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Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing
At the 12th Evacuation Hospital Cu Chi, Vietnam, Sarah Blum is an operating room nurse during the fighting in the iron triangle in 1967. Mass casualties with severely wounded soldiers show up for Sarah, her fellow nurses, and the surgeons to treat in the midst of mortar attacks, monsoons, and exploding artillery.
Her story is intertwined with Johnny, hit by American artillery, and Jim, a baseball pitcher with multiple wounds including to his pitching hand. It encompasses her terror on the tarmac at Bien Hoa air base on the day she leaves, culture shock, emerging PTSD symptoms, assaults by protestors, being head nurse of the orthopedic ward at Madigan General Hospital, and her growing awareness of the effects of the war on her and her fellow soldiers.
Through it all, she learns the essentials to healing PTSD and shares some tools and adjuncts to therapy that ensure anyone with PTSD has the best healing outcome.
People and veterans with PTSD need to know someone has been through it and come out whole on the other side. They need to believe they can heal and be better than they are when in the throes of their symptoms. They need hope and guidance. Warrior PTSD and Healing gives them both.
Her story is intertwined with Johnny, hit by American artillery, and Jim, a baseball pitcher with multiple wounds including to his pitching hand. It encompasses her terror on the tarmac at Bien Hoa air base on the day she leaves, culture shock, emerging PTSD symptoms, assaults by protestors, being head nurse of the orthopedic ward at Madigan General Hospital, and her growing awareness of the effects of the war on her and her fellow soldiers.
Through it all, she learns the essentials to healing PTSD and shares some tools and adjuncts to therapy that ensure anyone with PTSD has the best healing outcome.
People and veterans with PTSD need to know someone has been through it and come out whole on the other side. They need to believe they can heal and be better than they are when in the throes of their symptoms. They need hope and guidance. Warrior PTSD and Healing gives them both.
- GenresNonfiction
271 pages, Paperback
Published March 5, 2025
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67 people want to read
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September 21, 2025
Sarah Blum tells readers of her book, 'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing', “My intention as I write this book, is not only to provide some understanding about what (post-traumatic stress disorder) PTSD is… but how to better deal with its effects and even help to heal…” 'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing' begins with Sarah’s story of service as an operating room nurse at the 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi, Vietnam (1967). It is a tale of human suffering and death, interspersed with the heroism of medical teams laboring under extreme conditions to try to keep young men alive.
After she returned home, Sarah continued her career as a nurse at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. She soon became aware of her own difficulties processing the war and the suffering of many fellow veterans. She began years of study in psychology (Seattle University B.A.), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (University of Washington M.A.). In 2014, Sarah began the task of writing her story. More than a decade later, after individual counseling and many forms of group therapy, Sarah has written and published a memoir that includes a wealth of data about the widely prevalent and poorly understood group of causes of mental and physical suffering called post-traumatic stress disorder. Sarah’s book provides important insights into many of the previously under-appreciated costs of war.
The first questions I asked when I heard of Sarah’s story were What inspired her to volunteer for this Service? and Where did she find the courage to endure it? Her answers are self-effacing and reminiscent of stories I heard repeatedly during the more than thirty years I cared for patients in five University-affiliated Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals:
• “If there is ever another war and I am single, I’ll go.”
• “I had grown up poor, had limited life experiences… My life was not going anywhere at the time, so I went to the recruiter.”
• “During the previous … months, there had been passionate demonstrations on college campuses, the burning of draft cards and the American flag, along with general anti-military protests. I was shocked by all of it.. My dad, my brother, and two uncles were all veterans. All the services were represented in my family… Here I was in an army hospital (she spent one year in the 12th Evacuation Hospital, Cu Chi, Vietnam) with guys who fought for the cause of freedom and were wounded doing that. I felt angry and resentful of the demonstrations. I was glad to be getting out of the United States, where it seemed so many were acting un-American.”
During her service in Vietnam, Sarah and her colleagues (nurses, corpsmen, medics, doctors) faced a continuous onslaught of human suffering and death:
• Describing a nineteen-year-old soldier who had been hit by American artillery that took off both legs and parts of his genitals – “Would he want to live with only half a body? How would his body function after this? … What can we fix?”
• “How does any human being do this to another? How can I keep doing this? How can I see any more young men with their bodies and lives destroyed – and for what? Why are we here? Why are we doing this?”
• “Deep down… I was challenging God… I wanted to know the reason or purpose for my being in this life.”
• “I could sympathize with the doctors. They were dedicated and had spent years getting educated, trained, and prepared for a career as a surgeon, yet before they could establish themselves in the civilian medical world, the U.S. Army drafted them. The doctors were told they were serving their country by helping wounded soldiers for the next year in Vietnam. They were in a war they did not believe in, in the worst possible conditions, and asked to do what in many cases seemed impossible.”
• “The casualties came unceasingly… Day after day, chopper after chopper, brought more and more of these young men, doing a job they did not want to do – kill. And who were they to kill? The enemy, VC soldiers, kids ages thirteen to nineteen. It was a kids’ war. We couldn’t tell who was and who was not VC, which made it all the harder to deal with.”
After the personal toll started to become clear, there was the Army’s response:
• “… in typical army fashion for Vietnam, ‘You’ll be OK, you just need a rest’. That was the psychiatric protocol for the Vietnam conflict – deny any psychological effect of the war on those serving and tell them they just needed a rest… and they’ll be OK.”
• “Imagine a young, healthy nineteen-year-old who has his whole life ahead of him. He is someone’s brother, son, husband, father, friend, cousin, uncle, and beloved. He hears the call of his country to fight in Vietnam, or he is drafted, and lands in a foreign country all alone until he finds the unit he is assigned to. He’s there two weeks when he goes out on patrol, and two hours into it, he steps on a hidden landmine losing his right leg, his left foot, and has pellet wounds all over the lower half of his body. The unit would radio for a helicopter and within ten minutes, he is on an OR table and we were clamping off the bleeding ends of blood vessels, cleaning up the stumps surgically, and removing the pellets and dead tissue caused by those pellets…”
Sarah vividly describes moments of epiphany, when she began to recognize some of the consequences of her developing PTSD:
• “Yet it wasn’t until Johnny came in (with both legs blown off) and I ‘snapped’ and lost my faith in God. I could not believe that the God of Love that I knew could allow such atrocities to take place daily – and for the utter destruction of the beautiful land of Vietnam and so many people, both American and Vietnamese… All of my memories of Vietnam are in color until that day, and from then on, they are all black and white… I became more cynical… and I drank a lot more…”
• “Sometime after Johnny came through and I ‘snapped’, I had a hard time emotionally… The conflict roiled inside of me… Something about this whole war was WRONG! I loved the soldiers and wanted to help them… I felt abandoned by God and was angry that God could let such horrors be done to our guys, the people of Vietnam and their land. I felt like my life was meaningless and had no real vision or hope for the future… I did not wear my flak jacket or helmet and I seemed to be challenging God – come and get me if you want me… What will I do with my life? What is my purpose?”
