the birds (sea gulls)freak me out - on the beach or whatever. I have got a phobia - here it's magpies
When the Lord was creating Vietnam veterans, he was
into His 6th day of overtime when an angel appeared.
"You're certainly doing a lot of fiddling around on
this one."
And God said, "Have you seen the specs on this order?
A Nam vet has to be able to run 5 miles through the
bush with a full pack on, endure with barely any sleep
for days, enter tunnels his higher ups wouldn't
consider doing, and keep his weapons clean and operable.
He has to be able to sit in his hole all night during
an attack, hold his buddies as they die, walk point in
unfamiliar territory known to be VC infested, and
somehow keep his senses alert for danger. He has to be
in top physical condition, existing on c-rats and very
little rest. And he has to have 6 pairs of hands."
The angel shook his head slowly and said,
"6 pair of hands .... no way."
"It's not the hands that are causing me problems ...
it's the 3 pair of eyes a Nam vet has to have."
"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. The
Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through elephant
grass, another pair here in the side of his head for
his buddies, another pair here in front that can look
reassuringly at his bleeding, fellow soldier and say,
"You'll make it....." when he knows he won't.
"Lord, rest, and work on this tomorrow." "I can't,"
said the Lord. "I already have a model that can carry
a wounded soldier 1,000 yards during a firefight, calm
the fears of the latest FNG, and feed a family of 4 on
a grunt's paycheck." The angel walked around the model
and said, "Can it think?" "You bet," said the Lord.
"It can quote much of the UCMJ, recite all his general
orders, and engage in a search and destroy mission in
less time than it takes for his fellow Americans back
home to discuss the morality of the War, and still keep
his sense of humor." "This Nam vet also has a phenomenal
personal control. He can deal with ambushes from hell,
comfort a fallen soldier's family, and then read in his
hometown paper how Nam vets are baby killers, psychos,
addicts, killers of innocent civilians." The Lord gazed
into the future and said, "He will also endure being
vilified and spit on when he returns home, rejected
and crucified by the very ones he fought for."
Finally, the angel slowly ran his finger across the
vet's cheek, and said, "There's a leak ... I told you
that you were trying to put too much into this model."
"That's not a leak," said the Lord. "That's a tear."
"What's the tear for?" asked the angel. "It's for
bottled up emotions, for holding fallen soldiers as
they die, for commitment to that funny piece of cloth
called the American flag, for the terror of living with
PTSD for decades after the war, alone with it's demons,
with no one to care or help."
"You're a genius," said the angel, casting a gaze at the
tear. The Lord looked very somber, as if seeing down
eternity's distant shores..."
I didn't put it there," He said.
Author Unknown
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does anyone else out there have manx cats? just curious cause we have 2 half manx and half persian kittens
been a shit of a week with people dying, funerals and stuff! be glad when it's over!
Having depression and anxiety means many things change, and a lot of them are invisible. Getting help means many things as well, again most of them not quite visible to you. Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand even a little about depression and anxiety and its effects, and of those that think they know, many are actually mis-informed.
In the spirit of informing those who wish to understand … These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me…
Please understand that being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. I have to spend most of my day in considerable emotional turmoil and exhaustion, fighting thoughts that make me feel insane and fighting the voice in my head that says you cant do this anymore just go. And if you visit I probably don’t seem like much fun to be with, but I’m still me stuck inside this body. I may worry about life and work and my family and friends much more than the regular person, but I still want to know how your doing.
Please understand the difference between “happy” and “healthy”. When you’ve got the flu you probably feel miserable with it, but I’ve been sick for years. I can’t be miserable all the time, in fact I work hard at not being miserable. So if you’re talking to me and I sound happy, it means I’m having a moment of remission. That’s all. It doesn’t mean that I’m not suffering, or that I’m cured, or any of those things. Please, don’t say, “Oh, you’re sounding better!”. I am not sounding better, I am sounding happy and maybe even hopeful for the moment.
Please understand that being able to go out to my son’s soccer game one night doesn’t necessarily mean that I can do it the next time. I am greatful for the days that I can do those things but dont get mad the next time I say I really cant go out for dinner. With this illness it gets more confusing.
That’s what Depression and Anxiety does to you. Please understand that Depression and Anxiety is variable. It’s quite possible (for me, it’s common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, while the next day I just want to stay close to home and sleep.Depressed Mama Take Two Post
Please don’t attack me when I’m ill by saying, “But you did it before!”, if you want me to do something then ask if I can. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel an invitation at the last minute, if this happens please do not take it personally. Please understand that “getting out and doing things” does not make me feel better..
Please understand that if I say I have to sit down/lie down/take these pills now, that I do have to do it right now - it can’t be put off or forgotten just because I’m out for the day (or whatever). Depression/Anxiety does not forgive. In many ways I depend on you - people who are not sick - I need you to visit me when I am too sick to go out… Sometimes I need you help me with the shopping, or staying out of my head. I may need you to take me to the doctor, or my counsellor or therapist. I need you on a different level too … you’re my link to the outside world… if you don’t stay in contact with me because you think Im “too depressing” or want to be alone your wrong…,… and, as much as it’s possible, I need you to understand me and not judge me. I judge myself enough. This isnt something I can just “snap out of”..if it was that easy do you not think I would have by now. If I could control this illness I would. I dont like to feel stuck in the bottomless pit of despair, I would rather be out and enjoying life, feeling free fromt he chains of my mind. I would like to be like you but Im not. I have had to accept this illness and I hope one day you can to because when I have your support and understanding Im stronger and have more hope and days of remission can be cherished with you.
link
Vietnam vet returns to Australia in casket
MELBOURNE (UPI) -- The body of an Australian soldier killed in Vietnam in 1971 was on the way home to Melbourne after more than 35 years.
Lance Cpl. John Gillspie, a 24-year-old Army medic, was killed when his helicopter was shot down during a medical evacuation in Vietnam, the Australian Broadcast Corp. reported Monday.
His remains and the rest of the helicopter's passengers were believed to have been consumed in an ensuing blaze, but an excavation of the crash site discovered Gillespie's remains.
His widow and daughter were at Hanoi Airport as his casket was carried to a waiting airplane.
Gillespie had been listed as missing in action until an Australian recovery team, tipped off by former Viet Cong guerrillas, excavated his remains last month.
"We have waited a long time since the war for an opportunity to come back and find these missing Australians, in this case, for someone who died more than 35 years ago," said Brian Manns, leader of the Australian recovery team.
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