While walking my dog, I was attacked by a pit bull. Although I was not bitten, I was dragged off a curb into a busy street and fell on my right side. I sought medical help at our local VA clinic. I stumbled in and they placed me in a wheelchair and took me for medical evaluation. I was in so much agony, my pain barely allowed me to speak but just a few words at a time. I was dreading either to be sent to a hospital or given an opioid. The attending nurse explained a procedure called "Battlefield Acupuncture". I agreed to the procedure.

Into the room walked nurse Mary (perhaps an angel in disguise) and with excellent bedside manner explained the simple pain free procedure. Nurse Mary then placed 5 needles into my ear lobe. The results? Spectacular! In a few minutes I was able to converse, and my pain level dropped to where I could well tolerate it. I came into the clinic in agony, wheelchair bound and walked out very happy with great relief.

Further battlefield acupuncture procedures have brought my normal pain level of 8 down to a 5 for a few days. This gives me a great boost in my quality of life but mostly allows me to accomplish what is necessary to run a household. I have observed nurse Mary and am astonished not only in her skill in the procedure but her excellent bedside manner. I can see it in the other patients in the clinic: the ease of mind that she conveys and often sees the pure relief they feel.

Nurse Mary seems to have another great but hidden and unrewarded quality besides her excellent bedside manner. She is a natural teacher. I have gone to many sessions where she was absent - off to another clinic - and have seen how the other nurses have acquired her shining bedside manner. Nurse Mary is a great asset to the VA. To us Veterans, Nurse Mary is a ray of sunshine and hop, her mannerisms shine like sunlight on a cloudy day, and example of a Hero treating Heroes.