My name is Shane Ballon and I am a veteran of the United States Army. I have served 5 years as I enlisted when I was 18. I did my tour in Iraq for 15 months back in 2005. Like many American's that serve their country I have suffered from PTSD. This disease has affected both sides of my life on the personal side with my family and on the buisness side for my work. Bad flashbacks rush into my head where I cannot control my thoughts and screams still lash out into the dead of the night. This book was written to help people who suffer from this to be able to cope a little easier. It is a guide for people who have never experienced it, but may have questions of a loved one who is serving and what they may be going through. This book is also a helpful tool for not only service members, but for the youth who may be going through a tough time with the pressures of being a youth. This book starts with my life growing up on the streets of New Orleans and the adversities my life entailed. Before reading I strongly recommend if you are easily offended by military, religion, polictics or just general life to stop now. I give the truth of what goes on in war and how veterans are treated. There is nothing that I sugar coat with the topics I go over as these are my opinions and experiences that I have been through and witnessed. I give you a first hand look at what the meaning of being cold-hearted is. Welcome to the mind of Patient 1903.

Bound with v. 52-55, 1933-34, is the hospital's supplement: Bulletin of the Institute of the History of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, v. 1-2.