Military Moms: July-August - Page 2

[gagin37]

subbing to the new thread.

I'm Claire, my dh is AD Air Force, and we're stationed at Pope AFB which is adjacent to Ft. Bragg. Dh has been here almost 4 years now. We have one son who is 22 months old.

not much going on with us. we still don't know where we'll be headed next year when Pope closes, or when we'll be moving, which is frustrating since we're also still TTC-hoping to have a baby before we leave. Dh made it home from his 6 week course in TX, and ds has settled down a lot, he's back to his old self. It's taken us a couple of weeks to get back into a functioning routine though. Night time has been really hard with daddy back. Ds didn't want to give up the half of the bed he had taken over, but he also didnt much want to sleep in his own bed. Things are settling down now though.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by MommaKitten21

Saying goodbye to DH today at 11 am... please keep us in your thoughts.

I will be thinking of you today

[~Katie~]

I'm glad Joe is finally home Claire and that things are finally getting back to normal. I hope you hear something soon about where you're headed to.

Fireworks last night had the potential to be good but the cannon fire every 5 seconds during them was a bit overkill and obnoxious so we left pretty much as soon as they started.

[2ID_Wife]

DH is army, 23 years next month, we have been married 13 years and I was in the Air Force for 10 years.
We are up at Drum after several years in Korea.

[MommaKitten21]

Welcome 2ID_ Wife


I was doing so well today since saying goodbye to DH this morning.... that is, until after I got ds to sleep. Then I broke. Of course, I cant stop crying. I know a lot of it is pregnancy hormones, and I talked myself down once. Then, I went to change clothes, just to find a love note tucked in my top drawer from DH with his dog tags. Which of course, started it all again. I don't mean to be a downer here guys... I know it will get easier. I'm just trying to get in the groove of things. ds did great tonight, but i know it will take a few days for his behavior to change... just crossing my fingers for a somewhat easy transition. Being 37 weeks is whooping my butt with the whole dealing with emotions. Ugh.

Just needed to get that all out

[MovingMomma]

MommaKitten:

[MaerynPearl]

aww mommakitten

[~Katie~]

MK. It's okay to cry, and it's important to get those emotions out. Don't ever feel guilty for that. It's important to acknowledge your feelings along the way. It will help you move forward with a clear head and be even more proactive. Please continue to update us on how you're doing!

[MommaKitten21]

Thanks for the support!

I just kept myself busy yesterday, and then I just think it hit me when I went to lay down ... alone. It just sucks. I feel better today, but I know it's going to be the nights that get to me.

We never decorated our bedroom since we have been at this house. Last night it was just so cold and empty. It was the worst feeling ever. I didn't want to be in there at all. My sister in law offered to help me decorate it when money is there and when baby has come. I bet that will help a lot. Especially because DH and I have talked about what we want to do there... we just never got around to it.

ds is doing really well. This morning he hugged me and said "papa.... away.... soldier" and he was holding pictures of him and his papa. He has been much more clingy and whiny, but nothing besides that so far. I've really been trying to give him all the extra attention I can right now. I just wish I had more energy to do things! Instead I'm at that final I feel like poo preggo stage

[~Katie~]

I remember that stage with DS/pregnancy Decorating sounds like a great idea! I did a lot of that while DH was gone and it really does help to improve your mood when you feel comfy and cozy in your surroundings. Do you have any projects/crafts that you can do at night when DS goes to bed?

[MaerynPearl]

Today's one of my first tastes of supporting another military momma...

She was off in Texas for the past month visiting her family and just got home... to find her home was broken into while she was gone!!!!

We had been so excited to get our kids together to play, but I really wish it wasn't just so they are not under the police officers feet!

Made me very very happy we chose a home with a security system that works.

The sad part is... they chose this exact home first... and ended up not getting it because another couple had claimed it! But then, after they decided to get the home they just got, the other couple backed out of this one and we ended up with it!

[justKate]

Hi everybody.

(()) to you MommaKitten.

Nothing much going on here. Huz passed the 10-year mark last month and makes rank this month, so I guess that's exciting. Hopefully we can build up some savings before our next move. We're not expecting orders until December--February timeframe, so for now I'm just trying to enjoy being where we are. Which is sorta hard this time of year, because it is HOT in Texas!

Hope everyone had a good 4th!

Kate

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by justKate

Huz passed the 10-year mark last month and makes rank this month, so I guess that's exciting.

Yay him!

[MarineWife]

I thought I subbed to this thread but I guess not because I didn't get any emails about new posts.

Originally Posted by ~Katie~

I still did plenty of venting, though, because expecting it doesn't take away how much it sucks.

I hope you didn't think I was referring to you as a complainer. I think you had plenty of reason to be angry and upset and vent about it. Your situation was not normal (I don't think). And, you're right. No matter how much it's expected, it can still suck. You can never be fully prepared, kind of like having a baby (not the sucking part).

My dh joined at 31. At first he was turned down because of age but he got a waiver.

