WELCOME
THIS PAGE DEDICATED TO THOSE IMPACTED BY THE BOSTON MARATHON TRAGEDY
Stolen
Moments: The Tragedy at Boston
By John G. Taylor, MA
We all just experienced yet another horrific day in our
country with the inane act of violence at the Boston Marathon.
As a marathon runner, I know about the elation and the sense of accomplishment you
feel at the moment you cross the finish line. That moment was stolen from many
runners on April 15, 2013.
For many months they had trained pushing their
bodies through fatigue, sore joints and life’s challenges.
They had pushed themselves to increase their
weekly mileage so they were ready for this grueling race.
They had qualified to run the Boston Marathon because of
their qualifying time in another marathon last year.The race day preparations included applying Vaseline
to avoid chaffing, tucking GU energy gel packs into their waistbands, pinning on
their race bibs and finally placing the chip timer into their tied, butterfly
knot laces.
Some have lost their ability to ever run again because of the events at the
Boston Marathon 2013.The loss of limbs
and life changing injuries will cause the life of normalcy that they knew and
experienced to no longer exist. These stolen moments and stolen lives will be
forever be etched in their minds and in the minds of their families, friends
and fellow Americans.
With
this tragedy many will experience Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a
mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event. Symptoms are
generally grouped into three types: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing,
and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal).
Symptoms of intrusive memories
may include:
●
Flashbacks or relieving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
●
Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
Symptoms of avoidance and
emotional numbing may include:
●
Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
●Feeling
emotionally numb
●
Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
●
Hopelessness about the future
●
Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and
increased emotional arousal may include:
●
Irritability or anger
●
Overwhelming guilt or shame
●
Self destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
●
Trouble sleeping
The malicious perpetrators of those who detonated these bombs want to steal our
sense of safety and independence.They
want to instill fear so that we will not run freely, walk in our parks and
experience the freedom that our troops have fought and died for us to have.
We are a resilient people. After other tragedies we have
encountered such as 911, Oklahoma City bombing, and Sandy Hook School shootings
.We bounced back because we are over comers through our faith, victory and
prayers.
We will yet rise again from tragedy.
"Be yourself ...stop allowing others to define who you are"
John G. Taylor
