Tag Archives: Army

My Grandpa’s Honor Flight

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! My grandpa came back from his Honor Flight trip this past Monday after two years of delays due to Covid-19 pandemic. I am so proud of him serving our country. I would love to put picture of what was taken but my grandpa knows I a using a pseu·don·y·mous and doesn’t want that taken a way from me.

I just don’t want to take away one of the best times he has made in in his life time and waited two years due to a stupid pandemic. I am grateful he had a grated time. He met a lot of vets that he will keep in contact with.

The best part was seeing all the love the families had for their vets coming home. A lot of families came out and there were many hugs and smiles. My grandpa had a great time.

I don’t have much more to says except thank you veterans for serving our country. Peace Out, World!!!

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Honoring Those Who Served Our Country

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It has been just over two years of waiting for my grandpa to take the Honor Flight. Sadly, each and every time it got cancelled due to Covid-19. The pandemic ruined a lot of things for people including those who passed away awaiting to do the honor flight. I am beyond grateful that my 91 year old grandpa gets to go and that the woman he sat by is celebrating her 100th birthday today. I am thrilled that all those who were able to make the honor flight. I hope our veterans have the time of their lives as they gave us the freedoms we have.

I just wanted to thank everyone in the United States and their home countries for fighting for what they believe in. Everyone who serves their country deserves respect and a hug if they are up for a hug.

Thank you for reading my blog. Most importantly lets respect our military even if we don’t agree with each out. Our militaries keep us free and keep up protected. Peace Out, World!!!

Mental Health Awareness Week; Day 6: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Posted on by Gertie

It is Day 6 of Mental Health Awareness Week. Today’s topic of discussion is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Todays discussion is quite difficult for me because I am struggle with PTSD and I am sure that this topic will bring up some painful memories from my past. I am aware that this particular post might take me all day to post because if I need to stop for a while I will. I need to do what is best for me but I also realize that I still need to educate you all on PTSD. Again the information I will give to you on PTSD, I got from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website at nami.org.

The symptoms of PTSD:

The DSM-IV criteria for identifying PTSD require that symptoms must me active for more than one month after the trauma and associated with the decline in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning. The three broad symptom clusters can be summarized as follow:

1. Persistent Re-experiencing

A person experiences one or more of the following:

  • recurrent nightmares or flashbacks;
  • recurrent images or memories of the event – these images or memories often occur without actively thinking about the event;
  • intense distress of reminders of the trauma; and/or
  • physical reactions to triggers that symbolize or resemble the event.

2. Avoidant/Numbness Responses

A person experiences three or more of the following:

  • efforts to avoid feelings or triggers associated with the trauma;
  • avoidance of activities, places or people that remind the person of the trauma;
  • inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma;
  • markedly diminished interest in activities;
  • feelings of detachment or estrangement from others;
  • restricted range of feelings; and/or
  • difficulty thinking abut the long-term future – sometimes this expresses itself by a failure to plan for the future or taking risk because the person does not fully believe or consider the possibility that they will be alive for a normal lifespan.

3. Increased Arousal

A person experiences two or more of the following:

  • difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep;
  • outburst of anger/irritability;
  • difficulty concentrating;
  • increased vigilance that may be maladaptive; and/or
  • exaggerated startle response

Again, I got this information off of the NAMI website at nami.org. The DSM has since got an updated version now DSM-5.The diagnosis of PTSD has been updated in the DSM-5 so for more updated information you might want to check it out.

As I thought I am having some problems writing this particular blog. I have made the decision to make this particular blog shorter than I had hoped. It has been quite triggering for me. I am a survivor of multiple traumas and some of those trauma’s were when I was a child. Writing this blog has brought up some unpleasant memories of some horrific parts of my life. That is why I am needing to end this blog. I am sorry that I was unable to convey everything that I wanted. I hope that someday that I will be able to convey more on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I need to take care of myself and I know with the years of therapy that I have had and continue to have that if continuing this particular entry will trigger me even more.

On that note, I will blog again tomorrow on another subject. I am not really sure if I am going to write about but I do know that I will write about mental health. I hope that you will continue to follow and/or read my blog when Mental Health Awareness Week ends. Have a great weekend everyone. Enjoy it to the best of your ability. Peace out and enjoy life!!!!