[Late Intro]

Nice to meet you, 98J! I totally know what you've been saying...my 3 1/2 yo daughter says its all good to me, too - she's heard her dad and I say it so much, I suppose!! <grin>

[Hello Brothers & Sisters]

Hi John,

I've only been here a little while myself, but this site has been awesome! You'll see - none of us are alone and we're still part of a team that takes care of each other.

Take it easy, and very glad to meet you!

Sue

[Introducing Myself!]

You guys are great! Thanks for the warm welcome...I can totally relate to the image of being here in front of the monitor at all hours of the day and night; if it wasn't for this I don't know where I'd be - probably driving around drunk somewhere with my kid in the back {{shudder}}.

Kami, I SO know what you are talking about - anything in the road freaks me out...anything on the overpass, guardrail, etc. I am so thankful that you guys didn't just think I was nuts, and that what I said made some sense...

Anywhoo...just got back from the doc who looked at my knee for a % increase....seemed ok, so who knows... honestly, the biggest thing I'm hoping for is enough of an increase so I can get a handicapped tag - the damn leg brace and funky crutch thing work, but not if I have to traipse 200 yds across the parking lot...(lol)

I hope I can help, too, once I get a handle on the va process...

thanks again "ya'all" - I am from Michigan, and now living in Texas, I figure I better learn the local language!! <grin>

Sue

[Introducing Myself!]

Wanted to introduce myself, and to say Thank You to all of you who have posted...I have been going all through the site here while in the midst of my filing for VA benefits....the clues, tips, etc., have been invaluable.

Am a vet who was sc 40% due to left knee problems in 2000; was recalled back to active duty to go to OIF I; Vet Center counselor has diagnosed me with PTSD after leaving the army in '05; had been diagnosed while still on active duty with major depression, anxiety, etc.....

Long story short - went over the LD and had to endure 10 days plus of having my boss come on to me - I had to lock and load my M4 to get him to leave me alone...was a translator working all over the place and seeing all kinds of things. Can't seem to get rid of the sites/smells...I've been fired from two jobs in two years for alternately taking too many days off for doc app'ts or my three year old or migranes or being aggressive, etc. I feel like I am nuts! There aren't many women here in Houston, and there sure aren't many that were outside the wire more than in...I thought I'd talk to my dad, Vietnam '67-68, but he got tired of living with ptsd and alcoholism and shot himself. Many times I think he had the right idea - I look at bridge abutments every time I have to drive on the freeway and wonder if I drove my honda into them would I survive or not...and consciously rule them out if I think they won't do the trick.

Do any of you out there know what I am saying? I am depressed; I am sick of taking medication. My husband is also an OIF vet; a BIG problem is that he was a fobbit and I wasn't - so he has no idea, and all he sees is that the antidepressants impact our sex lives (LOL) while I am struggling with the not wanting anyone around me anyway and pushing everyone away...I feel like I should be doing a lot better than I am, and I keep wondering what the F*&^ is wrong with me....

So where the hell do I go from here? I just sent in a bunch of forms asking for the ptsd to be evaluated, and have an exam tomorrow to increase my original sc knee prob due to having two more surgeries, wearing a big damn brace and a frickin' crutch, etc...I'm 39 and feel like I'm 109...and when someone asks me what I did I cringe...Damn, I can't even hold a line of thought...sorry that this is such a mess I have no one else to vent all this to, except my vet center counselor, and I can't get there enough it seems to make any headway....

[My Advice... Finally Rated 100%]

Thanks! I am in the process of getting the C file now...

[My Advice... Finally Rated 100%]

wow, hope that everyone has blown off some steam...

You all sound like you know so much more than I do about this whole process...would any of you mind my asking for your guidance? I was hoping to have my dad, A Vietnam Vet, help me out, but PTSD and alcoholism left untreated for 40 years led him to eat his gun.

Here's my situation in a nutshell...was SC 40% in 2000 when I got out of the Army...was called back to service to go to Iraq in 2003 and got out 8/2005. Have been diagnosed with PTSD and depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, bad dreams, etc, by the VA. Just received the paperwork to add the PTSD to my claim. Also have had two more surgeries and more issues connected wit hthe original 40% rated condition. Any ideas on why the VA wants me to substantiate information that their docs diagnosed me with?? Wouldn't that all be in my SMC since I had the surgeries while on active duty? I tried to get a copy of my latest SMC from the records center; they told me the VA has it....

ANY suggestions would be welcomed. I have no one to talk to about this.