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PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JULY 19. 2007
Pullout from Iraq:
Decision time draws near
After several years of repeatedly claiming
things in Iraq weren’t nearly as bad as their
media portrayal, the Bush administration has
released a congressionally ordered report on
the situation.
Dismal, horrible, failure not far removed
from disaster is no exaggeration of what the
administration’s own report makers found.
Some key findings and related news that
came out last week:
• Only satisfactory progress has been
achieved on eight of 18 benchmarks the
United States called for. Progress on eight
was unsatisfactory. Two showed mixed
results.
• Only limited progress in Iraq
politically, militarily or eco
nomically.
• 3,600 U.S. troops killed.
• War cost at an estimated $10
billion per month in U.S. tax
dollars.
Government corruption in
Give the
administration
a few months to
see if the surge
uate the report due in September from
General David Petraeus (top commander in
Iraq) on how the surge of additional troops is
working. You may remember the president
and his advisors said several months back
that if Congress and the American people
would give them a “surge” in military per
sonnel for a few months, they would turn
things around.
Though announced months ago, the troop
increase is only now hitting the ground in
Iraq (as soldiers heading back for a third tour
can attest).
We say give the administration until
September to see if there is any
change from the surge. If there
is not, enact an exit strategy.
That may sound like desert
ing the Iraqis we intended to
liberate. But a recent poll, con
ducted by the BBC and other
news organizations, found a
majority of Iraqis believe their
Iraq rampant while essential \\]Hl \\?()fjf hut country' would settle down and
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services like electricity, water #
and sewage go lacking. not, it S time tO
• Though some provinces have
become stable, in Baghdad,
the central government does
not function outside the U.S.-
protected green zone.
• Joblessness in Iraq at 17 percent.
• At least 75 Iraqis killed daily.
In a war already five years old, it’s hard to
see any silver lining to this report. Worse
still, it is hai'd to see any decent way to bring
the war to an end.
President George Bush responded to the
report by asking for patience, never refuting
the report’s findings, but saying we can and
must succeed.
But after almost five years of this, it’s hai'd
to envision what success might even look
like. Bush is sure we should keep the hoops
in Iraq, but even some Republicans now are
asking if it’s not time for a pull out.
At this point, it’s hard to believe any tacti
cal changes could make the area safe and sta
ble.
One benchmark we might impose on our
selves would be for Congress to openly eval-
pullout,
move faster toward something
like normalcy if U.S. forces
were not propping up every
squalid and corrupt agency
there.
The poll, as reported in the
New York Times, showed only 21 percent of
Iraqis believe the U.S. presence in their coun
try improves security.
That seems to contradict a statement in the
government report stating top Iraqis claim
their progress in achieving benchmarks was
hampered by increasing concern among sub
ordinate Iraqi leaders that the “United States
may not have a long-term commitment to
Iraq.”
It’s one thing to have a commitment to a
stable and prosperous Iraq. It is quite another
to continue supplying soldiers and funds to a
country into the future, when after five years
of turmoil, there has been (to borrow a phrase
from the report) “only limited progress.”
It may not be decision time this week, but
we are close to that point. If we can’t demon
strate progress after five years, it’s time to
bring our troops home and let Iraqis work out
their own future if they care to have one.
Agree or Disagree? Tell us your thoughts on this week’s editorial either online at
the message board on the Progress Online (www.pickensprogress.com) or with a letter to the
editor that will be published next week. Letters may be e-mailed to news@picken-
sprogress.com. All letters must have a valid e-mail address, full name and a telephone num
ber for verification. Phone numbers are not published. Letters may also be sent regular mail
to Pickens Progress - P.O. Box 67 - Jasper, GA 30143. All names are published. The Deadline
for letters is each Monday at noon.
Conservation Speakeasy July 19th focuses on
Brook Trout reintroduction in north Georgia
On Thursday, July 19th from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Pendley
Creek Stables, on Grandview
Road, the public is invited to
attend the sixth installment of
the MCT’s Conservation
“Speakeasy.”
This free event is designed
to provide a social/scholarly
event to Mountain
Conservation Trust members,
guests and the public focusing
on thought-provoking conser
vation issues and ideas.
Social activities start at 5
p.m. with refreshments.
Following at 6 p.m., the schol
arly part of the evening will
commence with Mr. Lee
Keefer, Georgia Department of
Natural Resources, will present
information regarding reintro
duction efforts to reestablish
the native brook trout
(Salvelinus fontinalis) in North
Georgia streams and water
ways.
For further information and
directions to the Pendley Creek
Stables facility, go to the
Mountain Conservation Trust
of Georgia’s website at
www.mctga.org/Events.htm or
contact the Mountain
Conservation Trust of
Georgia’s office at 706-253-
4077.
