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Andyman73
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Posts posted by Andyman73
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flores,
Are you SC for the GERD? If so, that may make it easier to connect the SA. And SA with CPAP usage is a 50% rating. When I did my sleep study, it was at a private provider. I did it in one night, when I woke to use the bathroom, after 2 hours of sleep, the tech decided she had seen enough of sleep without the mask. So I then slept the next 6 hours with mask on. So I didn't have to come back a second time. She told me that normally most testers need a 2 night test. But I must have really studied up, I passed the test on the first try, which is to say, my symptoms were severe enough that they could dx me from a one night sleep study.
I agree with you on the VAMC remark. You go in for a test, exam, or consult, and leave feeling like they didn't listen to you, or only checked what they wanted to, and not what you were in there to begin with.
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I undrstand they got to pay their bills and feed their kids too. So in the end no one wins, but they can cherry pick their way through the Vets needing help.
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11 minutes ago, flores97 said:
I don't, Andyman, I haven't worked since Sep 18, 2015 when I was let go due to health. I have filed for Social Security, im not certain if i would qualify for medicare yet, im only 40 years old, but with a few serious conditions and memory loss on top...i dont know very much about medicare or medicaid.
Flores, I'm sorry you got canned. I know it's hard to lose a job for reasons beyond your control, been there too, but harder still when you get let go due to SCDs. Maybe you can get in touch with your nearest sleep lab and find out what the sleep study costs. It would give you an idea what you may have to pay, if it comes down to it.
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Berta,
Please never think for a second that you cant speak to something on here. Your knowledge is too vast, your experiences in dealing with the VA too broad, for you not to share with us plebes. And beyond that, Ms Berta, you do great honor to your husband's memory by sharing what you learned helping him.
You are the greatest asset on Tbird's wonderful creation, Hadit.com. And your own personal experience with PTSD as a spouse of a Vet with severe PTSD, is priceless beyond compare. Though I can not even imagine a little of what you went through, you have my deepest respect and admiration. You, dear Lady, make us all a little better, just by gracing us with your presence here.
V/r
Andyman
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Thanks, HorizontalMike, but I'm going to take a break from that for a while. I can feel it wanting to take me down a dark path that I won't be able to return from.
I was standing at the edge of the abyss late last Spring, and while I have moved away from it, it's gravity still pulls at me.
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Flores,
Have you had a sleep study done? Some of your symptoms are indicative of sleep apnea! Please please please get that checked, if you haven't already! It is a major player on the silent killer field. SA has been proven to cause a lot of heart related issues.
My chronic acid reflux was cut by 95%, within 2 days of starting using my CPAP. It still shows up, but the belly bonfire is just a smoldering ember now. I sure don't miss waking up in the middle of the night just as I'm about to aspirate acid into my lungs! Talk about scary!
Also my bp has dropped an additional 10 points since CPAP usage started. It doesn't help with my other sleep issues much.
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Bingo! I mean, strike 2! Now that I'm behind on the count I don't want to see the next pitch coming down the pike. Sigh...ironically they gave me the number to the DAV and suggested that I call them. They already struck out without even swinging at a single pitch, for me.
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Lomshooter,
Welcome to the club! While I was still at my A school, I got the flu and had a temp of 103. They heard a murmur while checking my vitals. Doc down played any significance of the murmur, told me it's most likely due to the fever and dehydration.
Semper Fi.
Andyman
- Lomshooter and flores97
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I'm waiting to hear back from one, right now. I got a "sorry we can't help you, but maybe these fine folks can" response a week ago from another. I won't say who out of respect for them and what they do for the Vets they do help. Guess my retro won't be big enough to attract anybody's attention.
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You got that right!
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VVS,
VA is not "on our side" in reality, but to our faces and in the media, they are. It's rare, or never, that you hear of any Vet from before the 'Nam era claiming difficulties with the VA in this day and age. I know in the past they had it just as bad as we do now, tho.
I just want to reiterate that those medal citations are worth their weight in diamond crusted gold! The trauma report when he was brought to the hospital details his injuries, and the action report details the hows and whys of his injuries. That is irrefutable proof of the causative event that compounded his PTSD. And the Combat Action Ribbon proves he was in combat, physically, which then would be the stressor causing the PTSD to begin with.
Audie Murphy, one of many real American Heroes. He's just the cream of the crop, everyone who served, or is serving, are real American Heroes. You don't have to be an Audie, or Chesty, or Carlos, or Chris Kyle, or Dick Winters, or Barry Sadler, or John McCain, or Sgt. York, you don't have to raise a flag on some rock pile in the Far East Pacific, you can just be me and you. You can even be a Berta, too.
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1 hour ago, VietnamVetSis said:
Thank you Andyman73. I greatly appreciate your kind words and the referrals. I will most likely wait for the rating decision to come back before hiring an attorney to appeal. We are not asking for the world, even a 40% rating would alleviate our monthly financial burden, at least for the time being. I know in my heart my brother certainly deserves some compensation. Yes, I am my brother's keeper. Semper Fi to you (two Marine brothers); Aim High ... Fly-Fight-Win (USAF WWII bomber pilot daughter); and Hooah (Army wife).
VietnamVetSis
VVS,
I was hoping I was right with the WM moniker.
I don't believe there is a 40% for PTSD/MH ratings, it goes 10, 30,50,70 and 100%. And just based on what you said, he should fall deep into the 70% range, and if not even break into the 100% with TDIU and perhaps even SMC for housebound or something similar. Also certainly whatever physical disabilities caused by that grenade will add to his rating. And hearing loss and tinnitis, too. Even that fun anti-health moisturizer AO, may be effecting his health. Of course you're not asking for the world, just asking for what he has earned and is long overdue.
