sunnyh

C&P examiner tried over and over  to normalize my symptoms.
*Flashbacks vs. memory of events.
*Memory vs. forgetfulness vs. memory impairment.
*Insomnia vs. bad sleeping habits vs. normal sleep.
 
I appreciate it when I'm viewed as just a normal person, but
not at a C&P exam.
 
 
 
 
 

Ebennies will drive you crazy!!!!

I do have a ebenefits account, but from I've been told it's not always accurate and up to date. 

run for President you might win that better than a CUE  VA
ant bull-sh** no more either you got it or you dont
 

I feel you bro.  Hopefully you get the best rating possible. 

Man I hope that's the case. 70 to 100% would be great given my current situation. What do you mean by your examiner pooh-poohing symptoms?

At least 70%, and probably 100% based on the items checked in Section II, Number 5 ("Symptoms"), which correspond directly with the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. 
My heart goes out to you for the horrible sexual assault you endured. I am glad you will receive the assistance and (presumably) the compensation you deserve. 
All the Best,
Mark

Sunny,
Whew! So glad you weren't "home alone".

Yes, I'm at 50% for mst/ptsd for 3 years.
Got rated too low and now trying to get 100%.

Flashbacks, memory problems, insomnia, easily startled, hyper-vigilance,
concentration problems, feeling numb, eating problems, drinking problems,
drug problems, feeling safe problems, trust problems, relationship problems,
physical pain problems.
 
Here's an example of feeling unsafe or being hyper-vigilant I told my C&P examiner:
We have an air conditioner in a window and when the a/c is not in that window
I stress over the window being accidentally unlocked or left open.
I'll scare myself thinking someone is climbing in the window and then I'll
feel too terrified to look, but make myself get a knife and go look.
 
I get mad at anyone who does not lock the front door or back door. It makes
me feel unsafe and insecure, so I make sure doors and windows are locked!
 
>One night a dude did walk in our backdoor that was unlocked.
He claimed he had the wrong door. His girlfriend lived upstairs.
I wasn't home alone thank God.
Him and his girlfriend were arrested the next week for breaking and entering
someone else's  house and holding them at knifepoint to rob them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Quick update. Claim moved to the awaiting decision stages, with a projected date of Aug 10-Sep 08. Hoping for the best.

The simplest answer as I understand it, is that they are looking to document your symptoms, history, and experiences so that they can determine service connection primary or secondary and rate your condition according to the tables and guidelines.
 

I was raised on SOS.

S.O.S. aka SOS >Added to database for any veteran.
S.O.S. (Creamed Beef On Toast)
(8 servings)  
1 and 1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teasppon salt
2 teaspoons beef-flavored instant bouillon (about 2 cubes)
3/4 cups nonfat dry milk and 3 cups warm water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
OPTIONAL: 3 and 1/2 cups whole milk can be used to replace dry milk and water
Brown the beef in its own fat in a skillet. Drain excess fat.

Add flour, pepper, salt and bouillon to beef; mix thoroughly and cook about 5 minutes or until flour is absorbed.

Reconstitute dry milk (mix with water); add to beef mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce; heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until thickened.

Serve over hot toast or biscuits.


Each branch of the U.S. Military has a different version of this recipe. It is affectionately referred to by our dogfaces as "Sh*t On A Shingle". S.O.S. made its debut about 1910. The recipe presented here is a home version of that served by the Army circa World War I.
>Recipe found on  mrbreakfast.com

Abbreviations and acronyms are perfect jargon for databases.
Type a whole or partial word or concept in the little search box
on Hadit and a return will give us selections of stuff to read or learn about.
 
Hadit has been around for years and is a huge repository
of veteran information and interaction by veterans and for veterans.
 
'Mandamus' is a legal term and concept I'd never heard before
until recently.
 
I used Hadit's search box top right and my search word 'Mandamus'
returned 26 pages of results from veterans and by veterans.
 
