An overview...
I am a wife of an Operation Iraqi Freedom Combat Veteran severely injured and medically retired. Like many of you, I am married to the person I once loved, the one who over the years has changed so much is not the person I married. Does that hit the note? Then read on.
We met right after he came back here to Ft. Lewis, straight from Iraq after being his second injury after being drastically thrown several yards from a blast explosion of a Chinese Silkworm Rocket. The first injury, well lets say those guys had it rough out there and firefights were everywhere but he almost refused to come back after the second injury which may be where the trouble lies in many of our guys.
He was very kind and outgoing, got along well with my friends and family and even had my Dad's approval at the first meeting. Everything was great, well, apart from the weird occasions where he would every so often throw me off the bed, dropping on top of me and searching for his rifle whispering to me to be quiet. Have I got you so far, I'm sure at least half of you know what I'm speaking of. Well, that was from our first night together so maybe I was the crazy one, but I stuck through.
Later, we accomplished gaining custody of his kids, which made such a great difference in his demeanor. He was so active and such a great father, I was very pleased in seeing this interaction. We also had our own children down the line totaling to four amazing kids I have been blessed with. Then, the time comes when Daddy is just not the same man. He is different now. He is more vigilant, obsessive, compulsive, illusive, incoherent occasionally, and right down that list. Here I know I hit at least a quarter of you.
As for our marriage...well that's where this blog comes in. It is very simple. I am married to a memory of the man I once was absolutely head over heels for and now come to find myself in hell itself.
I am here to provide support, not just to wives like many blogs, but to those girlfriends and fiances and brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers, to be a support and maybe with my experiences, and your experiences sharing them and letting them serve as a guide to survive the life that we have come to for the person we cannot walk away from. I am here to be together with all of you who suffer every day for an injured veteran who cannot escape his own misery of not being who he or she was. And maybe, if I am lucky, receive guidance myself.
With all of my love to all the brave who are willing to live this life,
KMB
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