tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.comments2022-06-06T01:08:33.459-05:00Living With War-Related Illness and InjuryMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-81020085500077237352013-01-07T16:26:28.879-06:002013-01-07T16:26:28.879-06:00Melissa,
I just happened to come across your blog...Melissa, <br />I just happened to come across your blog. I'm a mother of a young Marine. This post made me cry like a baby. I've been volunteering for a non-for-profit that helps warriors with combat PTSD and your account really hits home. <br /><br />I'm one of the few lucky ones my son hasn't been deployed yet. And I've have not for one second taken that fact for granted. I started running in combat boots to help raise money and awareness for those like yourself and your husband. I can't even imagine what life must be like for the two of you. Please remember that neither of you are ever alone. <br /><br />God bless you and your husband. Amy Cottahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03231589482698650624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-41662645175128794212012-12-22T00:01:54.931-06:002012-12-22T00:01:54.931-06:00Thank you for your support!
Torrey, thank you for...Thank you for your support!<br /><br />Torrey, thank you for all you do and for always being by my side. I was sick over writing this, but I have been inspired by you to throw it out there for the world to see. Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-78315828537701810452012-12-21T12:35:32.152-06:002012-12-21T12:35:32.152-06:00Thank you and your husband for your service. My he...Thank you and your husband for your service. My heart goes out to you and your family and thank you for sharing your true feelings. I hope it helps others.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09734842857776652498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-78070702281053965132012-12-21T12:07:32.640-06:002012-12-21T12:07:32.640-06:00There is so much I could say right now, paragraph ...There is so much I could say right now, paragraph by paragraph, nodding in agreement and saying "Me, too!" but right now I have to say how incredibly proud of you I am right now. The hardest piece I've ever written was after our CBS segment, where I bared myself for the world to see. I know how hard this was for you to share, and I couldn't agree more with this statement: <br /><br /><i>"If we're going to give our fellow caregivers a voice, we have to first be that voice in the world, and until we are ready to do so, we have no business talking about it."</i><br /><br />I love you for writing this, for doing what you do, and for being the amazing friend you are. Torrey Shannonhttp://torreyshannon.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-41966061489935858132012-09-21T00:12:41.320-05:002012-09-21T00:12:41.320-05:00Hi my name is Angie and we have a blog called The ...Hi my name is Angie and we have a blog called The Fight Continues we would love to exchange blog links with your blog if you are interested please visit our blog at http://the-fight-continues.com/ and then if you are interested you can email me at angie@the-fight-continues.comAngela Wenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00512453687898146651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-27748006851603539222012-07-07T10:20:02.508-05:002012-07-07T10:20:02.508-05:00I so understand where you are coming from. I miss ...I so understand where you are coming from. I miss all those nice little get togethers too. Not just for 4th of July. HUGSLost in the VA Purgatoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344398935240477329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-21636150776192754882012-06-14T23:52:58.939-05:002012-06-14T23:52:58.939-05:00You tell them girl, we don't do nothing more t...You tell them girl, we don't do nothing more than go shopping and spend ALL the money they are getting from the VA...lmao...people wake up...Love you...wouldn't know what to do without you sometimes :)Lost in the VA Purgatoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344398935240477329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-14381436519341378722012-05-24T13:19:29.995-05:002012-05-24T13:19:29.995-05:00So glad he finally got what is rightful his! HUGS ...So glad he finally got what is rightful his! HUGS luv ya guys!Lost in the VA Purgatoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344398935240477329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-25113753646618857292012-04-25T23:48:23.336-05:002012-04-25T23:48:23.336-05:00Thanks Torrey!! I know you of all people understa...Thanks Torrey!! I know you of all people understand. Thanks for all you do for others :)Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-25537494554182285332012-04-25T11:56:27.469-05:002012-04-25T11:56:27.469-05:00Amen, sister! I am so glad you wrote this because...Amen, sister! I am so glad you wrote this because I get this a lot too. I am busier now than when I worked more than fulltime hours outside the home. And when you consider the fact we do this as volunteers for the betterment of our wounded warrior community, no one has room to speak if they aren't doing the same (pulling all-nighters if they have to in order to keep up!). We sure as hell don't sit around eating bon-bons all day. There is real work to be done!<br /><br />Keep up the amazing work you are doing, my friend. You rock.TorreyLisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08420171746964501464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-78780104986004481192012-04-25T11:53:36.322-05:002012-04-25T11:53:36.322-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.TorreyLisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08420171746964501464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-63202435485267738332011-11-02T14:22:13.111-05:002011-11-02T14:22:13.111-05:00I love you Melissa. ♥I love you Melissa. ♥Linda Cameronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-78773144754582411252011-11-02T13:10:47.750-05:002011-11-02T13:10:47.750-05:00Aimee, Thank you for your continued support of ve...Aimee, Thank you for your continued support of veterans and caregivers. You know as well as anyone that many times all we have is each other, no matter how far apart we may be. <br /><br />:) MelissaMelissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-86524657858033375252011-10-29T10:25:23.125-05:002011-10-29T10:25:23.125-05:00I know exactly what you mean there about being lon...I know exactly what you mean there about being lonely. I feel it often enough. When my Sean is feeling alright I tend to flood him with conversation and sometimes it's about information he isn't interested in. I always appologize and tell him that I don't wish to annoy him it's just most of the time he is the only adult interaction I have and so I can't help it. I also will sit on Facebook and sometimes even Twitter seeking out other social interaction. It does make one feel desperate and pathetic and I get kind of sad when I post a status that I think people will comment on and then no one does.