I searched for Lasagna in Hadit's search box and got 1 result
from a 2007 conversation entitled 'Vacation' . There was
no recipe for Lasagna though.
 
CAVC  typed in Hadit's search box returned
139 results.
 
Hadit has a richly compiled database of terms and descriptors and keyword
hits on probably any word or abbreviation you can think of.
 
I'm not gonna judge or critique the presentation or size or prominence
of the search box.  All I can say is locate the box at top right and challenge
it to a war of words. :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Did you go to a C&P appointment?

Do you have a disability rating for PTSD?

Now that i know for sure that it is ok to tell you all my lawyer i will gladly do so. My Representation is through Robert Friedman & Assosciates. He is VA Acreddited to represent all of us, no matter your location. As it stands, all my information goes to one of his many caseworkers that are in that VA RO jurisdiction. They send me literally copies of everything i send to them, everything they send to me, and everything they send to the Appeals Dpt. These people do not bullshit you. If you have a legally binding case, they will agree to represent you if they know they can win based on the Laws, Rules, and Regulations of everything pertaining to us, the Veterans. It is sad that one must pay to actually find someone who will pick up a weapon and stand back to back with you as the mighty VA Idiocricy beats at you unflailingly, unflichingly, and unfathomably. We are all we have Vets. Get every advantage you can. I too was turned down by my first batch of lawyers, and i had already gone through 3 different civy VSO's.
Good Luck

SunnyH,
Well, guess I won't be keeping his name handy after all.  And I am physically not located in NY or NJ, so...no go there, either.
Thanks anyway!
Andy

5P's
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
Poor
Performance
 
I like!

My C&P examiner wore a poker face too.
They just don't want to lead us on maybe?
Sorry to hear you had an episode and hope you're doing better now.
Cross your fingers that the C&P exam was good enough and the
regional office gives you a fair rating.
 
 
*In contrast, after my mental C&P exam the woman taking my blood pressure
at VA 3 times in a row for my hypertension claim was lively and fun and
she wore alot of makeup. She laughed and said 'I don't know why they put
Scars on the hypertension DBQ'.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks, sometimes my sense of humor keeps me together.
Yep, links allowed. And no, not my guy, well, don't have one yet, but not same name.  Lol. But will keep this handy just in case mine doesn't pan out.  Thanks.
Lunch break over, back to work, for me.

I don't mind not feeling okay, what really bothers me is feeling invisible, or as if I don't matter, or count, since I'm not a combat Vet, or didn't serve during any of the recognized conflicts.
I started my fight in June of 1997. Which means, if I was a boxer, I'm due, or overdue to retire from the squared circle.
I feel like Kurt Russel in the sci-fi movie where he is put out to pasture, on a distant outpost, because he's obsolete and been replaced by younger, newer, supposedly better fighters.  Having been given the cold shoulder and bum's rush out the door.  Sorry, we hardly knew you...your kind is no longer welcome here, or useful to us....good by.

Ha ha you have an awesome sense of humor Andy. : )
I don't know if links are allowed here?
This guy Eric Gang has a youtube channel and I like watching him.
Is he 'YOUR' guy? I don't know.
When I looked for a lawyer soon after VA allowed veterans to have one,
my story/claim was also rejected by many lawyers.
My lawyer asked me 8 years ago how I found him and I said 'I got LUCKY'.
The reality was I was lucky to find anyone willing to represent me.
 
here's the attorney Eric Gang link
http://www.veteransdisabilityinfo.com/attorneys.php?name=eric-gang_163

Once you get through the provocation of just trying to get the proper rating from VARO
knowing that some of those raters break the law is when you can breathe and relax
and let your anger melt away.  My goal is OKness. I just wanna feel OK.
 
Lawyers with their knowledge of  law  fight corruption and injustice at VARO.
It's a reality even if sometimes a veteran is easily helped with their claim.
Many of us have been fighting with the system for years.
 
 
Medications are a no no for me. I don't like feeling out of control.