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Jayg
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Posts posted by Jayg
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That is not entirely accurate. It may be where you live but not everywhere. Each state has their own standards. In Texas, the home school is a "private school" and has no connection with the school district. There are a few state guidelines and requirements. The district has no say once you've withdrawn.Home schooling is schooling at home, but is administered and approved by a school district. (I home schooled my son from 4th - 10th grade, he is now enrolled in a cyber school).We use a nationally accredited curriculum though that is not required.
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It is true. I read my VAMC's policy this morning, and it referred me to
VHA Directive 2007-024 This is a must read and print for everyone.
Unless I misread something, I don't see anything in this that mprovides for a VA doc to write an IMo on anything other than 'current' conditions.
Can somebody clarify If I'm reading sect.d. wrong?
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As of last week I was still getting my local VARO (Waco TX). As for quality, that depends on who you get. Not all the information is on one screen and the ability or willingness to dig through different levels varies from operator to operator. I have gotten to know a number of them by name. I hate to see them losing their jobs.
Too, on occaission they have written notes or otherwise do things that directly connected to my file that some far away center could do.
I personally don't believe the quality of service can be as good at the centralized facilities. But looks like we'll see.
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Thanks for that. I had my health records lost in service. It took many requests and then the magically showed up in my mail box in 2005. I don't know what triggered it.
But at Ft. Knox, much of my treatment was at a clinic. Those records are still AWOL and would include a head injury thast might have some bearing on my present conditions. Some yoyo tried to rob me and belted me in the head with a sawed off entrenching tool handle. Fortunatly, I have a hard head. :)
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"Officials said the government hospital, which was rated the nation's worst VA facility in a 1995 study, stopped admitting patients the day after the most recent suicide."
I can well believe that. I used to have to go there. The place was so huge, so crowded, you couldn't help being a hopeless, nameless, cog in the wheel. :) Fortunately, rules have been changed allowing me to go to a much nicer, and nearer, hospital.
The sheer size of that place, the vast numbers of vets, and especially the mental patients, who need it should demand that it were the best such facility in the nation, not the worst.
Hopefully, like the debacle at Walter Reed, this may get something done about it.
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And what makes you think they'll find this 'unconstitutional'? When I (and you) enlisted, I/we knew we had educational benefits under the GI Bill as long as we lived. uhh, scratch that. They changed their minds and took the benefit completly away in what? 1985? B)It is exactly what they are saying, until someone objects to it and it is found to be unconstitutional.Why is this any different. :) And I agree, it's politics, it's the wave of the future.
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My VA doctor (only doctor I have!) flat wont make any comment as to the possible causes of my conditions. Neither would the physician who diagnosed my neuopathy. He simply marked it 'idiopathic.'I have actually read this before. I am also thinking it was a CAVC ruling in a vet's appeal that caused the vet to win his claim I will do some more snooping and try to find where I saved that at. I remember showing a copy of the ruling to one of my VAMC doctor's. But they have really never had a problem linking my present medical condition to service.No help there. :)
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Good luck with your preparations. :)
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Thanks! And I will save this info.
I have heard good things about this Dr. Bash. Unfortunately, his fee puts him far beyond the reach of many veterans such as myself. B)
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I am new here but have read your posts with interest. I would say you would detract from this site were you to stop posting.
I am 52 and gads! I know I'm losing my mind. Some days I can't remember why I walked to the bathroom. B) So you ain't alone.
But we can't just stop and suck our gums. If we, any of us, quit, VA wins. I join the others in saying we need you here. Some experience, some knowledge of past events will be uniquely yours. And somebody here will need it.
Please stay on.
Just my .02
Jim
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I am in there system.... thats a pretty good idea actually. They pay for milage as well. Last trip for my C&P i got $75 that did cover the cost of the trip. I will look into it... Thanks....
I get my meds mailed. It works fine as long as I remember to order them on time. B)
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That sounds right. Thanks.No...that means you are experiencing dysphagia. That symptom, combined with previous chest pain probably led the doc to the probably dx of GERD. I would go get scoped to see how serious it is. When you get the arthritis sc'd, then file for the GERD as secondary to medications taken for the arthritis. -
Wait a minute. "Trouble swallowing." Now that has recently become an issue. It's as if I have to wash down my food with more liquid and I'll get the hiccups if I don't.If you have trouble swallowing it means that you need to see the right Doc as soon as possible. Fortunately it is very easy to treat unless you let it go.But doesn't that just as likely mean I'm getting sloppy about chewing before I swallow?
