VA therapist yanked from clinic in Conway Left adrift, say vets haunted by war Arkansas Online By Debra Hale-Shelton June 17, 2018
"Had all things been normal, we would have anticipated that someone was leaving a position and we would have transitioned and have had someone in line to take that spot," she said in the interview later. "Because of the volatility and our concerns for safety, the decision had to be made to do this abruptly."
Larry Hay's Army tour in Vietnam was a half century ago, long before he married Margaret, his wife of 34 years.
The war has long ended; the trauma lingers.
"When he goes to bed at night, he goes back to hell. He goes back to Vietnam every night, and so do I," Margaret said. "We neither one get a good night sleep. ... I try to catch his nightmares."
Larry Hay enlisted in the Army in 1969. Three times, his helicopter was shot down in the jungles of Vietnam.
"At one point, he was on the flight lines where they were working on the helicopters, and one of his friends didn't get low enough," and Hay saw his friend decapitated, Margaret said.
Guard duty created more nightmares: "The Vietnamese would booby-trap the kids and tell them Americans have candy," Margaret said. "They [Americans] didn't have any choice. They had to shoot them. That really weighs on him. He absolutely loves children."
Margaret accompanies Larry to weekly support-group meetings and speaks for him when he isn't up to talking about the war.
"He has terrible nightmares ... to the point that he jerks so hard that he literally flops out of bed," Margaret said. "He's injured himself several times doing that."
Along with other Vietnam veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, Hay began getting help after the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System's outpatient clinic in Conway started two therapy support groups in 2013. The Vietnam veterans nicknamed theirs the Jungle Group; the Middle East veterans called theirs the Desert Group. read more here
What drives the stigma is not the "D" Combat PTSD Wounded Times Kathie Costos June 17, 2018 This morning on PTSD Patrol there is a special video on how some want to change the term of PTSD to PTS, as if that one little letter is keeping you from asking for help. Yep, they think that you are more afraid of the letter than anything else you faced off with that caused PTSD in the first place.
On the subway recently, I complained about the MTA’s lousy service to the man sitting next to me. Every day, I said, there are more delays, route changes, and crowded cars. He agreed. Then I continued, “Of course there are worse things in life than subway disruptions.” He agreed.
He told me his brother-in-law, who was a veteran, had struggled with “PTSD” for two years, since returning from Afghanistan. Last week, he said, this man killed himself. “He took a gun to his head…”
“I’m so sorry,” I exclaimed. We sat and shared silence. I asked him, “Do you know that PTSD is now PTS for ‘post traumatic stress’? The “D” for “Disorder” was dropped.” He did not know. In fact, lots of folks, and Google, still don’t know this. I googled PTS and all I got was PTSD. Here is why it’s important to drop the D for "Disorder"
For some strange reason, as she wrote, she "broke the "silence" correcting him instead of comforting him. Aside from this guy pouring his heart out to this stranger on the subway and then getting smacked down with a correction, instead of showing empathy, she got it wrong. Imagine him sharing that kind of heartache with a stranger and then hearing a lesson on a letter! Sure there are some folks pushing to drop the "D" but none of them really understand what the term means. If they think that one letter is feeding the stigma, perhaps they should consider what they are adding to it instead. And then in the article she quoted George Carlin. It seems as if it has become her mission to make sure people stop using the D! She gave the same lesson to a waiter. After all, so many think it is adding to the stigma. Ya, I know, smacked me in the head too!
Rittenhouse ended with this thought.
Removing the stigma of “D” shows veterans that we support their physical, psychological and spiritual healing. It builds empathy and can transform lives.
Is she an expert on this? Nope! This is her bio.
I founded Rittenhouse Rankings Inc. after leaving Lehman Brothers in the '90s. I am the author of "Investing Between the Lines: How to Make Smarter Decisions by Decoding CEO Communications" and have been a featured author at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting. My annual CEO Candor Surveys report on companies that excel in Candor and those that do not.
See, the thing is, they have been changing the name for decades, and that has not done much good, as we're seen by the results. We have also been seeing people running around the country talking about things they learned online. Most of the time their vast information comes from millions of keystrokes on Facebook with other experts sharing what they also assumed was true.
Rittenhouse is not alone. If you Google PTS you get "About 142,000,000 results (0.58 seconds)" with everything from Physical Therapy Specialist, Precision Test Solutions and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary established way back in 1794!
Google PTSD and you get PTSD and "About 37,700,000 results (0.43 seconds)"
I am offended by her being offended with the "D" after Vietnam veterans came back and fought for all the research done on what war did to those we sent, thus reaching out to every human who ever survived traumatic events. So let us take a look at what the "D" actually means.
Definition of disorder
transitive verb 1 : to disturb the order of 2 : to disturb the regular or normal functions of
Normal is not having something put your life in danger. Combat puts your life in danger. Others are willing to risk their own lives to save someone else. You know, law enforcement, firefighters and emergency responders. Some of it even do it for free while in between their regular jobs and taking care of their own families. My life had been in danger many times since childhood. I can tell you first hand there is nothing normal about any of this. Now, we should also look at what "disturb" means. I am not taking about the great band Disturbed, but the word itself.
Definition of disturb
transitive verb
1 a : to interfere with : interrupt disturbing the flow of traffic
b : to alter the position or arrangement of the items on her desk had been disturbed
c : to upset the natural and especially the ecological balance or relations of wetlands disturbed by development
2 a : to destroy the tranquility or composure of
But as with everything else, things can get put back into order, even if it is not the same order it was at the beginning.
