Okay, I'll try this again!

Thank you for the welcome Kerri-Ann!

I don't mind sharing what I'm learning. This is all new to me (well sort of.)

I struggle with how different Matt and I are with PTSD symptoms. I've been like this since my pre-teen years and I'm in my thirties now. So I have difficulty with identifying the symptoms because it's just how I am. I don't know anything else. I have no point of reference to compare this too.

Matt is entirely different. I can pin point exactly when he changed and see how it has effected him. Poor kid. Not only does he have to deal with his trauma but he has to deal with me too. That's an awful lot to ask an 11 year old to deal with!

Where I am aggressive, he's passive. I pace and snap when I'm stressed out, he holes up in his room and plays video games. We have some big differences, yet are so much alike. I have a lot to learn.

The big thing I have to do is learn how to parent differently. My old style (before his PTSD) does not work well with his PTSD. I've also learned that children deal with PTSD completly different from adults!

Somedays, it's just very overwhelming. We also have no one to turn to in our home. If both of us are just too exhuasted to get up and do chores or whatever, then they just don't get done. (Matt helps me clean the house, we share the chores.) I've gotten my Dad to start mowing my lawn for me but that's due to allergies!! So we struggle not only with the internal effects but also with just day to day living.

This is quite the challenge!

Bec