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they don't pay for any dependants until you hit 30%. I know...it's stupid, but that's the way it is. Are you saying you are going to get 30 years of retro, or you have received 10% for the last 30 years? I don't know if retro money is paid in nominal dollars (this year's rate table), or if they use historical rate tables for every year of the retro award. The nominal makes more sense. If you are saying that you have received that rating for the last 30 years, then length of the rating has no effect on the amount. Ten percent is 10% in other words.
I just recently got a retro to 2005. They broke it down into the rates paid in those years.
You only get the dependant rate from the date you apply for it. They will not retro that for your case.
I can't say if it would be retro'd for somebody getting retro for a period wherein they already had a dependant allowance.
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I did complain about chest pain a couple times. Best guess (they did run some tests and heart is ok) stress aggravation. I have not complained nor in reallity suffer from heartburn or reflux.GERD = Gastro-Esophogeal Reflux Disease. Like John said, it's acid reflux and can be caused by high doses of NSAID's over long amounts of time. It is rated as a hiatal hernia (most closely approximates) and can lead to Barret's Esophogus and esophogeal cancer. Probable means that you have made a subjective complaint at some point about heartburn, heart fluttering, chest pain, etc... and the doctor thinks that GERD is the cause. I would file a secondary claim for it if you are on pain meds.Since the pain meds are predominantly for Arthritis, not yet service connected, I really don't see the point in claiming on gerd right now. Yes?
Thanks y'all
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you don't have to worry about being claustorphobic for a knee mri...they only put you legs in the machine. It will take about 45 minutes if they are doing both. And it will bein two sessions. Good luck.
I don't know what all they're going to check. I told her (the ER doc) about my back too. She asked me about claustrophobia. I've never had a problem with it. But I expect they'll just shoot the knees. She allowed I'd probably end up in surgery but who knows.
The knees are shot and have been going bad for years. (Gotta claim on 'em secondary to SC flat feet and wrecked ankle.) I was walking in the yard and stepped in a shallow depression and jarred the one knee and when it went out, the other followed. Did it again a few days later. Normally, things hurt for a few days and go back to 'normal.' Not this time! After nearly a week, joints are swollen and I can hardly walk , &tc. Drove me into ER.
At least this doc knew her business and was really dedicated to getting me help. She was surprised the knees hadn't been x-rayed since '06 (so was I, time flies!) and had never been MRI'ed.
The time before when I fell and went into ER (I do this fairly often. Fall that is, not go to ER.), there was a foreign "doctor." He said I should have come during the day when there were people there who knew about such things. Basically I told him what was wrong and that is what he "diagnosed." :)
B) This lady was a massive improvement. (I went duering the day this time. ;) ) -
Y'all told me I need MRIs. Well, it looks like I'm getting one. I fell a couple times and both knees are blown out royally. Spent the day in emergency and I have been ordered to orthopedics and for MRI on both knees, I guess it'll be.
So we'll see what comes of this.
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Ok. I got my most recent batch of records from VAMC and one page noted "probable GERD."
I've seen the term frequently. I tried to look it up and there are pages and pages of the term being used. After several, I get the idea it has to do with heartburn, acid reflux, ulcers? non of which I have (yet). I also gather they are solidly connected with NAISDs which I do take, 1000mg Naproxn sodium.
GERD- Gastro????
And since I don't know of any symptoms, why is it "probable"? And what does that mean to me? Please.
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What I understand, and have experienced, is that the examiner makes his notes, but these have to be rendered into a report to VARO. The records stay in the C&P department until completed. The report is not available until then.
The wait can run from 3 to 6 weeks but 30 days is a good rule of thumb. Picking up your records for that day may pic up the exam notes but not the report. You can't get that until it's made.
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Darn glad I don't have that. I was one f those gys so innoculated back in '74. One shot cut me a 1/4" and I had blood running down my arm. I can well imagine sme must have gotten on the device. I know, too, I wasn't the only one cut that way.
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if there's anything else I can do....just ask. I'm here for you.
I know you, all of you, are and that's great.
I'll have more questions no doubt. But I've work to do first. B)
Again. Thanks. :D
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I recently posted a NOD for consideration.
Based on comments received I'm going to be very busy writing practically a whole new one. <_<
Humor aside, there were many helpful comments, on that and other things. I can't list all who have helped individually, but I want to give a special thanks (not in a particular order) to Berta & Rentalguy.