After she completed her Vietnam service and came home, there were new challenges:
• “Who will believe all this? Who will know or care? Does anyone know what is going on here?”
• “What will I do with my life?”
• “I had a multiplicity of complex feelings. I was proud of my service and myself, and my brother and sister veterans. Being in life-threatening situations daily created a special bond in me towards those I called my brother and sister veterans. They became like siblings… I could not understand the feelings of those who were anti-war activists angry with us. It was infuriating that any American would spit on us… for serving in the U.S. Military. It seemed more appropriate to me that they would be angry with our government for sending us to Vietnam and for waging war there, but not take it out on us for serving…”
• “You should be ashamed for spitting on the uniform of a nurse who helps heal the wounded.” Sarah’s response to being called ‘baby killer’ and spat on by anti-war protesters.
• “But no one thanked me for serving (except her father) and no one asked me about it…. I don’t know where I belong now.”
Sarah continued serving in the military at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, caring for returning American veterans,
• “Some had 'survivor's guilt', when the guys in their unit were slaughtered in a crossfire and one guy survived. Others were distressed from having shot and killed people, women, children, or young soldiers. They were overwhelmed by their experiences of being exposed to the threat of death and destruction on a daily basis with no skills to cope… many soldiers went on to have a conflict of values that occurred when sensitive young men were thrown into horrible situations of war…”
As it dawned on her that she was out-of-control, Sarah began to seek competent and compassionate care, and importantly, the understanding of other suffering veterans:
• “My post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms began in April of 1975, when the communists took over Saigon… We Americans were in Vietnam to stop that from happening, so we had failed in our mission…. I was devastated… All of our collective losses were in vain; I completely identified with my brother and sister veterans, alive and dead.”
Sarah’s symptoms were disproportionate to many Vietnam vets, including those of her husband. The extent of her depression and PTSD made it difficult for many of her fellow veterans to empathize with her, much less provide compassion:
• “When I told Joe (her husband, who was also a Vietnam vet) what I was experiencing, he said, ‘I put that all on a shelf a long time ago so it doesn’t bother me. Why don’t you do that?’…”
• “One of the most difficult group sessions for me was when I told them I knew there was a cemetery where they buried all the amputated body parts. I even showed them a picture I had of it painted by a soldier in my 25th Infantry Division art book. For years, I had pictured in my mind a burial site for the legs and arms that we had to amputate. I can call up the image of the little wooden crosses… that marks the area. But there is no such place. My mind could not handle the reality, and … made something easier to accept. One of the women decided to prove to me that I was in denial. She yelled at me, ‘They threw them into barrels and burned them! Stop lying to us and to yourself.’ Once again, I felt stunned and shocked.”
Sarah describes joining the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and learning of a proposed Veterans’ Day trip to Washington, DC to see the Vietnam Memorial Wall that lists all of the deaths of soldiers in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975. Several of the other vets in Sarah’s group therapy session expressed the view that she was ‘too sick’ to go along to Washington, DC. She went anyway.
In Congressional Hearings on PTSD, Sarah and many fellow vets felt that neither the VA nor the government were doing enough research, outreach, or treatment for Vietnam veterans:
• “The veterans in attendance had experiences of depression, numbing, alienation, insomnia, flashbacks, nightmares, aggression, breaking the law, not holding jobs, and not functioning in their lives. They were shaking and anxious, and felt like their bodies and minds were still in Vietnam. These men were not getting the help they needed…”
• “Does anyone in this country care that we were sent to war in Vietnam and our inner wounds are still bleeding?”
The second half of 'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing' is a summary of many clinical approaches to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is Sarah Blum’s conviction that healing is possible for most PTSD sufferers. As in the story of her service, Sarah is candid about things that did not help and explicit regarding things that she found helpful. She is practical and she is not a perfectionist. Sarah names heroes and anti-heroes.
'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing', includes a smorgasbord of options with a very ‘60s like mantra of ‘take what you need and pass the rest on’: counselling, psychotherapy, retreats, writing groups including poetry writing and reading, music including anger releasing drum groups, theater, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, equine assisted therapy, support dogs, martial arts practice, and organizations of mutual support and ceremony, such as the Veteran Rites, Council of Return, and Red Badge Veterans Writing Group. The author provides footnotes and references for each of her recommendations. Sarah has compiled lists of dozens of therapeutic options, with the clear caveat that each sufferer is different, and some may help some PTSD sufferers, but there are likely some individuals who will not find solace in any of them. As the author writes, “No one description of PTSD can fit every person.”
Among the many useful things I have taken away from Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing are the following ideas:
• Most severe traumas elicit psychosocial responses. The responses and associated symptoms are Not signs of weakness or flawed character.
• One can often talk, write, sing, meditate, exercise, etc. through some suffering, and gradually become stronger, particularly when these efforts are part of a group effort and/ or done with professional guidance.
• An important element of treatment and healing involves receiving and giving, empathy and compassion.
• Group support can be a powerful adjunct to individual therapy.
'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing' makes clear that Vietnam veterans wanted and needed acknowledgment and gratitude for their patriotic sacrifice. The expressions of gratitude for Veterans' service do not require agreement with the government’s purpose for or conduct of wars. We can debate the reasons given for the American military’s involvement in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan, without ignoring and/ or disparaging the efforts, courage, and sacrifice of people who volunteered or were drafted to serve in those wars. I rate Sarah Blum’s book a Five-Star because the topic is so important to contemporary America, and the author is a hero in living, researching, and bringing practical help to our post-traumatic stress-filled society.
After she returned home, Sarah continued her career as a nurse at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. She soon became aware of her own difficulties processing the war and the suffering of many fellow veterans. She began years of study in psychology (Seattle University B.A.), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (University of Washington M.A.). In 2014, Sarah began the task of writing her story. More than a decade later, after individual counseling and many forms of group therapy, Sarah has written and published a memoir that includes a wealth of data about the widely prevalent and poorly understood group of causes of mental and physical suffering called post-traumatic stress disorder. Sarah’s book provides important insights into many of the previously under-appreciated costs of war.
