Tunaboat

Everytime I go to an appointment, whether it be at the VA or outside provider I send the notes. I never used to do this, I used to rely on the VHA to take care of sending notes or VBA requesting them. I now send all notes to DAV for inclusion in my pending claim.

If you want things to get more difficult between you and your wife, just let her think you are no longer interested. Instead, be honest, let her know it is a medicaion or medical issue, not that she has anything to worry about such as you having an affair, or that you no longer find her desirable.Do the right thing my friend, fess up. Nothing can get in the way of the truth as long as it is... the truth.

About a week ago I called my congressman for a CI and have heard this morning my claim is being moved from its current location and "because of the age of the file we are concerned too." Was the supposed response from the RO. We shall see what happens next. Please pray for me, keep your fingers crossed, llight a candle etc... Whatever floats your boat! I appreciate all the assistance from all during this ordeal. Tuna

WOW, Thanks for the info Berta (and all) I feel lost so much of the time with the VA.

Dean, what is your last Ejection Fraction measurement? It was done at the VA. Visual estimate between 50-60 “I was medically retired from the US Navy “ “combined rating of 50% SC. “ I am sure,but it pays to ask, that you have looked into CRSC and/or CRDP as I beieve the 50% might put you into CRDP criteria: http://www.dfas.mil/...ility/crdp.html I did look into CSRS and CRDP long ago. I refreshed my memory and came up with this: you are a disability retiree who earned entitlement to retired pay under any provision of law other than solely by disability, and you have a VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater. You might become eligible for CRDP at the time you would have become eligible for retired pay. I am not a 20 year veteran. “In April of 2012 I had a Trans-Ischemic Attack, (TIA) and I now have a stutter, problems with balance, difficulty with word finding, and my short-term memory continues to be a big problem in my day to day life. “ This TIA ,in my lay opinion but based on TIA experience, is more than likely due to your heart disease.Also it sounds more like a CVA than a TIA. But I am not a doctor. I am in full agreement, I think it is absolutely related to my heart disease. “Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease 30% “ This is also known as Ischemic heart disease and is known to cause ischemia (blockage) in the brain due to blood clots ( TIAs and full blown strokes (CVAs) Are you also diagnosed with HBP? yes, and it is controlled with continuous medication, my understanding that although it is controlled, it should and can be service connected, am I correct? If so, is that documented as due to the heart disease? No, it is not Are you treated for high cholesterol? Yes, and I have been on continuous medication since retirement in 1989. What did the MRI narrative state? Did you even get an MRI? Are you speaking of MRI with contract to the head? Yes I have and there appears to be some micro-angiophraphic changes from an MRI from a few years earlier “The increased stress exacerbates my ongoing depression, and increases problems with organization, word finding, and stuttering and makes it more difficult to continue in my job at the VA.” Of course it does. TIAs often leave minor deficits,sometimes completely unnoticed by the patient. Other TIAs can be more disabling.The depression, anxiety and problems associated with TIA have made my life hell. “Still working, need to be medically retired and waiting for SC. So much info, I am considering hiring an attorney. What do you suggest??? “ The medical retirement and also applying for Social Security Disability benefits, sets the stage for TDIU.. We have a forum on TDIU, paid at the 100% rate to any veteran whose Scs prevent them from working. I applied for TDIU and my understanding is, it can be considered and will be AFTER other SC issues are settled if I have not met the threshold for 100%. You might well need a strong IMO (Independent Medical Opinion) for a doctor to connect the dots here. Would you suggest Dr. Bash? Jbasser asked an important querstion, as he is thinkling of the potential CAD rating you might get. Can you explain this: “In August 2012 I found out by accident that I could be “advanced on the docket” if certain conditions were met. My condition appeared to merit advancement as it was awarded.” Did that decision come from the BVA? Yes, BVA advanced me on their docket. Because of the heart attack and TIA they found it appropriate to have my hearing sooner rather than so much later. That alone tells me that you should be getting either 100% or TDIU but then again, you are still employed. And by the VA itself. Yes I am employed by the VA. But no longer as a therapist. (I had asked for a reasonable accomodation, when it was granted this was the job they came up with. It was a real blow to my self esteem to begin with, I have grown use to the position over time). I work in the substance abuse clinic doing alcohol breathalzyer tests and one group per week. I am not capable of the thinking and organization that my former job required. “However, since being advanced on the docket, I have received notice that more medical information was necessary and the VA is still not able to make a determination in my case. “ I have provided all the necessary new medical notes. All of my care has been done here. I did have an arteriogram at an outside hospital back in February, they have that information as well. That is where the IMO will be needed in my opinion. JBasser gave you a great IMO docs.name. Dr BAsh has done many SVR radio shows here in our SVR archives up top. I will sure check on the Dr. Bash possiblity, thanks for the info. As a NeuroRadiologist he prepared IMOs for my claim, that covered IHD,DMII, TIAs and CVA and other secondaries. VA is using a different TDIU method then they used for years, asking the claimant to focus initially on the most disabling condition they have, that should warrant TDIU (to include any secondaries.) I am sure someone has posted that new TDIU info here by now. When the temp 100% was awarded I had put in for the TIA's, & ED, I applied for TDIU and my understanding is, it can be considered and will be AFTER other SC issues are settled if I have not met the threshold for 100%. What I see is that your CAD more than likely caused the TIA , causing in turn 'possible' ratable physical disabilities,.... not enough info here to know ….. but certainly the TIAs due to the IHD (CAD) (in my experienced lay medical opinion) has excerbated the SC MDD you have now. I agree Thank you all for your replies, I never had a chance to reply yesterday, .

