The Gulf War

It includes reproductions of unit patches and medals worn by soldiers who were actively involved in action in the Gulf.

Back home, Cliff's wife, Cindy, was suddenly thrust into an international media storm when his battered face was broadcast on the world's television screens. Dealing with politicians, Hollywood celebrities, and other concerned people around the world, she stood poised before the public eye and became an effective advocate for the war's POW/MIA families. Cindy appeared strong, but she feared that she would never see Cliff alive again.

After seven long months apart, with the war finally over, Cliff and Cindy joyously reunited on the tarmac of Andrews Air Force Base as a grateful nation applauded their loyalty and courage. Although determined to return to a normal life together, they found their struggles were far from over. The intense media scrutiny continued, and the lingering physical and psychological wounds of Desert Storm tested the bond between them.

When Anthony Pagedas volunteered for the Army Reserve in 1990, thirty-five years had passed since his last tour of duty in a San Francisco army hospital. Family, friends and colleagues questioned why a fifty-six-year-old gynecologist would want to reup.

As Operation Desert Storm continued to escalate, it became increasingly possible that Dr. Pagedas might actually be called to serve-except for one thing: What good would his particular expertise be on the field of battle?

Just ask the brave women who made up eleven percent of the American armed forces in the Gulf War.

Though Dr. Pagedas had no prior experience as a field doctor, he quickly adapted his talents to harmonize with his more seasoned colleagues. Together, they formed a dedicated, tightly knit team that worked diligently and uncomplainingly under extraordinary conditions.

Giving My Heart is the true story of a New England wife's struggle to find hope and help for a soldier, friend, and lover after his return from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before the war, he was an outgoing and affable man with a can-do attitude. After deployment, he returns to Vermont wanting nothing more than to be left alone. In the months after, he begins avoiding family and old friends. He is subject to mood swings, angry outbursts, headaches, trouble sleeping, problems at work, and feels that no one can ever understand his world and what he has become.

Meanwhile, Lisa has sacrificed everything including a marriage of two decades, to be with a man who is no longer interested in relationships with anyone. Her quest to find healing for her friend with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will take more love, patience, and persistence than she ever knew she had.

Giving My Heart portrays the legacy of our involvement in the Middle-East from the Persian Gulf War to the Iraq War as one family tries to grapple with what it means. Lisa provides a personal and heart-rending perspective that only a military wife and mother can share.