The first questions I asked when I heard of Sarah’s story were What inspired her to volunteer for this Service? and Where did she find the courage to endure it? Her answers are self-effacing and reminiscent of stories I heard repeatedly during the more than thirty years I cared for patients in five University-affiliated Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals:
• “If there is ever another war and I am single, I’ll go.”
• “I had grown up poor, had limited life experiences… My life was not going anywhere at the time, so I went to the recruiter.”
• “During the previous … months, there had been passionate demonstrations on college campuses, the burning of draft cards and the American flag, along with general anti-military protests. I was shocked by all of it.. My dad, my brother, and two uncles were all veterans. All the services were represented in my family… Here I was in an army hospital (she spent one year in the 12th Evacuation Hospital, Cu Chi, Vietnam) with guys who fought for the cause of freedom and were wounded doing that. I felt angry and resentful of the demonstrations. I was glad to be getting out of the United States, where it seemed so many were acting un-American.”
During her service in Vietnam, Sarah and her colleagues (nurses, corpsmen, medics, doctors) faced a continuous onslaught of human suffering and death:
• Describing a nineteen-year-old soldier who had been hit by American artillery that took off both legs and parts of his genitals – “Would he want to live with only half a body? How would his body function after this? … What can we fix?”
• “How does any human being do this to another? How can I keep doing this? How can I see any more young men with their bodies and lives destroyed – and for what? Why are we here? Why are we doing this?”
• “Deep down… I was challenging God… I wanted to know the reason or purpose for my being in this life.”
• “I could sympathize with the doctors. They were dedicated and had spent years getting educated, trained, and prepared for a career as a surgeon, yet before they could establish themselves in the civilian medical world, the U.S. Army drafted them. The doctors were told they were serving their country by helping wounded soldiers for the next year in Vietnam. They were in a war they did not believe in, in the worst possible conditions, and asked to do what in many cases seemed impossible.”
• “The casualties came unceasingly… Day after day, chopper after chopper, brought more and more of these young men, doing a job they did not want to do – kill. And who were they to kill? The enemy, VC soldiers, kids ages thirteen to nineteen. It was a kids’ war. We couldn’t tell who was and who was not VC, which made it all the harder to deal with.”
After the personal toll started to become clear, there was the Army’s response:
• “… in typical army fashion for Vietnam, ‘You’ll be OK, you just need a rest’. That was the psychiatric protocol for the Vietnam conflict – deny any psychological effect of the war on those serving and tell them they just needed a rest… and they’ll be OK.”
• “Imagine a young, healthy nineteen-year-old who has his whole life ahead of him. He is someone’s brother, son, husband, father, friend, cousin, uncle, and beloved. He hears the call of his country to fight in Vietnam, or he is drafted, and lands in a foreign country all alone until he finds the unit he is assigned to. He’s there two weeks when he goes out on patrol, and two hours into it, he steps on a hidden landmine losing his right leg, his left foot, and has pellet wounds all over the lower half of his body. The unit would radio for a helicopter and within ten minutes, he is on an OR table and we were clamping off the bleeding ends of blood vessels, cleaning up the stumps surgically, and removing the pellets and dead tissue caused by those pellets…”
Sarah vividly describes moments of epiphany, when she began to recognize some of the consequences of her developing PTSD:
• “Yet it wasn’t until Johnny came in (with both legs blown off) and I ‘snapped’ and lost my faith in God. I could not believe that the God of Love that I knew could allow such atrocities to take place daily – and for the utter destruction of the beautiful land of Vietnam and so many people, both American and Vietnamese… All of my memories of Vietnam are in color until that day, and from then on, they are all black and white… I became more cynical… and I drank a lot more…”
• “Sometime after Johnny came through and I ‘snapped’, I had a hard time emotionally… The conflict roiled inside of me… Something about this whole war was WRONG! I loved the soldiers and wanted to help them… I felt abandoned by God and was angry that God could let such horrors be done to our guys, the people of Vietnam and their land. I felt like my life was meaningless and had no real vision or hope for the future… I did not wear my flak jacket or helmet and I seemed to be challenging God – come and get me if you want me… What will I do with my life? What is my purpose?”
After she completed her Vietnam service and came home, there were new challenges:
• “Who will believe all this? Who will know or care? Does anyone know what is going on here?”
• “What will I do with my life?”
• “I had a multiplicity of complex feelings. I was proud of my service and myself, and my brother and sister veterans. Being in life-threatening situations daily created a special bond in me towards those I called my brother and sister veterans. They became like siblings… I could not understand the feelings of those who were anti-war activists angry with us. It was infuriating that any American would spit on us… for serving in the U.S. Military. It seemed more appropriate to me that they would be angry with our government for sending us to Vietnam and for waging war there, but not take it out on us for serving…”
• “You should be ashamed for spitting on the uniform of a nurse who helps heal the wounded.” Sarah’s response to being called ‘baby killer’ and spat on by anti-war protesters.
• “But no one thanked me for serving (except her father) and no one asked me about it…. I don’t know where I belong now.”
Sarah continued serving in the military at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington, caring for returning American veterans,
• “Some had 'survivor's guilt', when the guys in their unit were slaughtered in a crossfire and one guy survived. Others were distressed from having shot and killed people, women, children, or young soldiers. They were overwhelmed by their experiences of being exposed to the threat of death and destruction on a daily basis with no skills to cope… many soldiers went on to have a conflict of values that occurred when sensitive young men were thrown into horrible situations of war…”
As it dawned on her that she was out-of-control, Sarah began to seek competent and compassionate care, and importantly, the understanding of other suffering veterans:
• “My post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms began in April of 1975, when the communists took over Saigon… We Americans were in Vietnam to stop that from happening, so we had failed in our mission…. I was devastated… All of our collective losses were in vain; I completely identified with my brother and sister veterans, alive and dead.”
Sarah’s symptoms were disproportionate to many Vietnam vets, including those of her husband. The extent of her depression and PTSD made it difficult for many of her fellow veterans to empathize with her, much less provide compassion:
• “When I told Joe (her husband, who was also a Vietnam vet) what I was experiencing, he said, ‘I put that all on a shelf a long time ago so it doesn’t bother me. Why don’t you do that?’…”
• “One of the most difficult group sessions for me was when I told them I knew there was a cemetery where they buried all the amputated body parts. I even showed them a picture I had of it painted by a soldier in my 25th Infantry Division art book. For years, I had pictured in my mind a burial site for the legs and arms that we had to amputate. I can call up the image of the little wooden crosses… that marks the area. But there is no such place. My mind could not handle the reality, and … made something easier to accept. One of the women decided to prove to me that I was in denial. She yelled at me, ‘They threw them into barrels and burned them! Stop lying to us and to yourself.’ Once again, I felt stunned and shocked.”
