Nobody

Checkups

I nodded, moving over to the couch.

"I will see you next week, Mister English. My secretary will call you and set up the appointment. For now, you can go back to normal activities, including moderate exercise, just remember to stay hydrated," Doc Rutheford said.

"Thank you, Doctor," I told him.

"And remember to take your medications," He said, right before he shut the door.

We were silent for a moment before Doctor Planter cleared his throat.

"The VA gave me a redacted copy of your mental health treatment and history," He said. "Rutheford listed me as your primary mental health care physician and between that and the fact I used to work for the VA treating prior service, I was able to get a much better copy. Still largely redacted, but much more clear."

I just nodded, knowing this was the part where he let me know he was informed and could treat me.

"The biggest thing I noticed was that you received no mental health treatment once you left the service, and your separation was rather sudden in the beginning of 1992," he said. "Is there any reason for that?"

I shrugged. "The VA at Waco was understaffed."

"Did you see any private psychologists?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "No. I had nightmares for a little while, but they eventually went away," I told him. "Nothing like flashbacks or anything like that. I never really went in for the game hunting trips a lot of my peers did or anything like that, I'm not really a gun nut or anything," I shrugged. "I got out, I was fine."

He nodded. "So you feel your nervous breakdown was more in line with your wife dying?"

I looked down at my hands. "I think so. I don't know what came over me, what happened."

"How are you handling your wife's death now?"

I thought about it. I almost told him how angry it made me that she left me all alone, how now I was lost in a world I didn't understand because she was gone. I didn't. "I'm coping with it."

He just nodded, his face carefully neutral. "Do you have any hobbies?"

I pointed at the X-Box sitting in front of the TV. "A friend is getting me into online gaming."

"Any addiction history?" He seemed to change the subject.

"I had an alcohol abuse problem when I was in the military, but now I only drink socially. Usually at parties and the like, and even then only a glass or two of wine," I told him. "I don't even really have the urge to drink."

Another note. "Your file shows multiple high intensity conflicts, multiple injuries from enemy action, including getting shot in the head by an enemy agent," He said.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "He tagged me good, but I've never really noticed any problems from it."

Another note. "It says here you were captured by the KGB, along with two other members of your unit, and exposed to 'enhanced interrogation' for a period of two weeks. That means tortue doesn't it?"

I nodded. "Physical, psychological, and sexual. We'd received training on how to endure such things, and I didn't really come out with any problems."

"It says you're a victim of sexual assault?" He made a note.

I nodded. "During my capture."

Another note. "It says here that you went for long periods of time, severely injured, without proper medical care."