Comments | gdstresse: Just when you think you're over it.

gdstresse

Just when you think you're over it.

Dec 10, 2007 12:11

I went to a Christmas party with my kids yesterday, and there was a clown handing out balloon animals to the kids. As spooky as most people find clowns, I didn't have a problem with that. I had a problem with the balloons. If I left you with that thought you'd probably think they were adult balloons or something. Again, not what the problem was ( Read more... )

Comments 8

only_one_sun December 10 2007, 19:31:46 UTC

*hugs*

It's not the same, but I've always been afraid of the sound of popping balloons, too. They make me jump and leave me with an unsettled feeling as well. I've been that way since I was a child-- I could never play balloon-race type games with the other kids. Well anyway, I know it's not the same thing at all, I just thought I'd let you know that it's this one thing you've got going on is not all that uncommon.

gdstresse December 10 2007, 23:56:47 UTC

Thanks Lola, it's good to talk with people who have an idea how something can disturb me, even if the causes are different.

schnee December 10 2007, 21:22:50 UTC

Meh, I'm very sorry to hear that. :/ Are you getting counselling to - hopefully - be able to get over these things?

gdstresse December 10 2007, 23:57:45 UTC

The army continues to reel me in to talk about how I'm doing, and I apparently have a normal amount of issues with what happened, and if I want to talk to someone outside of my friends and family the army will send me to a professional listener.

schnee December 11 2007, 07:54:23 UTC

*noddles* It might be worth taking them up on that offer... talking to a professional really can help (and I'm speaking from experience there). I really have no idea how it works or why, but it does.

sweet_tea79 December 11 2007, 19:46:22 UTC

I don't know what it's like, but I do know what your daughter feels like. Popping balloons, backfiring cars, shattering china in restaurants are all guaranteed to make him startle painfully. At least now, he just startles; I remember being about 4 or 5 and walking in a park with my dad when a nearby car backfired and he threw me to the ground, covering me with his body and shaking. For the record, my Dad did 3 tours in Vietnam.

He's gotten better throughout the years, but this is not something that's ever going to go away for him. But it has gotten better, and that's a good thing.

gdstresse December 12 2007, 13:30:39 UTC

It is a good thing. I've only had one tour, and that was in Afghanistan, and I was actually surprised there was any PTSD, it didn't seem to bad while I was actually over there. I think because you're expected to do things like cover your favourite person when you hear a bang noise. That's just good operating procedure, not PTSD in theater, it's only a little strange at home.

As well, how many people can say they actually know that their father would put his life between an explosion and their daughters life? He must be a really good guy.

sweet_tea79 December 14 2007, 00:41:03 UTC

He's the best.