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goin2pa

Seaman
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About goin2pa

Previous Fields

  • Service Connected Disability
    0%
  • Branch of Service
    Coast Guard
  • Hobby
    Cycling

goin2pa's Achievements

  1. Thanks for the reply. No i haven't recieved any rating as of yet (Claim date Sept 01, 2010) But am hoping for some sort of correspondence soon. So far all I've been told is that the VA is working on the claim. Jim
  2. Wow a 6 month turn-around time on your claim - Good For You . . . I've heard most take longer. I guess your medical stuff was very well documented. I retired last Sept, and other than a couple of letters stating that the VA is working my claim I've recieved no correspondance at all. Hope you can get better with PT and BE CAREFULL!!!! Jim
  3. So - even though the surgery took place while I was active duty, and the procedure is well documented and included in my medical record I’ll still need another doctor to re-diagnose my knee problem? The surgery and original diagnosis was done by a respected Orthopedic Surgeon. The cartilage under the knee-cap got broken in half while on the job, and the broken part was floating around inside the knee-joint for about 22 months tearing it up from the inside out. It would give-out, lock-up and sometimes swell to the size of a football. Although it was cleaned up, the joint will never really be "normal" as part of my cartilage was removed causing the knee-cap to wear unusually. All in all I consider myself lucky, but what caught my attention was that the C & P doctor wrote it up as "Degenerative Joint Disease" rather than a damaged knee that was repaired. Thanks for the reply - Jim
  4. Thanks - I heard about this forum through a good friend. I'm already finding out that there is much to learn . . . . Jim
  5. The day of my C & P was a great day, I felt good . . . I didn’t lie or embellish the way I felt – but did explain that it was a good day, and that I had been on terminal leave for a considerable period of time, so I naturally felt better as I hadn’t been doing much. Of course none of that was in the remarks. Thanks again – Jim
  6. Thanks to everyone for the quick replies and information. I am 50 years old now (retired last year with 27 years AD), and have had LBP since 1992. I was injured in the line of duty as a flight mechanic with the Coast Guard. Luckily mine is no-where near as bad as most of the cases I've read. I had my C & P while still on active duty (Sept 2010). I just wanted to make sure that it was listed in case it gets worse as time goes by; I agree that there is likely a herniated disc pushing on nerves. That's why I was surprised to see it listed as DDD rather than the original diagnosis I received from the flight surgeon. I did have an MRI back in 2006 which merely showed compression and "slight" bulging at L4 L5. I haven't received my results from the VA as of yet – I was told that I currently have a suspense date of July 18th. Again thank you all - I really appreciate your time. God Bless America - Jim
  7. While on active duty I was diagnosed with a "Dislocating Patella & Chondromalacia" in my left knee from a "broken" knee-cap. I had surgery to remove the "loose body" that was wrecking my knee (part of the cartilage from the underside of my knee-cap, re-alignment of ligaments and to clean the Mincius within my knee. In my medical record it plainly states that while completing this procedure part of my knee cartilage was removed. Although the knee is often VERY sore, and swells up – but it is considerably better than prior to surgery! My question is - would this type of procedure normally warrant a rating under # 5259 "Cartilage, Semilunar, removal of, Symptomatic . . . . 10%" . To me, strictly with only a layman's understanding of the ratings and diagnostic codes; it sounds right – but was hoping to find out from someone who knows. The C & P doctor diagnossed it as "Degenerative Joint Desease" Thanks in advance - Jim
  8. Like many, I've suffered lower back problems for years and have received PT, MRI and lots of drugs over the years while active duty. I retired with 27 years active duty (AD) last year. I recently received a copy of my C & P exam from Sept 2010. While AD I was always told that the pain in my LB is caused by "Bulging Disc" at L4/L5 and the sporadic pain and follow-on numbness down my right leg is Sciatica. But the C & P calls it Degenerative Disc Disease instead. <BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"> My question is – does the VA look at long-term chronic pain when judging for award or only range of motion on that one particular day of the C & P? My range of motion is stricly determined by my level of pain . . . on C & P day it was minor, and I had full ROM. Thanks in advance - Jim
  9. Thanks for the quick reply - No I haven't had surgery and nor will I unless it becomes VERY, VERY bad. I do wear custom-fit orthotics that were provided to me while still on active duty. I was really only curious about the way it is normally rated, because in CFR 38 Metatarsalgia is listed like this: 5279 Metatarsalgia, anterior (Morton's disease), unilateral, or bilateral...................... 10 So I'm a bit confused since it specifically states" unilateral, or bilateral …… 10%". I've carefully read through the forum and many other posts and still am unsure.
  10. I was diagnosed with and treated many times for bilateral Metatarsalgia and Plantar Fasciitis while on active duty. I am currently awaiting a decision from the VA. Does the "bilateral factor" (10 + 10 = 21) apply to these? Or is it a flat 10% for both feet? thanks in advance : )
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