Veteran batteling PTSD

Michael's Story

My name is Michael J Goss; I am a 36 year old man from Texas who has PTSD due to my occurrences and experiences during my 2 tours in Iraq and my 1 tour in Afghanistan.

I joined the US Army in 1997, got married in 1998 and had 4 kids by the time I was separated from the US Army in 2006. (I am currently divorced and my 4 kids live 8 hours away from me)The Army was supposed to be my career; in 2003 I had experienced so much and seen so much in Iraq that my mind was broken since I was not prepared. Truly traumatic events bother me daily.

After I separated from the US Army in 2006, I went back to South Texas in a city called Corpus Christi.Trying to get enrolled into the VA system was a hassle and very bothersome. It was hard because I didn’t want the help offered to me; I just wanted to be alone.While in Iraq I was known by the locals as “Suicide King” because of my lack to wear my helmet, wear my body protection and to carry my rifle. I figured if we were meant to die, then why wear that stuff?

After 3 long years of trying to get into the Veterans Administration system to gain benefits, I finally made it in.I currently see a Mental Health specialist 3 times a week; I take 3 types of medications to suppress the nightmares, to suppress my mood, and to put me in a deep sleep. I am 30% disabled by the VA for the rest of my life although I just found out I have TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) that was caused by explosions and gunshots.

I want to be “normal” again; the first step to taking that road for me was going to my appointments and taking my meds. I still workout in MMA training although I am no longer competing in Cage fights due to DRs Orders. I recently just got a tattoo that reads “Fight Off Your Demons” that I had put on my hand, (my punching hand)I still deal with PTSD daily, but through keeping in touch with my children and the guys I was with out there and talking about it to the people that KNOW what im talking about…. I can smile again.