Under Siege
Page 25
Australian Police Journal September 2003, Vol 57 No 3 article ‘Unholy Offerings’ by Senior Constable David Gardner
Chapter 15 R v Bond [2000] NSWSC 1059 (7 December 2000)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-03-14/inmate-dies-at-lithgow-jail/1532770
Chapter 16 R v Kerr [2002] NSWSC 309 (12 April 2002)
Chapter 22 McKay, Esther. Crime Scene. Penguin Group (Australia), 2005.
Advice from Dr Greg Wilkins concerning Cerebellum exercises
Chapter 23 Henderson, Michelle. ‘Traumatic events affect bodies years later.’ NSW Police News, Vol 92 No 8 August 2012. p32.
McFarlane, Alexander C and Bryant, Richard A. “Post-traumatic stress disorder in occupational settings: anticipating and managing the risk.” Occupational Medicine 2007; 57:404-410.
NSW Police Force, Review of Injury Management Practices – June 2011.
RESOURCES
For suicide and crisis support Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 www.beyondblue.org.au
For support and information about depression and anxiety Black Dog Institute www.blackdoginstitute.org.au
For information about symptoms, treatment and prevention of depression and bipolar disorder — SANE Australia Helpline 1800 187263 www.sane.org
For information about mental illness, treatments and where to go for support
Alcoholics Anonymous Australia 1300 222222 www.aa.org.au
I would also advise informing your family doctor and perhaps giving them information from the following websites so that they understand more about PTSD — www.som.uq.edu.au/ptsd - University of Queensland School of Medicine has developed the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) evidence based information resource and www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au -Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Under Siege has been five years in the making and I can honestly say it was not a cathartic experience. To try and give the reader the best and most accurate description of what I was seeing and how I was feeling at the time, I needed to relive those situations. This aggravated my symptoms and sent me on a downward spiral a number of times, but the message about PTSD I was trying to convey was too important to cease writing. Now the book is complete, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to a number of people who supported me, listened to me, gave me advice, and had faith in me.
Dr Greg Wilkins. I cannot thank you enough for all your help over the years. For your wisdom, for getting me through some very difficult times, for helping rebuild confidence in myself again. Thank you also for all your advice and guidance with the book; to help explain PTSD symptoms to the reader. Thank you also for those wonderful cerebellum exercises.
Vera Auerbach, you were the first person I felt comfortable enough with to talk to about my symptoms. Your diagnosis of PTSD was the start of my recovery. I thank you for your wonderful guidance through some very dark times.
Karen Davis (author of Sinister Intent and one of my dearest friends). Thank you for all your writing advice, editing, support, and having faith in me that I could do it also. Most of all, thank you for all our wonderful years of friendship — twenty seven in fact ;)
Nicole Bramah, another of my dearest friends. Thank you for all your support and for just being there, not only through my years of writing. Thank you also for editing and being my sounding board on all aspects of negotiation. You are truly the queen.
Michelle Walker (Proco), my dearest school friend. You were always there if I needed you, although I could never tell you how bad it became until much later. You are an incredible woman and I feel privileged to call you my friend.
Mum and Dad — both incredibly intelligent people and avid readers — thank you, not only for the brilliant editing, but for all your love and support over the years.
Dad and Michelle, thank you for making me feel so at home and providing me with an escape in sunny Cairns when I need recovery time :)
Michelle Menzies, thank you also for all the support you have given to me over the last few years and the clarification of the mediation process.
Sharon, my sister, thank you for being there, for checking on me when you knew my breathing was shallow from associated anxiety issues and other PTSD symptoms, or when I was having the odd breakdown. I have shared many of my most memorable moments with you. Love you sis.
Marilyn Inglis, thank you so much for taking the time out to edit my book and give me an unbiased view. It is very much appreciated.
Nicola O’Shea, I am so grateful for the structural work you did on my chronological police report. You provided amazing insight and turned my manuscript into a document that provided the right themes, emotion and interest. A document I was proud to show to my agent.
Selwa Anthony, my literary agent. I am still in shock that you took me on and made my wish come true. Thank you so much for having faith in me. Thank you for all your support, advice and guidance in a world I know nothing about. You are truly the doyenne of the publishing world.
To the team at Harlequin, my publishers. I still feel overwhelmed by all the support and the belief you have in me. Thank you for making me feel so welcome. You are all truly amazing. I particularly want to mention Michelle, Sue, Cristina, Jo and the wonderfully talented Adam. Jo Mackay, you are the most beautiful person, it has been lovely working so closely with you.
Jacqueline Kent, I feel privileged that someone as talented as you was interested in editing my book. Thank you so much not only for the work you did but for taking the time to learn where I was coming from.
Mark Whittaker, journalist. Thank you so much for the sensitivity you showed in the article ‘Back from the Brink’, it was a wonderful story. Thank you also for taking the time to edit some of my first chapters. I’m doing my best not to use too many capitals anymore ;)
My ex husband ‘Rob’, tactical operative extraordinaire. You lived this with me. You know the hell we went through. Thank you so much for your support and for all the tactical advice and guidance for the book.
Angelo Memmolo — my favourite and best looking work partner ever :) Thank you so much for all your support over the years, and input into the ‘Psychopath’ chapter. You were one who rang to genuinely see how I was going. Thank you so much for that.
Andrew Marks — Marksy, thank you for all your support during my time at St George LAC. Thank you also for the genuine phone calls asking after my health. I truly appreciate that.
Russell Oxford, thank you so much for the help provided in the ‘Which Brother?’ chapter. You, alongside others I have mentioned in my book including Wayne Hayes and Wayne Gordon are some of the most amazing investigators I worked with.
My surfing group, the motorcyclists I ride with, my former Friday morning ladies netball comp, and my wonderful gal pals – thanks for keeping me sane during the writing of my book.
Lastly and most importantly, to my two gorgeous children. I am so amazed at how wonderful you both are, even being subject to a household with two parents with PTSD and our marriage breakdown. You are both so intelligent, caring and strong. One day when you read this book, when you are older ;), I hope it can bring you some understanding of what we were all going through. Thank you for the hugs when I needed them most and the help around the house. Thank you for being understanding when I needed my half hour time outs. I am in awe of you both. Much love to you.
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ISBN: 9781488742781
TITLE: Under Siege
First Australian Publication 2014
Copyright © 2014 Belinda Neil
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