Thank you all for the great ideas. I have tried to respond on a couple occasions today but did not have the time. I hope to write an I depth response tomorrow. Thanks, Dean

What a nightmare of a time I have had getting to the final disposition of my claim which started in 2007. It seems it is better to provide more info than less so this maybe a rather long post, I'll be brief when I can. My typing and sentence construction is difficult at times as I had a TIA in May of 2012. In August 2012 I found out by accident that I could be “advanced on the docket” if certain conditions were met. My condition appeared to merit advancement as it was awarded. However, since being advanced on the docket, I have received notice that more medical information was necessary and the VA is still not able to make a determination in my case. I was medically retired from the US Navy and granted 30% service connection for Coronary Artery Disease after a heart attack while onboard the USS New Jersey in 1989. In 2007 I made a request for increase in service connection as my medical condition was deteriorating due to ongoing and increased medical conditions related to my service connected condition. That increase was denied and it has been on appeal since that time. I did receive a 30% service connection for depression with anxiety secondary to heart attack, I was then given the combined rating of 50% SC. I have used the VA as my provider of choice for many years, I came to the VA emergency department on the morning of January 8, 2012 as I was experiencing chest pain. While in the ER on that Sunday morning I had a massive heart attack and was admitted to the Birmingham VAMC. The next day during a heart catheterization it was determined that my coronary arteries were 95% blocked and triple bypass surgery was necessary. Bypass surgery was completed January 11, 2012 at the Birmingham VAMC. I have been told to be patient and “wait your turn” as there are a number of claims ahead of you and “you can’t rush the VA when it is something this important.” While I appreciate the quality, care and attention I have received during this medical odyssey, I am very frustrated with the compensation & pension and appeals process and the ongoing wait for a decision regarding an increase in service connection of Coronary Artery Disease. My medical information lies within my VA chart as the heart attack and surgery happened at my local VAMC, the information necessary certainly must be on file or should have been collected by now, I have signed the necessary releases and continue to wait for an answer. In April of 2012 I had a Trans-Ischemic Attack, (TIA) and I now have a stutter, problems with balance, difficulty with word finding, and my short-term memory continues to be a big problem in my day to day life. I have also put in a claim for this condition and have been initially denied SC as a secondary condition, I have appealed and am waiting to hear a determination on it as well. The increased stress exacerbates my ongoing depression, and increases problems with organization, word finding, and stuttering and makes it more difficult to continue in my job at the VA. Due to my service connected condition and related health problems I can no longer work as a mental health therapist and social worker assisting veterans, work I have loved and found extremely satisfying for many years. Following the heart attack I did receive 3 months of 100% temp. SC during convalescence. A small amount of support considering I have missed the equivalent of nearly $30,000 since the beginning of 2012. I am currently SC for Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease 30% (first SC and reason for military retirement in 1989) Major Depressive Disorder 30%, superficial scaring 20%, Tinnitus 10%, 3rd degree burns 10% & 3rd degree burns 0%. Still working, need to be medically retired and waiting for SC. So much info, I am considering hiring an attorney. What do you suggest??? To the HADIT family, in advance, thank you for your suggestions and assistance. Dean A. Daniels, USN (retired)