This is a duplicate of a post in the members' section.

A lot has happened in the last year. I lost my job in February, had back surgery in March (which turned out fine), lost my apartment, moved in with my parents in Phoenix, AZ (800 miles from my kids)... and this:

Since I lost my job, my benefits went with it. I can't afford COBRA on unemployment, so I went to the VA for health benefits as a hardship. We were going through the paperwork, filling out a claim for service-connected disabilities. They ask questions such as:

Were you assigned to a unit in a combat zone?
No

Were you exposed to excessive noise while performing your duties?
Yes

Were you the victim of sexual harassment while serving?
Um, yeah. That's the second name of the military.

Were you the victim of sexual assault while serving in the military?
N........

Oh fuck.
Just when you thought it was safe... out comes another bomb.

Anyway, I think I need to come back. I don't know how active I'll be. All I know is that I can't handle this alone, and no one around me understands what I'm trying to deal with.

Dwayne,

Glad to see you. Yes, there are those here who can, will, and do understand even this latest bomb. I'm just so very sorry you're facing this one as well. Talk about it as you can.

Safe hugs,

John

hey dewey, i've been actively and seriously working on recovery for over 25 years and it has been a long and winding road. it wasn't until i found malesurvivor in 2003 that significant recovery began to take place as i stopped treating the symptoms and got to the heart of the matter. i guess if i have to have a habit, better it be a good habit than a bad one, so that's why i hang around. where else can you go to say all the things you need to say each and every day? i'm glad to see you back. i've missed seeing your words appearing regularly on the screen, feeling close to an understanding brother of the wounds.

take care, and i hope you hang around......yea, selfish, for me....but even better for you and all the rest of the community.

ron

Dewey,

We met just briefly in chat a day or so ago. I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to properly say hi and get to know you better then...I hope we can fix that sometime. I'm really sorry you're having a series of setbacks here, but I'm sure the same strength that got you out of them before will be your guiding force as you move through these newest challenges.

hang in there,

sono

p.s. I've been wondering who that Dewey2k was who appears at the bottom of this very screen shot!!!!

Just as I was starting to get close!!! Welcome back my man, sorry to hear that you have been having a rough time of it. I spent an awfully long time in recovery myself, but I am here to reassure you that there is such a thing as freedom from our past. Glad to meet you again, and hope that together we can find our way to optimism unhindered by our past.

Welcome back, recovery is possible,

Mark

Thanks guys... just the few exchanges I've had here in the past few days have helped a lot. This place is amazing.