<br /><br />When my Sean's buddy was living nearby, he recently moved, anyway they would once in awhile get together at his buddy's place for a kind of guy's night out. I was happy for Sean to go out and do something to help distract him from his troubles and have a buddy to hang out with, but at the sametime I felt miserable that I didn't have my own person to do that with. I cried a lot during those nights and felt so bad because it would make Sean feel guilty for leaving. I would try over and over to explain to him that I was happy for him, but he couldn't see passed my tears and so it just made me feel even worse that I was ruining his rare evenings of "fun time".<br /><br />It's difficult though because we are so isolated in our positions. We either are shunned from those who don't get it or care or we become reclusive and shut ourselves off because of feeling protective of our family. Then of course when we find other people who can relate to our situations we find they are all scattered all over the place and so the distance is difficult to surpass. Then you have the support groups through the internet and many of us try and reach out to connect or vent as we need to, but then we struggle with the doubts. "Are they going to think me silly for complaining about this?" "Are they going to ignore my pleas?" "Are they going to brush off what I say because they deal with things far worse than I do?" I mean I doubt they would but as humans it's difficult to get passed those doubts sometimes.<br /><br />So, though we aren't alone we still feel lonely and starved of companionship.<br /><br />I don't feel all that confident that we will be able to not feel those things from time to time, but I know that we can find our own ways to help make some of those times more bearable and less depressing. I use mine to read because if I allow myself to escape mentally then I can feel apart of another World and it eases some of that loneliness.<br /><br />~Aimee Taylor<br />http://apatientheart.blogspot.comAimee L. Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03547422268855782265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-40039809203059221912011-09-08T21:16:23.315-05:002011-09-08T21:16:23.315-05:00You're welcome! I try to hit them all. Pleas...You're welcome! I try to hit them all. Please let me know if there are more you would recommend.Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-1728867817761278342011-09-08T20:21:11.901-05:002011-09-08T20:21:11.901-05:00Thank you for posting a link to Voice of Warriors!...Thank you for posting a link to Voice of Warriors! God bless you!Patti Khttp://www.voiceofwarriors.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-28851611014997891682011-06-27T22:24:41.016-05:002011-06-27T22:24:41.016-05:00Thanks!!!Thanks!!!Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-51424009572106560522011-06-26T11:51:29.583-05:002011-06-26T11:51:29.583-05:00That is so frustrating! The VA definitely does som...That is so frustrating! The VA definitely does some silly things! I hope it all works out!!<br /><br />I am going to go back and catch up on your post but first things first GOD BLESS YOUR HUSBAND and thank you for his service and YOUR service to our country.<br /><br />Found you through the HUN.<br /><br />xoxo, <br />Amanda<br />http://alittlechangesalot.blogspot.comAmandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16319894664733622852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-28794553638988478912011-06-22T23:43:07.267-05:002011-06-22T23:43:07.267-05:00I believe so! It blows my mind that these circums...I believe so! It blows my mind that these circumstances become hard-wired even when we know logically that it is different. Guess that's what makes PTSD so difficult.Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17124861337788001450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-75884017984110937402011-06-22T23:39:09.367-05:002011-06-22T23:39:09.367-05:00I know what you mean. I am "tender" li...I know what you mean. I am "tender" like that about a lot of things surrounding Zane . . . and our situation is much much less traumatic than yours. <br /><br />I am also feeling it about going back to the same pool where the lifeguards nearly allowed Gabi to drown while they literally just sat and stared into space. <br /><br />Our bodies and minds remember those triggers. I dont' know how to get rid of that . . . is that what therapy is for? <br /><br />NatalieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-684401744638694842011-05-29T12:52:16.844-05:002011-05-29T12:52:16.844-05:00This is so wonderful for Sean. He has so much to ...This is so wonderful for Sean. He has so much to offer others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-16294489813961642112011-05-19T18:47:20.137-05:002011-05-19T18:47:20.137-05:00I am praying and keeping my fingers crossed for th...I am praying and keeping my fingers crossed for this one.Linda J Cameronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-87126784393256784652011-05-19T18:41:20.032-05:002011-05-19T18:41:20.032-05:00My heart just aches for you. I wish I could just ...My heart just aches for you. I wish I could just wave my magic wand and make it all better.Linda J Cameronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-29227253744085245602011-05-19T17:37:04.287-05:002011-05-19T17:37:04.287-05:00I agree that I think It should be open to Veteran&...I agree that I think It should be open to Veteran's as well. There are so few programs that do a full workup like you have mentioned above. I know my husband has had very limited care and there is no place in the VA system that I know of that does anything like this. I wish they would open it up for Veterans as well.spouseofawoundedvethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02230045701827601743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7264591240817036428.post-60464563646346656092011-05-19T16:30:06.068-05:002011-05-19T16:30:06.068-05:00Sadly, my husband encountered this as well before ...Sadly, my husband encountered this as well before he finally obtained his hand cycle. Don't give up - it's worth the wait. Also, keep in mind that organizations like Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride do not require you to own your own bike. They can provide a loaner for the ride. Hugs!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com