Once again spring has arrived after many months of Mother Nature hibernating in her winter form. Winter in its symbolic character is a time where living plants and many animals decide to go into a quiet, simple mode. Trees and plants lose their foliage, bears snuggle into their caves to rest and sleep, and the rest of us tend to sit, eat, and gain a few more pounds than we want to paste onto our lethargic bodies.

            Now it can be time for a new beginning.  One that can offer us fresh hope for the coming days ahead. One that brings new opportunities if we are brave enough to journey into the unknown and try something different. And one, if we are willing, encourages us to rid ourselves of old habits, ideas, and behaviors that may not be serving us well. Yep, spring is a glorious time for nature, yet for many of us the analogy and reality of cleaning house can be both tiring and not that enjoyable. Procrastination’s lure is a powerful obstacle.

            For days I have contemplated what things I would keep and what things I might get rid of as I go forward. No, I’m not talking about cleaning out my overstocked closets, cupboards, and drawers, although this might be a good beginning. If only “cleaning” my brain would be so easy. I’m thinking about those beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes that aren’t serving me all that well. You know what I mean, the ones that can make you overly anxious, angry, judgmental, and, really, not the type of person you want to be.

            I could list several pages of what makes me feel like a cleaning is needed. Beginning with the government, politics, apathetic people, wars, PTSD, health care… and items for which I have little or no control. Something like the song, “Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin with Me” comes to mind. Seems like many times I am criticizing the person with opposite viewpoints, rather than trying to understand his/her position. Next would come, let the past be the past. I can’t change it so why do I keep chewing on it like a pit bull with an old bone? Because I tend to have an anal retentive personality and my over active memory systems feel compelled in having me examine too many angles from a prior experience. Unfortunately, memories may not always be that accurate and replaying them over and over only adjusts the volume instead of focusing the real picture.

            Perhaps all of this “inner” housecleaning comes down to one simple act, forgiveness. Such a modest concept, yet so bloody difficult to achieve. And here come the clincher for all of this – a quote that appeared in an Oprah magazine way back in 2000,

“You become what you believe – not what you wish or want but what you truly believe. Whatever you are in life, look at your beliefs. They put you there.”

Dang, Spring House Cleaning just got a whole lot harder. I wonder if I can get by with merely repainting the walls.

            Wow, double Wow, and Wow again! Finally a more accurate term for Post-Traumatic Stress which leaves off the BIG “D”. 

             It has been a long time coming and we certainly hope that those in charge of giving terms to the various wounds of war will carefully consider renaming PTSD to PTSI– Post-Traumatic Stress Injury. We have constantly said that Post-Traumatic Stress refers to a reordering of the brain neuro networks. But calling it an injury versus a disorder is a huge step in the right direction.

            Think about it, we don’t refer to cancer as a disorder, or a broken bone as a disorder. Trauma caused by outside forces essentially is an injury, however, the injury goes far beyond the mere physical damage of an organism; these wounds also impact the soul, spirit, and emotional stability of the individual and are far more challenging to heal.

             For the longest time in the early 19^th and 20^th centuries, cancer was not openly discussed and considered by some as an illness brought on by an impoverished life style both of the mind and body. Afflicted folks often felt responsible for their illness and were shunned by some in their communities. By gaining a more accurate understanding of any problem we are able to provide better treatment and services for both healing and coping.

            And so it may be tentatively happening for those struggling with post-traumatic stress. We have heard from several readers about this change of wording. For those who have not yet read about the change in terminology, we are including this short clip from Sunday, May 6^th Denver Post:

PTSD MAY GET NAME CHANGE TO HELP VETERANS

            It has been called shell shock, battle fatigue, soldier’s heart, and, most recently, post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

            Now, military officers and psychiatrist are embroiled in a debate over whether to change the name of a condition as old as combat. The potential new moniker, post-traumatic stress injury.

            Military officers and some psychiatrists say dropping the word “disorder” in favor of “injury” will reduce the stigma that stops troops from seeking treatment.

            Let’s hope those with the power to make such a change will give the new term their best consideration. Word/terms do make a profound difference between how we view and treat those who have given so much to our country – along with other sufferers. Calling combat trauma an injury is far more correct than calling it a disorder.

            With any luck we can get it right this time.

It has been some time now since we heard the disturbing news of the young sergeant who massacred civilians inAfghanistan. According to the media, the individual has been indicted with killing seventeen people, nine of whom were children.