Does he have any medals or commendations from 'Nam? Especially combat related, cuz they would certainly lend credence to the PTSD claim.
Even though you want to wait, you can still contact a lawyer and get a free consult, to get a good idea what may be ahead for ya'll.
Is this the first time anyone has put in for VA claims for your brother? Seems like a lifetime gone by for him to continue reliving his war. Thank God he has you.
Hmmm, Army Brat, twin bro to Army Vet, Dad Army, '68-'92, his Dad '39-'50, Army Air Corps and OSS. 5 aunts and uncles various N.G and Reserve duties, and one AD Army. Also 2 cousins AD USAF. And some others farther back in time.
Semper Fi.
Andyman73
- rwskitch and VietnamVetSis
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Welcome, WM, to the wonderful world of Hadit.
First and foremost, I applaud you for lifting the (he ain't heavy, he's your brother) load he isn't able to carry. I can't even begin to know what you are going through. I can imagine, because my twin brother is a 100% disabled Army Vet, and my father currently 60% from Vietnam.
I think you may be better off with an attorney, since your battle closely resembles inter-galatic multi-dimensional warfare. There are some good ones that are on this site, like Chris Attig, a Vet himself. Also Matthew Hill of Hill and Ponton, is also on here.
Maybe they or other more knowledgeable Vets will chime in for you.
Semper Fi.
Andyman
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Vync,
Aliens??? They're only in your imagination(in your head, lol)!
Hey, it's funny you mentioned the neurology and headaches. When I had a C&P for my neck, a year ago, I said about the neck cramps and pain leading t o frequent headaches....but that's as far as that went.
Maybe the voices in my head are aliens, too? Better start wearing an aluminum foil hat, so they can't transmit my thoughts back to the mother ship!
I just can't seem to get all these little pieces to line up, like putting the polar opposite ends of 2 magnets together, they repel each other.
No wonder the wife keeps telling me to just give it up, she knows I can't connect the dots.
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no signs of intelligent life in my head.
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Question,
I fell down a flight of stairs during my first week of boot camp. Out of that I ended up with SC for both knees and back, which were dated to my EAS. Sometime 5 years later I hurt my back, muscle spasms, in the lower L area, during organized PT. This area has been a weak spot ever since. It is also very easily aggravated, especially if I don't watch myself, or do something dumb like sneeze while walking behind my self-propelled mower.
Would it be a separate SC issue, since it involves the muscles and not the spinal column? I know the back is rated by ROM, mostly, due to DDD or arthritis, do they rate muscle injuries separately?
Andyman
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Vync,
I hear you.
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Fat,
Your gym buddy can check his STR/SMRs for treatment dates of sinusitis. That would at least give a starting point for working in the secondary SA claim. Also, let same said pal know the OSA/SA claims not DXd while on AD are super hard to link to service primary or secondary.
And yes, it does help to have "Vulcan" blood running through your veins to understand Gastone's logic, sometimes.
Semper Fi.
Andy
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I went the easy route and just got a plate that states MC on it. All I needed was a copy of my DD-214. The notary even spotted me the $20 service fee, as a thanks for my service.
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Vync,
Does a muscle injury pyramid with a lumbar issue? Reason I ask is a few years after I fell down the stairs I had spasms in my lower back L side, during formation pt. It's a weak spot now, and is usually the first place that hurts when I do something dumb, like sneeze while mowing the lawn.
Yah, her feet don't fit in my shoes. I remember when I was getting out, and mistakenly said to her, in front of her mom that I was filing disability claims with the VA. They were horrified, why would I want to be disabled!?! I tried to explain it, but no use. That was a year before we got married. 18 years later and she still don't get it. But I don't say anything about that in front of her mom, about that, anymore.
Worse yet is how she disparaged my twin brother about his issues. He has 1 prosthetic cervical disc and 1 removed, with fusion. During first surgery they nicked his spinal cord, making his herniated disc symptoms permanent. He didn't ask for it, but tried to make the best of it. Talk about adding insult to injury, and kicking a man when he's down, and pouring salt into his wounds. She don't have to like him, but to trash him to my face....well....as an only child of an only child, I don't expect her to understand.
At least you got a much better deal the second time around.
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Vync,
You know it! Mine would say something along the lines of...just because your neck cramps up, and the pain radiates into your skull, doesn't mean that that is the cause of your headaches, that always come, right after your neck muscles start cramping. So let's look at other factors. My PCP doesn't really want to give me any nexus or hint at such, to further any claims in my favor.
He tried to make it sound like my cervical MRI didn't really show much of anything, but I didn't tell him that I downloaded a copy of the MRI report from BlueButton!
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I don't believe there is a 40% for PTSD/MH ratings, it goes 10, 30,50,70 and 100%. And just based on what you said, he should fall deep into the 70% range, and if not even break into the 100% with TDIU and perhaps even SMC for housebound or something similar. Also certainly whatever physical disabilities caused by that grenade will add to his rating. And hearing loss and tinnitis, too. Even that fun anti-health moisturizer AO, may be effecting his health. Of course you're not asking for the world, just asking for what he has earned and is long overdue.
Hiring a law firm
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
I have to say this, those law firms I contacted have been mentioned here, with good results and reviews.
The first one turned me down over the phone. The second one at least studied my denial letter for a day or two before giving me the ol' "hey good luck, I'm sure someone else can help you, just not us".
And the only reason I contacted them is because my VSO is standing in my way, blocking me, in stead of guiding and assisting me.
I will try not to dehydrate on the beach while waiting for some beach bum to pick me up and toss me back into the briny deep.