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From:
Subject: Re: Memories
Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2002 20:47:24 EST


Terri --

Thank you for sharing with us. And thank you for the compliment about being
such a nice bunch of folks. I hope we will always live up to that sentiment.

You are right about things not being like they seem on TV. For example,
seeing the devastation of a hurricane on TV looks bad -- but when you are
actually there and experience it up close and personal it's something you
can't really describe.

I sincerely hope things are going better for you and your husband now. Best
of luck to both of you.

Polly in NC (USA)

In a message dated 4/5/2002 8:30:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:


> That was great Sandra. I also ran into the same thing with my Dad, his
> cousin, my Uncle(Mother's side) and an Uncle on my Dad's side. The Uncle
> on
> my Dad's side Uncle Charlie, told his wife he wanted his records kept
> closed. And they have been. I know he was in WWII and the European
> Theater. That is all I know. Another uncle on my Dad's side had a man die
> in his arms and he was never the same after that. As his son told me. My
> Dad's cousin, Lester, was hit by a train and had a metal plate put in his
> head. I know nothing of my mother's brother except he was in Korea. And
> my
> Dad who used to make drill like soldiers around the house just said he was
> in Korea. He also told me he never saw combat. I have gotten my Dad's
> military records and he, well, lied. He was a combat medic. When I got
> his
> medals at that was one of them I looked up what was required to receive
> that
> medal. My Dad saw combat. My Dad saw what haunts my husband to this day
> who was in Vietnam. The things my husband has shared with me I am not sure
> I wish he had.
> Now, it is to late for me to ask my Dad to tell me. I can only image from
> the history books say and from what some vets have told me.
> Here is a story for you all. I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and
> Secondary PTSD from my husband and severe depression. This list has some
> of
> the nicest, easiest going people, not to mention you are not judgmental. I
> was placed in the psychiatric ward at the Veterans Administration. Then I
> was put into a group with all Vietnam Veterans. Some of you will not be
> able to relate to this but all I did for 4 weeks in that group was cry.
> Take the worst thing that has ever happened to you and multiple it. I
> listened to snipers, hand to hand combat, land mines, body parts, the whole
> disgusting thing. The person running the group had no idea why I was
> crying. I have never been exposed to anything like that. People from
> September 11, 2001 will have PTSD. One man said he saw a man drop to the
> ground. It is not like you see on TV. And they don't get up.
> It is hard for them to talk about it and some have buried the memories so
> deep they refuse to bring it up.
> Sorry to have ranted.
> Terri
>


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