Treat the Veterans,not the syndrome

[Monkeyman]

While the precise nature of illness amoung veterans of the Gulf War remains unclear,one certainly is that the veterans who have medical needs deserve treatment.A formal study conducted by the Institute of Medicine,part of the National Academy of Sciences that with the VA ,looked extensively at symptoms of illnesses reported by soldiers who served in the 1991 Iraq conflict.

As a result they declared Gulf War Illness is unfounded.Almost 30 percent of those who served in 1991 war have experienced symptoms such as fatigue.memory loss,muscle pain,anxiety,depression and sleeplessness.

This is just my opinion but why not just treat these men as human beings and treat the veteran and his or her needs. The V.A seems just to have idea that veterans have no problems from the Gulf War.
Again that just my opinion.

[mtnester]

1. My grandfather, WWII vet, STILL suffers from PTSD

STILL

And the VA says no PTSD for him.

[Monkeyman]

2. This is what I am saying

Treat the man as a human being. PTSD is no joke it needs to be treated

[mtnester]

3. He is almost 85

and is distracted right now by the fact that his wife of nearly 67 years is slowly dying..

The one good thing? He JUST for the first time EVER started talking about his experiences last year. Very little, but he NEVER did before.

It seems to help, and his doc gives him "nerve pills" for when he feels it gets really bad.

[Monkeyman]

4. Is there a vet to vet clinic close by it will help him a lot

[mtnester]

5. It closed...he used to go, but they mostly gave him "meds"

you know...valium etc.

He is doing better, really...but their generation came back and "handled" PTSD with alcohol...he was "happy loud Grandpa" until 1982, when he had his first alcohol related heart attack...then quit cold turkey...so he dealt with his PTSD with booze for 4 decades.

He has a great, loving supportive family (we live right next door), and that helps.

[Monkeyman]

6. As a vet he will be in my prayers

He sounds like he went into hell and came out alive

[mtnester]

7. Thank you...he was a SeaBee in the islands for 4 yesars

he is talking about the WORK he did, but if he allows himself to use the word "Japanese soldier" he usually stops and cannot talk anymore. The one time he did speak a little bit beyond his obvious discomfort was to say that all of them knew nothing about drugs (booze and cigs were their vices of choice) but that ALL...ALL.. of the Japanese soldiers were insane and crazy...bloodthirsty beyond belief. What they did was unspeakable to him, but he did say when they either killed or took Japanese soldiers as prisoners, they all carried a small pouch which contained a variety of drugs, some of them for suicide, that was STUFFED full. The suicide ones they never used because they were so hyped up and unglued on the others they never even tried.

One of my friend's grandmother, who my grandpa also knew his whole life, was a POW in the Bataan March, and she did not open up and speak about it until she was in her 70's...she passed away 2 years ago. I know she and grandpa got together at times to talk. She eventually was encouraged by her family to

The saddest thing is, my grandpa has a large story of his life to tell, a part even his family does not know about, and when he does speak, I am fascinated by his mission. Now, do I need to hear of his agony involving the enemy he fought? Not if he does not want to tell it. But how they came in FIRST to islands to build runways, how they built them, the people he knew...the one and only bombing mission he went on (he HATED it)...I wish I knew more, and I think I will because it seems that he realizes that at this point in his life, with an internal defibrillator in and only one half closed circulation route left on his heart, he WANTS to shre (or unburden..I am not sure). Can hesit at the VFW and talk with any WWII survivors? No...as a recovering alcoholic who has not taken a drink since 1982, he does not dare and he has said as much.

I personally think ANY vet that has fought in a war ought to be rewarded for life, and not passed off as a problem because they are no longer useful to the government's agenda. It sucks and relfects BADLY on us us human beings.