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Caregiver Spotlight: Jenise St. Pierre

January 26, 2024 | Story by Alyssa Ross | Navy Wounded Warrior

Jenise St. Pierre met her husband, Edward “Teddy” St. Pierre, 30 years ago in her hometown of Clearwater, Fla. Teddy was a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Coast Guard and they met through a mutual friend. They married in 1994 in Clearwater and now have two daughters, ages 19 and 16. Over the course of their marriage, she accompanied Teddy to 16 Coast Guard duty stations. (Her favorites were Stuttgart, Germany, and New York City.) As a well-traveled and experienced military spouse, she was no stranger to adapting to the unexpected, but in November 2022, life threw the St. Pierre family a big curveball. Teddy, now a Rear Admiral, was diagnosed with atypical early-onset (or younger-onset) Alzheimer’s disease.    

“Teddy’s always been the voice of reason, and this was no exception.  He took the news with grace, dignity, and a little levity. I was in denial,” she said. “I felt panicked, angry, anxious, and heartbroken. There was this fear of the unknown and a sense of isolation. At that point, our entire family dynamic changed.” 

Following Teddy’s diagnosis, family life became very tense, and conversations were heavy. Misunderstandings and miscommunications kept things tense and frustrating.

“Before we could process the changes in the family, our two teenage daughters and I became caregivers. We took on new responsibilities while still not fully comprehending the nature and progression of the disease.”

Jenise was now solely responsible for Teddy’s retirement and planning for their future together. USCG resources connected the family with Navy Wounded Warrior at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Her care team anticipated their needs and helped outline a way forward, with connections to resources and people who could provide answers to their many questions.

“There were so many questions. I did not know where to begin. Through Navy Wounded Warrior, we’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with fellow caretakers and wounded warriors who have shared similar circumstances. After the initial feeling of isolation and loneliness, Navy Wounded Warrior provided a sense of community that has been overwhelmingly inspirational.”

 Navy Wounded Warrior connected Jenise with a caregiver respite program that gave her hope and introduced her to a community of people who know her lived experience. Teddy joined the adaptive sports program and competed in the 2023 Department of Defense Warrior Games Challenge. He won 8 medals during the 10 days of competition. The family recently moved back to Florida to be closer to Jenise's family support. Navy Wounded Warrior transferred their case to Jacksonville, and continue to support and prepare them in their transition back to civilian life.  

Her best advice to other spouses turned caregivers is “be patient with yourself and your loved ones. I’m not going to say it gets easier with time because it may not. You will need help, so don’t be afraid to accept it. Be kind to yourself and learn from your mistakes. Remember that you are not alone.”

Numquam Navigare Solus – Never to Sail Alone

Navy Wounded Warrior coordinates the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, and provides resources and support to their families and caregivers. Regional non-medical care providers tailor support to each enrolled service member’s recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration needs. The program allows service members and their families to focus on recovery without distraction. To date, nearly 10,000 seriously wounded, ill, and injured service members located throughout the country received assistance from Navy Wounded Warrior.

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen may self-refer to Navy Wounded Warrior, or be referred by a family member, their command leadership or their medical team. Contact the Navy Wounded Warrior call center at 855-NAVY WWP / 855-628-9997, or email navywoundedwarrior.fct@navy.mil.

 

 

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