Your help was especially detailed and focused. The knowledge imparted especially insightful. I have some idea how hard it is and long it takes to learn this stuff. I have been strugging with VA for a good 4 years and am only beginning to learn.
I just wanted to thank y'all and chose to do it this way. I didn't want to dredge up my threads by doing this in them. They have run their course.
I ramble too much. Nuff said. Thanks
Jay
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Couple more things:
I am not clear at what point you rewrote the letter but please remove this line:
"I thus submit you must grant service connection lacking evidence to the contrary."
Also, you state the an IMO is not an option. If you are retired, how about going to a TRICARE provider and getting a copy of the treatment notes. If you are at an income level that would make you eligible, go to your local health clinic (be prepared to spend the day) and talk to a doc there who could give you a copy of your treatment notes. Also, call social services and see if any local ministries have a free health clinic. I don't live in a very large town but there is a very nice free health clinic that a church operates that sees anyone who walks in the door for free, no questions asked. The goal here is for a doctor to give you more evidence to win your claim and if you can't afford to pay for an IMO then you may want to seek out other healthcare options that would, at the least, give you treatment notes to submit as evidence.
TS
Wow! Lots of stuff here. Yeah, that line (and a lot of others!) is gone.
I think some more background is in order.
This C&P opinion was supposed to be pointed at TDIU & flat feet-only. The opiner went some beyond that and then fell back on it.
My rating currently is for flat feet (sc10%) L-ankle (20%) tinitus 10% (not being appealed) bilateral hearing sc 0% (not being appealed just now).
My whole claim/appeal is for r ankle, both knees, R hip , low back pain & peripheral neuropathy as secondary conditions and TDIU. In the process I have developed arthritis. That is not specifically claimed but my last SSOC said "It is noted on the VAMC report severe debilitating arthritis; however, service connection for arthritis has not been established." Sounds to me like they want a connection and I'm trying to find them one.
I do have altered gait logged in the records. Guy at Phys Therapy said I 'roll like a sailor."
I am not "retired. I get no pension or other compensation. I am going to apply for SSD.
I am not illiterate but neither am I educated. no college. Since the military I was a construction worker, truck driver, factory worker and machinist. I barely passed high school and have no college. I can peck out stuff like this on the c'puter but am far from being "computer literate.
Meds? I take a narcotic, tramadol, baclofen, naproxen sodium, and mirapex. Concentration? hardly! I wear a knee brace and use a cane, my ankles turn and knees give out. I stumble and fall easily. Since I last worked, even walmarts, Home Depot and Lowes turned me down. I am not able to re-enter the workforce.
The local clinic is not interested in helping me either, I've been there. And they are not "free." At least, not for me. I went there for a toothache once and they scheduled me for 3 weeks later and wanted $100 to do it. They also counted my VA comp as "income."
There's more, but that's the nut shell.
1. You never specifically requested EXTRA SCHEDULAR consideration for IU since your "case presents such an exceptionalor unusual disability picture with such related factors as marked interference with employment"
Sounds good. not sure I understand it, Is it asn SOP?
2. Your wife needs to write a Statement In Support of Claim (it's a VA form) explaining that she is the one doing your paperwork on your behalf.
Form 21-4138?
Actually, we've stated that somewhere along the way but I don't think we've made it a seperate statement.
Thanks again
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Thanks to all. There's a lot of good points to consider. I haven't worked since 2004 and the VA is my sole health provider and my doc would only agree to put one vague note in my progress reports. I'm waiting on the records to come in now so I can see what he wrote but I doubt it will be enough.Rockhound is offering some great hints for you to considerI can not afford a doctor. It is not an option. Not now, now for some time will it be. So I guess I'm going to just keep getting denied. Time's in their favor. Maybe they'll be lucky and I'll die. I won't, can't, go away. <_<
As for the suggestions about the rewrites, that I can do. The suggestions for including the print outs for the mdicines I will do. Already planning on filing for social security. I'm 52 so I reckon it's SSD I need to apply for.
But ohhh how many years and headaches is that gonna take on top of VA hassles. :) Some days I feel like I could just throw up.
Thanks all
B) This lady was a massive improvement. (I went duering the day this time. ;) )
Obtaining Opinions From Va Medical Center Doctors;
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
Congrats on that and good luck with the rest! :)