JohnM

Inflation rate is at 14.2% as of today, Senior Journal.com said as of Sept.15th projections are now being made that the increase for 2009 will almost certainly exceed six precent.

Gary you are so right: McCain said he would support the Veterans on Friday Night Debate, but it is a known fact that he votes NO on every thing for the Veterans,and I am affraid that if he gets Nominated the Veterans and SSD people will be shafted. I do think we will get higher than 2.5% but as it stands now the gentelmen told me it was 2.5%

I contacted the office of Daniel Akaka (202)224-9126 . This year's cola increase, which will be equal to the annual SS increase, has yet to be determined. But as it stands as of today the gentelmem told me that it is 2.5%.I told him that does not pay for gas or heat this winter. And it does not even cover for inflation. Has anyone heard different?

Don't know about VA covers for it, they should if it is SC or if 100%. Recovery time depends on you. If you do the exercise faithfuly, After the stamples are out it will go much faster, I had complications 5wks after my first one with a heart attack but after HS I recovered quickly, a year later when I had my second one I was back to work in 9wks. That was in 1998 & 1999 I have not had any trouble with my knees. Although I will give you a hint and that is to go to a pool that has a whirlpool do your exercises also learn to get on your knees in the whirlpool, you will be on fast recovery from this. Good Luck JohnM's Wife Dianne

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman of the Veterams' Affairs Committe, issued the following statement regarding the Senate's passage of S.2617 The Veterans Compensation Cost-of Living Adjustment Act of 2008 S.2617, intorduced by Senator Akaka, will adjust veterans compensateion rates to keep pace with inflation, effective Dec. 1,2008 According to recent data provided by the Dept of Veterans affairs, this increas will go to 2.8 million veterans and over 300,000 surviving spouses reciving dependency and indemnity compensation. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for their consideration. While this years cost-of-living increase has yet to be determined, the Congressional Budget Office has projected a 2.8 percent increase. Lasst years increase was 2.3 percemt

I would call the 800# get a hold of your Rep there and ask whats going on. We live in WI and I would call them 2x a week Tue. and Wed they where very informational on our claim, told us when it was done,what % and how much we were going to recieve, it took us 7 months. Good Luck to You JohnM's Wife Dianne

Good Morning to All! John and I went camping this last week. We talked to a Vietnam Vet. He has a lot of medical problems, as of now he is getting 100% because he has postrate cancer, put was told his % will be droping because postrate cancer is cureable. Ok he went to his VA Rep to appeal and his Rep also told him that they are now accepting heart conditions, ( with out having DMII) which he filed many years ago and was denied. Has anyone heard or now about heart conditons being accepted for compensation? I have been looking and have not found out anything. The only thing I found is with DMII. Thanks JohnM's Wife Dianne

We have sent the form in for Dr. Bash to help us with my brothers claim. Does anyone know how long it takes for him to reply and how much it will cost? Thanks for advise in advance. Dianne

I was always told once a diabedic always a diabedic. My brother was told in the early 90's that he was a diabedic plus had high bp. he had controled it by weight, his primary doctor had told him he is no longer a diabedic,because it was controled on his medical reports (several) the doctor had wrote down about him being a diabedic, in 2006 he had heart surgery, his bp has been up and down for years,in Vietnam ground for 1yr.1965-66 (Army) they have denied him for heart & ht and said DMI was diagnoised after, which is not true.We will be going to Milwaukee for a hearing on this, When I do not know, How can we beat this and what should we do. We have sent in all of his primary doctors reports that stated DMI and still denied him. He is now taking medication for it. Oh and yes they have finally granted him DMI but denied the heart and HBP said it occured before his DMI but yet was diagnoised in the early 90's controlled by weight on and off. Need Help! Thanks in advance JohnM's Wife Dianne

John had neck surgery c2 to t2 end of Feb. he was in the hospial for a month, he is getting along good, but after surgery he had some difficulty with his blood pressure. but here is my Question. I need to help him with bathing, he can not lift anything, and I just got hollered at by the doctor for lifting, he said we should hire someone to do our lifting. My lifting limit is no more than 5 lbs. I have a bad back and had 3 RF's done since Oct of last year. Would this qualify for us to file A&A for the both of us? Thanks for your answers in advance. JohnM's Wife Dianne

Talking about the 25%, How does on look the origingal document up that states about the 25%

Hi, I am John's wife and yes I have fibromyalgia. Yes my legs where bad and it started out in my legs, It felt like every bone in my body was spliting in half.it wasn't long before it affected my whole body, at night I would scream because I would hurt so bad and then I could not sleep, and what ever, do not touch me because any touch would hurt me. I take gababentien for it, up to the max of 3600mg and learned to live with the rest of the pain, but at least with the medicine I can sleep. I hope this has answered some questions for you, it took 2 years before they finally diagnoised me. Other than that if you have fibromyalgia the pain is Hell.

I wanted to start a new post! WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! THANK ALL OF YOUU FOR YOUR POSTINGS, IT HELPED US AND I AM SURE IT WILL HELP OTHERS ALSO.

This is just my take on it. My husband has a hearing problem, they conceded that he does and its on his discharge papers. We have fights almost every day because he can not hear me and what I said. But they denied him for hearing loss and ringing in his ears, twice and he now is to the point on whats the use of fighting for it after all he is 100% so he said it isn't going to matter anyways./ In reading many post on the board it seems like they deny hearing loss a lot. I don't want to be negative but I think if there are other medical problems than the Vet should go for them and then also add the hearing loss on the claim. And as long as I mentioned that. I would like to say at this point that when filing a claim add every medical problem, do not do one at a time. It may take a little longer but in the long run it will benifit the Veteran who is filing. Just my two cents JohnM's Wife Dianne

You were looking at Vetran, Souse & child. Veteran & Spouse is 2669

Everyone seems to be blaming the 2.3% on the VA. Social Securtity is 2.3% Also. the blame should not be on VA but on Mr. Bush him self and the Republicans. They can not afford to give us a higher rate because he has to support this war that we are in. We need to push harder on the goverment! What ever happen to the 25% that we were suppose to get?

