jeffperry1134

Back pay came in today. Really needed it so this was a good thing. Still appealing the back pay date though. My wife was checking the account because we were down to our last 50$ and she was happy to see it in there.

I recently (3 weeks ago) fractured my fibula and a bone in my ankle walking in my driveway on my relatively good leg. I called to ask to get into the doctor because I have taken extra pain medication and wondered if they would make an exception to give me a temporary increase. The doctor chewed me a new one and told me I should have been taking my medicine as prescribed and told me to go to another facility if I feel that I need more pain medication. She said that since I went to the local med check that is 5 minutes away instead of the VA which is 1 hour and 30 minutes away that I can find pain medicine on my own. She made me feel like such a freaking druggie on the phone. I am prescribed 4 hydrocodone a day. The doctor told me to increase to 6 a day at the med check. I am attending school full-time and just sitting in a desk for hours makes it just swell up big time. I told her I would tough it out and that I would use myHealtheVet to reorder when I am ready. Now I am taking one a day (at night) and using my 2 tens units 4-6 hours a day. I have to use one on the other leg because it is my bad one and the stress on it is making it quite painful.

I had the most stunning thing happen today. The director at the Indy RO called me from my e-mail to discuss where my appeal was. He said that it was in the department where they decide how much needs to go to my POA and that it should be processed soon. He discussed that until recently that one person did all of the processing in that department for my RO but they recently hired another person to take up the slack. I talked to the guy for like 20 minutes and he asked me how my VA experience has been and apologized for the lack of service. He discussed that he would follow up with me again within a few days after he goes down to the department to see where I am at in the line of people getting this process completed. He even recommended that I file for something to bump my rating up to 100% while I am unemployed, I cannot remember what he called it but he said that there would be an application for it in my packet. I am not expecting miracles so I expect a short time to be like 6 months to a year. He said my rating will be going up to 80% like I had it figured. He gave me his phone number and extension in case I had any questions as well.

I sent Bob another e-mail about not hearing anything about the SSOC since I got it 2-25. At least their office responded back saying that they would look into it for me. They said I should have had some letter by now. At least acknowledging my I9 form.

My ebenefits is so messed up. Where it says progress it says no information.

Good information to know.

I called to ask for progress on the case and they said they really couldn't tell me much until I got a letter. Hopefully I will get the letter acknowledging that they received the I9 and the new material soon.

I still haven't gotten a letter acknowledging anything. How long does that usually take?

I just saw a show where a Veteran with PTSD has been using medicinal marijuana to treat his PTSD and has had some great effects. He went from suicidal to only using the marijuana and doing very well.

I wish you luck on your hearing and will pray for you.

I was told for my case not to even apply since there was no diagnosis in service. I did not even know what it was in the service. I was going to apply for it secondary to the PTSD. I use a CPAP from the VA.

A medicine that is a blood pressure medicine that has shown to help with nightmares is Clonidine. I have been taking it for a few months and had noticed a little improvement.

I called the VA today and after calling the BVA they said it was still with the RO. I called the RO and after several transfers to several different people that I had to repeat my information to I got a guy with the right credentials to open my case seeing it is labeled as sensitive for some reason. We discussed the SSOC and that all I wanted to contest was the retro pay and asked not to have a hearing. He discussed that the I9 had been processed and that I now have a docket number. Does that mean that it is waiting at the BVA now? He said I should get some documentation soon about it.

I have never done that before, but it is really good to know because I am getting ready to submit claims on my knee, ankle and shoulder. Since I already have had surgery on the ankle and shoulder they should be good.

I definitely agree with you guys. I got the confirmation page going to Georgia. I sure don't trust them a bit. I keep all of that stuff. He made sure to give me the confirmation page. Every fax that the rep sends out I make sure to get the confirmation page. I learned the hard way my first claim in 1995. Now hopefully it will get processed half way timely, I have never dealt with the Georgia processing center before. It has to function better than the Indy RO though. I read that we were ranked 48th out of 50 for claim completion being properly done on their end.