iceturkee

the mri of my lumbar spine from may 2014 showed: 5 herniated discs with no nerve impngement; a stable grade 1 slippage of vertebrae at l5, s1 i believe; 2 torn discs; both foraminal and spineal stenosis throughout entire area and arthritis. i'm still at 40 percent for my back.

i actually had 2 that were worth their paycheck!

first, i would make sure the surgeons statement was in my packet so the examining doctor and rater see it. if it were me, i would show the examing doctor the letter and refuse to do that part of the exam. others might disagree but i am not going to do something i shouldn't be doing, especially with documentation in writing. how the va regards this remains to be seen. i am wheel chair bound and its stated in my va medical record. when i go for an ortho exam requiring range of motion, i ask for a nurse to assist me. if none is available, i refuse to get up. most of the time, there are no problems. but i did have one examing doctor write in my c&p report that i refused a direct order.

there is always the possibility the slumlord lied. he was real good at doing that!!!!!!!!

a guy who did work for my former slumlord was granted IU but continued working. the VA caught up with him and terminated his IU. guy appealed and won.

space a is hit and miss anyway. i wouldn't want to compound it by flying in my motorized wheelchair!

i would think your va card would work. i know here in florida you can have something put on your drivers license or state id proving you are a veteran. costs a few dolars extra. i don't have because i have a state va card saying i am 100 percent, permanent and total.

thanks andy. i am 40 percent for my back and i love comparing notes. that's why i asked.

curious what exactly the mri report said?

i got a free freshwater and saltwater fishing plus hunting license. its good for 5 years.

there is a booklet put out by the florida department of veterans affairs which outlines all the different benefits. it can be found online at their website (which i don't have handy) or picked up at an county veterans service office.

my pcp sent a consult to prosthetics for one yesterday. will let you know what happens. i can now verify that a system is available through the va but you need a landline to make it work. not sure if voice over internet protocol will work because i didn't ask the guy (who just called me) in prosthetics.

same thing for the id office at nas jacksonville where i got my card. i made the appointment online but called the base first.

can you get a cat scan done? that will still show more than a routine xray will but not as much as an mri. good luck with that.

you can try the patient advocate. i have had limited success. but i have had better success talking with the chief medical officer at our local clinic.

since i am service connected for my back, i am curious what xrays have been done? have they done either a cat scan and/or an mri? if so what did it say? my last lumbar mri (last may) report was 3 pages long; five herniated discs, foraminal and spinal stenosis, slipped vertebrae, 2 torn discs, arthritis and an absence of proper curve in the spine. for this, i am 40 percent and have been told thats as high as i get unless my spine fuses.

never had to wait that long for a retro payment including the five figure one.

yes. i had a claim denied and never had a c and p exam.

funny, i got fee based to a local oral surgeon to have all of my teeth pulled in an operating room.

berta, i have been told the va is suppose to send you a proposed reduction letter 3 months in advance. but what they do and what they are supose to do are two different things.

i had it in both of my wrists. had surgery in the left hand. that seemed to cure the right one which was never operated on.

you need to take the deer app to your nearest military installation's pass and id office. i made an appointment but walk ins are welcome. also here in florida, they have a 100 percent p&t id card as well.

i am praying for you coastie. god bless.

i have been on methadone for a few years now for my bad back and rheumatoid arthritis. my entire spine is messed up, mainly my lumbar. i take 15 mg a day and it does a farily good job of keeping my pain in tact.

just curious, have you had a recent mri on your lumbar spine? if so, what did it say if i might ask? i am 40 percent service connected for my back, why i am curious. thanks.