My dh had to leave our 2nd child when he was only 2 and didn't even meet our third until he was 7 months. We didn't have any issues with them not knowing Daddy or being angry or upset at him for leaving. Our middle ds, 6.5yo now, sometimes says he hates the military for sending his daddy away.

With all the talk on last months thread about TriCare and docs I've been seriously thinking about switching to Prime. I've always had POS insurance so I stayed with Standard. I didn't have any problems with it in HI because I still had access to the MTF docs and I found a good civilian pediatrician.

However, I've been living here for 3 years now and have yet to find a doctor of any kind that I like and we've been to many. Because the MTF is so overwhelmed, no one with Standard has access to the MTF docs. We've got 3 years left here so I'm thinking I might as switch to Prime while we're here because it can't be any worse than the civilian docs. I can always switch back to Standard after a year if I don't like it or when we move.

Two things are holding me back. The first is that I'm not sure that, even with Prime, I'll be able to go to the MTF because so many Prime people are referred out. The second is that the idea of being restrained by what is essentially a HMO worries me. Since I don't agree with much of the practice of allopathic medicine, I don't like the idea of being at the mercy of a PCP. On the other hand, I rarely use docs anyway so maybe it wouldn't make much difference and would save me a few bucks when I do.

Anyone have any input? Especially, anyone at Camp LeJeune, do you know if you can get a PCP at NHCL if you request it or do you have to accept a referral out if they give you one? I won't switch if I can't be guaranteed a doc at NHCL.

[justKate]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

Yay him!

Yeah you're right. I should try to act more excited about it. Every time one of these dates comes around, he gets nostalgic for deployments and talks for a week about how things aren't the same now, how much fun he had while deployed, etc. Seriously, he's 30! Can you imagine what it will be like in 10 years?!

Sorry for sounding cynical. He really is a great guy, just has trouble distinguishing memories from reality.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

I hope you didn't think I was referring to you as a complainer. I think you had plenty of reason to be angry and upset and vent about it. Your situation was not normal (I don't think). And, you're right. No matter how much it's expected, it can still suck. You can never be fully prepared, kind of like having a baby (not the sucking part).

I suppose I'm just trying to offer up a different perspective than what tends to be persistent in military groups. I realize you weren't trying to say anything condescending. Far too often, even before my DH left, whenever I turned somewhere for support I got "Suck it up, you knew what to expect". Nobody ever told me it was okay to feel like crap and acknowledge it, despite it being the healthiest thing to do, because for some reason we're expected to not feel anything or express emotion. For me I felt like everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong it terms of him leaving and trying to come home, and I really needed to get that out. Getting it out helped me to deal with everything else much more easily. I just want everyone to know that they are supported here no matter what stage they're at, that we can acknowledge the crappy feelings that go along with deployment and military life and not bury them or ignore them, and we can all help each other be more proactive during the tough times.

I realize you weren't saying anything like that, but I wanted to make a note about what my goal is for this group.

As far as insurance, I'm in the same situation that you are. When we were on Prime they were telling everybody to go to urgent care off post, so it made sense to switch to Standard. I still can't find a decent doctor, either. It's going to be interesting next year when we have to figure out insurance.

[MovingMomma]

MW: I'd suggest physically going in to the Tricare service center to ask about getting a PCM at NH if you switch to Prime. I've always gotten much better outcomes (less time spent, more accurate answers, and people actually willing to help) when I go in than when I call.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by MovingMomma

MW: I'd suggest physically going in to the Tricare service center to ask about getting a PCM at NH if you switch to Prime. I've always gotten much better outcomes (less time spent, more accurate answers, and people actually willing to help) when I go in than when I call.

Yeah, I am planning to do that but I just wanted to know if anyone else had any experience with requesting a PCM at NH.

From what I understand, the MTF here doesn't even have urgent care anymore, just the ER. But then I was driving in town and noticed the new(?) satellite family practice MTF in town and the sign also said urgent care. I'm wondering if I could go there. I should call them tomorrow to find out what services they have and whether or not I can use the urgent care with Standard. Hmm....

Kate ~ I didn't mean to sound unsupportive. I know I can come across as crass sometimes but I don't mean it. To me, there's a difference between talking about your feelings and the fact that the separations are very difficult, emotionally and physically, or venting or even ranting sometimes when things go wrong and constantly complaining. KWIM? The family separations are rough and we all have hard times no matter what our situations.

[MommaKitten21]

Got a phone call from DH


It was so reassuring to hear his voice. However, it wasn't a call to talk really... it was a call to inform me that the airline lost his bag!! They told him they have no clue where it is, and they don't know when he will get it... poor guy I'm sure that just makes for a great start ya know?

and JustKate..... congrats to your hubby!! How exciting! I understand though about sometimes all this military stuff goes straight to their heads ... I swear sometimes it triggers the "war games mindset" in DH's head that he played when he was 5 or something... ya know, the classic it was so cool to blow this up!!!!


I just don't get it either sometimes... but hey, at least he's passionate about something

[MovingMomma]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

Yeah, I am planning to do that but I just wanted to know if anyone else had any experience with requesting a PCM at NH.

I was successful with the opposite request!