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A casualty far from the battlefield
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...My local paper is doing a series on PTSD, and thought I would include it here... Front page, and the main headline, maybe good, maybe not, but it will open a lot of eyes in the civilian population that is unaware,... By KATE GURNETT, Staff writer Click byline for more stories by writer. First published: Monday, November 13, 2006 Clifton Park-- Last month, Jeanne "Linda" Michel came home from Iraq. Back in the suburbs, she tried to feel normal. She'd been homesick for months. She couldn't wait to see her kids, ages 11, 5 and 4. Between her husband's deployment and her own, the children had been with just one parent for nearly three years. She was 33, with a bright smile and stubborn determination. Reuniting should be easy. In another month, she'd be discharged from the Navy after five years of service. "She had come through a lot and she had always risen to challenges," her husband, Frantz Michel, said last week. What her family didn't see, and what she herself may not have realized, was the enormity of what she faced. Like thousands of others returning from Iraq, her mental state was fractured. And it went untreated. Within two weeks, Linda Michel would become a private casualty of war. Re-entry into the world of peace can be harder than deployment, experts say. Picking up where you left off doesn't just happen. Husbands and wives report feeling like strangers to each other at first, according to Military OneSource, a support Web site for military families. "Family roles, rituals, dynamics have changed," said Helena Davis, deputy director of the Mental Health Association in New York State. "And the vet has changed. Bonds have been fractured and need to be re-established." Linda Michel was no exception. A self-sufficient medic known to help others, she was uncomfortable asking for that help for herself. But treatment and self-care are critical for returnees, Davis said. Without it, "the anxiety keeps them spiraling down." Some turn to alcohol, drugs or domestic violence. Or, Davis said, "they hurt themselves." August, three veterans in New York's Adirondack region committed suicide within three weeks, Davis told a recent gathering of mental health professionals. And the third American female to die in Iraq, Army interpreter Spc. Alyssa Peterson, 27, of Flagstaff, Ariz., shot herself with her service weapon. A devout Mormon and Arabic interpreter, Peterson had objected to U.S. techniques after just two days of participating in interrogations. Women experience stronger forms of post-traumatic stress disorder and have higher PTSD rates, experts say. In response, the Veterans Affairs Department launched a $6 million study of female veterans. Seeking treatment -- seen by some as a weakness -- may be even tougher for women, who still feel the need to prove themselves to men in military service. In Iraq, female troops experience attacks, mortar fire and critical injuries such as amputation. And, women soldiers also are more at risk for sexual assaults, up 40 percent in combat zones from last year, Davis said. Camp Bucca, the U.S.-run military prison where Michel was stationed, was investigated after a female mud-wrestling match was staged there. Two weeks after she got home to Clifton Park, Linda Michel shot herself to death, stunning her colleagues and family. Like many women who are assigned to Iraq, Linda Michel wanted to serve. She grew up in Montreal, with her parents and five sisters. In the states, she married Frantz Michel, a native of Haiti who grew up in Rockland County and became a State Police investigator. They had three children, two boys and a girl, and lived in a quiet Clifton Park development dotted with kids' bicycles and basketball hoops. By 2004, Frantz, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard, was serving in Iraq with the 42nd Infantry Division. Linda had joined the Navy in 2001. "It was the best fit for her," Frantz said. It meant they likely wouldn't be deployed together. And her chances of being assigned to a combat zone were slim. When Linda was called up in 2005, she didn't want a deferment. "She felt she needed to do it," Frantz said. "So I couldn't stop her." What she hadn't expected was a shortage of Army personnel that forced Navy and Air Force members into land-based and combat areas. Linda went to Camp Bucca in southern Iraq, the largest U.S. military prison there and the site of a 2005 riot that saw four prisoners killed by guards. Inevitably dubbed "Doc" by her patients, she worked hard "doing her part to accomplish a mission many people said the Navy could not do," Rob Hallmark of Virginia Beach, Va., wrote in her on-line memorial guest book. "She was always a bright shining light in such a dark, dark place." "She was more than 'Just in the Navy' or just a 'Corpsman' or 'Sailor,' she was there for us," added Linda's Camp Bucca roommate, Tammy Cartwright, of