Sarah describes joining the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and learning of a proposed Veterans’ Day trip to Washington, DC to see the Vietnam Memorial Wall that lists all of the deaths of soldiers in Vietnam from 1959 to 1975. Several of the other vets in Sarah’s group therapy session expressed the view that she was ‘too sick’ to go along to Washington, DC. She went anyway.
In Congressional Hearings on PTSD, Sarah and many fellow vets felt that neither the VA nor the government were doing enough research, outreach, or treatment for Vietnam veterans:
• “The veterans in attendance had experiences of depression, numbing, alienation, insomnia, flashbacks, nightmares, aggression, breaking the law, not holding jobs, and not functioning in their lives. They were shaking and anxious, and felt like their bodies and minds were still in Vietnam. These men were not getting the help they needed…”
• “Does anyone in this country care that we were sent to war in Vietnam and our inner wounds are still bleeding?”
The second half of 'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing' is a summary of many clinical approaches to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is Sarah Blum’s conviction that healing is possible for most PTSD sufferers. As in the story of her service, Sarah is candid about things that did not help and explicit regarding things that she found helpful. She is practical and she is not a perfectionist. Sarah names heroes and anti-heroes.
'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing', includes a smorgasbord of options with a very ‘60s like mantra of ‘take what you need and pass the rest on’: counselling, psychotherapy, retreats, writing groups including poetry writing and reading, music including anger releasing drum groups, theater, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, equine assisted therapy, support dogs, martial arts practice, and organizations of mutual support and ceremony, such as the Veteran Rites, Council of Return, and Red Badge Veterans Writing Group. The author provides footnotes and references for each of her recommendations. Sarah has compiled lists of dozens of therapeutic options, with the clear caveat that each sufferer is different, and some may help some PTSD sufferers, but there are likely some individuals who will not find solace in any of them. As the author writes, “No one description of PTSD can fit every person.”
Among the many useful things I have taken away from Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing are the following ideas:
• Most severe traumas elicit psychosocial responses. The responses and associated symptoms are Not signs of weakness or flawed character.
• One can often talk, write, sing, meditate, exercise, etc. through some suffering, and gradually become stronger, particularly when these efforts are part of a group effort and/ or done with professional guidance.
• An important element of treatment and healing involves receiving and giving, empathy and compassion.
• Group support can be a powerful adjunct to individual therapy.
'Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing' makes clear that Vietnam veterans wanted and needed acknowledgment and gratitude for their patriotic sacrifice. The expressions of gratitude for Veterans' service do not require agreement with the government’s purpose for or conduct of wars. We can debate the reasons given for the American military’s involvement in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan, without ignoring and/ or disparaging the efforts, courage, and sacrifice of people who volunteered or were drafted to serve in those wars. I rate Sarah Blum’s book a Five-Star because the topic is so important to contemporary America, and the author is a hero in living, researching, and bringing practical help to our post-traumatic stress-filled society.
February 20, 2025
‘Warrior Nurse,’ authored by Sarah L. Blum, is an excellent and heart-wrenching memoir that contains the life of a nurse serving during the Vietnam War. This compelling tale portrays Blum’s experiences in the 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi, Vietnam in 1967 and her lifelong journey towards healing from PTSD.
In the opening chapter of her memoir, Blum introduces the catastrophic injuries that a young soldier, Johnny, sustained. And, in the process, Johnny’s experience metamorphoses into a universal trauma, widening the lens of focus. In her narration, she spares no expression and does not avert her eyes from the sight of blood. Furthermore, having to smell death culminates in an experience that is both commendable and overwhelming. Shocking as her writing is, it offers an authentic glimpse into the gruesome reality of losing billions of dollars worth of armaments and retiring to an incredibly expensive life-preserving dome.
What makes Warrior Nurse unique is Blum’s willingness to examine not just the physical aspects of her work, but the emotional and psychological effects as well. She candidly describes the idealism she held at the start of her career, the gradual disillusionment, and the strategies she adopted to psychologically cope during and after the war. In examining the moral dilemmas that medical personnel have to confront and Blum’s own PTSD, the book is at its best in revealing the consequences of war in a sophisticated and deeply humane context.
The memoir is organized. It is a sequential description of Blum’s personal experiences, as well as general information about PTSD and its healing. She writes about her nightmares, flashbacks, personal life, setbacks, dissociation, and various therapies and supports that helped restore her life. This makes the book a memoir, but it is also a useful tool for practitioners looking to better understand and address trauma issues.
That said, the book does have its shortcomings. Some sections, especially those about PTSD treatment modalities, seem overly long and repetitive. Moreover, the equal balance between personal narratives and scientific accounts is sometimes lacking, as certain excerpts are more reminiscent of a textbook than a memoir. Although these medical details enhance the validity of the text, they can come off as too much for the audience.
Warrior Nurse serves as a touching, yet resolute, reminder of the costs that come with serving during times of conflict, especially for those in frontline medical roles. It captures the impact of war accurately, depicting the bravery of those tending to the injured for the incredible sacrifice of the solider’s that was made during the war.
I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The book is both baffling and inspiring, but regardless of the effort it requires, it is a captivating experience that proves invaluable and thought-provoking time and again. I recommend this book to anyone interested in military medicine, PTSD recovery, or seeking raw firsthand accounts of Vietnam War experiences from an underrepresented perspective.
In the opening chapter of her memoir, Blum introduces the catastrophic injuries that a young soldier, Johnny, sustained. And, in the process, Johnny’s experience metamorphoses into a universal trauma, widening the lens of focus. In her narration, she spares no expression and does not avert her eyes from the sight of blood. Furthermore, having to smell death culminates in an experience that is both commendable and overwhelming. Shocking as her writing is, it offers an authentic glimpse into the gruesome reality of losing billions of dollars worth of armaments and retiring to an incredibly expensive life-preserving dome.
What makes Warrior Nurse unique is Blum’s willingness to examine not just the physical aspects of her work, but the emotional and psychological effects as well. She candidly describes the idealism she held at the start of her career, the gradual disillusionment, and the strategies she adopted to psychologically cope during and after the war. In examining the moral dilemmas that medical personnel have to confront and Blum’s own PTSD, the book is at its best in revealing the consequences of war in a sophisticated and deeply humane context.
