Grim ‘Stories’ of war’s trauma

From a purely military standpoint, the war in Iraq may be remembered for the widespread and lethal use of the improvised explosive device, the roadside bomb that detonates beneath the vehicles of U.S. troops or innocent Iraqis.

From its use has come what some medical specialists are calling the “signature injury” of the Iraq war: traumatic brain damage, often with disfiguring scars, sometimes not, often readily apparent, sometimes sneaking up on a victim days or weeks after the blast.

“California Connected,” a news magazine format with reporting done by reporters from public broadcasting stations across the state, has done a top-notch job in examining the care being given at the Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital to help U.S. soldiers on the long and rocky road toward recovery.

“War Stories From Ward 7-D” brings us the soldiers and rehabilitation specialists at the brightly lighted but grimly named “polytrauma unit.”

Lisa McRee is the reporter and anchor, and her touch is deft and never intrusive. She knows the right questions to ask and when to stand back and let people tell their stories in their own words. The piece is careful not to over-promise how much recovery is possible.

For one soldier, the IED blast took away part of his skull. He speaks haltingly but bravely of defying those who said he would never walk. Bodies that were once in top shape are now reduced in how they can function for even common tasks. “They’re 45 rpm in a 78 rpm world,” says Harriet Zeiner, a neuro-psychologist at the VA.

Another soldier looks fine physically but has suffered major memory loss. She cannot remember her 2-year-old daughter or summon up the maternal feelings she once had.

There are modern therapies, some using technology, others relying on patience and understanding. Family support is vital. A mother breaks into tears as she explains helping her soldier son learn to communicate.

“War Stories” is straight reporting, with no attempt at drawing a political moral. The result is a sympathetic and telling portrait of the costs of war.

In many, if not most, cases, the injuries are immediately apparent. An IED explodes, and soldiers, while saved by their helmets and protective vests, are bloodied and even mangled.

But, as “War Stories” points out, traumatic brain injuries can sometimes be cumulative. A soldier who has escaped multiple IED attacks apparently unscathed might actually be injured without any visible signs.

Sometimes the only clue can be a personality change. Troops can be scorned as malcontents or screw-ups when they are no longer able to perform. “We have thousands of people who don’t know they’re brain injured,” Zeiner says.

The soldiers’ thoughts are often still with buddies left behind. A staff sergeant, finding the words slowly and with great effort, explains what it’s like to be home physically but still in Iraq in spirit. “I feel like my heart’s still there because my friends are still there,” he says. “And I hope they come back safely.”

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‘California Connected: War Stories From Ward 7-D’

Where: KCET

When: 8:30 tonight

Rating: Not rated