He's BACK!!

My husband was released from the hospital yesterday. After thirteen days, I'd say it's about time. I was truly becoming frustrated with the slow progress of his care--mostly I blame it on the Thanksgiving holiday. Turns out, the doctor sent him home with pneumonia.

I know he's back because he's grumping at the boys. My poor guys. Seems they can never do anything good enough to meet his standards. I try to remind my husband that the boys are only thirteen and that they are not in the military. They do not deserve the harsh words he speaks to them--and they might even work harder if they had some praise to go along with the criticism. It's the criticism that hurts the most. Both boys know they can do the work their daddy asks them to do, but they both have admitted that they would like to hear a "good job!" or an "I love you!" every once in awhile. I think they are starving for that kind of attention from their daddy.

They are tired of the excuses of PTSD. Our boys are normal boys dealing with an abnormal situation that most thirteen-year-olds do not have to deal with. Try as they do, they have a hard time understanding this whole situation. I'm hoping that we'll be able to find them someone they can talk to--someone who will make them feel like they are normal and someone who will offer them a listening ear and an understanding heart. I don't want the boys to think they are not loved by their daddy, but I can see where they would even begin to think this way. Heaven knows I've felt this about myself a time or two.

I think we just need some education--and that's what we are going to find. In twelve hours, we will be at the VA talking to a social worker there. I'm going to bombard this gentleman with all kinds of questions and see what I can learn and what I can do to ensure that my children and other children in similar situations do not have to be made to feel as if they are less than because their dads have given up so much.

Say a prayer for us...

Blessings to you all,
The PTSD Widow