Ranger POV
Once my lap is filled again and she has her lap filled. Of course I think mine is better because I have my Babe in my lap. She just has her lap top in hers.
"It says here that PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder, it can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death.A.D.A.M. That the symptoms fall into three categories; 1) "Reliving" the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity; 2) Avoidance and 3) Arousal. Oh I don't want to think about Daddy getting aroused." I just shake my head at that last comment.
"Oh wait it isn't what I thought arousal was it is broken out further into more defined sub categories; difficulty concentrating, startling easily, having an exaggerated response to things that startle you, feeling more aware (hyper vigilance), feeling irritable or having outbursts of anger and having trouble falling or staying asleep. I wonder if that was how he was when he first got back from the being in the service. I really don't think Daddy is that way now. Oh god I hope he isn't reliving anything, shit let me look into that."
She is quiet for about 20 minutes while I caress her arm and back as she is absorbing all the information. She there is a stead stream of tears down her eye, she is barely keeping it together. I can tell that the only reason she hasn't complete broken down is so that she understand what her father is going through. Her stubbornness mixed with her curiosity is what giving her strength right now.
She whispered "Oh Daddy" Then she looks up to me "Under the reliving category it broke it out further; flashback episodes, where the event seems to be happening again and again, repeated upsetting memories of the event, repeated nightmares of the event, strong, uncomfortable reactions to situations that remind you of the event. But the one that really has me worried is the avoidance, I think that is how Daddy has been coping listen to this; emotional "numbing," or feeling as though you don't care about anything, feeling detached, being unable to remember important aspects of the trauma, having a lack of interest in normal activities, showing less of your moods, avoiding places, people, or thoughts that remind you of the event, feeling like you have no future. I can't imagine what Daddy has been through and I know he's not the only one. What about you, the things you have seen have had to do. Oh Carlos" She just held onto me a cried. Big sobs shook through her body with tears and snot soaking my shirt. My Babe feels the pain of others down to her marrow.
She finally calmed down, but with the emotional exhaustion she fell asleep quickly. I carried her to our bedroom and put her to bed. Knowing that she needs me close I got into bed with her and just held her through out the night. She woke a few times and began to cry some more. During the times she slept I knew that as much as she feels for others she has to help them. So I devised a plan, one I know that she is more than capable of excelling at.
A/N 1: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is real for many people out there, not just veterans'. Here are a few websites for more information . and ?gclid=CMWzx4OrtrYCFQ3qnAod9CoA4w
A/N 2: I make no dollars or cents for this, the characters all belong to Janet.
I know this wasn't a long chapter, but it was a hard chapter to write with the seriousness of PTSD. I hope to get another chapter tomorrow, but don't make that a promise. My only promise is that I will finish this story.
Thank you to everyone that is supporting me while I write this; those of you who have read my story, those of you who have reviewed and Margaret for keeping that damn Bic lighter lit under my ass!