            During this time I debated whether or not to broach the subject in our blog. Truthfully, I’m still not certain I want to bring this up again given the enormous amount of media attention. Yet, it seems important to at least give some perspective on what others have been sending us through phone calls, e-mails, etc.

            No one would dispute that what occurred was inexcusable. The entire incident is pretty disturbing. However, I continue to wonder who, beside Sergeant Bales is answerable for this horrendous act? Where is the government’s responsibility in choosing to commit our country to two wars yet refusing to enact a draft? Where is the government’s moral accountability in allowing less than 1% of our young men and women and their families to shoulder the enormous burden of continual deployment and redeployment four, five, and six times to various combat zones? Where is the military’s obligation in making sure each troop is in top physical and emotional health before ever being sent back to a war when he/she may not be fully combat ready? And lastly, where is the conscience of each and every American citizen who allows so few to serve in combat and bear the burden of an entire country?

            Please understand, I am not trying to be critical, but it is crucial that every aspect of this terrible situation be carefully examined.  For you see, these are questions we should all be asking if we are going to do better in the future. Because, unfortunately, in our future there will still be wars. What are the lessons to be learned?

            In reality, Sergeant Bales is morally, legally, and physically accountable for this terrible deed. He cannot use the argument of having PTSD as the sole contributor for his actions. Millions of past and present veterans have and are suffering with this condition. Yet few ever commit such violent and unforgivable acts. No, according to what we are being told, these murders were committed by Sergeant Bales for reasons yet to be disclosed. However, each of us must question, who else should bear the consequence of such horrific actions? Are we as a nation pushing some of our troops to the breaking point? War is hell and too much war may be even worse!

Then, as I struggle to come to my own personal conclusion, I am reminded of something I have read many times, “There by the grace of God, go I”.

   Every once in a while we get presented with a special opportunity that may change or at least have an impression on our lives. This happened to me a few weeks back. I was asked to be a member of a panel of veterans who had hearing loss and tinnitus due to combat exposure. The panel was part of the National Joint Defense Veterans Audiology Conference (JDVAC) which is held around the country each year. This year’s event was held at the Omni Hotel in Dallas,Texas.

            Of the six veterans participating on the panel, all of us also had PTSD and a couple with TBI. We all agreed that most veterans with severe hearing loss have other scars from war that often add to the severity of individual disabilities.

            From the time we arrived we were treated like royalty: beautiful rooms, a basket of goodies delivery shortly after we arrived, and even free coffee and lattes. Unfortunately, Jan was unable to go with me due to her teaching commitments at CSU.  I’m not sure whether she was most jealous of the basket of goodies or all the free lattes she could have during my three days at the conference.

            Maybe I should backtrack a bit. Ever sinceVietnamI have struggled with tinnitus, ringing in my ears. For the most part I have been able to endure the buzzing in my ears, that is until last November. One night I went to bed with the “normal” ringing. However, in the morning I awoke with the sound being far worse than ever and I had lost most of my hearing in my right ear. My hearing loss was also accompanied by dizziness.

            After several doctor visits and antibiotics, I was told that the ringing would probably never get much better and my hearing would not fully return. Fast forward a few months and this special opportunity to be a part of a conference with some of the best hearing specialists in the country.

            My panel was made up of eight individuals: two audiologists and six veterans. Each panel member contributed, not just telling their combat story, but how being hearing challenged impacted their lives. The entire session was taped and will be presented in a video and streamed on the sponsor Hamilton CapTel^® Web site which will reach hundreds if not thousands of viewers throughout their network.

Following the conference, one veteran wrote in an e-mail …Our feeling is that we have to start somewhere with this important message. Hopefully, as we look back at our endeavors a year from now, we’ll see encouraging progress that not only includes larger veteran audiences for this panel at industry events – but more importantly, increasingly open “solutions” dialog between hearing health care professionals and the veterans they serve.

            For all of you vets who are living with a hearing problem, I truly believe help and hope is on the way. I found that support and optimism in Dallas. The experience has been such a blessing. To think I almost didn’t attend this event.

Following is a message from Judi Victor in her capacity of Panel Director:

Hi, JDVAC Holistic Panel Team!

Tina and I are having trouble finding the right words to thank you for your participation in the Holistic Hearing Healthcare Panel at JDVC on Tuesday. Each of you contributed so much to the discussion; we can’t imagine a more articulate, informed, bright or inspiring group. It was, indeed, impressive – and to think that the entire panel had never rehearsed together until a few hours before the actual event is truly amazing!

