Page 27 - QARANC Vol 14 No 10 2015

was supported every step of the way. I was then referred and accepted to be managed by 145 Bde Personnel Recovery Unit (PRU), when you get to 56 days of Temporally None Effective (TNE) then your Unit can apply. If you want to understand the roles and responsibility of the PRU and the Unit then look at AGAI V3 Ch 99 for full details, but I had gold standard administrative management and compassionate understanding from beginning to end. Being assigned to the PRU really makes you focus for the first time on the two pathways in front of you; discharge from the Military or back to duty. The PRU are there every step of the way to manage you down either path and support you through the recovery pathway.
Next step, the back to duty well the road back to duty from P0 and the initiation of a GRoW programme. This is a difficult time as it is a big step but taken in small baby steps. This started in Aug 13, remembering this was 11 months on from the onset of symptoms and only 6 months on from the start of EMDR. With a huge loss of confidence, vulnerable and still experiencing symptoms. I stepped into something that I had no idea of the outcome, the only thing that is certain is that I will attend a Full Medical Board (FMB) and be either discharged from Service or upgraded. You feel and are hugely under the spotlight, I was sent to MDHU FP to complete mine which was quite emotional remembering that this was where
I was assigned to when I became sick. I was still experiencing some symptoms and undergoing treatment, I was very tired which is expected and spent many hours asleep in the car park. But I made it!!!
I am back to duty now assigned to MDHU PM almost 2 years on from my initial symptoms. The loss of time is apparent to me as you feel a little out of date, policy has changed, soldiers that I mentored for their course 2 years ago have now become ITU nurses and have consolidated, I was due to be SNA for ITU on my return from HERRICK but that opportunity has now passed, I have lost two reports and therefore maybe the opportunity to promote, life has moved on for everyone else to include friends, but I am still back in 2012 in Military terms. I have changed, my confidence is low some days and I am a little unsure of the future but through all of this what is important is that I am in a better place, you can not get back time lost or the person you were as naturally life’s events change us but what I can do is look to the future and plan what is appropriate now and embrace the new me and thank goodness my children have their mother back and my husband has a wife back. I do remind myself on a daily basis that had I not reported sick in the hope I would get better or the fear of been seen as a “failure” then what would my life have been like now?
THE GAZETTE QARANC 25
Chantry cheque
In Nov 2014 the QARANC Association was presented with a cheque for £500 at Andover’s Chantry shopping centre. The QARANC Association was one of ten military charities who were the recipients of funds that were raised by the Chantry Centre’s First World War commemoration charity initiative, TWW1tter.
The name TWW1tter was chosen to reflect modern and early forms of communication, Twitter and carrier pigeons. The allocation of funds was decided by a pigeon race from France to England which took place during the summer. The QARANC pigeon was third in the race, hence the award of £500, having been pipped by the Help for Heroes and Royal Air Forces Association birds for the highest awards. The support for the campaign was huge and is indicative of the strong military influence in Andover and the surrounding area.
Maj Sam Sharland, Matron at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre in Tidworth, and Maj (Ret’d) Moira Dixson accepted the cheque from the Mayor of Andover, Jan Lovell,and the Chantry Centre manager, Steve Cotney at the presentation ceremony.
– National Event – Guildford
Saturday 27 June 2015
Guildford will be the focus for the whole country, helping local people and the wider community to thank everyone working in our armed forces.
This fantastic day offers fun for all the family.
We are planning an exciting line-up of activities including:
Service in Guildford Cathedral Parade in Guildford High Street Spectacular show at Stoke Park Music and entertainment
Find out more at
www.guildford.gov.uk/armedforcesday
Please check here for regular updates.