The results of all the BS about the letter "D" has prevented the one thing veterans, and all others, need to hear. The "D" also means to move forward! You know, as in the "D" on your shifter letting you get from one place where you do not want to be to get to where you do want to get to.
No one can control how other people drive their vehicles but we do choose how we drive our own. In this case, that vehicle is your body.
We need to stop going in reverse and letting people put up road blocks deconstructing terms they do not understand when there are lives on the line, heartaches happening to more and more survivors because they never heard the news that they are not stuck where they are.
When they need real facts that will change the conversation, they have been forced into silence by people doing a hell of a lot of talking about things they do not understand.
Getting back to the band Disturbed, this is one of my favorite videos. The Sound Of Silence!
Fools, said I, you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach youBut my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence
Take a sledgehammer and break the silence! Understand that PTSD hit you and that you are not a victim, but a survivor. You beat it before and can do it again. Today on PTSD Patrol we're talking about this and how some want to trivialize the term, as if it did not matter at all. They want to blame something they do not understand. If they would stop and think about what would really get rid of the stigma, then they'd be doing something worthwhile. Guess it is just so much easier to say what they think instead of thinking about what they need to learn. Go to PTSD Patrol and see what a difference can be made when we change the conversation from a knowledge based on assumptions into something empowering! UPDATE Happy Father's Day Gunny!
Well the midnight headlights blind you on a rainy night Steep grade up ahead, slow me down, makin' no time, But I got to keep rollin' Those windshield wipers slappin' out a tempo, Keepin' perfect rhythm with the song on the radio, But I got to keep rollin' Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away, lookin' for a better way for me Ooh, I'm drivin' my life away, lookin' for a sunny day
I have been a news hawk for veterans for 36 years now, almost 11 years on this site alone. It does not matter which party control what to my readers and that is why this site was started.
Back in 2007 I received an email from a Marine serving in Iraq. He said he liked to read what I had on PTSD, but hated to have to get through my political BS. Long story short, I made a fool out of myself. He replied with one question. "Are you doing this for yourself or us?" Well, he got his answer because after he opened my eyes, I started Wounded Times. I promised from that moment on, he would only read about politicians when they did something for them or to them.
I kept my word. When President Bush was President, I went after him, and all other politicians. Same thing with President Obama and now, President Trump, as well as every member of Congress.
I love to praise people for being inspirational, heroic, noble, or anyone else doing something for the right reasons. I cannot stand those who take advantage of the troops or veterans, but Stolen Valor and veterans charity rip offs make my blood boil. Experts getting stuff wrong...well, that would be,
June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, and psychologists say many war veterans struggle with this disorder. One Albany psychologist said PTSD with veterans has been pushed to the back, but he said in recent years, it's getting more recognition.
At least he got the June is PTSD Awareness month right...or was that the reporter? As for the "recent years" just because he did not know what the rest of us knew...yes, decades ago. Where the hell did he think all the programs and research came from?
Vietnam Veteran: 'The VA has helped me through it and saved my sanity' Fox Illinois by Rachel Droze Thursday, June 14th 2018
DECATUR, Ill. (WRSP) — About 200 people came out for a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday to celebrate the Decatur Community Based Outpatient Clinic, which moved from the east side of the city to the west side.
Decorated war hero James Hurd, who risked his life serving in the jungles of Vietnam, made the ceremonial cut.
"I went through several bad times over there,” Hurd said.
Hurd's introduction triggered his PTSD.
"Any reminder of [Vietnam] brings tears to my eyes 50 years later,” Hurd said.
In addition to helping with Hurd’s physical ailments, the VA clinics in Decatur and Danville also help with his mental health.
“I suffer from Post Traumatic Syndrome as a lot of Vietnam infantry veterans do,” Hurd said. "After 50 years I can deal with it, but the VA has helped me through it and saved my sanity.” read more here
This is not a regular hospital. The patient was having a mental health crisis and panic attack. Now, stop and think how some lawmakers think that veterans deserve to be treated like this under "Choice" ‘Are you dead sir?’ doctor asks patient in video that led to her removal from Los Gatos hospital Mercury News By JUDY PETERSON PUBLISHED: June 15, 2018
“He collapsed on the grass outside the weight room,” Eitelgeorge said. “When we went outside he tried to get up but fell back down.” That’s when Eitelgeorge called 911 and “they (paramedics) took him away.”
A video of a doctor speaking harshly to an emergency room patient and asking if he’s dead has led to her removal from the work schedule at El Camino Hospital Los Gatos, a hospital spokeswoman said.
"Keegstra then pulls Bardwell’s arm and again tells him to sit up. Bardwell says he can’t get up and can’t inhale either. “He can’t inhale. Wow! He must be dead. Are you dead sir,” Keegstra asks. At one point Keegstra uttered an expletive."
The video shows the doctor, Beth Keegstra, mocking 20-year-old Samuel Bardwell, a newly-enrolled student at West Valley College in Saratoga who was brought to the hospital’s emergency room after becoming ill during a basketball practice.
Keegstra tells Bardwell, “I’m sorry sir, you were the least sick of all the people who are here who are dying. There, so you picked your head up. Now don’t try to tell me you can’t move. C’mon, sit up.”
read more here
