I teach death and dying college classes to nurses from my years as a hospital chaplain.  I was proud to do hospital chaplaincy work with trauma patients at a big city ER as an extension of my own PTSD recovery.

I do, however, avoid certain settings, since I got PTSD overseas as a missionary kid in a war zone.  One thing I've avoided has been the Holocaust Museum in DC.  My neighbors growing up overseas were survivors of the concentration camps.  They were people I loved dearly as a kid.  They showed me their tattoos and told me their stories, and that was all I needed to know.  

Lovely people, so I was so sorry about what was done to them.  By the way, though, they were so lovely that in my day they had put the Holocaust behind them and were like Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus on my block.  Why?  They owned a toy factory.  A toy factory!  We kids on the block loved them!

So my college has arranged a field trip to the Holocaust Museum, and two other professors asked me to go along.  I didn't try to justify getting out of it.  My students really wanted to go, and the other professors need the support.  My boss really wanted me to do it, too.  

So I'm going.  But I'd appreciate the support.  Especially when it comes to the "Shoes Exhibit."  It's going to remind me of my wonderful neighbors.  I think I'll cry when my students and I come to that part of the museum tomorrow.

http://roguescholar.blogs.com/my_weblog/2011/08/the-shoe-room-and-what-i-learned-there.html

Please send good thoughts of support if you can.  Thanks.