Anchorage, Alaska. "She was the one that helped me get out of bed every morning when all I wanted to do was give up and go home." But in private, Michel faced demons. She saw a Navy doctor and was diagnosed with depression. The doctor prescribed Paxil. Frantz Michel knew his wife's days were long and grueling. But he didn't know about the Paxil. Studies have linked Paxil to adverse effects, including suicide, sparking an FDA warning in May. When Linda came home, the Navy discontinued her medication. Again, Frantz Michel wasn't told. "I just wish the Navy would have done some more follow-up, instead of just letting her come home," said Frantz, who is on the division staff of the Army National Guard. "If somebody needs Paxil in a combat zone, then that's not the place for them to be. You either send them to a hospital or you send them home and then make sure that the family members know and that they get follow-up care." Talking his way up the Navy's chain of command, Frantz sought answers. "Why wasn't she sent to a facility to resolve the issues? Not keep her in Iraq and give her some antidepressant medication and then just send her home. So those are the answers that I don't have. Which makes me a little angry because I know what is supposed to occur." Duty Officer Chris Pratt of the Navy Operational Support Center in Albany could not be reached for comment Friday, a holiday. Linda Michel's suicide drew pages of on-line condolences, from California to Iraq. rising demands for counseling from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. A 2005 Government Accountability Office study called services inadequate. Lots of resources for vets aren't utilized, Davis said. Often, veterans don't retain what they hear during two-day stateside demobilization sessions. "They don't have the focus. All they want to do is get home." Health care visits every four to six weeks aren't enough, she said. Frantz Michel wishes the Navy hadn't cleared his wife for re-entry, or left her alone to withdraw from Paxil. "You look (back) at things," he said last week. "I just wish that I had more information." Linda Michel was given a full military funeral Oct. 23 and buried in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. Friends donated to a fund for the Michels' three children. Shortly before she died, Linda attended a Navy weekend drill. Fellow reservist Robert Stanziano saw her there, and waved, but never got a chance to talk. When she was mobilized "we were extremely proud ... and sent them care packages from time to time," he wrote in her memorial guest book. "We couldn't wait for them to return. Now she is gone and I'll never get the chance to ask her how it was over there. "She was a great sailor, soldier, hospital corpsman, mom and a great woman of war for our country," he wrote in her memorial guest book. "Shipmate, I never had a chance to say this to you. Well done! Goodbye and farewell shipmate, you will be dearly missed." Expert advice for returning vets: * Go easy on yourself and loved ones who are traumatized. * Take things one day at a time. * Remember: Everyone has bad days. * Make yourself connect with people you care about. * Keep your life as simple as possible. Rest when you can. * Stay away from alcohol and caffeine to manage moods. * Try to eat balanced meals. * Take time to play with your children. * Anniversaries, birthdays and holidays will be more difficult than other days. Plan ahead for how you can make them easier. Expect your children to act out. Give them extra support. This will pass. * If you need support, ask for it. Family members and neighbors can help. You can coach them in what you need. * We may not share your experience, but we do care. Sources: Courtesy of Helena Davis, Mental Health Association in New York State What combat vets want families and friends to know about living with PTSD: * Give me space when I need to be alone -- don't overwhelm me with questions. I'll come and talk to you when I'm ready. * Get away from me if I am out of control, threatening or violent. * Be patient with me, especially when I'm irritable. * Don't personalize my behavior when I explode or get quiet. * Learn and rehearse a time-out process. * Don't patronize me or tell me what to do. Treat me with respect and include me in conversations and decision making. * Don't pity me. * Don't say "I understand" when there are some things that you cannot understand. * Realize that I have unpredictable highs and lows, good and bad days. * Anticipate my anniversary dates -- recognize that these could be tough times. * I'd like to share my traumatic experiences with you, but I fear overwhelming you and losing you. * I want to be close to you and share my feelings, but I'm afraid to -- and sometimes I don't know how to express my emotions. * I also fear your judgment. * Know that I still love and care about you, even if I act like a jerk sometimes. * Don't ask me to go to crowded or noisy places because I'm uncomfortable in those