Funniest Anger Moment

[Toria]

Hi Jimmy - hmmm, I'll remember the rice / sugar thing next time!

Things seem very different for you therapy-wise. In the UK (on the National Health Service) you get 8 therapy sessions and that's your lot. Because he spent those 8 trying to explain to his therapist what he did in the Army and how the Army works, they gave him another 8 sessions - but that was all and they finished a year ago. He was on a waiting list for 3 years just to get those!

He goes every 6 months for 10 minutes just to check in - they ask him if he drinks (yes), if he smokes (no), if he wants to kill himself (no), and does he want any drugs (no). Then that's it for another 6 months.

Perhaps emigrating to Australia would be a good idea!

 

[Jimmy1]

By the way UK Wife, do you have a name, or would you prefer UKW, or have you already used your name on another post and I have forgotten. lol.

You see, we have a lot of different agencies over here, and you might as well.

Our VA, or DVA, only pay for a trip to the psychiatrist once every three months or so. He asks whether I have been drinking, drugs, suicide, etc. Its a 15 min appointment approx.

But we have another agency. It used to be called the the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service, VVCS, but they changed it to Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service. I would be surprised if you don't have one over there?? They are the one who provide my therapy sessions based on how my head is going.

Then we have the Mater PTSD Unit. Its supported by the Mater Hospital. They run PTSD courses, as well as other mood disorder courses for serving, ex serving and even other emergency services. DVA will fund people to go their too.

Try ringing the SPVA over there. Or have you already tried that. I just googled it.

Jimmy

 

[Nate1]

One night we were sitting at the dinner table and the person next door slamed her trunk sending me under the table. Well the kids got a great laugh at it but I came up yelling that it wasn't funny and that i could of died if I didn't take cover. When I snapped back I had to explain to the kids what sort happens when dad hears things like that and said I was very sorry for what I had done. When I jump at the bangs or when they scare me they always laugh and I have learned to take a couple of deep breaths, then laugh along with them.

Lots of good times when people set of fire works around our small town.

Nate

 

[Toria]

Hi Jimmy - I'm so sorry - I'm Sarah!

We have Combat Stress over here, but they're a charity (I think) and can only offer very limited time and help. He could have a one week residential placement every 18 months, but it involves so much sitting around that it seems to make him worse. They were trying to set up local groups once a month, but they were cancelled in our area due to poor attendance. :rolleyes:

He was very unsettled when his therapy was cancelled last time - he'd put so much effort in to explaining everything that I think the thought of having to start all over and explaining everything again might be a bit too much.

Thank you very much for the SPVA tip - but they are a NIGHTMARE! He has tendinitis in both shoulders (he was REME and spent a lot of time working with his arms above his head - strange but true!!!!!!) and at some point will need an operation which will put him out of action for 18 months (18 months per shoulder) so was advised by the British Legion to apply for a War Pension (disability pension) whilst he was in the middle of applying for this he collapsed and was diagnosed with PTSD. The SPVA being what it is, you can only make one claim in your lifetime - so he had to add PTSD on there and then even though he didn't know what was happening to him at the time. It took four years of fighting the SPVA through three Tribunals for them to even believe that he had it - and it was only after he started screaming at the head of the Tribunal and had to be escorted from the room that they eventually admitted that there was something wrong with him.

There must be more help out there - perhaps I'm just looking in the wrong places.

Sarah x

 

[BV101]

Sarah,
I am not sure there is to be honest. I don't get anything from the legion or combat stress as I am not ex UK forces. If the mainstream version is "computer says no" then its private sessions with a councillor who is more focused on marriage guidance, or the samaritans... or my personal fave... vodka. If you can find anything better (and I don't mean Lambrini here) give me a shout!

cheers,

A.

 

[Jimmy1]

Sarah,

I am sure there is help out there. There has to be. I will do some more checking around.
I know what your saying with regards to the VA. Ours is pretty much similar, but once you get your TPI (Totally and Permanently Incapacitated) Card, it is easier.

Since I returned from Iraq, I have had one shoulder done, that took about six weeks till I was moving it just a bit. Still today I don't have full range of movement, but each shoulder is different.

The only problem you will have will be your hubby's stubborn. I used to try and use mine before I was meant to. It was too frustrating. And our military training said nothing was too hard and to suck it up.

Jimmy

 

[Wagon]

July. 1990. My first date since being out of the military. We were at Festa Italiana in Milwaukee. They had a fire works display. My first experience since being out. I was terrified by the aerial display. But then they had something called a ground display. I did not think that was normal. I grabbed her hand and got us the hell out of there. We ended up kissing by the lake with a bottle of wine. She should have ran. She was the first one I hurt.

I also locked the keys in my car that night. Hello stress.

 

[willis williams]

We need more funnies it makes my day and night especialy when I cant sleep. TEX

 

[BV101]

Jimmy,
without being a greedy pig, if you find anything help wise for Sarah, can you pitch it out for me as well please?
thanks,
alan

 

[Jimmy1]

No probs at all mate. That is what we are here for, to help each other.

 

[BV101]

Lovely... Today we managed to have a funny moment! I was in one of those woah is me moments, for no reason really, just the world on my shoulders. The wife had been getting on my case (note to carers* she hadn't actually been getting on my case)... So we were taking child 1 to her russian school (we're a mixed nationality family)... and it was a bit cold... No problems getting there, I knew the way (it was child 1 first day). Take the car all the way she said... no said I, no spaces see... well take the navigator she said... no need its piss easy I said (I could have been recce if our army had had it)... We arrived to within say 300 metres of target with 30 minutes to kill. We got into class 1 minute late.
I got us massively lost. Resulting in my wife pointing out that I didn't know where to go, I wouldn't ask and we finished with me having some kind of mental. The wife picked up child 1, walked into class and said see you at 1 o'clock, if you can find your way back...

 

[BV101]

oh i forget the * bit... in my case, its not carer!