Even though our “live” audience was not gigantic, please keep in mind that we are editing the video presentation to stream on the Hamilton CapTel^® Web site, which will reach hundreds if not thousands of viewers. In addition, the video will be shown in part or in its entirety at other industry events throughout the coming year.

Our feeling is that we have to start somewhere with this important message. Hopefully, as we look back at our endeavors a year from now, we’ll see encouraging progress that not only includes larger veteran audiences for this panel at industry events – but more importantly, increasingly open “solutions” dialog between hearing health care professionals and the veterans they serve.

We know that this event required a huge effort on your parts, not to mention the fact that it took you away from your work, families and many other activities. Please know that your participation is appreciated more than we can ever express.

With warmest regards and deepest gratitude.

Sometimes do you feel like you have an “Out of Order” sign flashing over your head? It can be an uncomfortable feeling at best, or a very disturbing high nervousness that can’t quite be explained. The sign often appears unpredictably. I often thought, wouldn’t it be helpful if only we could have some warning of the situation before it fully sets in and plunges us into a feeling of  being out of control?  Well, now that may be a possibility for some individuals.

            There is a new study being conducted by psychologist, Dr. Janis DiCiacco, who has spent the last six years developing a stress tool called the First Assist Monitor. It is a small patch that can be worn on the back of the left hand that allows the wearer fast and reliable awareness (usually less than 20 seconds) of his/her physiological arousal level.

            Following is a brief explanation of the research around the patch. Studies show early detection of stress and negative emotional states can help a person take early corrective measures to get back in balance. According to the Mayo Clinic, “the long-term activation of the stress response system – and subsequent overexposure to cortisol (the stress hormone) and other stress hormones – can disrupt almost all of one’s body processes. This puts one at increase risk of numerous health problems.”  The First Assist Monitor can help the individual learn to notice and listen to what is happening in the body and do something right then that assists the person’s ability to ease the “out of order” situation and restore a sense of balance. 

            The way the patch works is on a traffic light concept. When we perceive our environment as safe, our nervous system allows us to feel a sense of balance – the GREEN zone. If our bodies perceive danger, the nervous system begins to move the line to the YELLOW area. If, however, our environment is perceived as Life Threatening or extremely hazardous it indicates that our stress hormone, cortisol, is high and the patch color will be in the RED zone.  The ‘reference line’ at the bottom of the patch allows the wearer to continually know their zone. It is important to understand that there is “good stress” and “bad stress”.  “Good stress” keeps us motivated and out of harms way. However, staying at high physiological arousal levels is considered “long-term activation” and thus “bad stress”.

Why is this useful, you may ask? Consider how you might be able to do something to change this sense of overload. You could begin to deep breath sooner, take a short walk, move to a quieter area until your arousal moves into the GREEN zone, or any number of interventions that you know can help.

The First Assist Monitor currently is undergoing its third and final evaluative study in sites throughout theUnited States. Dr. Janis DiCiacco is offering complimentary patches to a limited number of veterans and military personnel along their families in hopes that it can be beneficial in reducing chronically high physiological arousal levels.

The only condition is the individual must use the patch daily for a minimum of 7-10 days and completes a short, anonymous questionnaire regarding the results of the First Assist Monitor.

If you are interested and wish more information, please contact Dr. DiCiacco directly at jdiciacco@earthlink.net.

P.S. The patch is safe, comfortable, and non-invasive. It is made in a FDA approved facility in the United States.

For centuries societies have been trying to explain why warriors return from combat “stranger” than before they had left.  In our book, Tears of a Warrior, we wrote about how the Roman’s sent their troops who had recently arrived back from battle to a tranquil farm away from the city to recoup from their emotional wounds.

It seems like every war had its own special term for such suffering; words such as combat fatigue, shell shock, warrior’s heart, etc. However, none of these really explained much about why the individual wasn’t able to put the war behind them and get on with their lives.

Joe Novak, another of our readers sent this YouTube video to Tony. For the person who has never experienced combat, this will be an informative eight minute clip which both “shows” and “tells” the effects of battle. For those who have been to hell and back, you may not need to view the film; you have already lived it. If you do, keep the last message in mind as you continue your healing journey back to your new normal.

http://www.greatamericans.com/video/Vietnam-Vets-and-PTSD;Veterans-Videos

Blessings and, once again, Thank You for Your Service.

