Fathers' Day

This is off-topic, but sometimes things just beg to be shared. This is one of them.

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Today is Fathers’ Day. Three years ago Tuesday (actually June 22) our son took his own life. He was career U.S. Coast Guard, and had nearly achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer.

He had been dealing with pain a good share of his Coast Guard career. He put as good a face on it as possible; especially for the sake of his mother and his two sons.

The V.A. would not diagnose him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since he had never been in battle he couldn’t have it. They were wrong. He had seen things while on duty that no person should have to see, and no one would want to hear described. I read it in a long, rambling e-mail to no one in particular. I somewhat understood what he had gone through.

Charlie attempted suicide at least twice previous. It was one way to be sure that he could get some mental health care. He knew that it had a chance of working, but they wouldn’t let him put enough time into it for it to do any lasting good.

Finally, he was too sick to really think about anyone or anything but his pain. He found a way to end it all and did so.

2009 was not a good year, and every Mother’s Day, Fathers’ Day, Thanksgiving, birthday, and Christmas, is a very hard time to get through. But, somehow we do.

We have loving friends who know “that time of year” and are there to encourage us. Those are our true friends.

I don’t usually ramble or open up like this here, but today is Fathers’ Day!

And it’s been three years!

 

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• Predicting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Before It Happens (eurasiareview.com)