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I grew up with a father who went thru 32 months of fighting in the South Pacific and a year more in Korea. It was not uncommon on any holiday that had fireworks to see my dad hitting the ground, or diving under tables when the larger explosions occured.
Later on, after the Gulf War, I saw it occuring with a few friends as well, and now, I see it in my husband, who was not only a Marine in the Gulf War, but a contractor in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
I am proud to be American, don't get me wrong, but I have begun to hate the neighbors and their use us M80's and other painfully loud fireworks, because I see my soul-mate diving under tables, and cuddling his terrified dog at least a dozen times a night.
Later on, after the Gulf War, I saw it occuring with a few friends as well, and now, I see it in my husband, who was not only a Marine in the Gulf War, but a contractor in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
I am proud to be American, don't get me wrong, but I have begun to hate the neighbors and their use us M80's and other painfully loud fireworks, because I see my soul-mate diving under tables, and cuddling his terrified dog at least a dozen times a night.
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PTSD
PTSD
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz
The sign will probably work for us, as it is, both my husband and my son-in-law who lives with us, have PTSD, though my husband's reaction to loud unexplained noises is a lot more intense than the son-in-law's is.
Last year, I went around to the homes near ours, explain the situation, and got blank stares, and three, "Well, its legal, and we're gonna do it..." comments back.
I am thinking this year, I will inform the Sheriff that just two months ago, we were annexed into the city, SOOOO... not legal anymore, and you can bet your Tucas I'm going to be the old crabby lady on the phone diming them out if they start with those oversized explosives this year.
I've also gotten the doctor to write a perscription for two pills... just two, that should get him thru the 4th, and the 5th when they use up all the fun things they didn't get to use before...
Last year, I went around to the homes near ours, explain the situation, and got blank stares, and three, "Well, its legal, and we're gonna do it..." comments back.
I am thinking this year, I will inform the Sheriff that just two months ago, we were annexed into the city, SOOOO... not legal anymore, and you can bet your Tucas I'm going to be the old crabby lady on the phone diming them out if they start with those oversized explosives this year.
I've also gotten the doctor to write a perscription for two pills... just two, that should get him thru the 4th, and the 5th when they use up all the fun things they didn't get to use before...
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COL Randall C.
Cpl Glynis Sakowicz, have you thought about headphones? I have a child with Hyperacusis, and loud noises are actually painful to him. We got him a pair of noise canceling headphones and it has help tremendously.
It's not the same issue as PTSD, but related since loud noises are the cause of each of our woes.
It's not the same issue as PTSD, but related since loud noises are the cause of each of our woes.
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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz
We did try that, as we have a few pair, having raised an autistic daughter who used them, but it just didn't seem to help totally... as the ones I am talking about, are about are the M80s that are large enough to shake the house as they go off, and apparently our neighbor over the back fence LOVES them.
I do, however have a plan. I am trying to wade my way thru the local laws, to have this area become a "No Fireworks" zone. Until then, we're just going to play lots of Monty Python, Mel Brooks and whatever else we can find that can keep him laughing and focusing on something other than the noises...
And thank you LTC for your suggestion!
I do, however have a plan. I am trying to wade my way thru the local laws, to have this area become a "No Fireworks" zone. Until then, we're just going to play lots of Monty Python, Mel Brooks and whatever else we can find that can keep him laughing and focusing on something other than the noises...
And thank you LTC for your suggestion!
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CPL Sakowicz, just following up to see how things went for you over the weekend.
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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz
Thank you for your thoughtfulness!
We had a barbacue early in the day to celebrate the grandson's 5th birthday, and as darkness was coming on, we took the party indoors to watch "Young Frankenstein" and "The Producer" but the neighbors were literaly in the street blowing up all sorts of things, and the husband has found a new use for his cat... he wrapped her around his neck like a scarf, and she simply lay there purring, which apparently helped, as well as the Rat Terriers and the Chichuahua mixes that were litered around him and on him. He's not a drinker, but he downed a few Heinekins as well, and managed to deal pretty well.
What drove him nuts were the "Oh we didn't get to this one last night... lets do it again!" fireworks on the 5th. My daughter stormed out, begged the neighbors to be a bit more understanding, which they ignored, but again, we managed pretty well, as both the husband and son-in-law were in the "Man Cave" playing something on XBox and sharing a few beers.
I now, fully understand why so many who have PTSD have drinking or drug problems.
We are putting up Signs this month that we will post around our house, though the husband hates drawing attention to the problem, I hate the idea of him diving off the sofa or the chair ten times a night in response to those fireworks.
We had a barbacue early in the day to celebrate the grandson's 5th birthday, and as darkness was coming on, we took the party indoors to watch "Young Frankenstein" and "The Producer" but the neighbors were literaly in the street blowing up all sorts of things, and the husband has found a new use for his cat... he wrapped her around his neck like a scarf, and she simply lay there purring, which apparently helped, as well as the Rat Terriers and the Chichuahua mixes that were litered around him and on him. He's not a drinker, but he downed a few Heinekins as well, and managed to deal pretty well.
What drove him nuts were the "Oh we didn't get to this one last night... lets do it again!" fireworks on the 5th. My daughter stormed out, begged the neighbors to be a bit more understanding, which they ignored, but again, we managed pretty well, as both the husband and son-in-law were in the "Man Cave" playing something on XBox and sharing a few beers.
I now, fully understand why so many who have PTSD have drinking or drug problems.
We are putting up Signs this month that we will post around our house, though the husband hates drawing attention to the problem, I hate the idea of him diving off the sofa or the chair ten times a night in response to those fireworks.
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MSG Wade Huffman
Everyone has their own challenges to coping, and while no one can condone self medication, I don't see the harm in having a few beers! He is lucky to have caring and understanding people in his midst. I'm sure that's his greatest help. Good luck to you all!
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I am truly sorry Cpl Sakowicz. I had an uncle that served in Korea on Pork Chop Hill and on a river boat in Vietnam. When he first came home from Vietnam I remember sitting in the kitchen with him and a car back fired and he was under the table in a split second. I hope it went as best it could.
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Cpl Glynis Sakowicz
Actually, thanks to Mel Brookes movies, a six pack of Heiniken beer, and a herd of small cuddly animals, we made it thru the night pretty well, though there were some hairy moments. It did help that my husband's dog Sweetie, is as jumpy at fireworks as the husband is, so they cuddled, ate popcorn as we laughed our way thru a film fest of Mel Brookes comedies.
I grew up with a father who was much worse than my father about noises, and I remember my mother shoving an elbow into my side, "Don't say anything, just accept it." she would say as my father would be dusting himself off after diving under the table or onto the floor. We understood the problem, but my dad would never say a word about this... though he did eventually open up about some things that he'd experienced in WWII, he said it wasn't a problem, it was called "Surviving" and never said another word about it.
I grew up with a father who was much worse than my father about noises, and I remember my mother shoving an elbow into my side, "Don't say anything, just accept it." she would say as my father would be dusting himself off after diving under the table or onto the floor. We understood the problem, but my dad would never say a word about this... though he did eventually open up about some things that he'd experienced in WWII, he said it wasn't a problem, it was called "Surviving" and never said another word about it.
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Cpl Brett Wagner
Cpl Glynis Sakowicz - Your father sounds like all of the men from the Greatest generation. None of my uncles ever talked about it either. We have 5 dogs and one had a pretty hard time. Funny thing is the one with the problem was our Treeing Walker Coonhound the hunting dog. lol
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