Tony and Jan Seahorn

Purple Heart Warriors (Documentary) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAtPzFvbJsI&feature=share

It is interesting how many people still have not heard of Post Traumatic Stress. It’s as if they have been living under that rock in the Geico commercial. Maybe part of this circumstance is due to the fact that less than 1% of Americans are currently serving in the military. During WWII one could walk down most streets throughout the U.S. and count at least five houses that had a star in the window.

            Today, as in the Vietnam War, we no longer have signs that signify to others that a family member is serving overseas. Little is shown to symbolize the sacrifice of the few. Somewhere a child is missing his father or mother each night before she goes to bed. Somebody’s mother may be crying herself to sleep again, worried sick about the safety of her child. A spouse is having to carry on every detail of daily chores by herself/himself and doing it each day with a loneliness that shatters the heart.

            Many ask us what it is like living with PTSD.  For me, I think the best description is the trauma of combat leaves many vets with a Holocaust of the Spirit. Webster’s Dictionary defines holocaust as a “vast or total destruction, usually by fire; great loss of life or property; a sacrificial offering consumed by fire”. Such a description is pretty accurate when you think about it. During battle, not only is there physical fire, there is the mental and emotional fire — a fire in the heart, brain, and soul. Then there is that word “sacrifice”. Sacrifice is always the consequence of any combat experience: sacrifice for one’s country, sacrifice for unknown people in unknown areas of the world, sacrifice for one’s fellow troops, and sacrifice of families left behind to wait and pray for their loved one’s return.

            As with every Holocaust, loss of life is ever present. And that life, if one survives, will never be the same. The fire of battle has consumed what a person was before the experience, and left him with scars that tend to break and reopen with the living of each new day. It is a never ending journey towards healing. Some days are better than others, but not one day is ever the old picture of “normal”.

            Yet, here is the important part of any Holocaust to remember … It can be survived! Like the mythical bird, the Phoenix, who was burned beyond all recognition and rose from its ashes to become an immortal body and spirit, many of our PTSD burdened veterans achieve a similar destiny. Both are warriors of distinction and beauty. Both died in their own painful fire, and both became molded into something purer in spirit and stronger in mind and body.

            It is easier to endure the fire if you can hold onto something precious to the heart and spirit. Therefore, I included the following old Pueblo Indian Blessing that my brother recently shared with me (365 Days of Walking the Red Road)

Hold on to what is good, even if it is a handful of dirt.

Hold on to what you believe, even if it is a tree that stands by itself.

Hold on to what you must do, even if it is a long way from here.

Hold on to life, even if it is easier to let go.

Hold on to my hand, even if I have gone away from you.

            Recently, Tony and I visited with a group of veterans from the Military Order of  Purple Heart. Attending were vets from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the current conflicts. While discussing our book, Tears of a Warrior and the issues of PTSD, we got on the topic of how challenging it is for veterans returning from war to find a job. Only in recent times has the issue of work for veterans become clearer.

            Many of us thought veterans who came home from serving in WWII were greeted with big parades and wonderful new career opportunities. For years I was under such an assumption. Then I talked with several WWII veterans and what they described was something much simpler. For most, once they returned home they did what historically other veterans had done before them… they went home, tried to find a suitable job and raise a family. Little was written or said about the struggle in finding employment or integrating back into civilian life. For many, there were no parades, no bands welcoming them home, only the test of getting on with life.

            Eric Jensen explains in his book about his father, Forever and a Day: The World War II Odyssey of an American Family, how hard it was to find work after the war. As he wrote, many of the jobs were already filled by civilians who had those positions during the war. When the veterans returned there were not as many opportunities for employment as we first believed. Jensen wrote how frustrating it was for his father to have spent so many years away from his family only to return to another struggle – finding a job that would pay enough to support his young family.

            Today, too many employers believe erroneously that vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan may be suffering from PTSD or TBI and are reluctant to hire someone who may be emotionally compromised. We have written on several occasions how this is simply not the case for the majority of combat personnel. Military personnel have proven over and over again that they are bright, committed and competent employees. Given a task, they will make sure it gets completed in a satisfactory manner. They will show up daily, even when they are tired or under the weather. Veterans are some of the most proficient and capable members of an organization.

            Part of the healing process of our soldiers, both young and old is to value their sacrifice for our country by honoring them with suitable jobs. One struggle we can help them avoid is a struggle to find work. As a country and as a community perhaps offering employment can be a step of vast significance.

            In addition to mending them, “If we send them, let’s then employ them” when they return.