[Back Issues]

jusus,

I know your pain, tho mine is not as severe as yours. I am currently 40% for "low back pain", No SCD for DDD, sciatica, or muscle injuries. But I recently ordered a complete copy of all records pertaining to me via FOIA. So I have every intention of changing the status of the other contentions for my back.

[Timeline For Claim And General Questions]

Talon,

I spent 18 months probably drunk 4 out of 7 days(nights). And usually drank to the point of blackout/passout. I even went so far as to stick my finger down my throat, to empty my stomach, so I could keep on drinking. Getting picked up for "drunk in public" created a stopping point in the drinking to excess. Article 15 made sure I remembered it, too. Got to spend 3 weeks of court ordered vacation courtesy of the SACO. Worse part of that was the group setting. There were 3 dozen of us, or more, and most of them didn't think they had a problem, and weren't interested in getting real help. I went through the motions just to get a passing review. I got a bum deal courtesy of my Sgt who threw me under the bus, cuz my SSGT was TDY to school out of state. Not one single person in my chain of command asked how I was doing, if I needed additional help, or anything. But then, it was the Marines of the early to mid 90s, relative peace time, no one cared, no one was interested. It was mostly mind over matter, they didn't mind and we didn't matter. Especially if you were single in the barracks.

[The Thing Which Helped Me The Most With My Ptsd Was Knowing I Was Not "alone" Or "crazy"]

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, right? Lol.

[Timeline For Claim And General Questions]

I can't say the same for me. On day 5 of boot camp I fell down a flight of cement stairs. That was the beginning of the mental anguish. From there on out I was targeted by the Drill Instructors for being on crutches, and such. But the crux was the first CGI my squadron went thru while I was with them. The E-8 MSGT running the barracks room junk on the bunk part was a micromanager right from the 9th circle of Hades. He demanded unobtainable perfection, burning up every second of freetime available, not relenting for a second. As I was already drinking myself to sleep most nights, it came to a head, and I nearly succeedded at reducing my overall blood volume, at work one day. No help, there, either, spoke to division chief, and then the base chaplain...no medical or mental health check what so ever.

[The Thing Which Helped Me The Most With My Ptsd Was Knowing I Was Not "alone" Or "crazy"]

Talon,

I am much like you, in the regards of not belittling anyone. Well, except for myself, which I am quite well versed at doing.

[Success On The First Try]

Detel,

Oh how sweeet the taste of victory, especially one so large. May God keep blessing you in such grand fashion.

[Can You Spot The Problem]

I must use this info to find out why they awarded me 2 additional 10%, but not bilaterally, even tho they are, and no change in current payment, even tho, by their own chart I should be bumped to 70% with or with out the bilateral factored in.

[To Cue, Or Not To Cue, That Is The Question My Friends.]

Kinda like walking in the woods, if you don't have a guide point, you just walk around in a big circle, just like Clark Griswald in "European Vacation" stuck on the round-a-bout, "Hey, there's Big Ben...again and again and again!"

[Timeline For Claim And General Questions]

Talon,

Thanks, it only took too many years. First, I never knew that what I was going through wasn't normal, that "everybody" feels like that. 2nd was learning that I could get help. 3rd was working up the courage to make that first move.

[To Cue, Or Not To Cue, That Is The Question My Friends.]

mos1833,

I clicked the link and looked at your thread.

[New Member, Jon Macintosh, Author Of Va Disability Claim]

Sweet Deal, Jon, I will download this, once I am home. Can't download on work computers.

[Gathering Of Evidence Development Letter]

Shannon,

Oh, I thought maybe I was the only one with the "hot head" sensation. My face does get hot, too, but the internal head fire doesn't come with every hot face. My ears get blood red all the time, strangely enough seems to happen in the late afternoon on my way home from work.(???) When I talking with the care line lady, I could feel the fire starting, didn't get too hot, but seemed to last an hour or so. I don't get migraines afterwards, but get an empty hollow feeling like a black hole in my brain.

My PCP office called, about 15 mins ago, said my doc put a consult referal in, right away. Said he knows me well enough that he doesn't need to see me first, and waste any time keeping me from proper help. I did tell the care line lady that I get these brain fires...so maybe when she told him he just put it right in.

Thank you for your support, I really appreaciate it.

