Beyond PTSD Introductions - Who Are You?

[grace5555]

:hello:Hi, Terri - pleased to "meet" you.

 

[Auburngirl]

Hi I'm a researcher and I live in Canada. I'm not married, no kids but would love both at some point in the future.

I've repainted my childhood as happy, though it was a bit bumpier than that in reality. Although I was never diagnosed I think I probably was depressed, and certainly had suicidal preoccupations! Although my parents didn't know the latter, I'm thankful for them, when I had doubts I never doubted that they loved me, and I think that made a world of difference. In any case, I survived and by the end of secondary school was happy with myself and my life.

Ten or so years later I had a string of traumas, armed robbery, multiple sexual assaults, and a few things I still don't have words for. I thought I got through everything unscathed because I was physically unharmed, I realise now that I am 'scathed' after all, just in a different way.

Getting better is a real priority for me. I love my life and I want to be back fully in it! I love being involved in my community and it's been hard for me to find myself so restricted in terms of what I am able to do, how much rest I need, how long it takes me to do things, how many things upset me. I also feel like there is a barrier between me and other people that I long to tear down.

This is a longer battle that I expected but I have to believe I'm going to win this one.

 

[Jet]

My name is Jackie and I am 37 years old. I grew up in Washington State (Seattle). I never went far from here until 97 when I moved to Michigan. I moved back in 03 and was suprised at how much I missed home.

My father died when I was 10 (bedridden as long as I knew him), my mother was an alcoholic/drug addict who also suffered from PTSD. Childhood was not very pleasant.

I have 4 amazing kids - my son who is almost 20 (good lord where did the years go - he was a baby last week) lives with his dad in Colorado. My girls who are 13, 11, and 10 live in Michigan with their adoptive family.

I have been in 3 abusive relationships which cost me everything that most people would consider important (my girls being at the top of the list). I don't plan on ever walking that path again.

I am currently dating a wonderful man. We started out as roommates and somewhere along the line fell in love. No quite sure how that happened but I feel like I have been blessed by the Goddess herself. We share our apt with one dog (Jerron aka Bear ), four ferrets (Luna, Monster, Smokey and The Bandit) and a boa constrictor (Jazz).

We are hoping to move into a rental house when our lease is up in July and then in maybe a year find some little piece of land and buy. I am not much fond of the city and dream of some little house out of town.

I love to read (books were my safe place when I was a kid) and gardening is a great joy. I love the Earth and when I put my hands in the dirt I can feel all life that came before and all that will come.

I would love to go back to school although I have no idea what it would be for. I have taken care of others for as long as I can remember and somewhere along the line lost most of my dreams. But the time will come.

I need to exorcise more and eat better...

Well that is about all I can think of right now. Maybe something else will come to me later.

P.S. Teri I am in Redmond and my boyfriend grew up in Snohomish...we are practically neighbors.

 

[nor]

I love this thread! Eventually, I will contribute too-just need some time. But it is wonderful meeting all of you!

nor

 

[Cecilia]

Hi, my name is not Cecilia, but paranoid of posting my real name on a public board. And Cecilia was a wonderul Saint, which I am not, but aspire to attain some saintly qualities. I'm a mother of 3 beautiful children and the wife of a wonderful husband.

My hobbies consist of yoga, pilates, reading, sailing and just about anything outdoors.

I love sewing and making crafts to make my house or baby girl beautiful.

I love volunteering at my church as a CCD teacher, adorer and anywhere else I can comfortably fil a need.

My life is very full and I am generally very happy (as long as I take meds for depression and anxiety, which I have taken for many years).

The one thing I struggle with greatly is employment. It is time to find a job and that is very difficult for me.

I do have some difficulties, but if I were to make a list, I am sure the good things in my life outweigh the bad. I am very blessed.

 

[Cecilia]

Gee!! I forgot my cats again!!! I have 3 beautiful cats: One solid black, one solid white and one siamese. They are beautiful and bring so much joy to my home!!

