Dr. Diane Bridges on healing the soul

Caring for Seniors Touched by Post-Trauma Survival

For seniors who have survived war, genocide, terrorism (as well as post traumatic survival), institutionalization, and invasive procedures, powerful memories may be triggered and there may be further suffering.

These may present themselves in a variety of ways that may cause emotional, physical, and spiritual agitation. For example, people who survived the Holocaust might react negatively to small spaces if they had been transported in cramped boxcars, and, perhaps, rigid routines from concentration camps might be triggered by lengthy hospitalization. Symptoms such as anxiety and depression call us to pay attention to a patient’s past history of trauma to the soul.

As gentle Mr. T’s physical condition was rapidly deteriorating, staff were concerned that his emotional equilibrium was declining even more rapidly. Mr. T, a faithful man of prayer and faith, could no longer pray. He felt afraid of passing from this world to the next. It was not about pain control, nor did he seem to be hallucinating. He wept copious tears; he felt abandoned by God. He would become very withdrawn for long periods of time. I had come to know this kind man over a period of time and knew some of his history, but as many military survivors of the Great Wars, including my own father, I realized that these people secretly lived with some very dark stories. I suspected that in gentle ways I needed to “go to some of those places” with Mr. T. In revealing some of my own family’s war stories, he one day burst into inconsolable tears and shouted: “I killed them; I opened the latch of the tanker and shot them to death. I can see their faces. Oh God, I’m going to hell! Have mercy upon me! Have mercy upon me!”

This poor tortured soul, who had fought so valiantly for liberty and peace, was now the victim of his own courage and valour. I put my arm around Mr. T’s shoulder without any words. The Lord hears the cry of the poor. This man cried out for forgiveness. He needed to let go of what had held so much power over him in the past. A new journey of faith was about to unfold.

In the days following this episode Mr. T’s health actually improved somewhat. I was able to be affirmative of Mr. T’s military service and the services of his comrades. Reassurances of God’s love and mercy calmed and comforted him as he struggled with issues of doubt and forgiveness. Soon after Mr. T died peacefully having received the anointing of the oils and the Sacrament of the Sick. The Department of Veterans Affairs and his parish community gave him a regal send off.

There is no magic wand to wave to heal the wounds of the soul, but I believe that we must convey to those whom we companion that the All Powerful will see to it that their wounds won’t get the best of them.

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