Night Trauma

25th June 2012, 0200 hrs,  Raymond sustained a Grande Mal Epileptic Seizure.
I woke up beside him as he thrashed and groaned.
I thought he was having a nightmare.
Reassuring, and trying to calm him had no effect, so I got out of bed and went around to his bedside.
His mouth was clenched tightly, and he ground his teeth.

Symptoms of this kind of seizure are:
Violent body contractions, loss of consciousness, a pause in breathing, urinary incontinence, tongue or cheek biting, and confusion and weakness following the event. Tiredness similar to having walked 100 miles.

Ray suffered no incontinence, however, he did have all of the other symptoms.
I stabilized him, took the pillow out from under his head and placed him in the unconscious position to facilitate breathing. At first he was snoring, then he paused, and stopped breathing. After a deep breath he commenced breathing again with a rapid intake of air. Snoring followed.
I quickly opened the windows and put the ceiling fan on, to help with O2 intake.
I then phoned 000 and rushed to turn the outside light on, and leave the front door open for entry.
The paramedics arrived in about ten minutes.
Rays blood pressure was elevated at first and then dropped back to normal.
Blood Sugar Level normal.
O2 blood oxygen sats 95%
Temperature normal.

Ray was taken to the local hospital and after observations, since he was still confused, he was admitted to a ward upstairs.
G.C.S below average with limb weakness. Eye's reacting, pupils size 3.
He had no recollection of day, month, season, Prime Minister of Australia's name.
He had no recollection of what happened, or the paramedics taking him out to their truck.
Ray was kept in hospital all day and allowed home the day after.
His C.T. scan of the head was normal.
He is to attend his personal physician and receive private care.

Almost two days later, he couldn't remember how to say Grace before his meal.
He hasn't talked very much, and is distressed at times about his lack of memory.

  A cause of seizures can be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

CLICK ON LINK BELOW:   
Under the heading: WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS THAT MAY DEVELOPE?

http://www.aesnet.org/files/dmfile/PrintableversionofFAQtobePDF.pdf

* *  ADD ON:  Ray saw his doctor. He has an appointment to see a Neurologist.
                          As yet we have not been given the date. I pray it is soon.

May 2012

 This is Rays wife writing....
Its a hard life being the wife of a Vietnam Veteran.
I thought because I had professional experience in Mental Health that I would be prepared for life with Ray, I was not!
Working in Mental Health and getting time off is different to being with a Vet, 24/7.   Ray is a good man. He is kind, however, he is still a damaged soul.
Ray spends most of the day, and much of the night on the computer. Sometimes I think he will fall off the computer chair and onto the floor. As he sits there staring at the screen totally oblivious of anything else. 
That includes me.
I call him to come and eat... No answer.
I have to say, Ray please comb your hair.

He has lost a lost of weight. 
He chews tobacco and drinks a beer rather than eat.
He lives pretty much in a world of his own. 

I had thought I was the only woman/wife with much to say about the hurt of being a veterans wife.
Then searching the net, I found out I am one of many.
In fact, many of us deserve a medal, yet we go unrecognized from saving the government thousands of dollars.
How you may say?? 
Well our care-giving saves much.
We love them, we care for them and we defend them...
http://www.vietnow.com/pagesptsd/ptsdholidays.htm

Getting There

You try to forget much, yet today is Vietnam Vets Day in my country, and I remember again. I think of my friends who gave their life, and never returned. One of these was my best friend Thomas McStoots.

Never forgotten buddy.

IN THE WORDS OF:             Laurence Binyon.

They shall grow not old

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. 
LEST WE FORGET..