When a current or former servicemember is hospitalized miles away from home due to an injury, illness or disease, the Fisher House--founded by philanthropist Zachary Fisher--stands ready to assist the family by providing a free place to stay that's close to the medical facility where their loved one is being treated.
If lodging and food expenses are keeping you (and your kids) separated from your loved one's bedside, I urge you to see if there's a Fisher House near the hospital where your loved one is receiving medical care. You can accomplish this by browsing through this list of Fisher House locations.
Once you confirm that there is indeed a Fisher House near your loved one, please contact them and inquire about their eligibility requirements and availability.
Further Information
If you'd like to learn more about the Foundation, including how to become a Fisher House volunteer, you may do so here.
Attention busy military parents. Are you:
- Searching for the perfect Halloween costume for you or your kids?
- Needing some quick and easy recipes for Halloween treats?
- Wanting to know how to provide your kids with a fun and safe Halloween without wreaking havoc on the family's budget?
You can find all that and more here.
Question for Readers
On Halloween do your kids adhere to their normal bedtime or do you let them stay up later?
Military parents of young children have a valuable health care resource that's available to them. Through the well-child program, TRICARE covers numerous routine exams, tests and vaccinations for military kids that are newborns through age six. If interested, you can learn more about this program here.
More TRICARE Information
I often hear new military spouses exclaim, "There's so much to learn!"
And they're right. There is a lot to learn.
Relax and Take a Deep Breath
If you happen to be a new military spouse, I've got good news. You don't need to learn everything all at once. So relax. Take a deep breath, and toss aside any pressure you may be feeling about how you're going to quickly transform into super-spouse, because quite frankly, there's no such thing as the perfect military spouse. Got that?
There's. No. Such. Thing. As. The. Perfect. Military. Spouse.
She/he doesn't exist so stop trying to measure yourself against a phantom image. Instead, invest your energy into learning about the military way of life by:
- Asking questions. Contrary to what you may think, there's no such thing as a dumb question. The only way you'll find answers to your inquiries is by asking.
- Forming friendships with other military spouses. Not only will you gain support, you'll also have a wealth of knowledge and experiences to tap into. And more often than not, you'll find that fellow military spouses are happy to share their wisdom and offer you guidance.
- Reading and attending classes. Besides information that's featured on Web sites, don't forget about the various handbooks, classes and workshops that each branch of the military provides to family members.
Give It Time
After some time has passed there's a good chance you'll look back and be amazed at how much you've learned and how far you've come. Before you know it, you'll be on the receiving end of hearing new military spouses exclaim, "There's so much to learn!"
Share Your Advice
What advice do you have for new military spouses? Please share your wisdom in the comments section below.