Semper Fi,

Andy

[New Member, Jon Macintosh, Author Of Va Disability Claim]

Hello Sir,

Welcome to this motley crue of Veterans. Perhaps some of your knowledge may trickle down to me, that I may gain just one bit of insight in my journey down the dark and winding path.

Semper Fi.

Andy

[Gathering Of Evidence Development Letter]

Hey, it's me, I'm still here....

Anyway, when I went to the VA @ Lebanon, I discovered that they don't have a walkin clinic there...they told me I could go to the E-room, if I wanted to...I wasn't prepared for that. Totally deflated my sails...took me till yesterday to get the courage back up to make my next move. I called "Peggy", she put me through to a very kind lady on the care line(?). I spoke with her for 10 minutes or more, was one of the hardest things I've ever done! Kept choking up, so hard to talk straight. She notified my PCP and told me they will call me withing 48 hours of that moment right then.

Have any of you experience this....when ever I start losing control, or do, my head feels like it's on fire on the inside. It feels like my brain is cooking, literally. And kinda feels buzzy, like a bunch of angry bees. None of the Vets I work with, who do have PTSD, have felt that.

Ok

[The Thing Which Helped Me The Most With My Ptsd Was Knowing I Was Not "alone" Or "crazy"]

I called the 800#, aka Peggy, yesterday, finally got that ball rolling....

[Why Do Some Keep Pushing?]

Vync,

No doubt, sir. It seems as if they are cut from the same mold as the gov't branch that spends huge amounts to cover up UFOs and such. I can't even begin to fathom what reason they might have to spend huge amounts of $ to deny Veteran's the promised care and relief we deserve.

[To Cue, Or Not To Cue, That Is The Question My Friends.]

Berta,

You're not questioning their literacy....are you!?!?

Why would they try to trip you up??? Could be you are a "huge" thorn in their collective side? Keep up the good work!

Semper Fi,

Andy

[Why Do Some Keep Pushing?]

We all knew that when we joined the Military we might go to WAR and be KILLED or POW!!!! What the Recruiters and Govt failed to tell us is, " If You Join the Military You Most Likely Will, Get Hurt, Sick, Blown up but not Killed, Come Home with Unknown Diseases, So Mental you Talk to Yourself, Suffer for Life, Not get the Proper Healthcare and Fight Til the Day we DIE for Benefits that were promised to us From the Beginning!!!

First we fight for the gubment, then when we're done with that, we have to fight them.

[Timeline For Claim And General Questions]

Me again,

I done gone and did it! I called the 800# and requested an apointment with my PCP for a mental health referal. They put a help line lady on and I spoke with her for 10-15 minutes, so, now that ball is rolling.

[Secondary Claims]

iceturkee,

I posted my MRI report over on my "To Cue or not to Cue", that is the question thread.

Andy

[Bilateral Dropped After C&p, Can They Do This?]

Buck,

Yah, that's what I went off of. My SCDs are listed with the 10% bilateral one first. Since it was previously a bunch of 10s, the bilateral one stands on top. But now my back is 40%, but it still lists the 10% bilateral one first. And it shows 2 individual 10s for each knee, which are the newest. According the my fuzzy logic that would either be a 21% or 30% bilateral rating. 10+10=19+1.9=21, or 10+10+10=27+2.7=30, right?

Andy

[To Cue, Or Not To Cue, That Is The Question My Friends.]

asknod,

I read the federal rating change proposal that Berta linked above, it shows that they wanted to change the 5295 to something else. But that occured after my SC was originally awarded. That's probably why mine is still shown as the 5010-5295. I read both of yours and it just made my mad cow diseased brain even more mad. I'm even more confused than I was before. I'll check the back ratings list later, at this time it's not letting me in.

[Bilateral Dropped After C&p, Can They Do This?]

Any idea on how long I should wait before I check back on this?

[Why Do Some Keep Pushing?]

Vync,

One thing to remember when recalling that quote, is also this one, tho I do not know where it originated, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

[Why Do Some Keep Pushing?]

That's exactly why I keep digging through my SMR, and all related paperwork from the VA, that I have received so far. My wife keeps telling me to "quit screwing with that junk" and so on. She doesn't understand and doesn't support me, but I said " U don't tell me to give back the $ on the first of every month, do you?" I've got at least a half dozen cliams that were denied, but I will not let them go, as soon as I get my C-file, I will go again. And again, if I have to.