spearhead91

Awesome comments over there! That's the spirit!

No hearing aides yet. What a CF this is. Insurance provider has one company that pays out the benefits at 100% coverage which ultimately points you to a Miracle Ear provider. Their website does not list any models whatsoever so that's a major turn off. I might actually take the Out of network hit and only get 80% coverage and CC the rest at 0%. Pathetic that even with private health care coverage this is taking 2 months and still have no hearing aides. No news on knee brace yet and discussion of my options for surgery and what I can have done for my knee and than bypass done on the other leg. Constant hold pattern now with 5 steps forward and 6 steps back.

Yep we sure are Andyman. Off for hearing aides this afternoon finally using private healthcare coverage. And that's why my wife and I garden we both came from families that gardened and canned and we had the room to do. Supplements the food stock/supplies. Look up Mel Square foot gardening for reference. To everybody reading this it is a slow roll and I hope you're fortunate enough to have good medical insurance to fill the gap while waiting. When I look at the regs I shouldn't even be working at a desk or standing at the desk. I should just be breathing or reading a book or picking some beans now and than and hopefully be able to enjoy another 20 years of life. But work and health could cut that in half if not more. A crying shame it is.

My insurance denied my other knee MRI because I haven't been under care for 6 weeks for it. I've been going to ortho for my back almost a year now for crying out loud. Well anyway Ortho DR is going to look at getting a medically necessary brace to keep more damage from occurring and help with prep for potential scope and a new ACL reconstruction(dreading as first go around was not good). Very nervous about that. Not about the ortho DR he's great, just my personal preference maybe. So my decision is possibly do PT and brace have bypass surgery done on other leg for PAD than after 6 months or so do the full scope of knee and ACL repair. I'm of the mind to wait and let the VA C&P my knee first because I have the private DR's diagnosis and MRI reports at the ready. Should I have my Ortho DR do the DBQ for my knee? I'm not sure he can do the back/lumbar DDD DBQ as the spine DR who reviewed my lumbar MRI said he's seen worse(didn't give me the warm fuzzy feeling at all)my pain management DR has me up for another ESI shot for my back soon. And I'm up late again reading/learning/stressed/anxiety/reliving all the stuff from time in service. Nothing bad, just remembering times/events/injuries/the first time, second, third, fourth and fifth all with my knee. Why did I keep going after the third injury which tore out my ACL in the middle of the war I don't know. Pride? I walked around for 3 days/nights no sleep because of the pain and swelling until I broke. I could do no more. And my VSO rep still hasn't contacted me back. When I look at the regs for PAD etc I should not even be working right now even though I have a desk job the sitting for long periods is a no go. And I picked some calypso beans in the garden my only passion right now, I can't do sports hike, bike because of knee/back and that little bit of gardening has my back all flared and pain had to ice twice and it's 0201AM LT and I'm still up for work at 0800AM LT. This is going on nightly now. And my job is sucking serious right now. I can't continue to do both take care of me and do a full time job because of all the various issues I have. I'm not sure even how to walk away right now because my insurance is great for everything else. But staying locked into a job just for that is keeping me from getting healthy. My full time job should be getting healthy and I can't. I feel trapped.

MRI report in: 1) "medial meniscus is truncated along its free edge medial meniscus is truncated along its free edge with a probable tear extending to the tibial articular surface..and the posterior horn also is truncated consistent with tear." 2) MRI view limited because of screws in the way or something they can't even tell if my ACL is still there and if it is only some fibers left. 3) "soft tissue density anterior to the expected position of the graft suggest arthrofibrosis" This was rebuilt in 1991 for ACL tear. So it looks like I wore it out. Asked ortho DR if I was a candidate for a TKR, he said no. Wants to scope and clean up meniscus tear and than see what the ACL looks like. Can fix at the same time but I'm not sure what I want to do there. Going to get a brace to keep from damaging it anymore. I'm a desk jockey average weight and no sports jogging etc so that has been a plus since I got out. Other knee possible tear also but one knee at a time at the moment. Anyone with similar knee issues? This is my SC I filed my VA claim for and not sure how long that is going to take. So I'm continuing on with private/work insurance.

Thanks all for info and gut check about all this. Trust the big word. Only a few have it. Funny thing it's back to the person I was originally was supposed to meet that first day. I'm seriously debating pulling from this VSO and go the VFW, (I'm not even at the one month mark in the overall process) I only just joined though and don't have a Post just a new member at large now.

RIP Stretch. Did not know you but read a few of your posts. Prayers to family.

Almost to the furious point finding out the original VSO Rep I saw no longer works there and was not even a month. I was wondering why so long of delays in response to emails etc. Now back to the original person I was supposed to be working with in the first place. Question will that require a new POA?

