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Richard's Story

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Hi. My name is Richard Tudor and I am a member of the United States Marine Corps. I served from age 17 to age 24 (1983-1990). I am a proud American and wanted to give back to my country. I was in the infantry; a motorman and machine gunner. I was a rifle instructor at Parris Island. I traveled all over the world, and if there was a conflict, I was on the other side of the world. I was medevacked from the Mediterranean Sea to Italy and then Spain and then to Walter Reed and Bethesda after suffering a depressive break. While in there a doctor came to me privately and said take this pill it will help you. I later had a psychotic break. Since then I have been suffering from bi-polar schizoid-affective disorder and PTSD. It took me 26 years to finally get a medical discharge.

I usually wait in the truck when my wife goes shopping, and I cannot enjoy each day as my mind is still going back to my stay at Walter Reed. I have paranoia, hear voices tell me to get out of here, and am very anxious and have trouble being around people. My wife, who is now my official caregiver, and I have been married 13 years. With her beside me I could enlarge my environment. That is a 24/7 job.

I heard about RFI at a DAV meeting. I spoke with another disabled vet and he helped me to get the process started. I was able to fly to Iowa with my wife to visit the RFI there, and the dogs were so soothing. I felt at peace and was able to enjoy each moment. I was able to work with a dog for about 20 minutes. The experience was so peaceful and brought many untroubled smiles.

Since being accepted, I will travel to Missouri to begin working with my dog. I will begin a friendship that will give me unconditional love and protection. I am hoping to reduce my every day nightmares and the number of pills I have to take. I hope to be able to go into stores and not feel someone is watching me; when I'm anxious, I hope my dog will have my back and I’m not having to look all around me to see if someone is watching me. I am hoping my dog will decrease my daily paranoia as I will feel safer.

I am so relieved to have been accepted with RFI, and I can now see hope for my future. I will be able to go into stores with my wife and go off in a different direction knowing my dog has my back. I was discharged from the USMC seeing a different world that scared me and I didn’t know how to cope except through many, many medications. My dog will take away my fear.