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by Daryl Bradley (Author)
In 1994 Rwanda was immersed in genocide for one hundred days. On behalf of the United Nations, Canada sent over four hundred troops to act as peacekeepers. When those soldiers returned, many were later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veteran Affairs states, "This has been one of the harshest legacies of Canada's peace support mission in Rwanda." Receiving a diagnosis is only one step in the long journey to recovery. And as author Daryl Bradley knows firsthand, you have to stay alive to make it.
Told in the third-person point of view, To the Beat of a Different Drum: An Ex-Soldier's Struggles with PTSD is the true story of the author's journey to cope with life after Rwanda. During the day, he finds it difficult to maintain friendships with anyone who hasn't endured what he has. So much so that even his marriage suffers. Everyday tasks are challenging, work is unimaginable, and the most Daryl can manage is walking down the block to get a coffee. A thick depression coats his waking moments. Nighttime isn't any better. With the darkness comes nightmares, hallucinations, and insomnia. But with the help of two friends and his inner resilience, Daryl fights to regain control of his life-and overcome the ghosts that haunt him.
Vulnerable and candid, To the Beat of a Different Drum confirms the importance of adequate support systems for veterans. This memoir illustrates how PTSD, coupled with everything else life can throw at a person, ravages the lives it infects.
