tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352801042011-07-31T04:39:07.148-05:00A Soldier Went to War. He was wounded. His physical wounds healed. His invisible wounds may yet kill him. We're on the outside looking in.Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1160541372214024182006-10-10T23:06:00.000-05:002006-10-10T23:41:02.073-05:00

Soldier has been doing well this week. Is still insistent that he is going to continue his Army service. He even knows the date that they are next likely to deploy again. Today -- after multiple calls himself and a few by his dad and I -- someone from his command came to see him. It seems that Soldier will be discharged back to his unit some time in the next few days (the bottleneck of soldiers

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1160174647610022072006-10-06T17:07:00.000-05:002006-10-17T12:12:29.566-05:00

K - Sorry to hear about your friend (has the employee assistance program brought in a grief counselor for the department?). It wouldn't make any difference if he left a note because only people with clear thoughts see suicide as fruitless. People living in twisted logic and intent on it see it as an answer. We all know the adage: a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It's tough trying to

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159977948465371042006-10-04T10:50:00.000-05:002006-10-04T11:06:23.073-05:00

So of course this morning Soldier called and said he's thinking of staying in the Army (the meds must be working today) if he can get out of his current unit... absolutely does not want to stay in that unit as he has no confidence that he could ever trust any of those guys to do their jobs. He certanly has no trust for the leadership... I told him that the doctors only have the power to recommend

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159842944228690112006-10-02T20:35:00.000-05:002006-10-02T22:24:21.410-05:00

Soldier had a very bad start to his weekend and was confined to the safety unit -- where he can't hurt himself or others. His Saturday and Sunday seemed better. He called and asked whether another soldier (a girl) could come live with US when she is discharged because she doesn't have any place else to go. This is the second time he has "adopted" a "stray" soldier and asked if we would let them

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159978191097695752006-09-24T11:08:00.000-05:002006-10-04T11:10:17.223-05:00

Soldier been having a really bad week... lots going on... I spoke with his counselor (therapist) today... called his MD but didn't get a return call. we're going to start calling Army people in the next day or two... and on Monday. Time to rattle a few cages... if nothing else than to get US answers to what the hell they're doing for Soldier who seems way worse the longer they keep him there. and

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159598355587340182006-09-22T01:37:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:44:26.173-05:00

well, Soldier has had a set back... he says 2-3 days of feeling ok is all he can manage at the moment... he's frustrated, can't understand why he just can't "make it better"... I think he's coming to accept that it will be a long process.sending things around the holidays is a very thoughtful idea... not sure what they allow (they are very strict), but I can check with the facility and see what's

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159598124799609952006-09-20T01:29:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:44:02.173-05:00

Had a fairly pleasant call from Soldier. He was calm and measured and he didn't yell at me once or even raise his voice (it's been a while). He says even with the Ambien and Lunesta he's not sleeping at night all the time... Good nights and bad nights. He's working out in the gym at the hospital every day and has gained back 15 pounds he'd lost. He says he's feeling better.He's still waffling

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159597757119302002006-09-17T01:26:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:31:02.340-05:00

I have been researching PTSD (especially war-related) and there's so much information out there -- not a lot of it encouraging. It seems to me that it will be like an alcoholic -- they learn to live with it, they fight it, but it is always a part of them. I have a girlfriend here who is a counselor (MSW) who has given me one of her reference books... this one on a new PTSD therapy called "guided

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159597587629041812006-09-16T01:24:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:31:27.940-05:00

I spoke with him frequently over the weekend, but haven't heard from him in a few days... they had changed his anti-depressant middle of last week and I thought he sounded better (mood wise) over the weekend... I keep encouraging him to work diligently with his counselors -- I think he might be too much a part of the "pop a pill and make me well" mindset -- and he's not particularly comfortable

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159597437535686912006-09-13T01:20:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:18:20.176-05:00

Soldier called yesterday and he is frustrated with being there... doesn't feel any better (he says) than when he got there... one of his sgt's came by (not THE sgt.... just A sgt) and Soldier felt like he was being accused of being a malingerer and using this as an excuse to get out of the Army, etc. which didn't help his mood any... I don't think many of them understand that the Army was going

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159597226215397002006-09-11T01:17:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:15:39.546-05:00

Soldier called yesterday... he was his angry old self... the short-tempered thing is hard to take sometimes... they have him on 3 or 4 meds... zoloft, depakote, seroquel, and ambien at night... I'm not sure why they have him on an anti-seizure medication especially when the warnings say not to give one of them if you've had a head injury... and of course Soldier had a number of brain-rattling

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159597069700546582006-09-09T01:12:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:13:31.220-05:00

I spoke with his Sgt. while I was there and he just gave me the "party line" -- we take this seriously, lots of opportunities for counseling... only when I talked to the guys in his company, they tell me that these NCOs talk the talk but got no walk to go with it -- "you can go to counseling any time, just make sure it's not M-W-F when I have meetings or T-Th when we have training... " or the

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159596757923360962006-09-08T01:07:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:08:32.280-05:00

Got home from my week at [Fort] late Wednesday. I visited Soldier the one hour allowed per day (yes, one hour) and during the other hours handled his personal business (paid his bills for him, talked to his Sgt., secured his apartment, etc.) Soldier didn't call yesterday, but they have very limited times that they can use the phones. They have him on 4 different medications... he felt he still

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159723109789186872006-09-03T12:10:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:05:23.963-05:00

I'm at [Fort]... Soldier was admitted to xxxxx for treatment of his PTSD... seems he was diagnosed and recommended for treatment 9-10 months ago but somehow the diagnosis and recommendation were either overlooked or ignored... and his depression and anxiety have gotten so bad in the 15 WEEKS he has been waiting for his appointment with a doc... and of course the a$$hat of a SFC he works for kept

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159596455364872282006-08-30T01:04:00.000-05:002006-10-01T13:00:09.286-05:00

Soldier called. He was admitted to the hospital at [Fort] this morning... He asked for me to come and his doctor said that would be fine. Soldier says he'll be there at least a few weeks. I am headed out on an 8:00AM flight tomorrow morning (will get me into [Fort] 5:30PM. scheduled to return 9/6. but who knows. I'll have Soldier's car and will be staying at his apartment. Dad will be here with

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159596284875671792006-08-25T00:59:00.000-05:002006-10-01T12:57:54.733-05:00

Soldier having another crisis... depressed, having suicidal thoughts, panic attacks are almost constant... his girlfriend bolted to add to his misery... he agreed to take his shotgun to a neighbor's apartment... he's staying at his Sgt's tonight last I heard.. Soldier had spoken with the girlfriend and they have agreed to take a step back and see where they go from here. Soldier SAYS he's ok

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159595955055868862006-07-11T00:54:00.000-05:002006-10-01T12:55:52.406-05:00

Hey... Looking for a little help and info if you can help... Soldier went to medical 6 weeks ago and has been waiting 6 weeks to see a doc for counseling and meds - and has another 4 weeks to wait -- they say that's the first available appt! His NCOs have been no real help -- just sent him to medical and then it's "oh, well..." I cannot believe that there is no crisis mental health services

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35280104.post-1159595577203472452006-06-11T00:39:00.000-05:002006-10-01T12:52:47.033-05:00

May/June 2006did I tell you Soldier is having major (MAJOR) panic attacks? that's on top of the sleeplessness, nightmares and bursts of anger... he finally went to medical but he has to go through a vetting process -- even though they had previously diagnosed him with PTSD AND an anxiety disorder and offerred him meds in the past which he refused... glad he has me and dad to fall back on...

Soldier's Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07932044555708708875noreply@blogger.com1