The memoir is organized. It is a sequential description of Blum’s personal experiences, as well as general information about PTSD and its healing. She writes about her nightmares, flashbacks, personal life, setbacks, dissociation, and various therapies and supports that helped restore her life. This makes the book a memoir, but it is also a useful tool for practitioners looking to better understand and address trauma issues.
That said, the book does have its shortcomings. Some sections, especially those about PTSD treatment modalities, seem overly long and repetitive. Moreover, the equal balance between personal narratives and scientific accounts is sometimes lacking, as certain excerpts are more reminiscent of a textbook than a memoir. Although these medical details enhance the validity of the text, they can come off as too much for the audience.
Warrior Nurse serves as a touching, yet resolute, reminder of the costs that come with serving during times of conflict, especially for those in frontline medical roles. It captures the impact of war accurately, depicting the bravery of those tending to the injured for the incredible sacrifice of the solider’s that was made during the war.
I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The book is both baffling and inspiring, but regardless of the effort it requires, it is a captivating experience that proves invaluable and thought-provoking time and again. I recommend this book to anyone interested in military medicine, PTSD recovery, or seeking raw firsthand accounts of Vietnam War experiences from an underrepresented perspective.
November 20, 2025
Warrior Nurse is one of those books that grips you from the very first chapter and refuses to let go. I went in expecting a straightforward Vietnam War memoir, but what I found was something much deeper a raw and intimate journey into trauma, survival, and the long, uneven road toward healing.
Sarah L. Blum writes with a clarity that is almost disarming. Her descriptions of working as a young Army nurse in Vietnam are vivid, chaotic, and heartbreaking. She doesn’t sensationalize anything; instead, she simply tells the truth the wounded and dying soldiers, the emotional numbness that became a survival mechanism, and the moral injuries that lingered long after the war ended. These sections are intense, sometimes overwhelming, but they also feel deeply human.
Where the book surprised me most was the second half, which shifts from battlefield memoir to a deeply introspective examination of PTSD and recovery. Some memoirs fade out after the war ends this one feels like it truly begins there. Blum invites the reader into her inner world as she deals with dissociation, shame, nightmares, and a profound loss of self. And then, piece by piece, she shows how she rebuilt that self through therapy, community, creative expression, and sheer persistence.
What makes this book so impactful is its honesty. Blum doesn’t present healing as a clean, linear process; she shows the setbacks, the resistance, the relapses, and the breakthroughs. Some chapters read almost like a guide to trauma recovery, but in a way that felt valuable and compassionate rather than clinical.
There are moments where the therapeutic sections drift into repetition or feel more instructional than narrative, which is why I’m not giving it a perfect five stars. But even in those moments, the sincerity of her message carries the book.
In the end, Warrior Nurse is both devastating and hopeful a memoir about the cost of war, the resilience of the human spirit, and the possibility of becoming whole again. Whether you’re interested in Vietnam-era stories, trauma literature, or just powerful life narratives, this book stays with you long after the final page.
Sarah L. Blum writes with a clarity that is almost disarming. Her descriptions of working as a young Army nurse in Vietnam are vivid, chaotic, and heartbreaking. She doesn’t sensationalize anything; instead, she simply tells the truth the wounded and dying soldiers, the emotional numbness that became a survival mechanism, and the moral injuries that lingered long after the war ended. These sections are intense, sometimes overwhelming, but they also feel deeply human.
Where the book surprised me most was the second half, which shifts from battlefield memoir to a deeply introspective examination of PTSD and recovery. Some memoirs fade out after the war ends this one feels like it truly begins there. Blum invites the reader into her inner world as she deals with dissociation, shame, nightmares, and a profound loss of self. And then, piece by piece, she shows how she rebuilt that self through therapy, community, creative expression, and sheer persistence.
What makes this book so impactful is its honesty. Blum doesn’t present healing as a clean, linear process; she shows the setbacks, the resistance, the relapses, and the breakthroughs. Some chapters read almost like a guide to trauma recovery, but in a way that felt valuable and compassionate rather than clinical.
There are moments where the therapeutic sections drift into repetition or feel more instructional than narrative, which is why I’m not giving it a perfect five stars. But even in those moments, the sincerity of her message carries the book.
In the end, Warrior Nurse is both devastating and hopeful a memoir about the cost of war, the resilience of the human spirit, and the possibility of becoming whole again. Whether you’re interested in Vietnam-era stories, trauma literature, or just powerful life narratives, this book stays with you long after the final page.
December 12, 2025
Overall Rating = 4.17
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing and Delivery = 4
Editorial = 3.5
This book is a deeply human account of war told from a perspective often overlooked: the nurse on the front lines of trauma. Set during the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, Sarah Blum’s story guides readers through her training as a young military nurse before plunging them into the chaos of the operating room at the 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi, where lives hang in the balance amid harrowing conditions. The chronicle includes her return home a year later and her post-service experiences.
This book is more than a war memoir. It is written with emotion and compassionate intelligence. Sarah’s relationships with wounded soldiers add depth and tenderness to a brutally harsh setting. These connections humanize the statistics of war and remind us that every injury carries a story. The author’s vivid, unsparing detail draws us into her lived experience, making the reader feel her exhaustion, fear, and emotional toll. We follow her into the aftermath of war and capture her return home, which includes protestor hostilities and the slow emergence of PTSD. The author became a champion for veterans suffering from PTSD, and this is demonstrated in the second part of the book, which takes a much more clinical turn, offering guidance and tools for healing. This book is ideal for veterans, caregivers, and anyone struggling with mental health issues, particularly PTSD, or for those who want a clearer understanding of the true costs of war and the courage it takes to survive it.
Sublime Line: “A testament to resilience, to the unseen wounds of war, and to healing after unimaginable trauma.”
Storyline & Concept = 5
Writing and Delivery = 4
Editorial = 3.5
This book is a deeply human account of war told from a perspective often overlooked: the nurse on the front lines of trauma. Set during the height of the Vietnam War in 1967, Sarah Blum’s story guides readers through her training as a young military nurse before plunging them into the chaos of the operating room at the 12th Evacuation Hospital in Cu Chi, where lives hang in the balance amid harrowing conditions. The chronicle includes her return home a year later and her post-service experiences.
