felt much like Alice, tumbling down the rabbit hole, feeling nervous, frightened… alone.

Unknowingly, this same feeling would be repeated over and over, throughout the years. Although each instance (two heart attacks, a small stroke, diabetic foot wounds) initially scared me to death, addressing each in a step-by-step methodical manner has helped me get through all of them. With each new diagnosis, I would immediately go into warrior mode.

Once we had received the diagnosis, I sought next steps. My husband is a quiet man, so this includes my asking questions, tons of questions about his care. Are there more tests? What are the procedures such as hospitalizations, surgery? What about aftercare? What can I do to ensure my husband gets the best prognosis for the future? Focusing on each incident step by step, makes me feel like I have some control, and am part of the solution.

Telling myself to take a deep breath, I force myself to let the hot, sudsy water do its thing. This particular day, I had added a few caps full of eucalyptus and spearmint foaming bath gel.

I am a fanatic of lovely scents. Adding black raspberry vanilla soap to my washcloth, I washed away the fears of that day. You see, bubble baths have always been my way of dealing with stress. While most folks take showers for a quick refresh (and I typically do so in the mornings), science states that a bubble bath is better for one's mental health than showers. A bubble bath forces you to slow down. Submerging in hot water can also help with pain, inflammation and one's circulation. Lastly, a bubble bath allows you to take a few extra minutes to simply exhale.

THOUGHT BUBBLE: “A bubble bath forces you to slow down and allows you to take a few extra minutes to simply exhale.”

For me, turning off the lights, adding a candle, and shower gel, leaves me, my bath water and even the entire bathroom smelling fabulous. Smoothing a body lotion of the same scents afterward, guarantees the scents last long after my bath.

Alas, when people think of men and women serving in the military, or those of us who previously served, they picture someone hard, tough. For example, when folks learn I served, they say, “I wouldn’t have thought you were ever in the military. You look too soft, too feminine.” (Do they think all servicewomen look like brawny men)? To which I reply that aside from my love of smelling good, and all things pink and girlie, I am tough. After all, life has demanded that I be. However, even the toughest person you know needs to find a way to promote self-care, to unwind, to decompress. Some find it through working out, running, or jumping out of planes. (Are those folks nuts)? Others find it through painting or some other outlet. 

So, if bubble baths are your thing, or you think taking them will help you relax, as it does me, you can typically find bubble soap or bath gels at local stores. The Air Force changed my whole life’s trajectory. It also inspired fearlessness. As such, I’m unafraid of changes, be it new ideas, locales, or situations. In my heart, I am still a warrior. Always have been. Always will be. •

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Carol Gee, M.A, served nearly eight years on active duty. With an active-duty spouse, (long retired) wanting to continue play a role in the military, she joined the Air Force Reserves, serving fourteen years before retiring as a Technical Sergeant, E-6). Nine years ago, she retired again after twenty-eight years in higher education at the university level, to become a published author and freelance writer, VenusChronicles.net. She and her spouse of fifty years live in an Atlanta suburb.

Nick Benas grew up in Guilford, Connecticut. The author of Mental Health Emergencies, Warrior Wisdom, Tactical Mobility, and coauthor of The Warrior’s Book of Virtues, Benas is a former United States Marine Sergeant and Iraqi Combat Veteran with a background in Martial Arts (2nd Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon-Do and Green Belt Instructor in Marine Corps Martial Arts Program). Nick attended Southern Connecticut State University for his undergraduate degree in Sociology and his M.S. in Public Policy. He has been featured for his business success and entrepreneurship by more than 50 major media outlets, including Entrepreneur Magazine, Men’s Health, ABC, FOX, ESPN, and CNBC.  

Richard “Buzz” Bryan is currently the Outreach Coordinator for the West Palm Beach VA medical center. The co-author of The Warrior’s Book of Virtues, Buzz previously served as the OEF/OIF Transition Patient Advocate (TPA) for the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN4) based in Pittsburgh, PA for ten years, working specifically with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Buzz was a member of the Navy/Marine Corps team and retired from the United States Navy in July 2011 after 22 years of honorable service as a Fleet Marine Force Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman.