Military 4 Corners Episode On Combat Ptsd

[Sighs]

Available to view on the Four Corners website until 6 April.

Dr Andrew Khoo quote "We are really sh*t at taking a warrior and turning them back into a human."

 

[anthony]

Are you talking about http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2015/03/09/4191681.htm

 

[anthony]

The depressing thing about watching that, is knowing how many are suffering and there isn't a great deal any one person can do about it. It just sucks...

 

[holdenmonty]

To me it looks like a problem that every country that has a big impact on the number of military individuals in the "sandbox" is having this problem. To me it seems like anybody that says being at war has no effect on them is a liar. I don't know how anybody can see what we have seen without being impacted by it.

 

[Sighs]

As some of you know from another thread, my vet saw a new physiotherapist yesterday. Because we had an issue getting a referral so DVA would pay for it the physio knew my man was a vet. After the usual greeting and a bit of a chat about the back pain, the physio gets my vet to lie face down on the table and starts working on his back. And then says "So... how long did you serve?". My vet says 25 years. Physio says "Did you go anywhere?". My vet reels off the list. And BAM - the next question is "Did you get PTSD?

Um... I'm sorry? This is relevant how? If medically relevant why not discussed sitting face to face before starting treatment?

My vet simply said yes and the physio stammered something about seeing the 4 Corners episode. My vet told him it was very accurate.

Part of me says YAY - we are raising awareness! Part of me says - you nosy f*cker! How dare you ask such a personal question when my vet was in a physically vulnerable position.

Sigh!

PS - I can't imagine going to a physio for back pain due to carrying toddlers around on one hip and being asked if I got post-natal depression after said toddlers were born...

 

[anthony]

You could say nosy, or you could say, very clever way to get him talking about potential issues which will affect the way the physio treats him. Having PTSD is something treating physicians should know... and being relaxed whilst massaged is a good time to ask, IMHO.

Is it really up to you to decide what is, and is not, nosy for your partner? If he didn't want to answer, he wouldn't. He did though... and obviously the treatment went well, regardless of your personal feelings.

 

[Sighs]

@anthony - I thought my post made my mixed feelings pretty clear. I certainly never said it was up to me to decide anything for my partner. I said I felt it was nosy.

In my view if the physio felt it was relevant to treatment it should have been discussed before treatment started. I know how vulnerable my vet feels when he is lying face down. Gynecologists don't wait til you have your legs in the stirrups before they ask you about how your births went.

By the next day my vet was absolutely furious about it. (It often takes him several hours to figure out how he feels about something.) He telephoned the physio and basically said to him "If you want to have a personal conversation with me you do it face to face looking into my eyes. Not when I am lying face down." The physio admitted it was inappropriate and apologised and they are going to continue working on his back. So fingers crossed it helps.