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| | Notices | Welcome to PTSD Forum. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a life threatening, debilitating disorder that can break down a sufferer’s body through anxiety and stress. Further it poses a significant suicide risk resulting from the brains neurological imbalance and chemical depression. Sufferers often live in denial, thus this community is aimed at helping PTSD sufferers help themselves through others experiences, guidance and education. We are here for the sufferer, spouse and families surrounding PTSD. Spouses and family are too often forgotten in this equation, and often they receive all the worst that PTSD has to offer. If you're involved in any way with PTSD, get registered and help yourself now. Non-active members will eventually be deleted. If you are not a sufferer, carer or someone within the mental health industry, and active, then there is little reason for you to be a member of this forum. Non-active members with zero posts are deleted periodically during the year. |  | 
13-02-2008, 05:13 PM
| | | | Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
| | Katrina Survivor Losing My Wife to PTSD Hello, I am new to the forum. It has been 2 1/2 years since that awful day that me and my family barely survived Hurricane Katrina. We were trapped 12 blocks from the beach in our home in Bay Saint Louis, MS. We rode out the storm in what was left of the second floor for 11 hours. 4 of our neighbors died that day. My wife, was 36 at that time, along with our two daughters 13 and 15 back then. We lost everything as so many others did that day, but we had our lives. We slept on a gym floor for 5 nights till my brother drove down from Wisconsin and rescued us. We left Mississippi with just the clothes on our backs.
Present day: We have been living back in Wisconsin the last 2 1/2 years. Our daughters went back to their old school, where they had old friends and adjusted pretty well to post Katrina life. I can't say the same about my wife. She has been in Therapy and on a dizzying array of medications the last 2 1/2 years. I don't know where to turn anymore to help her. Our relationship has been a roller coaster ride since the hurricane. She is not the same. The meds just make her not care about anything. I am looking for answers. | 
14-02-2008, 08:48 AM
|  | Administrative Editor PTSD | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,443
| | Hi, welcome to the forum. Your in good hands here with plenty of information. I would suggest getting into the carers section for your own sake and reading as much as possible here so you understand PTSD. To understand is to know how to approach. | 
14-02-2008, 11:07 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ma
Posts: 3,149
| | Welcome to the forum. I watched TV as did millions of other people that day/week. I couldn't believe the horror. Still can't. To have survived it was a miracle.
I hope that you, your wife and your children can learn here and find ways to be a whole family again. There is life after PTSD. It's just different once you learn how too.
I wish you well, all of you. | 
14-02-2008, 11:07 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Earth (most of the time)
Posts: 802
| | Hi Survivor, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your wife. I look forward to hearing from you.
Tammy | 
14-02-2008, 11:11 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Antilles
Posts: 1,836
| | Welcome to the forum, lovely to have you. As Anthony suggests, please do visit the Carers section, and read as much as you are able about PTSD, as knowledge truly is power in dealing with this illness. As a carer myself, I have found the wealth of knowledge on this forum to be my most valuable tool in helping my daughter. | 
14-02-2008, 12:05 PM
| | | | Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
| | Thanks for the welcoming words Thank you for the warm welcome, I have been a faithful study on PTSD for the last 2 years since my wife was diagnosed. I will read the carers section also. Knowledge has been my only guide thus far. It doesn't help that my job has me away from home 46 weeks out of the year. Yet, my wife tells me that having me away gives her time to work things out in her own mind. I also fear that our youngest daughter may be affected also, by what Mom is going thru and dealing with her own issues since Katrina. a therapist will be meeting with our daughter next month. I feel so isolated from my family. Not just the physical separation of my job. Thank you all again. | 
14-02-2008, 09:00 PM
| | | | Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 22
| | Hi survivor
i was so sad to read your intro....i cannot imagine how that must of been for you all.there are lots of people on here who can support you and help you ...
cas x | 
26-02-2008, 07:01 AM
| | | | Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 15
| | Thanks again for welcoming me into the group. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes | Linear Mode |
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