I have been receiving some very kind words in emails and in other posts from many supporters of this project of mine. Very humbling. Thank you for sharing your "Roadside lives" with me, and describing your "IED's" of life. We can all learn from each other. These wars will eventually end, but the scares will last a lifetime. Like the Marine wife that emailed me recently.
...we almost survived 3 deployments. Almost... but WE didn't make it.
3 deployments? Wow. How does a family even have a remote chance of making it with 3 deployments? The casualties of these conflicts do not just number the wounded and the dead on the battlefield, but the torn and destroyed relationships that result after we got home. I ran from all of my relationships after I returned. I ran so far and fast that I was sure that my guilt, fear and pain couldn't catch up to me. They were just waiting for me when I got there.
PTSD played a role in the failure of this family and with so many other as well. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are not trained to let our wives/husbands and girl/boy friends in to the "Dark Places". No one ever explained to me the PTSD manual. Hell, we hardly ever asked for help when we know things are not right.
It was reported that my Battalion had a 60% divorce rate upon return. How many marriages ended? Boyfriends / girlfriends broke up? How many kids are learning about "custody", "child support", and "Weekends"? I don't have these answers folks. I just don't know.
How many deployments have you survived? How has PTSD affected your family? What are your IED's of life? Thanks for sharing.
Mike
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Currently on deployment # 9, dammit! We have definitely had our trying times where I didn't think or want to be a "lady in waiting" anymore, but he is my heart. I have to have my heart to live and he is what keeps me strong and able to push through and raise our small kids by myself year after year. Since 2001, telling me, "only a few more years." Ha! With his type of work, never. I've just grown accustomed to being alone alot. It sucks hardcore sometimes though. Some days I don't think I can do it, but Im too hardheaded and in love with him to quit him. He hasn't quit me, he's too good to me, and we work through everything together. Astonishingly, we've made it so far =)
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