If you feel that there must be a better or an easier way, keep looking until you find it.
At what moment did you realize you were a military caregiver?
It wasn’t a moment per say; it was just looking back on the fact that when my husband came home from the last deployment he could not do most of the things he had done before he left. It was a process, as he thought he was “fine,” but he was not.
What does being a military caregiver mean to you?
I have been around the military all my life. I was raised with the mindset that you just do what needs to be done. I am a wife and a mother and taking care of my husband is my responsibility.
What are the most significant lessons you have learned from being a caregiver?
Never take “no” for an answer. If you feel that there must be a better or an easier way, keep looking until you find it. Don’t stop asking questions!
My Story
Lisa Ann's husband Stephen, a 27-year field artilleryman, was injured during his sixth deployment in 2010. As soon as he returned home, Lisa Ann knew their lives would be different. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are day-by-day struggles that bring new challenges all the time. She learned early on the importance of self-reliance, which is the only constant on this new journey their family has taken.
In her role as a Dole Caregiver Fellow, Lisa Ann hopes to “bridge the distance gap” in Wyoming. With the population being so small and spread out, it makes getting resources and knowledge to people a challenge. Wyoming is like one “big” small town with strong “cowboy ethics,” she says. She wants to build that same type of close-knit community for military caregivers.