This book is more than a war memoir. It is written with emotion and compassionate intelligence. Sarah’s relationships with wounded soldiers add depth and tenderness to a brutally harsh setting. These connections humanize the statistics of war and remind us that every injury carries a story. The author’s vivid, unsparing detail draws us into her lived experience, making the reader feel her exhaustion, fear, and emotional toll. We follow her into the aftermath of war and capture her return home, which includes protestor hostilities and the slow emergence of PTSD. The author became a champion for veterans suffering from PTSD, and this is demonstrated in the second part of the book, which takes a much more clinical turn, offering guidance and tools for healing. This book is ideal for veterans, caregivers, and anyone struggling with mental health issues, particularly PTSD, or for those who want a clearer understanding of the true costs of war and the courage it takes to survive it.
Sublime Line: “A testament to resilience, to the unseen wounds of war, and to healing after unimaginable trauma.”
April 20, 2025
This is a VERY interesting book.
The first part of the book is a straightforward account of the authors experience as a battlefield nurse during the Vietnam war. I have not read or seen a more moving account of life on the frontlines of a war. There is no embellishment here, it is a simple account of what she saw and did during her tour and how it affected her, and it is devastating. Her account of her return home and the effects of her PTSD coupled with the marginalization of the returning veterans is truly heartbreaking.
The rest of the book explains PTSD in a more clinical way, and describes the current science and methodology around healing from it. As a teacher, I found this part of the book to be of great value. I do some work with communities that are affected with trauma, and it has given me tools to serve them better.
While I never thought of myself as having PTSD, I see myself in some of the descriptions in the book and realize I could benefit from some of the techniques laid out in it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered, or knows someone who has suffered, traumatic events, as well as anyone interested in understanding their own mental and emotional blocks.
And anyone that needs a real reminder of the realities and costs of war (all of us) should read this book. What the author lived through is going on currently in many places around the world, and it is too easy to think of these events as news clippings or political signifiers of some sort. The reality is much more brutal and unjustifiable.
The first part of the book is a straightforward account of the authors experience as a battlefield nurse during the Vietnam war. I have not read or seen a more moving account of life on the frontlines of a war. There is no embellishment here, it is a simple account of what she saw and did during her tour and how it affected her, and it is devastating. Her account of her return home and the effects of her PTSD coupled with the marginalization of the returning veterans is truly heartbreaking.
The rest of the book explains PTSD in a more clinical way, and describes the current science and methodology around healing from it. As a teacher, I found this part of the book to be of great value. I do some work with communities that are affected with trauma, and it has given me tools to serve them better.
While I never thought of myself as having PTSD, I see myself in some of the descriptions in the book and realize I could benefit from some of the techniques laid out in it.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has suffered, or knows someone who has suffered, traumatic events, as well as anyone interested in understanding their own mental and emotional blocks.
And anyone that needs a real reminder of the realities and costs of war (all of us) should read this book. What the author lived through is going on currently in many places around the world, and it is too easy to think of these events as news clippings or political signifiers of some sort. The reality is much more brutal and unjustifiable.
January 13, 2026
Warrior Nurse: PTSD and Healing by Sarah L. Blum is a raw, compassionate, and deeply necessary memoir about war, trauma, and the long road back to wholeness. Set in the operating rooms and triage tents of Vietnam in 1967, the book brings readers directly into the chaos of mass casualties, relentless urgency, and the quiet heroism of medical staff working under fire.
Blum’s writing is steady and unflinching. She does not sensationalize the violence or dramatize the suffering. Instead, she lets the reality of it speak through precise detail and emotional honesty. The wounded soldiers she cares for, especially Johnny and Jim, become anchors in the narrative, humanizing the scale of war and grounding it in individual lives, losses, and hopes.
What gives this memoir its unique power is its second half, where the war follows her home. The culture shock, the hostility from protestors, the emerging PTSD symptoms, and the slow realization that survival does not mean safety are as affecting as the scenes from the battlefield. The reader watches Blum move from competence and control into confusion and pain, and then, gradually, into awareness, healing, and purpose.
This is not just a story of trauma. It is a story of recovery, of learning how to live again, and of turning personal pain into shared guidance. The tools and insights she offers feel earned, not instructional. For veterans, healthcare workers, trauma survivors, and anyone seeking to understand the invisible wounds of war, Warrior Nurse is both a witness and a hand held out in the dark.
Blum’s writing is steady and unflinching. She does not sensationalize the violence or dramatize the suffering. Instead, she lets the reality of it speak through precise detail and emotional honesty. The wounded soldiers she cares for, especially Johnny and Jim, become anchors in the narrative, humanizing the scale of war and grounding it in individual lives, losses, and hopes.
What gives this memoir its unique power is its second half, where the war follows her home. The culture shock, the hostility from protestors, the emerging PTSD symptoms, and the slow realization that survival does not mean safety are as affecting as the scenes from the battlefield. The reader watches Blum move from competence and control into confusion and pain, and then, gradually, into awareness, healing, and purpose.
This is not just a story of trauma. It is a story of recovery, of learning how to live again, and of turning personal pain into shared guidance. The tools and insights she offers feel earned, not instructional. For veterans, healthcare workers, trauma survivors, and anyone seeking to understand the invisible wounds of war, Warrior Nurse is both a witness and a hand held out in the dark.
November 15, 2025
This book crushed me and comforted me in ways I didn’t expect. Sarah’s story isn’t just unforgettable, it’s something you feel in your bones long after you’ve turned the final page. She writes with a raw, unflinching honesty that pulls you directly into her world, exposing every emotional fracture, every moment of courage, every quiet breakdown, and every fragile step toward healing. Her humanity is so vivid, so present, that you can’t help but carry it with you.
Sarah doesn’t simply recount events, she lets you experience the internal battles, the moral weight, the exhaustion, and the resilience required to survive the kind of realities most people never have to face. Through her eyes, the roles of nurses and soldiers become deeper, heavier, more human than you ever imagined. She shows the unseen cost of care, the invisible wounds of service, and the emotional toll that lingers long after the physical scars fade.
I’ll never look at nurses the same again after seeing the emotional burdens they carry while holding everyone else together. I’ll never look at soldiers the same again after understanding the weight of what they bring home. And I’ll never look at war the same again, because Sarah strips away the distance and reveals its true, lasting impact on the hearts of those who endure it.
This book is powerful, devastating, beautiful, and profoundly healing, a story that reshapes your perspective and stays with you.
