Cyd Johnson: A Caregiver Navigating Veteran PTSD
Written by Lesley Nickus
Sidney Johnson, a resilient woman dedicated to supporting her Vietnam veteran husband, shared her poignant story in a candid interview. Johnson, a regular visitor to the Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance, opened up about the struggles and triumphs of caring for her husband, who returned from the war a changed man.
“My name is Sidney Johnson. I come here once a month to get medicine for my husband,” she began. Her husband, who served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, was deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed. “When he landed in Vietnam, the first thing he saw getting off the plane was people being blown up in front of him. That’s where his PTSD came from,” she explained. “A lot of people don’t think it is, but it is.”
Johnson met her husband after his return from Vietnam. His first marriage had dissolved due to the changes in his personality post-war. “He was married before he left, but when he got back, his wife didn’t like the person he was,” she recounted. “I met him after, and I thought he was — I loved him to death. So it was good for me.”
A cannabis plant grows in Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance’s Cultivation center in Watsonville, Calif. Cyd Johnson attends SCVA’s monthly compassion events to pick up her husband’s medicine.
The impact of PTSD on their lives has been profound. Johnson detailed the challenges her husband faces daily, particularly his aversion to leaving the house. “He didn’t want to go out of the house again,” she said, noting how even simple outings, like going to the store, became unbearable for him. “He used to go to the store with me, but he didn’t like that because I like to talk to everybody in the store.”
Johnson’s commitment to her husband is unwavering. She handles the task of collecting his medicine, ensuring he gets the care he needs without exacerbating his anxiety. “If I’m out of the house too long, that can cause anxiety too,” she noted. The Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance, where she picks up his medicine monthly at Cultivate dispensary in Aptos, Calif., has been a lifeline. “It’s wonderful for all the vets,” she said. “It’s the best thing. If you had a vet, you would know.”
Her husband’s PTSD means they live on a fixed income, relying on his veteran benefits and their Social Security. Without the support program, affording his medication would be a challenge.
“We’d make sure we could afford it,” she said. “That would come off the top. He wouldn’t be able to drink so much beer.”
Cannabis has become a crucial part of her husband’s treatment regimen, helping to manage his symptoms. “It just mellows him out,” Johnson explained. “It goes with beer, too. Those two things — he has to have them. He’s not drinking hard liquor, so that’s good. A lot of beer, though. A lot of it gets him through the day.”
Through it all, Johnson’s love and dedication shine brightly. “He’s the best, PTSD or not,” she declared, a testament to the strength of their bond and her unwavering support.
As we concluded our conversation, Johnson’s final words resonated deeply. “I hope this helps everybody see what it’s like,” she said, encapsulating the hope that sharing her story would bring greater understanding and empathy for veterans and their families navigating the long road of PTSD recovery.