Andyman73 I hear you loud and clear. One day at a time. All we can do. Rest and ice. Try different types of shoes too. Merrells's(sp) are lightweight and help with fatigue made for walking a lot. I have the low and very worn out below the ankle ones with holes in them but still use them. Don't give up as I see others say quite often here. http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ 800 273 8255 option 1

Berta that's more experience and information than anyone could learn from weeks or months reading articles/journals etc. We watched something the other day on the news I think, not a TV show, and basically said that the test are to RULE out what is not and what is more LIKELY is when it comes to diagnosis. Really opened my eyes quite more when it comes to my health and the care(or lack there of)we are receiving. I mean for crying out loud it's just a simple test and money/coverage is not important as met our deductible for the year months ago because out of pocket for meds and the expense there. Anydman ya from what I have, I think, is a combination of PAD claudication and some nerve damage in the back(I have DDD and arthritis in both knees and hips now too from xray findings) possibly causing pain in my feet. My point of dilemma is that I had bypass to correct one leg and that does not cause the classic calf pain for PAD/PVD. But my feet flare sometimes to the point of tears and it takes a few minutes for that calm down. Than I have to calm down from the worry of it all, stress, anxiety of not knowing what is causing the pain in my feet. I've bought new inserts for deck shoes, new sneakers etc. watch the way I sit during the day with lumbar support and PT and stretching but the these two cause me flare ups for my back and feet. I'm stuck in a catch 22 and feel I have to manage my PAD/PVD first and bones second. It's like stuck in a cycle and trying to break out of one and than focus on the next.

MRI for knees coming up and Hearing Aide fittings also. So slow steady progress.

Welcome and glad you're getting some help now. We all hated the "suck it up" or "have some motrin" return to duty while we were serving. But now afterwards not so much and years later when he need help we expect it to be there and not put layers upon layers of red tape. It's getting better I hope across the board with streamlined enrollment process etc. but I'll have to wait and see this myself. Best of luck to you and your family. And thank you both for serving!

I watched this tonight. I did not know he was a fellow paratrooper and jumpmaster so he gets it for us Veterans. And he's from outside the beltline with a ton of successful management experience. Wish Sec Bob all the best and strength to get things done. All the way!

Berta it is quite astonishing that my PCP DR had said this even after I said I had a parent with a known issue with DM and ultimately caused her death. I have one lab slip and saw the same thing that you describe just has slash marks in the readings. I'm not sure why they did that back than and I sure hope they don't continue to do that now. Or was it just that on lab work they were only looking for 1 or 2 things and discard the rest? Why would they do that when they already have the sample? I'm sorry for your loss Berta. And glad the VA corrected for you and your family but having to have you get all the IMO's etc and putting all the work on you as a Veteran spouse was terrible. The Surviving spouse should be assigned a patient advocate to assist and be the main interface with the VA and take the burden off the spouse. Not a VSO rep or a lawyer but someone from the DOD and not the VA and someone impartial but supportive and caring. As I think back now I remember a few NCO's that passed within a few years or a decade maybe after serving for a full 20 years. So that would put them in their 40's also. I did not serve a full 20 because of my knee and would have loved to serve my country for 20 or more. I was an exceptional NCO(assigned a position 2 full grades higher because other NCO's did not want to do it and were higher ranking than me) and I have the NCOER's and awards to back that up.

SC knee to secondary back issues this is my situation, except the herniated disc part. http://www.va.gov/vetapp05/files2/0508095.txt

Thanks Berta for the response and info links. Much appreciated. Yes the PAD is result of the atherosclerosis I suppose. They had PVD and PAD listed also. Well I have been outside for a lot of deployments/FTX/training etc. A REFORGER 89 or 90 don't remember exactly but that was so cold and snow and ice on the trees we had to use axes to chop through the treesto get into the tree line to put up GP smalls(tents). CPT didn't want us out in the open. A cold you never forget I guess. Cholesterol meds: Crestor and fenofibrate last 2 years. Along with lisinpril-htz for HBP. And 1 a day aspirin post bypass surgery. I have a family history of diabetes and mother passed from diabetes and cerebral vascular accident or something to that affect. I can see in my prior PCP records random high glucose readings but nothing high the past year. And nothing in service for checking of diabetes that I know of. In my copy of SMR/STR I only see one lab with a Trace of bacteria(not sure what that was/is about). My current PCP DR(not VA DR) will not order a lab for checking A1C levels. Even with my prior family history. They said not warranted. Kind of made me upset about that. I suspect I'm pre-diabetes maybe but don't know without the test. So I operate as if I am just in case.

