June is PTSD Awareness Month. June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day.
Just over 2 years ago, Randy took his leave of absence. It's not something that either one of us planned to happen- it just kind of did. But we have moved on and grown and learned from that experience. We now have the tools we need to conquer whatever obstacle we might come across- whether it is PTSD or another battle that the Marine Corps sees fit to throw at us.
I don't know if PTSD will ever really go away for us- in reality, I am pretty confident in saying that it will always be there. There are plenty of Vietnam vets who are just now able to come to terms with what they saw and did while they were serving. It will probably pop up when we least expect it,
when we finally think that it is in the past. But I do know that
regardless of what happens, we are now better equipped to deal with
whatever comes our way.
I've been pretty vocal about this issue and how it affects my life. It is important for me to continue to be an advocate for not only myself, but my husband. While I am nowhere near any sort of professional on this matter, I do have experience with it first hand. I understand what it means to live with someone who reacts to things that don't bother other people. I know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night and have him searching for his K-bar, because he was dreaming he was back in Iraq. The other night when I had a bad dream, I was so thankful that he wasn't there- because I honestly don't know what his reaction to my screaming would have been.
I will continue to talk about my experiences- and I hope that I might be helping another spouse- who might not understand what the flashbacks, nightmares, and weird quirky things might mean. In turn, I hope that that spouse is able to help their servicemember get the help that they might need- even if it's as simple as just talking to each other.
Some resources and information:
