Sit Down and Let me Tell You a Story

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Happy reading.

Hello friends,

I'm inviting you to sit down with me. Put a cup of tea or coffee in hand and pull up a comfortable chair.  If you are experiencing a heat wave right now which some of you definitely are, then I offer you a cool and refreshing lemonade instead. Now are you comfortable? Good.

Today I wanted to share with you the story of an American named Ray. Ray served in the Vietnam war and now lives in Australia with his lovely wife Crystal Mary.  Crystal had to go in for knee replacement surgery this week so I pray she is recovering well.  She is a wonderful and loving support to her husband Ray and he needs her to get well soon.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Ray because he has suffered so much for the love of his country and the desire to protect freedom. Like many young men who went to war, whether it was Vietnam or somewhere else, Ray has seen the horrors of war. On his first day in combat, his good friend Jim was shot in the chest. There was the horror of having to carry his friend to the helicopter and having to see  and smell the blood. No time for mourning or remembering his friend though as this was war! On the second day, Ray was shot in the wrist and witnessed someone else in front of him get badly wounded. Ray developed a a serious staph infection as a result of the wrist wound. You can read more of his ordeal here.

 As a result of the horror of war, Ray now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder you ask?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless.
Most people associate PTSD with battle–scarred soldiers–and military combat is the most common cause in men–but any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma.
PTSD develops differently from person to person. While the symptoms of PTSD most commonly develop in the hours or days following the traumatic event, it can sometimes take weeks, months, or even years before they appear. (Source:  www.HelpGuide.org)

Sadly, many of the men and women who went to war have an extremely difficult time getting recognized as having this disorder and getting the help they need. Ray has been diagnosed with severe depression and PSTD yet his government does not accept the evidence. Read more about that here.

In the words of his wife, Crystal Mary, "A country may be quick to send their men to fight, BUT, they are very slow in rewarding them."  This is very sad but true.

I'm writing this post to ask if you can read Ray's story and leave him some words of encouragement. Help him and his wife to know that they are not alone. Let Ray know that he is not forgotten. You can visit him and leave a comment by clicking here http://vaforgottenvet.blogspot.com/

Photo Credit: Ray and his beautiful wife, Crystal Mary.