D. J. Poulton 2020 | Ormeau | Queensland | Australia| Contact Dave
DAVO’S HOME PAGE FOR VIETNAM VETERANS
Concord Repatriation Hospital Ihadmanyatripinto ConcordHospitalaftermy returntoAustraliafrom VietnaminJuly1968.The wardswereusuallyfullwith guyswhowereeitherin rehabfromseverephysical injuries,fightingalcohol addiction,anxiety depressivestate,claims assessments etc. WhenIwentinfor assessmentforallmy physicalillsin1970asanin-patient,Iwastreatedasacrazy(wasjustplainsufferingfromsevereulcerationofthestomachIthought),hadmybeltremovedandmyrazorbladestakenawaysoI couldn'tdomyselfin.IprotestedloudlyoverthistreatmentandwasinformedallVietnamVetswere treatedthesame.Itseemedwewereadangerousbunchandsuicidal.Therewereguysintheward whohadmajorsurgicalproblemsfromwoundsandtheyweretreatedascrazy.Weweren'tcrazy-we justneededhelptoadjustbackintoahostilesocietyandgetbackontracktowhatwewerebefore we went overseas. Not too much to ask surely? Irememberclearlythatmyspecialist(whowasatthetimeaLocalMedicalOfficer(LMO)for Veteran'sAffairs)hadanicegreetingonenteringhisoffice-"What'syourproblemfellah?"Iwould alwayssay,"Nothing,Iwassentheretoseeyou."Ihatedthatguyandhisindifferencetomy problems.Iwassickphysically,losingweight,giventoalcoholandcouldn'tcontrolmyanger.Iwasn't crazy,madoraloony.Ijustwantedsomecompassion,understanding,tobeacceptedasa'Digger' and a simple thank you for serving my country. That wasn't too much to ask, surely? Wespentmostofourdayinhospitalplayingtabletennisorlawnbowls.Everynowandagain(more 'again'really)wewouldalltroopuptothepubonthecornerfortherapy. Thetenderswouldcomeand roundusallupandherdusbacktothewardwherethesisterwouldtelluswhatrogueswewereand sendusalloffforrelaxationtherapy(softmusicinadarkroom).Mostfreakedoutandescapedtodo otherthings.Thesystemreallydidn'thaveaclueonPTSDinthosedays.ThankGodthosedays have gone and at least today there is help for the tormented veteran. Therealitywasthatthenationcouldn'tgiveastuffaboutussowhyshouldwe.Prettysillythinking, butatthetimemyfriend,itwasallaboutsurviving.Vietnamwasbadenough,buttohavetosurvive theonslaughtagainstusbythemediaandthepublicwasmorethanmostcouldbear.Everytime there was a problem - off to Concord - my local MO used Concord like a pharmaceutical script. Mykidssufferedterriblythroughthisperiod.Theyshouldn'thavehadto,buttheydid.Nohelpfor them-takeoutmedicalinsuranceandpayyourbillslikeanyothertaxpayer.Mywifeandchildren were victims of the Vietnam War. TheywerejustasmuchacasualtyasIwas.Mywifesufferedmanyboutsofsevereclinical depression,washospitalisedandtheinstitutionsremedyforherwasover40shocktreatments.Why did she have to suffer all that? There was no government help for her or my children. Eventothisdaythereisnodoubtinmymindthatsomeofherphysicalillnesswasasadirectresult ofthoseyearsimmediatelyfollowingmyreturnfromVietnam.Noonlyhavingtodealwithachanged husband,shealsohadtodealwiththestigmaofbeingaVietnamVeteran'swife.Thatalonewas enoughtotopplethestrongestwilled.Yetinalltheseyearsourfamilystillsuffersandthereisno financialrelieffortheillnessescausedtothembytheVietnamWar.WHY?Yearsofpoliticalreteric hasn't solved the issues with our families. Is it too hard?go to top