Triumphant's Journey

This post is written by a man who I knew as a little girl. Never would I have predicted that he fought these particular battles, and overcome these obstacles. He wrote me his story, after he read my journey with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am truly blessed by his story.






"Triumphant's" story, in his own beautiful words:






"I was born in 1943 during the war and all the good doctors were in the military. When my mother went to the hospital there was just a regular doctor there. He left me in the birth canal too long till I was almost dead. To save my life he grabbed my head and pulled me out causing more brain damage. To make a long story short he told me parents just to take me home and let me die peacefully. I did not cry. About a week later I began to cry and everyone was sure excited.






I had lots of trouble in school especially reading, writing, and spelling. I was a dumb kid and I knew it. Lots of things happened to let me know how dumb I was. Once when I was about 12, on a Sunday night, our pastor had all the kids come up and sing. He told us the page number and I found it. I looked at it like all the rest. When we were coming down I heard my uncle say, “Look at Bobby, he acts like he knows how to read.”






My daddy died when I was 12 but I knew he was sick and I knew without a doubt he was with Jesus. I worked hard in school and by the time I was in 8th grade I was starting to read. I got some extra help in high school and I wanted to go to college and become a teacher. I told my counselor and he said, “Maybe you can teach farming.” I was the first generation out of the Texas cotton fields. I still have problems reading out loud, spelling, and knowing names.






I did go to college and graduated with a teaching credential. I started teaching but got drafted in 1966. The Army trained me to be a Jungle Warfare Specialist in Vietnam. I lost all fear and looked forward to killing people. I would lay down with copperheads, let them get out of my way, and go to sleep even in the water with my pack to keep my head out of the water. Living in these conditions in Tiger Land, Ft. Polk, Louisiana ended up giving me intestinal parasites. I went to the hospital instead of Vietnam. When I got well I said I wanted out of the Army. They sent me to a psychiatrist and making a long story short I ended up in Germany in the 14th Armored Cav. as a personal specialist. I became the company clerk. I was active in teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School so I was beginning to get some sanity back in my life.






When I got out of the Army I got a job teaching in Monrovia, got married, bought a house on the GI bill, had two boys and everything looked good. I went back to college on my GI Bill, got a Masters in Education, and 2nd credential as a Reading Specialist. We just celebrated out 45th anniversary.






The nightmares got worse, but I could teach and do whatever I had to. I would come home sometimes and just sit in my chair staring at the TV and not really seeing it. Every time I got a jury summons it was like being drafted all over again. It got worse and worse until they threatened to arrest me for not serving duty. I went to counseling and saw my psychiatrist and managed to get out of duty, and said I had PTSD because of the Army. I would dream about being in the Army many times and try to explain that I had already served but they would make me leave my wife, my kids, and my teaching job. Sometimes I would be afraid to go to sleep.






The first plane I flew in was the one that took me to basic training in Texas. It crashed the next day. I have also heard 3 other planes crash. My wife wanted to got to Hawaii and Walt Disney World. I went to Hawaii once and WDW three times but each time it got worse. It was like being forced into that plane that crashed. Each time got worse and worse. I finally said I would take her to the airport but I wouldn’t go. Once I went to the Ronald Reagan Museum. I got in Air Force 1. Half way through I had a panic attack and had to tell the people ahead of me to let me out, and that was inside a building. When I got home my blood pressure was still almost 200 but kept going down as I rested.






I am doing lots better now and believe it is a gift from God. There are many people even little kids that I taught that are suffering from PTSD from what has happened in their young lives. I have an extra understanding of “dumb kids and adults” that have trouble reading. I almost quit going to small groups at church when the leader wants us to take turns reading the Bible.






This is just part of what I have gone through and I know it is just my thoughts as they came out. I know thoughts are more important than having it just right.






I know that no matter what is happening in our lives that He said that He would be with us always. I know He has always been with me even when He seemed do far away."










Absolutely nothing "dumb" about him.






More to come.