Washington Post Article

#1 Guest_Kicks_*

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 07:02 AM

A few quotes from washingtonpost.com...:

QUOTE

Former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch has no recollection of what happened between the moment her Army unit was ambushed in Iraq and when she awoke at the nearby hospital from which she was later rescued, military officials said yesterday.

"Her mind cannot account for any events during that time," Army spokesman Kiki Bryant said yesterday. "Sometimes the mind doesn't register everything that's going on."

Medical center officials emphasized that Lynch does not have amnesia, which they characterized as a loss of memory. Rather, Lynch never had any memory of that time to recall, they said.

"It's like being unconscious," Bryant said. "The doctors are reasonably sure that she does not know what happened to her."

....and this from Jessica:

QUOTE

Responding to reports describing her condition as amnesia, Lynch has told those close to her that "I don't want people to think I can't remember things," according to a statement issued at Walter Reed yesterday.

the article goes on to say:

QUOTE

Lynch's physical and occupational therapies were increased this week to twice daily. The occupational therapy helps her with activities such as combing her hair and brushing her teeth. The physical therapy builds strength and flexibility.

So, if I understand the point of this article, the reason Jessica does not remember her capture isn't because her mind is suppressing the memory (amnesia) but rather she was either in a state of shock and her mind did not register what was going on, or she was unconscious and therefore unable to have a memory of the events. If I were blown from a vehicle by an RPG I'd probably be unconscious!

And Jessi says she doesn't ant people to think she can't remember. She probably knows that the public is being educated enough to know that a loss of memory could be due to experiencing terrible events, and Jessi doesn't want us thinking about that. I know it sounds like I'm trying to read between the lines, but given partial information that's about all we can do. It seems Jessi is thinking of us just as much as we are thinking of her. What a sweet, sweet, girl!

We love you too Jessi!

(XOXOXO)

#2 rebel21

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 07:12 AM

kicks,
Seems like the Washington Post gets it's info from the Today show. Yesterday (May 8) Kati Curic interviewed her Doctor and the quotes attributed in the Washington Post were quotes from her doctor during the interview.
Either way it's good to know that Jessi is making such wonderful progress, and that she does't have amnesia. Maybe it's best that she doesn't remember what happenned to her during that time.

#3 papags46

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 01:05 PM

Don't people know that Jessica was in shock when she came in the hosipital. No wonder she can't remember everything. The poor girl now has all this pressure that she "has to remember everything." Oh my gosh, she can't remember everything, so what??? She's gonna remember the it sometime later. Stressing her out can cause PTSD. (well no duh) I just want Pfc. Jessica Lynch to be able to walk and become strong again and go home. Have some fun and start a new life. Not worry about the her tragic experience and not have the media bugging her.

#4 Guest_hols_*

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 02:10 PM

I am confused does the doctors think jessica was unconscious the time that she does not remeber or do they think she never encoding the memory in her mind. I wonder how they would know unless the other pows saw jessica conscious before they were taking to baghdad.

#5 FIREMAN

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 02:25 PM

The impression I'm getting is that the RPG either knocked her out cold, or she was so groggy from the blast effects & injuries that her brain was concentrating on her body and not picking up anything from the outside. Thus, either way, she has no memory of the attack because her brain wasn't able to process outside info.

I'm wondering now if the reports of a female fighting to the death may have been Lori Piestewa if Jessica was knocked out by the initial volly. Don't remember where I read it, but didn't some report say Lori & Jessica were in the same vehicle when the attack began? That would make a identification mistake likely, especially considering in a military convoy, the slowest vehicle is in the back so they don't bunch us and create on BIG target, and the faster vehicle can beat it outta there if they are able.

#6 Guest_mstrunn55_*

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 05:26 PM

QUOTE (CAcowgirl32 @ May 9 2003, 01:05 PM)

In a perfect world Jessi will go home, recup and life will go on for her, unfortunately, I don't think that will happen unless her parents get a family spokesperson and keep the media away from her, as someone aptly stated in an earlier post, we may have to have a second saving of Private Lynch. As far as PTSD, I'm sure she will experience it, I just joined this forum and like it a lot, there have been some excellent posts, I am kind of an expert in PTSD, I went through something very similar to Jessi, national media attention, PTSD for 11 years, time in hospital, etc, etc, and I can tell you that I truly hope as others have pointed out, that she cannot remember anything, because the insidious way it can come out can be very debilitating, add to that the enormous media attention and stations fighting for exclusive rights to her story, and her life may never be the same. Now as we have heard, the original story that came out may not be true, and the media loves to turn the tables on heroes, they look for any chink in their armor and exploit it, I truly hope this does not happen to Jessi. The media has to be told straight up, that when she is ready to talk, she will talk, not until. Whatever really happened we may never know, but Jessi is still a hero, she did her job and almost paid the ultimate price, let's hope people give her the space she needs.

#7 Guest_dilligafst_*

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Posted 09 May 2003 - 10:18 PM

Wow, mstrunn55, PTSD for 11 years, time in the hospital, all that news attention, now you've got my interest:) The ex-journalist (small city paper, nothing big, and part time) and amateur historian and writer in me is piqued....just kidding. I don't blame you if you do not want to say it:)

I am afraid that after this ordeal Jessica will never live what is commonly called a normal life again. For one, there is the story as it happened. It simply has so many elements of a saga or almost a fairy-tale (I hate to use this pharse, but it is late and my mind tired) to it: Mohammed going to the marines, a rescue, hospital staff turning against Saddam's security people to care for her as she lay helpless in a hospital bed. Then there is the weight of history: first prisoner of war to be successfully rescued from behind enemy lines since WWII and the first female POW to ever be liberated. There will, of course, and already have been the book and movie offers. Together all this will make for a life far from what is commonly called normal. Yet, that is not all bad. When all this settles down within her, when she's able to understand it, I'm sure that she can accomplish many good things in a large or small way and will be a guiding beacon for people, especially children, which she wants to work with.

I hope that the media will not turn on her, but I do not think that they will. They are all interested in the story no doubt, and want to find out what really happened that day. It has been difficult to make sense out of the all the reports and stuff coming from all over the place, so the media is trying to sort it all out. The Hollywood moguls and tabloids will, of course, be the problem later on. Jessica has said nothing in public since her rescue. All reports about her blasting away, etc. have come from others, inlcuding survivors of the ambush. It did sound good, though. In the chaos of that battle it was easy, I'm sure, to mistake who was doing what in the miniscule amount of time that they had to do it in before they got overwhelmed. If Jessica, in the truck, took a broadside from an RPG it's no wonder she has no memory of what happened until she woke up in the Saddam (or whatever they call it now) hospital. Though I did hear it was coming out in blurry form.

In my distant past I studied the holocaust and have worked with some holocaust survivors and seen the
debilitating effects of PTSD and all that they saw and endured wrapped up inside them and the explosions when it did come out. They did find some peace, solace, when they could let it out. For Jessica's sake, I hope she can remember it, before it swells up inside her down through all the years.