How can we give him a voice where we can treat him with respect and help him really come home in every way?

Sorry to say, Open Eyes, but I don't think we'll be coming home in every way. I've buried myself in work for years. Stress was my friend. When all of it started to relax, the ptsd symptoms became more pronounced. They've offered therapy, but it seems too scary to me. I'm not into that yet.

Happiness - still searching
Relationships - appear to be real, but are distant
Relaxation - don't know how
Hyper vigilant - always
Trusting - no one
Alone - preferred
Suicidal - frequent thoughts
Helpful - always
Generous - overboard
anxious - always
Guns - keep 'em with me
Sleep - short period only
Facade - long term, but maybe wearing thin

I left part of myself on the battlefield. Each gun fight took away part of my being. Each warrior wounded or killed changed me in some way. Doc says it is a physical change and that I can learn to compensate for it but that it won't be "cured."

My physical wounds won't be going away either, but I've learned to compensate for the changes.

People see me as a model of what a wounded warrior would hope to be -- but if they only knew.