 

[Lucky Laser]

Hi there! Like Cecilia, I'm paranoid about posting my real name so I'll just leave it at ~L~. I'm 27, born and raised in Indiana, and have just started my third year in medical school (the clinical stuff, yay!). I chose my screen name Lucky Laser because when I was trying to think of a new one, my Dad was talking about lasers AND I had just told my best friend that I felt like the luckiest person alive to have him in my life.

My hobbies include traveling, learning about other cultures, working with computers, video editing, cooking (I'm currently on a quest to make the ultimate fried rice), video games, roller blading, singing, and seeking new things to try.

I have struggled on and off with depression and anxiety... not too horribly bad but enough to make me want to do something about it. Being in the medical field, I feel that there are always options and nobody should have to go through life feeling poorly. I've never been diagnosed with anything other than "mild situational depression" but I do think there might be more going on based on a few of my difficulties.

Cecilia: I love cats! ♥

 

[shadowmedic]

shadowmedic

hello all-
i am a 33 year old, married united states soldier. i have two children whom are my pride and joy. i work as a combat medic for the army and have been through two tours to iraq and currently facing a third. i have been in the military a little over 5 years and it has been a long love/hate relationship. i plan on getting out after this deployment, (if i make it out of there), and go back to my home state of indiana to pursue a nursing degree in emergency medicine. after that, i plan to get a job close to the indianapolis area.
my logon name is derived from a concept of being a "shadow" of the man i once was before i joined up for being a medic. america's wars has cost me dearly with scars that only the trained eye can see. i hope to change that one day and be an overcomer.
"heal thy self physician..."

 

[Nicolette]

Cecilia, Lucky Laser & Shadowmedic - nice to read about you. I like that you all have positive attitudes. Good luck with your journey.

 

[Lucky Laser]

...back to my home state of indiana to pursue a nursing degree in emergency medicine. after that, i plan to get a job close to the indianapolis area.

Yeahhh, Indianapolis! I moved here last year from the northern part of the state and I love this city. I wouldn't know it was you, but maybe we'll cross paths in one of the many ERs here. :hello:

 

[sallyb98178]

I am 53, single woman. Was involved with an emotional abuser for 12 yrs, but single for the last 12. She had a son that I helped raise, but I have no children of my own. Live where I grew up - in the seattle-Tacoma area. I am employed full time,but am not sure for how long. Tend to have angry outbursts at work related to isolation, belittleing and general chaos. I am a business manager/accountant, so things that don't make sense make me nuts. When it starts happening, I try to get out of the situation, but moving to someplace else allows me to uncork and it is never in private. I lose all control over what I say or do. I don't get violent - except maybe slamming doors. After blowing up, I cry. I weep. I bawl, I want to take it all back and never let it happen again, but I know it will.

 

[pandora]

I am a 36 year old registered nurse.
I have a son with aspergers, tourettes and ocd bad as well as a sleep disorder and asthma.
I take care of him ALL on my own...he is my reason for living.
I have saved lives.....my mothers twice.
I have saved lives in the hospital...went right over the emerg doctors head when I knew a patient was dying and I got him the help he deserved he would have died of an aneurysm...caught him right it time...they finally air ambulanced him after I called every code in the hospital....I knew we needed help.
I have also saved a man on the beach....gave him cpr..he survived was supposed to pick up a human award but I never picked it up...was in the paper and in the news.
I have been on my own since 15...put myself through nursing school all on my own. At that time there were no positions out of the approx 100 students that graduated..I was the youngest in our class and i was one of three to get a job in the niagara area....very hard 14 years ago.

I taught the personal support worker program in edmonton.....I had a REALLY good job.

I was a palliative care nurse....I have watched too many people to count.I mean actual last breathes.then I went into supervision....like 48 PSW's and nurses, other RN's that I was the supervisor to.......why if this is all so positive do i feel so sad......it seems like another lifetime....I was happy then. i need to learn to feel happy with the cards I have been given now thats is pretty tough because things are really awful right now. Focus on the positive...it is hard to grieve this while grieving so many other things like my failing health now......anyway that is me.