chinavet

Congrats....

How did the VA allow this to go to 20K?? Holy cow... I came twice from China, but they paid 15 bucks from my home of record...I'm 4K in the hole, lol

800 number said file has been waiting on a second decision since Oct 31. No thanksgiving news. But thankful for you guys for sure. Have a blessed holiday.

Understood... It will be good to move on regardless...If this has to go to a lawyer or whatever....Nice to almost be through with the AMC !!

I am good news for everyone if this goes thru.... DAV told me several years ago that I had a snowball's chance in Hades.... Mine was such an uphill fight.... I hope we proved em wrong!!

That is a pretty low threshold....More ways to bog us down.... I like the sound of it though...even without the check....means we have an award starting point! Thanks Carlie!

Congrats!

I am so glad I found you guys. Thanks for the kindness. I'll keep updating. I'm breathing better again because of you. My bedtime here in China. See you Tomo!

Thank you! I will try. It's been ten long years.

LOL....thanks.... Just called DAV and they said traditionally that means they awarded something.... It will take 8 weeks for mail to reach me in remote China.... I am not sure I can stand the suspense.....

So, you mean it could be a denial or an approval?

The 800 number told me tonight that a decision was made and they are waiting for a second signature.... Is that just routine?

I have a hard time sorting out whether or not I am being angry or suspicious because of my issues or because the doc is a jerk. My hospital has a really good patient advocate and he gets to the bottom of stuff fast. I had one C&P nurse tell me I did not have vitiligo (loss of skin pigment) because it has overtaken me and I do not have patches of color anymore. I told her to look in my files or to check a more private area for evidence and she refused. The patient advocate had me to a better examiner in less than 2 hours. During my stay in the US last November to come for my C&P I ran out of Klonopin and needed a refill. VA put me on that drug 17 years ago. The nurse practitioner had also not looked at my file and proceeded to berate me for using an addictive medication. Then she started telling me she was an "addictions expert" and she would give me two days of 1/2 my dose supply and if I came in asking for more she would mark my file "drug seeking" .....I would have gone into withdrawal! And she did not know that I had been a addictions trainer in the service. I shut up, went to the patient advocate, was sent to a new NP, got my meds and an apology. It is hard for me to stand up for myself these days, but I look for help. Sorry you are going thru this.

They have been overruled by BVA twice in my case, lost my medical records, failed to process 7 separate requests for a file update and failed to even have my records on hand when I finally got a travel board hearing after traveling all the way from China. I have pretty much lost all faith in them. The DAV located downstairs in the Regional office is incredibly responsive even if overworked.

Happy Veterans Day everyone. The worst part has been the lack of guidance in my case. DAV never told me about Buddy Letters or anything that would have smoothed this process. Do they get consistent training? Is there a checks and balance system? I'm grateful for this forum. I've learned a lot.

Happy Veterans Day everyone. The worst part has been the lack of guidance in my case. DAV never told me about Buddy Letters or anything that would have smoothed this process. Do they get consistent training? Is there a checks and balance system? I'm grateful for this forum. I've learned a lot.

who can those come from? a lot of folks who were there for all of this are now dead. I can get some back up from family, friends.... Will that bog them down? The C&P isn't substantial? 30 years of treatment is pretty clear....perfect ratings until the incident and then a total crash....

I finally found the C&P info by a board certified psychiatrist at Hines Hospital backed up by an IME a month later Axis I PTSD, Depression (first C&P said same, but GAF by nurse was 60) Axis II Deferred Axis III Autoimmune disorder, severe arthritis symptoms Axis IIII Deferred Axis IV Financial problems, unemployed, Group situations impossible, largely housebound Axis V GAF 30 Total occupational and social impairment, but able to handle own funds Stressors listed were all service related and supported PTSD The first nurse in 2002 that did my C&P did not even ask me a relevant question...The second doc, last year in Nov, has known me and treated me for 7+ years I've been on Klonopin for 17 years

I know this is an old thread but it is relevant to me. I have done pretty much everything by myself with little help from the DAV. That has been especially hard being out of country and in pretty bad shape. I have learned more in 4 weeks of reading here than 9 years of rep work by the DAV. I have made the excuse for them that they are overworked, but reality is they haven't been at all proactive. I was told in March that I needed to be evacuated back to the US for care. I am uninsurable and do not have the money for exploratory surgery for crohn's symptoms. DAV said they would call on my case and push AMC and put me in for hardship expediting. Three calls later over a 4 month speriod and they had not done anything but promised again they would get on it. I finally called a Senator and the aide asked VA to expedite, but the letter back last week indicates they just ignored him and did not mention his request. DAV said that I should just leave sleeping dogs lie and hope they get done rating soon.... I am always polite, never complain to the DAV and only since being told that my inflammatory bowel stuff could become malignant soon (tole me in Mar) have I become really panicky.... Would a lawyer be any more proactive?

Thank you! That is incredibly generous. I have watched a ton of videos and am deeply moved by the dogs and their owners. I am absolutely certain this is the right decision and I will do whatever is asked of me to make this happen. As soon as I know my departure date from China I will start the process. I am so glad you can assist. I am waiting on the VA to make a decision as it will make a huge difference in where I go and how I do all of this. I ciuld use a furry friend about now....Sleep is impossible and the stress is massive. Thanks or being there. I wish I had found you guys sooner.

The videos are great for the different groups.

Thank you so much.