[일반] [re] Happy New Year from Busan
- WriterRobert W.Stirling
- Date2008-01-04 10:48:40
- Count2808
Hi:
it is deeply appreciated that the Korean people care enough to be grateful. i survived without being wounded. however, I've been undergoing treatment from a psychologist for 18 months helping me deal with all the unpleasant facts of life from being in that war. if it were required of me again, i hope that in some way i could serve once again. but at 80 years of age, that isn't too likely.
i came home as did so many others to massive indifference from our government. the US forces came home from Vietnam to outright and quite undeserved hostility. yet their government sent them to do their duty. in meeting that level of hostility, many who were suffering from PTSD just went underground and remained untreated because it was not readily recognized then for the problem it was. many of them were seriously troubled people. had they been treated for this affliction, then there might not have been so many suicides, and murders from vets who flipped out.
many of our guys were also troubled and there are some suicides perhaps attributable to PTSD. i came home and was quite unable to talk about the trouble i had not knowing it was treatable. so some 20 months ago, my doctor realized that all was not well with yours truly, and suggested i go for counseling and referred me to Dr. Koe. with his help, I've been somewhat freed of some of those ghastly memories which i have never been able to talk about. Dr. Koe believes this is perhaps why it is that my kids which i never abused have become estranged from me because i was perceived as distant and uncaring. I've not talked to them or they to me for nearly 20 years. it took much assistance from my wife (not their mother) and some friends to help me come to the point where i could accept this. I'll never like what has happened, but i can accept it.
the relationship we enjoy from the Korean Community is similar to the relationship that Canadians enjoy from helping liberate the people of Holland.
so let me wish all who might receive this a very happy new year. may you always be able to live in peace and harmony.
Ciao,
Robert W. Stirling
it is deeply appreciated that the Korean people care enough to be grateful. i survived without being wounded. however, I've been undergoing treatment from a psychologist for 18 months helping me deal with all the unpleasant facts of life from being in that war. if it were required of me again, i hope that in some way i could serve once again. but at 80 years of age, that isn't too likely.
i came home as did so many others to massive indifference from our government. the US forces came home from Vietnam to outright and quite undeserved hostility. yet their government sent them to do their duty. in meeting that level of hostility, many who were suffering from PTSD just went underground and remained untreated because it was not readily recognized then for the problem it was. many of them were seriously troubled people. had they been treated for this affliction, then there might not have been so many suicides, and murders from vets who flipped out.
many of our guys were also troubled and there are some suicides perhaps attributable to PTSD. i came home and was quite unable to talk about the trouble i had not knowing it was treatable. so some 20 months ago, my doctor realized that all was not well with yours truly, and suggested i go for counseling and referred me to Dr. Koe. with his help, I've been somewhat freed of some of those ghastly memories which i have never been able to talk about. Dr. Koe believes this is perhaps why it is that my kids which i never abused have become estranged from me because i was perceived as distant and uncaring. I've not talked to them or they to me for nearly 20 years. it took much assistance from my wife (not their mother) and some friends to help me come to the point where i could accept this. I'll never like what has happened, but i can accept it.
the relationship we enjoy from the Korean Community is similar to the relationship that Canadians enjoy from helping liberate the people of Holland.
so let me wish all who might receive this a very happy new year. may you always be able to live in peace and harmony.
Ciao,
Robert W. Stirling