NEED SOME HELP!!!! Wisconisn Senate Bill 101 Homestead tax exemption For Disabled Veterans has been in for sechuling since May 24th they are diddle daddling around. I have called everyone involved with this bill and the Govoner also. Any Wisconsin Hadit People please do so also. If you can't work you can't work regardless if your 20 or 65. As of right now you need to be 65 a 100% scheudlar and was a Wisconsin resident when enlisted. The New bill would change the age and of course lived in wisconsin for 10 years. The Senate passed this bill put the assembaly has reworded it that you still need to be 65 a 100% scheudlar put lived in Wisconsin for 5 years. EVERYONE PLEASE CALL EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THIS BILL TO GET IT PASSED!!!! THANK YOU JohnM's Wife.

Thanks for your respondes. I have printed them out and I guess I will not presue for the hips. Now I have another question. Ok John is like 60 % for his back, and a total of a 100% with the other problems. Now we just found out that John has bulging disk from neck on down and on Dec.3rd we will be talking to a surgeon for one of these bulges. I was thinking we should file a claim for these also. We will be asking the surgeon if this is also or could also be related to his two falls from the helicopter as his back was related. Question: If the surgeon says yes should we file a claim to this also and should we file 2ndry to his back. Any respondes to this would be helpful.

Just recieved John's C & P report on degererative joint disease of the right and left hip. This was an appeal 2ndry to his back. diagnosis: mild degernerative joint disease of the right and left hip. Discussion: for the veteran's bilateral hips, it is less likely than not that the veteran's bilateral mild degenerative joint disease was caused by his service connected low back condition. It is unlikely that hip arthritis is caused by arthritis in the lower back. it is less likely than not that the back condition permanently aggravated the hip arthritis. Question: John is rated 100%, should we presue this or should we just drop it? Has anyone ever tried to presue hip degenerative and won ? How would we presue the hip disease? while in military in boot camp with all the running and exercise a person does would this not cause hip disease? Your respondes will determine if I nag him to presue. Thanks in advance for your answers. Oh by the way Our VA Rep's Boss told her to tell us to appeal this back in March of this year.

He was injected to make his heart rate. I read it again and it said a patchy trace of hypertension heart disease. Well John does not have high blood presure actually he has low and and rest it sometimes goes lower than it should. He also has the problem falling asleep all the time. and he was actually falling asleep during the stress test and they had to keep waking him up and telling him to stay awake. since he was rated 100% we stopped our other insurance. In Feb. he will be able to get Medicare and I think we should get a second opinion. Right now he has so many other things going on. He needs to see a surgeon for a disk problem on his neck. And he wants to wait on everything else. When he gets Medicare can he go to a doctor outside of VA for a second opionion? I am not sure they will except just medicare.

My husband had a stress test last month, it states " A trace of Hypertension Heart Disease" We seen his VA primary Dr. for the 2nd time since he has been rated 100%, we talked about this during that appointment. He said nothing to worry about. John does not have high blood presure. Sometimes at rest it gets low. Two days later I called and ask for a referal to see a Cardioligist. Yesterday we got a letter from him stating not at this time. Question Are you allowed to see a doctor if you request it? Can the primary so no? and What can we do about this? I wanted to complain to the Advocate but he wants me to keep quiet. Says I do not no anything about military. What can and should I do if anything?

Do not give up trying for SSD, eventually it will come as VA you need to fight and fight some more. I know it takes some people a long time but think of it as this ( its money in the savings account because they need to pay you from time you filed) It took 2 years, my cousin it took 3 years and they recieved a big sum, they did get an attorney and SSD pays them up front which is normally 2500. I had to get an attorney also but one day I checked by checking account and there was a big sum credited to my account. although it only took my 7 months. So Fight for your SSD, IF you can not work you have the right to get it. JohnM's Wife Dianne

Has anyone heard about the new Cola rate for 2008?

Monica I am not Up to date like Berta and the others.But I can tell You to Keep fighting. My Husband worked for 34 years with a bad back and never said a word to anyone except family. Finally one day he could not get out of bed with some much pain. He to had to lay flat on his back. The Doctors sent him to the pain clinic and nothing was working for him, finally 6 months later they said surgery. Work would not let him back in, so he filed for SSD, the day of surgery he got the letter that he was excepted for SSD. 3 months after surgery he had heard about VA Compensation. We did not no anything about it. So I got on the phone and called, found this website. I got records from the doctors, and started the claim. He is a Vietnam Veteran. We won our case. So for what I can say to you, Because you are young and have a family. Fight, Fight and More Fighting till you get something.You never said what you where reciving for compensation, But Keep appealing till you get a higher rate. JohnM's Wife Dianne

Ricky, all I can say is put in for in my husband also had good hearing when he enlisted and during is active service they did 3 more test and all three of them say high frequency loss and he still was denied we filed NOD on it. He also has terrible hearing, which cause a lot of problems. but not so bad to have a hearing aid so they say. They don't live with him I do. Anyways put in for it send all your records also. They will give you a C&P and if denied file for NOD. JohnM's Wife Dianne