settings. Sources: Courtesy of Vietnam combat vets and the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center There is hopeResources for veterans and their families. BOOKS "Courage After Fire: Coping Strategies for Returning Soldiers and Their Families," by Keith Armstrong, Suzanne Best and Paula Domenici (2006). "Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families," by Karen M. Pavlicin (2003). "Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of War and Terrorism," by Annette M. LaGreca. Available for download at http://www.7-dippity.com/other/UWA_war_book.pdf WEB SITES National Center for PTSD at http://www.ncptsd.va.gov S.A.F.E. Program. Support and Family Education: Mental Health Facts for Families. An 18-session curriculum on PTSD. at http://w3.ouhsc.edu/ Safeprogram "When the Letdown Doesn't Let Up" and "How to Get Back to 'Normal' " by the National Mental Health Association at http://www.nmha.org/reunions/infoBacktoNormal.cfm FOR KIDS Deployment Kids at http://www.deploymentkids.com Operation Purple. Free summer camps for military kids, through National Military Family Association at http://www. operationpurple.com "Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment." Sesame Street DVD, free to active duty personnel through Military OneSource -- (800) 342-9647 -- or at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc Kate Gurnett can be reached at 454-5490 or by e-mail at kgurnett@timesunion.com. ...
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"Let me tell you a story" ..."Have I got a story for you!" Tom "ANDY" Andrzejczyk ... |
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#2
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Curtis
You'e absolutely right my friend.
This will surely "open a few eyes". The post script information should be very helpful to all concerned and/or affected by this terrible disease. Thanks for posting it.
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Gimpy "MUD GRUNT/RIVERINE" "I ain't no fortunate son"--CCR "We have shared the incommunicable experience of war..........We have felt - we still feel - the passion of life to its top.........In our youth our hearts were touched with fire" Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. |
#3
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In Vietnam some of the woman were not frequently exposed to combat, so their stressers were different from ours. In Iraq the women and men see some sort of combat, or the results of it on a daily basis. The women now also have to deal with the combat stresser.
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If your going to suceed your going to have to know how to deal with failure. (Joe Torre). |
#4
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thoughts,...
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...I don't think these "kids" are, or were ready for the future that's upon them now, and by that I mean the struggles of growing up just were not there as it was when we were the children, most of you guys dealt with aftermath of WWII, and the Korean "conflict' , and parents that drew the line with behavior, and discipline etc, I grew up with Vietnam while you were there, and watched this country fight there, and here,and the lines were clearly drawn then, it was the fight them there, or here mentality, then if you mouthed back to your parents, you ended up picking yourself up out of a corner, and not wondering how you got there, now days, it's ,............ ...with this generation of X box's, and playstation, comming from the gimme generation, and BOTH """parents """ are boxed in a cube all day henpecking at a computer instead of being there from the start of the day, and having latch key kids coming home with no direction of what I would call "daily morals" you know the ones like your room BETTER be clean, and your Chores BETTER be done, and , and , and your day was scheduled, and you knew you better not screw up, or you'd get your ass kicked,... ... not attributing this woman's demise to anything lacking of sorts, just stating that "there not ready for the conflict set before them because they were not fully educated on the total picture of what ""might"" come about,... ...I was shown a set of books from my Father called "the pictorial history of WWII", which I still have, and the actual photos of it made the hair on my neck stand up, and I knew about the "possible evils" that lurked in the world I did not know before, these kids have joined the military for the educational benefits, etc, and not really expecting to see the other side of the coin,... ...the downside is war is high tech now, and the rats are bigger, faster, meaner, and then oop's, who are they, where are they, they don't wear uniforms they look like everyone else out there in the world in the war their fighting, and then their "home sweet home", can't adjust after what they have seen, and done, uncle snuffy too busy to really debrief them, so their fodder,... ... ...