Hello Berta. Thanks for taking a look. I'll give the short version for your questions. My last SMR/STR for MRI shows Mild PF Arthritis and Loose Body? The question mark is in the SMR remarks from the 1996 MRI read. The above listed issues are from my recent X Ray and MRI scheduled for next week so that is the lastest diagnosis for knee/back. Knee injured multiple times in the military and full Left ACL torn out in the Gulf War and casualty to Germany. I walked around on it for 3 or 4 days all swollen could not sleep and extreme pain until I asked for medic to look at it. All I wanted was a brace and some meds to stay engaged but field hospital DR did the draw test and realized it was gone and waited another 3 days or so in the rear field hospital and Scud/patriot hits/misses. So that's the history. Repaired summer 91, served another 6 years, jump injury, profiles, MRI's etc until they I left the service. I couldn't keep up anymore. Got out and luckily got a desk job so no manual labor and no new injuries while a civilian to my knee. I have a copy of my SMR/STR but no surgery info because it was done in Germany 1991. The PAD was discovered by civilian DR's (but I have two instances of high cholesterol/trig 350/1500 1994 while taking Accutane for acne in SMR and was never put on meds) only because of complaints of left calf pain and lower back pain which I connected to something with my knee being a layman about it. My xray and MRI for my lower back and ortho DR's found that my pulse was weak in both legs but my left they could barely find. Also they found the AAA(abdominal aortic aneurysm) and PAD was diagnosed by the vascular surgeon. PAD diagnosis was Aug/Sep 2014. And I have had PAD bypass surgery for the left leg only at present. That is the same leg/knee for all my injuries and surgery in the military. I'm tentative to do my right because that is my strong leg, left still has atrophy and always did since surgery in 1991. I have to see if my vascular DR will give me the OK to try and fix whatever it is minor/major for my left knee before doing bypass on my right leg. Because right now if I do my right leg my left is not strong enough to carry the load while the right recovers. Catch22. But vascular DR says my right will need to be done and will continue to get worse because of arteriosclerosis obliterans. I tried to manage cholesterol by diet and limited exercise (walking only because of my deficient left knee). Now I have bad hips and back because of always adjusting for the bad knee, ortho asked if I wanted to might right knee for MRI, I said no thought it was too much but now I"m reconsidering because the stress I've put on my right side. This same DR 11 months ago who assisted discovering my PAD and AAA wrote on examination "patient walks with a mildly antalgic gait". SMR records show no gait and gait if I remember correctly on different exams over the final years in service. So I think I can thread this together. SC for the my left knee is paramount, and was never ever right up until I left the service or there after. I consistently had to RICE, avoid load bearing on that side, can't squat, can't kneel on it, the front of the knee feels like it going to pop out, it locks, swells, grinds, clicks, you name it does it but I guess it has full flexion I've read the regs for that so I understand that part but always with pain associated and movement. Being young and dumb I thought it was just what you do and move on with your life and if you ever need help with it since veteran I go to the VA for help. And that is where I am today. But I'm using private insurance to fill the gap until C&P exams are done etc. So I'm making do. I haven't even started on residual for neck cervical spasms/right shoulder issues. Dominant hand that side. Vertigo emergency room twice. And there a few more but I'll stop here and stay focused on the knee/back. And thank you Berta for all you support and service to Veterans and their families.

Sawgunner ya that's what I'm trying to piece it altogether. But I guess it comes down tp my other issues first. This being 2nd priority for the now but still working on. If Ortho DR says I need surgery on left knee than I have to ask my vascular surgeon if I can have anything done so soon because its the same leg I just had bypass on 8 months ago scar from mid-calf inside all the way up to left of groin a fem-tib is what they call it). And I still need to have the right leg done for bypass surgery (at least there it's above the knee to the groin). Those staples suck. I know there are plenty of people on here worse off, god bless them and thank you, it's the whole VA claim process and getting the right diagnosis is what steams me, if I had to wait and not had insurance don't even want to think about it. I'm borderline quitting my job like right now today because of all the appointments and keeping up and keeping me healthy is a full time job by itself at the moment and wearing me down physically and emotionally. I'm not sure I can continue to do both and win. One has to give way and I want to stay around a while and see grandkids some day.(Not soon a couple of more years please.) So my question is like yours I have no doubt(but is the VA) that my left knee will be SCed for probably multiple issues. Than the hip/back secondary to that. PAD connection I don't know about all all but I'm taking a big bite of the elephant out the door if wasn't for private insurance I wouldn't be typing probably. And good ortho DR's who saw something wrong for vascular and got me there first. For that I'm forever grateful. And I never did get the chance to have any SAW time while on active duty only the old bulky sob M60..but I was good, very good. Cpt said one time I want you near me. Lol.

