Mind Body and Trauma

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snoringdog
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by snoringdog »

Hello Mental Fairy,
Well I am just holding it together.
It’s been a couple of days, I hope you all are well.

I took the liberty of reordering your post a bit, with inline replies -
Matt attended an appointment with grandpa and myself a couple of weeks ago with heart doctors. There was talk there was nothing more they could do for him as his heart is on the blink. He is a great grandpa after all and in his 90's. The two of them have this incredible bond.

Because this position for him is full time he will not be able to attend appointments with grandpa. So myself and Joe will be. He feels left out as he was doing all the appointments with him. Sadly this is a time where Matt has to face feelings.

Matt went to his grandpas and they had a chat the day he went MIA. He seemed to do the rounds visiting people, hence why we thought the worst.
Does Matt know the stress he's caused you going MIA?

I think grandpa should really have a serious talk here with Matt if he hasn’t done so already.
He can do a lot to help Matt deal with the loss he will feel when he passes.
I have spoken to Matt’s boss and supervisor and explained things more to them. There was a meeting and discussion between Matt and his boss.

We had an hours length chat this morning and i explained this young lad is pre grieving. He has seen an enormous amount of loss and he is preparing himself for more. By the end of the call both myself and this man were in tears. He had no idea as Matt is so private. He was shocked beyond words. He also is a good friend of Joes and Joe has said nothing to him at all.

There was discussion of reinstating Matt and setting in place some help and avenue for him if things get hard. We are yet to get the confirmation on if they will as yet. There has to be talk with higher up people as this company is international. Cross fingers.
I hope this happens. The job is something Matt really wants, isn't it?
His friend thought he had no future and no further opportunities. But here Matt does. (See below).
I drove home last night and pushed the shed button thingy in my car to open as i came down the driveway. I had to prep myself for the worst. I know this sounds horrid but Matt has been in this dark place before and this was talked about. After his friend passed away we watched him just dissolve into a shell of a young lad. I still feel he may flip again yet. He has therapist in place.
A- It’s horrible to have to think about things like that. Have you had open discussions with him after his friend died? What happened and why, how his friends thoughts might have been distorted, how to handle it mentally & emotionally, what he might have said to him if he’d had the chance…?

If he’s ever thought about it himself? You can tell him you’ll always be there for him, and ask him to please make a promise to you that he’ll seek you out if he ever finds himself in a such dark place.

Matt is still keen to continue but i see a large amount of pain in his eyes. He has closed down a lot over the last few days.
Tell him what you see. Ask him how he's feeling, and how you can help.
Joe is not talking at all, he has shut off. He won't even look at Matt. I know this is hard but Joe got him this rare placement and sadly he feels great shame and embarrassment. I feel like we have an Atlantic ocean of emotions at home currently.
I can imagine. Young men are kind of stupid and don't think things through. Executive functions not fully mature till 25 or so. Ask me, I've been there.

I was a moody and incommunicative teenager, and at one point when I was eighteen, my father and I had some sort of argument. I mouthed off to him, and he punched me so hard it knocked me down. (He was never a physical or abusive person before this incident though). As soon as he did that, I picked myself up and apologized. I knew what I'd said was uncalled for, and that I deserved it.
I have learnt one thing over the last two days about myself. I can't hold a conversation when stressed and i have had zero appetite and saliva! Stress is horrible.
Understandable. Best to try to communicate that and agree to continue later when the stress level goes down. (It's easier to talk while you're out walking together too, instead of when sitting).

Again, I hope you all are well. This is tough stuff.

SD
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oak
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by oak »

Agreed, as always, with the excellent insight provided by our good friend Snoring Dog.

I hope you are doing well, Mental Fairy! Keep us posted.
Work is love made visible. -Kahlil Gibran
A person with a "why" can endure any "how". -Viktor Frankl
Which is better: to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort? -Skyrim
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Mental Fairy
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by Mental Fairy »

Hi team

Been an odd few days, I’m tired. I’m so bloody tired.

It’s 90% humidity here and rain overnight has made it feel like we are in a sauna.
I hear we have yet another cyclone on the way moving south east.