Sarah doesn’t simply recount events, she lets you experience the internal battles, the moral weight, the exhaustion, and the resilience required to survive the kind of realities most people never have to face. Through her eyes, the roles of nurses and soldiers become deeper, heavier, more human than you ever imagined. She shows the unseen cost of care, the invisible wounds of service, and the emotional toll that lingers long after the physical scars fade.
I’ll never look at nurses the same again after seeing the emotional burdens they carry while holding everyone else together. I’ll never look at soldiers the same again after understanding the weight of what they bring home. And I’ll never look at war the same again, because Sarah strips away the distance and reveals its true, lasting impact on the hearts of those who endure it.
This book is powerful, devastating, beautiful, and profoundly healing, a story that reshapes your perspective and stays with you.
November 14, 2025
This book cut deep and healed even deeper. From the very first page, Sarah pulls you into a world of pain, resilience, and truth that most people never dare to speak aloud. Her honesty isn’t just striking, it’s transformative. She lays her experiences bare with a level of humanity that feels almost sacred, the kind of vulnerability that stops you in your tracks and forces you to sit with emotions you didn’t realize you were carrying.
Every chapter felt like a wound opening, and every insight felt like a stitch pulling it back together. I found myself aching for her, rooting for her, and learning from her all at once. The way she conveys the realities of trauma, healing, and the unseen battles fought by those who care for others is unforgettable.
I will never see nurses the same way again, not as background heroes, but as people who carry impossible weights with grace and grit. I will never see soldiers the same again, not as symbols or headlines, but as human beings with stories that rarely get told. And I will never see war the same again, because this book strips away the distance and exposes the emotional and spiritual cost in a way that stays with you long after you close the final page.
It’s powerful, heartbreaking, beautiful, and necessary. This is more than a memoir, it’s a testimony of courage and a reminder of the healing power of truth.
Every chapter felt like a wound opening, and every insight felt like a stitch pulling it back together. I found myself aching for her, rooting for her, and learning from her all at once. The way she conveys the realities of trauma, healing, and the unseen battles fought by those who care for others is unforgettable.
I will never see nurses the same way again, not as background heroes, but as people who carry impossible weights with grace and grit. I will never see soldiers the same again, not as symbols or headlines, but as human beings with stories that rarely get told. And I will never see war the same again, because this book strips away the distance and exposes the emotional and spiritual cost in a way that stays with you long after you close the final page.
It’s powerful, heartbreaking, beautiful, and necessary. This is more than a memoir, it’s a testimony of courage and a reminder of the healing power of truth.
November 14, 2025
This book hit hard and healed softly, in the most unexpected and necessary ways. Sarah doesn’t just tell her story, she opens herself completely, offering a level of honesty that is as painful as it is breathtaking. Her humanity radiates through every page, through every memory, every wound, every quiet moment of strength. You don’t just read her experiences; you feel them.
Sarah’s voice is powerful because it’s real. She doesn’t try to polish her trauma or hide the darkness, she walks you through it with courage, clarity, and a compassion that reminds you just how heavy the burden of caregiving truly is. The way she balances vulnerability with resilience is unforgettable. It changes the way you see people like her, those who serve on the front lines of pain, holding others together while quietly falling apart themselves.
I’ll never look at nurses the same again, not after seeing the world through Sarah’s eyes. And I’ll never look at war the same again, because she reveals not just the battles fought on the field, but the invisible ones carried home in silence.
This book is raw, beautiful, devastating, and deeply healing. Sarah’s story doesn’t just stay with you, it reshapes the way you understand sacrifice, service, and the human heart.
Sarah’s voice is powerful because it’s real. She doesn’t try to polish her trauma or hide the darkness, she walks you through it with courage, clarity, and a compassion that reminds you just how heavy the burden of caregiving truly is. The way she balances vulnerability with resilience is unforgettable. It changes the way you see people like her, those who serve on the front lines of pain, holding others together while quietly falling apart themselves.
I’ll never look at nurses the same again, not after seeing the world through Sarah’s eyes. And I’ll never look at war the same again, because she reveals not just the battles fought on the field, but the invisible ones carried home in silence.
This book is raw, beautiful, devastating, and deeply healing. Sarah’s story doesn’t just stay with you, it reshapes the way you understand sacrifice, service, and the human heart.
November 14, 2025
This book broke something in me and mended it in a way I didn’t expect. Sarah’s story isn’t just unforgettable, it’s the kind that settles into your chest and refuses to leave. She writes with a rawness that pulls you straight into her world, exposing every wound, every memory, every fragile moment of survival with a level of honesty that feels both painful and sacred.
Her journey is a reminder of how deeply war reaches into a person’s life, not just the soldiers on the front lines, but the nurses who carry the emotional aftermath, the healers who patch up bodies while their own hearts quietly fracture. Through Sarah’s eyes, you see the human cost of conflict stripped of all filters, all distance, all illusion.
I’ll never see soldiers the same again, not after understanding the invisible battles they carry home. I’ll never see nurses the same again, knowing how much weight they hold while helping others stand. And I’ll never see war the same again, because Sarah forces you to confront its impact not just on nations, but on individual hearts.
This book is devastating, beautiful, and transformative. It doesn’t just tell a story, it changes the reader.
Her journey is a reminder of how deeply war reaches into a person’s life, not just the soldiers on the front lines, but the nurses who carry the emotional aftermath, the healers who patch up bodies while their own hearts quietly fracture. Through Sarah’s eyes, you see the human cost of conflict stripped of all filters, all distance, all illusion.
I’ll never see soldiers the same again, not after understanding the invisible battles they carry home. I’ll never see nurses the same again, knowing how much weight they hold while helping others stand. And I’ll never see war the same again, because Sarah forces you to confront its impact not just on nations, but on individual hearts.
This book is devastating, beautiful, and transformative. It doesn’t just tell a story, it changes the reader.
November 15, 2025
Shattering yet healing in equal measure, this book reaches into you and leaves a mark that isn’t easily shaken off. Sarah’s honesty is devastating in the most necessary way, she doesn’t soften her truth, doesn’t hide the pain, and doesn’t pretend the journey was anything but brutal. And because of that, her humanity shines even brighter. Every page feels lived, felt, and carried. You’re not just reading her story, you’re absorbing it.
Sarah’s voice lingers long after you’re done. The way she unpacks trauma, compassion, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience required to survive what she survived is unforgettable. She reminds you that behind every uniform, behind every act of service, there’s a person fighting battles most people never see.