Upcoming events
at state parks
• Civil War Encampment
Saturday, July 21, 10 a.m. - 9
p.m.
Tugaloo State Park - Lavonia.
The Ga. 24th Infantry will give
visitors a glimpse of what it
would have been like during
the Civil War, while being set
up in the park's ball field all
weekend. $3 parking. (706)
356-4362.
• Chief Vann House Days -
Saturday, July 28, 10 a.m. - 4
p.m. Chief Vann House
Historic Site - Chatsworth
Local crafters and some
from the Appalachian heritage
guild demonstrate 19th century
weaving, basket making, soap
making, shoe making, quilting,
spinning, rug making, black-
smithing, storytelling, wood
carving and other southern
Appalachian arts and skills.
$2.50-$4. (706) 695-2598.
Microtel
Home
of the
Inns Suites
FREE Local Calls
FREE Domestic Long Distance
FREE Continental Breakfast
Reservations: (800)771-7171
Conveniently located at Highway 515 & Philadelphia Road
171 H. Mullins Court • Jasper
Email: micmteljasper@etcmail.com • www.micmtelinn.com
pefeensi Count? Progress
(USPS 431-820)
Published by Pickens County Progress, Inc.
94 North Main St. P.O. Box 67 Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-2457 FAX (706) 253-9738
www.pickensprogress.com
JOHN R. POOL DAN POOL
Publisher Editor
WILLIAM E. POOL
Managing Editor
Published each Thursday at Jasper, Pickens County. Georgia.
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"...Pesky weeds!"
OTHER VOICES
The Care in Caregiving
By Ethelene Dyer Jones
An Appalachian Voice
[By way of introduction to
this column, I am writing about
a subject that has been thrust
upon me. My husband is suffer
ing from dread Alzheimer s dis
ease. For over twelve years
now, I have seen the decline of a
person of infinite compassion,
gifted intellect, and ministerial
expertise. The Rev. Grover D.
Jones was known over a broad
area of the Appalachian area as
a good and God-called man. I
share this journey we have
made through Alzheimer’s with
the prayer that you may be
helped through the testimony of
how we have faced the diagno
sis and treatment of a disease
for which there is, at this point
in time, no known cure. Since
February 22, 2007, he has been
in a nursing facility. Prior to
that time, I cared for him.]
“To have and to hold from
this day forward, for better, for
worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness, and in health, to love
and to cherish, till death do us
part.” (Marriage Vows, from
Book of Common Prayer)
These are familiar words in
the traditional marriage vows.
When one is young and idealis
tic, much in love and anticipat
ing a future together of utter
happiness unmarred by chal
lenges, the wedding vows are
right words, strong phrases, a
prelude to the symphony of
commitment that a marriage of
true minds and a life-long love
story set in motion.
For many years our wonder
ful marriage had only its normal
challenges: making a living and
living our lives in service to oth
ers (he was a minister, I a
teacher); rearing and educating
our family of two to be produc
tive citizens and able workers;
seeing them follow their dreams
and establish their families.
Then, after years of living,
ministering and teaching, our
retirements came. We had
plans to slow down, to enjoy the
fruits of our labors, to travel, to
share special family events with
our seven growing grandchil
dren, to continue with volunteer
community and church service,
even to go abroad on mission
trips. So much living seemed to
lie ahead when he retired in
1988 and I in 1990.
Soon thereafter, the care of
daily caregiving became a reali
ty. It can briefly be summarized
by an acrostic spelling CARE;
C - Cardiac problems arose
from 1990 through November,
1993, when my husband under
went heart surgery with five
artery bypasses.
A - Abiding by health guide
lines for diet, medications, and
an atmosphere of calm assur
ance became my goals as major
caregiver, wife, companion,
encourager and nurse.
R - Recovery and rehabilita
tion became our joint goals.
We walked miles together,
enjoying clement weather out
side. On cold and rainy days
we found an inside, protected
area in which to walk. We
learned to regulate and resched
ule in order to meet health con
cerns.
E - Energy and enthusiasm
resulted from our joint efforts.
Life seemed to be regaining its
effervescence. The future
looked bright.
Then little by little, clouds of
forgetfulness crossed my hus
band’s memory, subtle and
minuscule at first, then more
frequent and serious in nature.
I began to think Alzheimer’s
and fought against acceptance
of such a verdict.
Doctors were hesitant to
diagnose what I knew instinc
tively. They called the condi
tion possible cardiac dementia
from loss of oxygen to the brain
during his heart problems and
surgery. They ordered brain
scans to check for stroke or
blood clots.
In my heart of hearts, I knew
the diagnosis before the neurol
ogist pronounced it in 1996:
Alzheimer’s. Three of his sis
ters had the disease. What I
read about it pointed to genetic
transference as a cause.