The situation with Matt is moving along. He understands the emotional side of us when he went MIA. He spent three hour so hours with grandpa yesterday and some time today.

Joe has finally thawed out and now talking with Matt. I got Joe into the Ute on Friday evening to go get some vegetables. I absolutely lost it at him. There were tears, anger and raw words spoken. I voiced my fears and my line of thought.
All I care about is Matt’s cared for, he can be a belly dancer for all I care, I just want him to know I love and support him no matter what. Yes, he has fears and he has to face grandpa is fading. But ain’t we all!

I explained to Matt I too fear loss, I fear the loss of him. I fear he won’t live a full life while on this earth. Since Matt was about 10 all he wanted to do was be a cop or a medic. He’s gone down engineer line and underwater diving for many reasons. He’s young, he has options and he has the right to pick what he wants to do. Joe has very high expectations, yet I do not.

As I type this both of them are off skateboarding down the foreshore together, that’s a good start.

Took until yesterday for Joe to make a move.

I awoke on Saturday morning at 2am to find Matt had gone again. I almost vomited. I rung him twice and no answer. I panicked as any mum would. He then video called me from the gym saying not to panic and that he couldn’t sleep. He was just around the corner at our local gym he goes too with Joe. Joe went down as I had woken him and the pair of them worked out together.

This parenting thing is far harder now than it ever was.
We have talked a lot of the last few days.

I’ve been training bloody hard, I felt my internal volcano bubbling yesterday afternoon and after my long run I got on my bike and peddled up the hill and back, 37km return. I listened to podcasts and zoned out. I felt so good afterwards. If i haven’t of gone I don’t know what I would have done. Paces the hallways, pulled plants, stresses out.

This last few days has been testing. I love my son beyond words. I have learnt he fears the same stuff I do and he sees it. I hope I’m not to blame.
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snoringdog
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by snoringdog »

Hello Mental Fairy,

Glad to hear you're navigating through this. It's hard.

Your post has some really positive points, with the communications. Keeping the emotions in check is really difficult at times though...

Wondering why you think you panicked at 2am? (Although things do get amplified at night, I know. If that happens to me I get out of bed rather than rolling around and ruminating).

And tell him to put a sticky note on the door next time for gods sake! :D

Wondering - do you think you three have reached a common understanding about all that's happened the last few days?
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oak
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by oak »

Mental Fairy, thank you for sharing.
Work is love made visible. -Kahlil Gibran
A person with a "why" can endure any "how". -Viktor Frankl
Which is better: to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort? -Skyrim
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Mental Fairy
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by Mental Fairy »

https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/131161434/one-dead-following-microlight-crash-near-stratford-aerodrome-in-central-taranaki

This was my colleague and work mate for over 7 years. I was his nurse for three of those years.

We are shocked.

I don’t know what else to say.
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manuel_moe_g
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by manuel_moe_g »

Oh my god, Mental Fairy, I am so sorry
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oak
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by oak »

Agreed with Manuel Moe.

I am sorry for your loss, Mental Fairy.

If/when you feel able, no rush, I’d like to hear more about him.

In the meantime , we are here for you.
Work is love made visible. -Kahlil Gibran
A person with a "why" can endure any "how". -Viktor Frankl
Which is better: to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort? -Skyrim
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Mental Fairy
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Joined: March 24th, 2022, 11:53 am
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by Mental Fairy »

We are all in shock. Kenny was a beautiful dentist. Kind man. Leaving behind two children.
The town is shocked. The release of details to public will be tonight to name him. Kenny am I started working together in 2011. He brought a lovely plane after he got his license, took his wife Felicity up north to a beautiful farm and landed on a farming runway. He proposed to her and they had a beautiful family. Kenny is from Scotland and his accent was infectious! He started his own practice called pure dental here in New Plymouth.

https://m.facebook.com/100057190250691/

Look at link and you will see Kenny
May he continue to fly and look upon us with peace.
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manuel_moe_g
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Re: Mind Body and Trauma

Post by manuel_moe_g »

keep on flying Kenny, if you mean that much to Mental Fairy, you must be a good spirit
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