15 October 2011 MST does not happen in a vacuum

If it was just the PTSD from MST that I had to deal with on a daily basis, I might be able to do that without any problem; however, nothing happens in a vacuum. The military not only gave me the MST and all the symptoms of PTSD, but also toss in a little PTSD from combat, some unknown illnesses from the Gulf War, a few head injuries and other injuries. My health is terrible compared to before I entered the military. When I was young I did not have the usual illnesses, I did not have chicken pocks, I did not get measles, I actually remember only being sick once. I did have an ear drum rupture from pressure after swimming and getting some foreign object lodged into my ear, but I had not know what a headache was. I was a "late bloomer" and did not have PMS or even really cramps. I felt fine, and although my childhood was not some after school special, I was excited about life, about the possibilities of my life.

But with all the other illnesses that I now have just seriously is annoying. I get migraines, headaches, the gamete of illnesses with are listed with Gulf War Syndrome and  back pain, neck pain, knee pain. At times I feel as though my body is 40 years older than it should be. As I increase in age and normal age related issues come up, I have already been dealing with them for 20 years, so now it's something more than just the normal age related issues.

I have a problem with concentration, and memory, to a level that I cannot do a lot of things because I will forget that i am doing them. I have forgotten that i was cooking something, until the alarm goes off. i have left the water running almost everywhere in the house. I forget to take my medications on a daily basis and cannot recall at times if I actually did take them. I have woken up, looked over to my sleeping husband and freaked out wondering who in the heck is he. I have been lost from the house many times (I like the gps, it gets me home). On top of it all I used to have a great memory. I could recall serious detail. Not a photographic memory but a really good memory. I could tell a person where we met, when we met, what they were wearing, what the conversation was, and so many other details. I used that memory to my advantage in the military in Law Enforcement.

So when thinking about the issue of PTSD and a friend, or yourself, know that you are the sum of your experiences and that almost means that along with one mental illness you can have so much more from your military service, something that many non-veterans would not understand, especially when it comes to illnesses from exposure to toxic substances (including medications the military ordered you to take). Strange illnesses which many doctor look at you with the "it's in your head" look because there does not seem to be any reason for the symptoms.