NYAO, Ep: 079 – A Warriors Wife: April’s Story

This week, the boys were fortunate enough to sit down with Elliot’s wife, April (from Episode 78 – The Legacy of Adam) and talk about the most unspoken tenant in the life cycle of the battle with P.T.S.D.; the sojourn of the spouse in this palpable fight of mental illness. You’ll quickly understand the strength and  grace that April brings is forged in the rawness of her experience in standing by Adam through his darkest moments. Many times, having a very direct impact on her own mental health.

April does the rest of us a massive favor in being candid about her close proximity with the fallouts of undiagnosed P.T.S.D and exposing the fractures it brought into her home. She navigates this tender topic of the injured spouse with such candor and strength, to hopefully shed light for the rest of us, of what it’s like and what to expect when it’s our turn. The boys agreed that this  episode will be one of the most popular in our series, because April leaves everyone a roadmap.  A step by step list of faith based  axioms and approaches to push through the chaos into higher ground. For her and Adam both, it started with their faith in God.

April’s Recommended Resources & Organizations:

1.“Why is Dadso Mad”, book by Seth Kastle. Helps explain PTSD to kids.

2. Giveanhour.org; free counseling/therapy/chiropractic and other care for veterans and their families.

3. Mighty Oaks Warrior Program; Faith based retreat for veterans and spouses in California and Ohio, no residency requirements & travel expenses may be covered.

4. Boulder Crest Retreat; free family/individual retreat opportunities. Warrior PATH program for PTSD.

5. Elizabeth Dole Hidden Heroes; retreats, caregiver resources & support.

6. Reboot Combat Recovery; 12 week faith based course for veterans, first responders, and their families.

7. Operation Homefront; support for military families.

8. Project Sanctuary; free family retreats.

9. Semper Fi Fund; financial assistance if qualified.

10. Wounded Warrior Project; support, activities, individual & family retreats, help with disability claims.

11. Vet Center; counseling, help with claims, other resources.

Please share your thoughts about this episode and more importantly, we hope this encourages our listeners to spend some time thinking about what works best for them when they have to reignite their passion. We encourage all of our listeners to reach out to us with your own stories. We love reading your insights, feedback, and how we can add more value to your day.