I’ll never think of war the same way again, and I’ll never think of its heroes the same way again, because Sarah shows you the cost not just in blood, but in spirit. Her story changes the way you look at those who step into danger and those who stay behind to pick up the shattered pieces.
This book isn’t just read, it’s felt, deeply and permanently.
Sarah’s voice lingers long after you’re done. The way she unpacks trauma, compassion, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience required to survive what she survived is unforgettable. She reminds you that behind every uniform, behind every act of service, there’s a person fighting battles most people never see.
I’ll never think of war the same way again, and I’ll never think of its heroes the same way again, because Sarah shows you the cost not just in blood, but in spirit. Her story changes the way you look at those who step into danger and those who stay behind to pick up the shattered pieces.
This book isn’t just read, it’s felt, deeply and permanently.
October 31, 2025
This book starts with the story about Sarah Blum's service in Vietnam as an operating room nurse. She paints a vivid picture of her experience - the desire to help all the people who were brought to the hospital where she served, the trauma of the war, and the comradery among the others serving inside and outside her unit. From there, she continues to describe her career after the war and her struggles of recovery, which led to healing, from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD).
The second half of this book has a brief, clear explanation of how the brain reacts to traumatic events. Most of the rest of this section covers different types of treatments and recovery methods for PTSD - many of which Sarah has tried. In the many books I've read about mental health issues, I've never seen such a comprehensive section on methods that can aid with recovery, such as music, theater, writing, hiking, and so much more. For Veterans and anyone else struggling with PTSD and other mental health issues, this book is a great reference that provides hope and healing.
The second half of this book has a brief, clear explanation of how the brain reacts to traumatic events. Most of the rest of this section covers different types of treatments and recovery methods for PTSD - many of which Sarah has tried. In the many books I've read about mental health issues, I've never seen such a comprehensive section on methods that can aid with recovery, such as music, theater, writing, hiking, and so much more. For Veterans and anyone else struggling with PTSD and other mental health issues, this book is a great reference that provides hope and healing.
November 14, 2025
A heartbreaking and healing read in every sense. Sarah’s courage in exposing her pain, her memories, and her unfiltered humanity stays with you long after the last page. She doesn’t just share what happened, she invites you into the emotional weight of every moment, every loss, every quiet victory, every scar that still aches. Her story grips you, breaks you open, and somehow begins to mend you at the same time.
Sarah’s perspective changes everything. The way she writes about trauma, survival, and the emotional cost of caring for others reveals truths that most people never see or even imagine. Her humanity isn’t just memorable, it’s transformative.
War and those who face it will never look the same to me after reading her story. She gives voice to the internal battles, the invisible wounds, and the resilience it takes to keep going when the world around you feels shattered.
This book is powerful, raw, beautifully written, and deeply necessary. It leaves an imprint on your heart that doesn’t fade.
Sarah’s perspective changes everything. The way she writes about trauma, survival, and the emotional cost of caring for others reveals truths that most people never see or even imagine. Her humanity isn’t just memorable, it’s transformative.
War and those who face it will never look the same to me after reading her story. She gives voice to the internal battles, the invisible wounds, and the resilience it takes to keep going when the world around you feels shattered.
This book is powerful, raw, beautifully written, and deeply necessary. It leaves an imprint on your heart that doesn’t fade.
November 14, 2025
This story shattered me and put me back together in ways I didn’t expect. The raw truth, the vulnerability, and the unfiltered humanity woven through these pages hit with a force that lingers long after you’re done reading. It’s more than a narrative, it’s an emotional reckoning. Every moment feels alive, painful, honest, and necessary. I found myself pausing just to breathe, then diving back in because the story demands to be felt, not just read. I’ll never look at war, trauma, or the people who serve and sacrifice the same way again. It opens your eyes, breaks your heart, and somehow begins to heal it all at once.
November 14, 2025
This book shattered me and healed me at the same time. The honesty, the pain, the raw humanity pouring through every chapter is overwhelming in the most necessary way. Sarah doesn’t just tell a story, she exposes her soul, her scars, and her strength with a vulnerability that stays with you long after you close the book. I felt every beat of her trauma, every quiet victory, every moment of survival and collapse. It’s unforgettable. I will never look at nurses, soldiers, or war the same way again, because this book forces you to see the people behind the uniforms, the wounds behind the bravery, and the emotional cost behind the silence. It’s powerful, devastating, beautiful, and absolutely essential.
November 14, 2025
It shattered me, and it healed me in ways I didn’t expect. Sarah’s truth, her pain, and the raw humanity she pours into every page linger long after the final sentence. This isn’t just a book, it’s an emotional experience that forces you to confront the realities most people overlook or avoid. Her voice is honest, brave, and deeply human, and it stays with you long after you close the cover. I’ll never view war, the people who endure it, or the healers who try to mend its wounds the same way again. This story changes you.
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May 7, 2025Excellent and personal account of her time in Vietnam and then returning home. 1/4 of book on her journey with PTSD and her work with veterans suffering from PTSD. Very insightful and beneficial to anyone with PTSD or anyone who appreciates Vietnam war history.
November 14, 2025
Shattering yet healing. Sarah’s honesty and humanity leave a mark. I’ll never think of war or its heroes the same way again.
March 18, 2025
Warrior Nurse by Sarah L. Blum is a much needed and informative read written from the heart of a true hero. Blum has done amazing work as a U.S. Army OR Nurse during the Vietnam War, psych nurse & counselor to wounded veterans, and as an author.
As a military daughter & survivor of suicide loss, this book has given me a deeper understanding into the illness of PTSD and the mental wounds that my father, and other soldiers and military support personnel, returned home with.
If more veterans are able to heal their PTSD with the treatment modalities Blum recommends, we will be able to reduce rates of soldier suicide and improve the quality of life for those who served.
Warrior Nurse is an asset to those looking to heal their PTSD & move forward from their trauma, and to military family members who are seeking help and supporting their wounded warriors.
Amily D’Nas
Author of the award winning novel Beneath the Swaying Willow
As a military daughter & survivor of suicide loss, this book has given me a deeper understanding into the illness of PTSD and the mental wounds that my father, and other soldiers and military support personnel, returned home with.
If more veterans are able to heal their PTSD with the treatment modalities Blum recommends, we will be able to reduce rates of soldier suicide and improve the quality of life for those who served.
Warrior Nurse is an asset to those looking to heal their PTSD & move forward from their trauma, and to military family members who are seeking help and supporting their wounded warriors.
Amily D’Nas
Author of the award winning novel Beneath the Swaying Willow
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