Changing lives

Treating wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan has had an impact on Gail Crutcher's career at Condell Medical Center and his entire life.

In Germany, 56-year-old Crutcher, the rehabilitation services director at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, was stationed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where they treated wounded servicemen and women before they returned to the United States.

"It was very emotional to see what it did to them and their families," shared Crutcher, of Richmond. "Their lives were changed dramatically. We would see kind of the worst of the worst."

Crutcher treated servicemen and women that suffered from severe multi-trauma, broken bones, open wounds and head injuries and many that were injured by explosive devices, such as rocket propelled grenades.

Crutcher, a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves, and his colleagues enabled the wounded servicemen and women to return to life off the battlefield, even when some of them thought they would never be able to walk again.

"For many of them it was their first experience at war," said Crutcher, who served in Vietnam and served locally during Desert Storm in 1991.

"It was pretty intense," said Crutcher, who served as an in-patient therapist in Germany. "Twelve hour days, working through weekends…It got to you after a while."

Crutcher said it was difficult to be away from his family, which includes three kids, for 13 months. In November, he returned home.

While in Germany, Crutcher kept a journal that he wrote in everyday.

One powerful moment for Crutcher was when a young man described to him first-hand what it felt like when the blasts came through the floor of his vehicle.

Crutcher said that the severity of the multi-trauma wounds were different from what he normally sees at Condell, where has worked for 27 years.

"You'd walk in thinking you may not be able to help them that much but they turned that around right away," said Condell. "I learned to get away from preconceived notions."

Due to the great amount of compassion and emotional support he provided, the wounded troops gave him the nickname "Opa," which means Grandfather in German.

Crutcher brought back to Condell Medical Center the new therapeutic skills he learned for treating problems such as back pain.

"The hospital was very gracious and supported me through this whole thing," said Crutcher. "It was an extreme honor to be a part of it. I'm very glad I did it."

Crutcher also spent time in 2005 helping the wounded in Thailand after that country's devastating tsunami.

One important life lesson that Crutcher said he learned during his time in Germany, is, "Don't sweat the small stuff."