto the floor and a nurse came in screaming

at them I was then put back into bed and have been having wound treatments for 4 months now .I wonder what the elderly and disabled will do if they cannot advocate for themselves? How much abuse will take place and will be hidden and covered up. I left Wingate Rehab because of the abuse and went to the Woodbriarin Wilmington. The nurses and aides have been good but There hasbeen a problem with the physical therapy. For 5 week s I did notreceived any P.T.because they insisted that I had to use a slideboard to get from my bed to the wheelchair. I had polio when I was11 years of age during Boston’s polio epidemic. I was paralyzedfrom the neck down and in an iron lunq for months . Gradually I healedbut was left with much paralysis.

While at the Woodbriar Rehap the P.T.’s in March insisted that I use a 1 poung weight to strength my left arm. I told them thatwas a stronger arm and I did not want to weaken it. I tried it for 2days of therapy and ended up pulling a muscle in the bicep which isstill sore to this day. I felt my body was weakened after nothaving any P.T. for five weeks because I could not use a slideboard. Lawyers told me to report what happened to theAttorney ‘general’ s office in boston and file a complaint which Idid. The physical therapy had become Physical torchure.

I also pulled a muscle in my lower back when the P.T’s insisted thatI try to use the slide board from my wheelchair to a flat bed.It was then that a back muscle was pulled and it is still bothering me.

I have a friend who last summer was visiting a 95 hear old friendat a rehab. Laura was placed at the end of a hall and was neglected. My friend visited a cou-le of times a week and tried to help but Laura died in October. I felt it was a “silent euthanthia”and I prayed “Dear Laura, May you now rest peacefully in the lovingembrace of Jesus and Mary, His Blessed Mother. ” I was talking withanother friend. She told me her husband received abusivetreatment at this same rehab and lost sight in one eye.” What adisgrace that this is happening in our nation.

The elderly and disabled have worked and built up our nation andthen abuses like this happen. What a tragedy! The “baby boomers” are retiring and living longer. One wonders what the future will bring? Plus the bast of rehab care is astronomical. I’vebeen told “A fall can slip one into bankruptcy. 11 I have heard ofhusbands who have had to divorce their wives to try to

maintain what they have worked for many years. Are we now headedfor socialized medicine in our nation? Perhaps so!

At the rehab where I am now temporaly staying a young man of 28years, a Navy veteran, came to visit his grandparents. He was inthe military and was sent to a dangerous section in the Middle East and received devastating injuries. A friend had driven him toMassachusetts for a visit with his family. One cam only pray andhope he and other military personnel will be taken care of in spite of their many wounds and trama experienced while defending our freedoms here in the united states.

Our Lady of Fatima said when she appeared to the 3 children atFatima, Portugal in 1917 said “War is a punishment for sin. Praythe rosary. It.·.is a strong weapon of defense.” It’s also time to bring prayer back into our schools across our nation. our children need to be brought up in a faith and need dailyprayer.

The Roe-Wade decision of 1973 seems to be reversed inunediately. 58 million babies have been aborted in our nation since1973. Just think of the gifts and talents we have lost. Justrecently I saw a news report that abortion clinics want to sedatethe child of God in a mother’s womb and then abort it. I reflected “what insanity.”

Many ago I ljved at an apartment in Somerville. It was located next to Po\\tler House ‘T’nwP.r. ‘T’hi s i s when thefirst American Flag was raised in our nation. on January 1, 1176.our first president, George Washington visited Prospect HillTower.

I am a member of the Catholiec Daughters of America. Beforeeach meeting we begin by placing our right hand over our heart and sincerely pray the Pledge of Allegiance.
“r pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands,

one nation, under God, with liberty and justice forall.”

America, it’s now time to wake up, come back to God and”i:toMary, His Blessed Mother who is patroness of the United States .America, wake up and make the necessary changes before it’s tolate. Our families and our nation is suffering and needs Godlyhelp now.