Caregiver took on a new and
frightening dimension for me
that day in 1996 in the doctor’s
office.
I went through three distinct
stages.
First was denial. My
thoughts fought against accept
ance of the truth. We will wake
up tomorrow or next week to
find this a misdiagnosis or a bad
dream.
This happens to other people,
not to my intelligent, hard
working, self-giving, people-
oriented, good husband. He has
done so much for others in his
lifetime; surely a loving God
would not allow this terrible
fate to befall him. So went my
perplexed mind during the peri
od of seeking to hide the truth of
his illness from others and
denying it to myself.
Following denial came deter
mination. Medication began.
First, aricept in 5mg daily
dosages. The doctors gave me
suggestions for activities and
games to keep his brain active.
As caregiver, determined to beat
the odds, I saw that his medica
tion was given regularly and
that he lived in a calm, pleasant
environment.
At the same time, the family
management duties fell to me as
he had done the major portion
of our business prior to his ill
ness. We had four fairly good
years in which I readied many
of the vital legal matters of a
family facing inevitable crisis.
Determination could have
been my second name, instead
of my maiden name Dyer,
which, in itself, carried a good
portion of a long-time tradition
of “do what has to be done.”
Aricept was increased in
dosage and other medications
became part of the daily regi
men. He had a good appetite
and enjoyed the food I prepared
for him on a regular basis. We
went out to eat at least once a
week, as we had done prior to
the onslaught of Alzheimer’s.
The third step in the process
of caregiving is duty. I read
avidly all the literature I could
find on Alzheimer’s. I joined in
support groups and had a loving
family who helped.
In mid-2002, an opportunity
came to purchase the house next
door to our daughter. I weighed
the matter carefully, undergird
ed the decision with prayer, and
kept a list which numbered
twenty-seven positives pointing
toward a move from our home
of forty-three years. I had never
made a decision of this magni
tude without his help. It was
jarring to know that this and
other decisions in the future
would be mine to make without
his wisdom.
We moved on February 17,
2003, early in the eighth year
after Alzheimer’s had been
diagnosed. My daughter and
her family have given loving
support to me as caregiver and
to her father who responds to
her attention and love.
Although my homesickness for
our mountain home and some
times overpowering loneliness
were added to caregiving, I
came to realize the decision to
move was a God-given opportu
nity.
Of the three phases I experi
enced in acceptance of my hus
band’s Alzheimer’s, two are still
paramount: determination and
duty. I no longer try to deny
that the disease colors every
facet of our relationship and our
lifestyle.
As he grew less able to help
himself with daily functions, I
sought to involve him in as
many as he could manage, seek
ing to maintain his dignity and
good grooming which had
always been a part of his life.
When words began to fail him, I
would follow his meaning and
often help him to say the intend
ed words. I never grew bored
with his calling me to the win
dow to watch the squirrels play
on the lawn or to observe the
birds flying about.
One important aspect of our
lives did not change. Each
night (as I tucked him in like a
child who needs help), I kissed
him and said, “I love you.” As
long as he was home, he did not
fail to form the same words, but
added more: “I love you, too,
and I have loved you for a long
time.”
This response reaffirms the
thesis of a very important book,
There’s Still a Person in There.
Greater challenges still lie
ahead. I have alternatives in
mind and the necessary choices
will be made when the time
comes. The journey has not
been without tears and much
pain. In my journal, I write
something good about every
day. He may not always know
me or who I am when I visit
him, almost daily. But I know
him. “To love, honor and cher
ish” are words I practice daily, a
binding agreement, one I fulfill
with joy.
A strong personal faith in
God has been my strength and
stay through all of life’s chal
lenges. I begin and end each
day with God and call upon him
frequently, even while working
throughout the day.
Attitude is more than half the
battle. I have learned to take
some time for myself from my
busy days and nights. Caring
for the caregiver is my personal
responsibility. My own physi
cal and mental health are vital to
his care. We committed our
selves to each other over 57
years ago, based on uncondi
tional love and undying faith.
These essential aspects of care
giving are at the heart of giving
care.
My journal bears testimony
of more than twelve years as a
caregiver to one who is dearer
than life to me.
Now other hands are the
major caregivers as he is in
institutional care. The time
comes to make such a decision,
despite efforts to keep the
beloved at home “until the end.”
The decision is never easy. But
as the caregiver relinquishes the
major tasks to other hands, atti
tude goes a long way in bridg
ing gaps of loneliness, guilt and
self-doubt.
As visits are made, deter
mine to be a bearer of sunshine
rather than shadow, of hope
rather than despair. “There is a
person inside” both you and the
person afflicted with
Alzheimer’s.
Love can touch and release
“that person inside.”