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"Let me tell you a story" ..."Have I got a story for you!" Tom "ANDY" Andrzejczyk ... |
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CFS (also CFIDS, FM) have depression & suicidal tendencies as part
and which I suspect are all caused from BUTYL exposure
study of those with CFS diagnosis & depression/ suicidal tendencies Conclusion It is important for clinicians to assess depression and suicidal ideation among their patients with CFS, particularly among females, those reporting moderate to severe pain, low incomes and inadequate social support. A Family Practice reprint 10-3-08 Introduction Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder diagnosed following at least 6 months of disabling, unexplained mental and physical fatigue accompanied by other physical and psychological symptoms.1,2 Common physical symptoms reported by patients include gastrointestinal problems, headaches, muscle and joint pain; typical psychological symptoms include impaired memory or concentration,2,3 rendering clinical identification of CFS challenging for many GPs.4,5 Estimated prevalence rates for CFS among adults range from 0.23% to 2% of the total population.6-8 Average age at onset is between 29 and 35 years. Females account for at least 75% of CFS patients.2 In a random community sample, individuals with CFS were predominantly from lower socio-economic classes.3,9 Almost half of CFS patients were unemployed due to illness constraints, while many who remained employed had modified their work schedules since diagnosis.2,10 The symptoms of CFS often leave individuals disconnected from family, friends and personal interests.3,10. It has been hypothesized that the unpredictability of day-to-day energy levels may result in individuals with CFS intentionally restricting their scheduled social engagements to avoid disappointing friends and family.11 CFS patients have inordinately high rates of depression. Clinical samples indicate that between 35%12 and 46%13 suffer from depression. In Taylor et al.'s9 community sample, one in three individuals with CFS had a current mood disorder. Fatiguing illnesses, such as CFS, have been linked with reactive depression due to illness-imposed limitations. Among a clinical sample of individuals with CFS, patients concurrently suffering from depression were found to have significantly worse outcomes, such as more severe symptoms and unemployment, than those without depression14; these individuals are also more likely to be female and poorer.9 Due to a lack of literature specifically focused on CFS and depression, we turned to studies of depression in individuals with other chronic illnesses [e.g. arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)]. Depressed individuals with other chronic illnesses were at a disadvantage to the non-depressed with these diseases with respect to poorer quality of life,15-17 lower levels of life satisfaction18 and increased risk of suicide.17,19 Studies on other chronic health conditions also suggest that depression is associated with food insecurity,20 younger age,21,22 higher education20 and not being an immigrant.20 Lower levels of social support,10,22 in general, and being without a marital partner,20 in particular, have been associated with depression among those with chronic illnesses. Studies involving clinical samples of individuals with MS,23 SLE24 and arthritis22 found that depression scores were higher among those reporting bodily pain. There appeared to be interaction effect between pain and self-esteem,25-27 as well as pain and social supports.20 Depression was also higher among individuals with chronic illnesses who reported limitations in their activities of daily living (ADL).22 Depression among those with chronic illnesses is associated with a greatly elevated risk of suicidal ideation.20 Among community samples of individuals with CFS, health-care usage is substantially higher than the general population.28,29 The single greatest cost of care for individuals with CFS stems from an average of 18 visits to GPs and specialists, in addition to 14 visits to non-physician practitioners28; an equivalent of $9.1 billion (US)30 per year. Using a Canadian nationally representative sample of individuals reporting that they had been diagnosed with CFS by a health professional, we have investigated four research questions: 1. (i) What is the national prevalence of depression among those who report they have CFS? 2. (ii) What demographic (e.g. gender, age, education and income), intrapsychic (e.g. self-esteem and mastery), interpersonal (e.g. social support) and health-related characteristics (e.g. level of pain,self-reported health and number of other chronic conditions) are associated with depression among individuals with CFS? 3. (iii) What is the prevalence of use of family doctors, mental health services and antidepressants by depressed CFS patients? 4. (iv) What is the prevalence of suicidal ideation among depressed individuals with self-reported CFS?
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Look into BUTYL for CFIDS, CFS, FM & 'Military Syndromes' * An e-mail request to the CDC on Flu Symptoms Traces of blood in urine? * Diarrhea then Constipation? Seizures Fainting Dizziness * |
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Good article. I do know the Vet Centers are filling up with Iraq and Afghn vets. It is a damn shame but at least they are coming in.
