Living with an OIF Veteren

[angelak]

Living with an OIF Veteren
OIF. Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(Do I scoff at the title? Someone thought it was clever.)
I have had a few experiences that are pretty eye opening. Most people are too busy living their daily lives to think about what that is. Not that this is a bad thing...

3AM a car backfires in the neighborhood.
I'm quickly being instructed to get down behind the edge of the bed.
I live in a moment of reliving someone else's reality.
Loud booms really never become the same if you've lived in a combat zone, I think.

Do I question whether he is telling the VA the truth about PTSD? No. Not so much.
Being energetically sensitive and getting a direct feed of PTSD is pretty intense. Just saying.
Heart rate speeding, muscle tensing, mind alerting.

Even at home, safety feels different when they come home.

All the same -
He thanks me for trusting him and listening to him, even at 3AM and it's a car backfiring in the neighborhood.

-Angela

Comments

How often do modern cars backfire?

[princekermit.livejournal.com]

You are a good woman.
He's lucky to have you.

Did you ever hear the story of Cyn & I?
When we first started dating, we were walking from Edge to the QFC. As we were crossing the street, we heard a loud noise. It was Cap Hill on a Friday, so it could've been a car backfiring or it could've been a gunshot.
I was in the Navy. My first reaction is: Grab her, throw her down and cover her with my body.
She's from the mean streets of Boston. Her reaction is: Grab me, throw me down and cover me with her body.

We slammed skulls and staggered out of the street, laughing.

Re: How often do modern cars backfire?

[ithisia.livejournal.com]

lol. That is funny!

-Angela

Re: How often do modern cars backfire?

[ithisia.livejournal.com]

Even worse, how often do old cars appear in wealthy areas like my town? :P

But ... jeah.

-Angela

Re: How often do modern cars backfire?

[clayshaper.livejournal.com]

*LAUGHS* Oh gawd...

[empressmiaka.livejournal.com]

I was about to laugh about this, but that is pretty life changing.

Combo

[ithisia.livejournal.com]

It really is a combination of funny and a bit sad too.
I mean, I can see the humor in it, and he's a pretty humorous dude in general.

In the moment it's worse than looking back, I'd say.

-Angela

[jenk]

Reading Doonesbury this week?

[clayshaper.livejournal.com]

Yah, PTSD is like... a whole 'nother reality. :/ It doesn't matter where you got it, or how it manifests, that's a classic kind of PTSD moment- that being back in it kind of thing... defcon 4, as they say. :/ aaaarrgh.

He's so lucky that you are there for him, and understand and love him. :) You rock.

[nobodyberry.livejournal.com]

That is pretty mind-blowing, actually.

But not so surprising in a country where we send 'em off to war as soon as we can.