I've only just started the VA Claim in the past few weeks. I've learned a lot so far. But the more your read/learn the more questions you have. So I'm reaching out to try and understand the following. I've had multiple injuries to my knee while on active duty and in my SMR/STR which I have my 3 paper copies, 1 in firesafe and, 3 digital storage locations and a USB stick I carry with me. I have done absolutely NO damage to my knee since I left the service. I drive a mouse for a living and a liberal work environment where we can get walk around etc so no sedentary work and I was fortunate enough to be able to do that once I left the service voluntarily and honorably. Gulf War Vet. I would not have been able to do physical manual labor or standing anything for long periods of time if I had too. If one looked at my records while in service they would ask "where are your other records" because it's almost 70% knee issues. My knee story in a nut shell: injury/injury/ACL tear/surgery/injury back to the grind of full time active duy while nursing a messed up knee pain/swelling/lockups continued up until the day I ETSed. I hobbled around the last few years to sick call/ortho/profiles for running my last few years. My impression was they were never ever never going to send me to a MRB or whatever it's called. So I had two choice stay or leave and I didn't want to but I did. So I submitted for left knee pain and back pain among other issues with VSO Rep. I had an ortho DR visit and X-ray done for my knee this week and now MRI getting setup(I had an MRI right before I got out says Mild PF arthritis, loose body laterally Possible PFDS?). I haven't even started neck/shoulder issues but listed them also when starting claim with VSO rep. I have searched these individually and sort of understand them isolated but what is it altogether? Knee *Derangement of posterior horn of medial meniscus *Chondromalacia of patella *Localized, primary osteoarthritis *Localized, primary osteoarthritis of the pelvic region and thigh Back *Displacement of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc without Myelopathy *Degeneration of Lumbosacral Intervertebral Disc *Compression Deformities *Low Back Pain *Pain in Limb I'm trying to wrap my head around all this. And suffering through PAD both legs and had surgery on one already. I feel like I'm truly falling apart. I only be 49 in two months.

Slick I agree. They did the Basic MP and something else has glucose listed but not the hemoglobin(sp) A1C in the results anywhere. I have another DR who's health center closed and moved to the city I may ask that DR to do it. I don't even care at this point about cost. Just need it done to be sure. Ya this DR did not give my wife or me the warm and fuzzy at all from the get go. I don't know what the DR's problem is. I'm just asking for help to ease my mind. And says no, have a nice weekend. wt(X). To make matters worse I had PT and a chiro appt today. About 30 minutes ago while watching TV laying flat in bed head above the heart and I had the most severe cramp in my left foot. Really intense flare of toes. Not sure if related to PAD(I have already had bypass done on the left 8 months ago) or is it the DDD in lumbar. I'm confused and the Mrs. is stressing as I am I don't want to go lay back down now. On the couch in good sitting position as I type. Insomnia has been off the scale the past month. I don't know which one is causing it now but I'm leaning towards neuropathy somehow now and my back. The PT session(for my back) was light today because I told the PT from the last visit I was extremely sore and in serious pain the next day. So they did basic rubbing on lumbar and showed some new exercises only. We ate dinner out came home and already in pain from that minor session. Bleh.

My PCP said they won't do a A1C test. I'm a Gulf war Vet. And I've seen some random highs for glucose at my prior PCP. So I'm not sure why she refused when my mother passed because of complications of diabetes. Sounds wrong doesn't it?

Good news Slick..for the pre meds getting taken care of. Same here family history and I can't find my A1C results anywhere. I'm going to have ask my PCP now for the test and see where I'm at and go from there. My endocronoligst(sp) already has me on no bread, potates period. Drink 0 cola Blue Label 2liter or 12 pk cans, no sugar, caffenine nothing. A bit of a new taste to get used to but nothing like cracking a cold one this summer. I can have sweet potatoes and I cheat with 2% cheese. That's where I draw the line. And basically trying the paleo diet all protein and fiber for other issues.

Off to ortho for my knee I go..taking my SMR's for all my knee/back/neck issues. I see the pain management DR next week for my check up. How do you go about seeing a neuroligist? Just request or find one? I dont' think I need a referral with private medical ins...I'm not in the VA health care yet...tried today but silly form would not open in browser right to do the initial online form. Update: Couple of x-rays done ..arthritis left knee and right hip. Now wait MRI for left knee.

Ok thanks much. I did a quick search and read some info.

Now I have to find the lab that I saw that on to confirm. I have random spiking glucose levels from what I can see in my PCP..STR they don't even check unless I'm missing them in my copy of my STR.