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Grande Mal Seizures to Feveral Seizures to Fainting to Dizziness
There can be a component to the fatigue ... a lack of oxygen that can cause these ... that BUTYL would cause C6H14O2/CH3(CH2)2CH2OCH2CH2OH There could be other prominent cause for grand mal seizure About five years ago a military man in Afghanistan who had done over 100 parachute jumps ... was having these type of seizures. (& the pattern of CFIDS with horrible headaches, joint pain, etc). His name was Chris Pearson. I would be very surprised if he found any help & I would also be surprised if he was still alive. I spoke to him once and he told me he was a weapons Master ... he was in charge of securing the weapon cleaning compounds he thought were best after 9-11 with no restrictions. I suspect that would be one source of exposure for him. Also standing behind the planes as he boarded for parachute drops. When the plane was idling it may have misted some jet fuel in his direction. 11-23-03 "My Brother is also with the 5th group. He has practically the same symptoms as James Alford. My Brother Chris has finally gotten around to wanting to call you. Most of the time he sleeps around the clock- The VA has him drugged out of his mind and he suffers from Post War Syndrome very badly. If there were ever a study or investigation to be done- it would be how the soldier's are abused by the VA; their really needs to be a Congressional hearing on the matter. Not just my Brother, but other soldiers explain how the Military-VA uses drugs as a band aid." 2-1-06 Yes, medications can be harmful ... or could it be the unrecognized FATIGUE ... ANEMIA? Sleeping a lot? Tired? But Blood Tests OK?
Today's Soldier's comments about baby:
Today I was speaking with a young mother whose first child had repeated seizures with quickly spiking temperature up until she was 7 years old. She now has two little boys ages 4 & 2 (by a different father) and no such issues with them. Doctors didn't give her much of an idea what or why? She commented that the little one had used permanent marker all over his room & furniture, and she cleaned it off with Simple Green. This was especially distressing for me because her brother-in-law (who was a bioremediation worker of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Cleanup) had been health damaged from the same chemical as is in Simple Green ... THE VERY SAME CHEMICAL: 2-butoxyethanol. (Then my daughter tonight had to clean the same type of 'kid mess' off the wall of her bedroom, and used Magic Marker - Much worse chemicals. She is pregnant, and used her bare hands, and then she & the kids slept in that bedroom with no airing out). I noticed that she did some coughing, and that she started farting while around a relative later who had hoarsness, slight sickness or flu-like symptoms) Just because a company is says a product is 'safe' or non toxic .... does not mean that is the case - Simple Green - Etc No wonder there is the same health damage in civilians as with military during war eras. People have the attitude that, there are lots of chemicals out there, 'so what?' 2-butoxyethanol and other BUTYL chemicals are the ones that cause CFS, CFIDS, FM, ME and 'military syndromes' ... what we call 'the flu' a chemical that harms the unborn, and causes developmental delays, miscarriages, AUTOIMMUNE ISSUES, and most cancers ALL BY ITSELF! It is a neurotoxin, a poison, a solvent, a pesticide. It has been tested by EPA. EVOS workers ... were exposed to 2-butoxyethanol ... so were 'gulf war vets' ... I think dizziness such as those have who are diagnosed with Vertigo and fainting ... can be a similar issue of improper amount & type of red blood cells. Ask your doctor to have the lab tech LOOK at the red blood cells. 'Part of what 2-butoxyethanol does' What we blame on diabetes, should be blamed on the chemical exposure that causes diabetes, and, and, and Find ANEMIA for proof that EGBE causes CFIDS, CFS, FM * Check these things * Comments on Dizziness to Seizures
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Look into BUTYL for CFIDS, CFS, FM & 'Military Syndromes' * An e-mail request to the CDC on Flu Symptoms Traces of blood in urine? * Diarrhea then Constipation? Seizures Fainting Dizziness * Last edited by Margaret Diann; 10-27-2008 at 05:34 PM. |
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