Having been told for years that PTSD did not exist, you tend to think maybe you have the problem. But when you see your kids being terrorized, as well as yourself, in a marriage, from Hell, you know it's bull shit they are telling you.
Over the years, the systems that were in place, offered no help at all for what we went through. A Vietnam Vet, slash, counselor, even drove to our house from the VA. He had the gall to tell us that PTSD did not exist and that my ex never saw any fighting in the region he was fighting in. I wondered what that guy had been smoking, but then, he got paid to parrot the bull shit lies. My ex's employer simply thought he was nuts and tried to humor him over the years. But, finally after 26 years working there, the sons took over the business and first order of business was to fire Ron. Can't say as I blamed them. So we set out to help him get disability. He had to go to hours and hours of counseling, like they hoped it would cure him or something. There is no cure, to my knowledge. I helped him when I was divorced and single, but finally I decided to have a life.
It was not my mission to babysit my ex and give up having any happiness myself. I met and married, my present husband, who, surprisingly enough, is also a Vietnam Vet. But we have been married for 16 years now and I've learned that all Vietnam Vets are not nuts. PTSD vets are not nuts either, they suffer from a problem caused by being in a war zone.
After I was married, Ron finally won his service related case. But it took him years and lawyer fees to do so. Unfortunately Ron became easy prey for not only strangers, but his own brothers and sisters, who came begging for loans and hand outs. The saga of the two women who entered his life is the subject of the next blog. Penn Yan certainly is full of opportunists who are very willing to take advantage of someone who is mentally susceptible to those who like to manipulate others. In fact, it turned out, both women are experts at taking anyone with houses and money to the cleaners. The first one was hoping to kill him, the second one pretty much did. Penn Yan sheriffs are inept at any kind of investigations. But, perhaps, the sheriffs department was tired of dealing with what they considered, crazy Ron. But I think they are lazy and cover up stuff in order to not have to work hard at their jobs. The sheriff and the VA both dropped the ball and allowed a veteran to die.
