September,
2007
_________________________________________________________
TO ALL,
Col Roman was my partner on gulf war illness here in
Denver. He was one to go on TV with me for the interviews on Gulf War
Illness. Some of you may have met him at the CDC conference in Atlanta.
Or some of you may have remember him when he and Zeller and others testified
to Congressman Shays. He was the one that when he was testifying suddenly
I wonder what was happenning when he speeded up his testimony and sounded
like a fast auctionuer. And then I realized he had started one of our
famous nose bleeds and he was gushing all over the table blood from
his nose. Congressman Shays had to stop him and let him go to bathroom
to clean up and try to control the bleeding and yes the old nurse followed
him right into men's bathroom around the corner from the hearing room
to help him clean up and we packed his nose with tissue and got it under
control so he could come back and finish his testimony. After the hearing
my Vietnam Veteran friend Nick was helping me get those that was hustling
to get to the airport. I ended up running back by the hotel and found
Col Gil back at hotel he had already left to see a friend that lived
in Arlington will he had the memory problem and had forgotten he had
left suitcase in lock up room at hotel. I gather him up and was giving
him a ride and then Nick called me to tell me that another of the sick
vets had missed his flight and was stranded until we could get airline
rebooked. So Nick would catch up to us at Summers restaurant in Arlington.
Well Col Gil having lived in DC was busy giving me directions in traffic
and loe and behold the memory get lost thing happenned to us but we
laughed and called it our new way of having experiences. Neither he
or I were going to let Gulf War illness stop us from doing what needed
to be done to help all gulf war veterans. We caught up with the other
gulf war vet.&nbs p; The other gulf war vet could not get another
plane out until morning despite all I could do with airlines over the
phone...So luck grabbed us one of the contacts I had made in DC was
a young man that worked Hotel Sales. He was at restaurant and he offered
to help by comping a room at the hotel he worked at for the vet, after
meeting the vets he decided to comp two rooms so my vietnam vet and
I the gulf war vet could stay at the hotel with the other gulf war vet
to be sure he was watched over and gotten to airport the next day. We
had our hands full getting everyone into and out of DC for that hearing.
We had again brought very ill Gulf War Vets to testify and we accomplished
the mission. After Col Gil saw part of the work I was doing he decided
to give me a field promotion on the battlefield of DC. Gil always waited
for every update I brought back to Denver and he would work the White
papers up for our use with politicians and candidates on Gulf War illness.
Col Gil and I were a team. Gil was wanting to go to DC with me one more
time and I was hoping we could do that in the next couple of months.Gil
had developed cardiac problems he was a fighter and through IVs he bought
time to delay the cardiac surgery. He eventually had the surgery and
VA sent him home too soon and lucky his daughter was a nurse and got
him back to the hospital. The VA put him on an empty floor! He almost
died. If it had not been for his daughter nurse he probably would have.
Later he developed problems and they were wanting to but him on dialysis
he was fighting one and all that encouraged him to do that. He did not
want to be tied to machines and he knew how that would progress. Gil
was such an active person still trying to teach classes at the university
and coach the small guys football team. He loved that activity! He was
an inspiration and a friend to all he interacted with! Gil and I often
went to political functions ever trying to get attention to the needs
of gulf war veterans who were ill.
I will miss him greatly. for over a week I kept trying to make time
to run to his apartment to track him down his phone was not functioning,
the emails I sent went through didn't bounce back....knowing Gil had
usually taken some trips at the end of summer I thought maybe that is
what is going on. Yes I knew his condition, his name had not popped
up a couple of days ago when I did my frequent obit searches to get
to www.honor the names.com so I put aside that fear. I thought his daughter
would call me if anything happened. I then thought maybe the family
had convinced him to go for the dialysis and that maybe they would keep
him in hospital when they started that with his past medical situation.
I decided to drive down to his apartment finally and I would leave note
on door before my next step of calling or going to VA hospital to see
if he was hospitalized. When I got there I instantly knew something
was not right........his apartment didn't look right I asked some of
his neighbors out front working on a car if they knew Gill and where
was he. That is when they told me he had died and his funeral had been
that morning. I guess the old nurse instinct had been telling me that
something was up with Gil for about 10 days I had tried to drive down
and check his apartment but things kept coming up and then it would
get too late at night. Maybe he was sending me messages from the great
next trip. Gil had gone to Mexico with some new friends he had made
and their son was getting married and they invited Gil to go to Mexico
with them. From what I was told he was there and went to bed the night
before he was suppose to return to Denver and never woke up. What a
way to go truly enjoying life to the end on the Mexican coast celebrating
a couples new start in life what a beautiful setting for a peaceful
end. Just like Colonel Gil! Colonel Gil you were so valued by so many!
I feel a hole so wide. I know he is at peace and know that he is at
a better place! I know his family and know they will miss their wonderful
father, grandfather, uncle, brother, etc. Gil always mixed family and
friends and all into a beautiful blend of life! I will miss him but
will rejoice in knowing him and his family. A wonderful person, friend,
leader, teacher, coach has quietly gone to the next playing field and
we will see him again when the time is right.
Hey Gil I went to my VFW after and the Marine DJ kayoke played a couple
of special songs in your honor and all of my VFW reflected on your life.
Proud to Be an American and Marquittavile.........and a couple of others
I could visualize your last party in Mexico..........Again Colonel what
a way you had! Salute!
WITH ALL RESPECT ----------Denise DSNURSE
Dr. Gilbert D. Roman, Ret. Col US Army
Born in Wichita, KS on Jan. 6, 1940
Died on Sep. 2, 2007 and resided in Denver, CO