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docndiane

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Everything posted by docndiane

  1. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am the Navy wife and ex-Navy member who's husband was diagnosed and teated for hypertension while in the military. After getting out and still be treated for was diagnosed with severe hypertension, he had a hemmorhagic stroke at the age of 46. He lost complete use of his left side, both arm and leg. The doctor's are prtty certain this is permanant. He is completely unable to get out of bed by himself and my dad has moved in with us permanantly so that I can work during the day and I have peace of mind that he is being well taken care of. We immediately applied for ss disability and we were granted that within 3 months. Then I thought that maybe because he was diagnosed and treated for hypertension while serving, maybe we could get compensation. Well we applied last October, and I have been checking the hadiit boards for answers and a little faith that the VA would come through. We got the letter. As of October 26, 2007, the VA says that my husband is considered 100% service connected for the loss of an arm and leg, 20% service connected for hypertension and 10% service connected for the secodary which was the stroke, in other words, the actual bleed. They also approved him for special monthly compensation. Well, I was hoping, just for 100%, I mean the savings alone in not having to pay real estate taxes would have been a blessing, but I was not prepared for the amount that my husband read to me over the phone - over $6000 a month. I am waiting for the VA to send a letter saying they made a grave mistake :) I am still in shock, everyone, I thought $2700 would have been awesome, I just simply was not prepared for this. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I can't thank everyone enough for all of the advice and support and I just wanted to share that with you. This is just another example of how things sometimes do go right Thanks everyone
  2. Hi eveeryone, Just wondered if anyone had any experience with personnel/wait times, etc with the Baltimore, Maryland office? We live closer to Washington D.C. but I guess because we are in Maryland (Suitland) they sent my husband's claim to Baltimore. I am the one who's husband suffered a massive hemmorhagic stroke last year as a result of high blood pressure which he was first diagnosed with and treated for in the Navy while serving in Okinawa, Japan as a Naval gunfire officer. He cannot take care of himself at all, but he can talk and his spirits are high <_< He is a Naval Academy grad. Thanks for any info as usual you guys are awesome Diane
  3. also, he is not getting a pension of any kind from anyone. Diane
  4. No, my husband has not been service connected for anything. The initial report by the neurologist who treated my husband said that it was due to high blood pressure, and this was a definite because the second day after his stroke, they asked me to authorize a test that would determine whether or not he had a defect in his arteries which could have caused this and if there was no sign of a defect then it was his high blood pressure which he has been treated for since he was in the military. There had been times at his primary care physicians, (whom he has been seeing the same one since he left the military - thank God), office where his blood pressure was so high, they would not allow him to leave and would give him meds then and there and we could only leave once it was in somewhat normal range. I thank you for your help :P
  5. Hi everyone, Quick synopsis - My husband had a massive stroke last year as a result of high blood pressure ruptuing a vessel in the brain - lost complete use of left side of body. Still has no use. Needs constant care from both me and my dad (moved in with us so I could work - thank God), applied for Social security disability - received award letter less than 3 months after applying last year - then decided that since husband was diagnosed for first time ever and treated for high blood pressure while in Japan as a Naval gunfire officer, we would try for comp claim with VA. That was last October that we applied. Had hubby call VA for update and they said that his claim just went to rating board July 1 and that we should hear something in 60 days or less. Is this good? I sent all medical records I had on me and they say they are processing his "application for service-connected compensation for stroke secondary to hypertension" as well as claim for special monthly compensation. Do we have a shot? Does it mean that he can still be denied? We have tried not to call and I have just figured that we would get denied and that would be that, but I feel good that it made it to the rating board? Would it have been denied by now? Does giving them the social security disability info. help? All of the things that occurred with Social security, applying and getting awarded all happened less than a year ago, I guess I figured they would utilize whatever ss had already done, which would mean less leg work for VA, but being new to this - I don't know. Thanks for all advice :P Diane
  6. Donews, Thanks for the info, I think I am going to go around gathering all the info myself. It just astounds me that even the SSA who is infamous for taking forever and denying claims was able to approve my husband in under 3 months. I just don't understand why it has to be so hard. Anyway, I really appreciate the support and concern and I will keep on keeping on and let everyone know what is going on as I get it B) The only thing that worries me is that the first letter mentions the high blood pressure and the second, identical letter says stroke secondary to hypertension. It seems that the VA changed the claim - does that mean we are starting over? I have to call with the hubby on the phone as well and ask some tough questions Diane :)
  7. Hi Berta, Yes, there is a VCAA notice response election form in this - it looks exactly like the first one we received - only this one says that they are working on hisnrequest for service-connected comp for stroke secondary to hypertension. Not that I am complaining, but we didn't apply for it, or the SMC. Can his PCP do the independent medical exam? As far as Social security, I even sent a copy of the award letter to them. They also said that they have requested copies of records from the many hospitals my husband went to and since I have copies for all except one, I decided to call the hospital records office (Georgetown U) and find out what was going on - I did this because I was able to get the ball rolling for his SSDI claim and they were very nice- and they said they HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE VA!! How can you tell me, 6 months later that you have put in a request but you haven't. I knew this wasn't going to be easy but I wasn't expecting out and out lies. They saw the request from Social security and the request from me, which I didn't end up getting the records because they wanted to charge me $600 for a copy which was apparantly over 900 pages long. You are not kidding about the residuals of a stroke - we are both fairly young - I am 38 and he is 47 and the bleed was very large according to his neuro. Whole left side don't work, there is brain damage, but for the most part he is still the same awesome guy I married B) Thank God I have insurance (I work for the State of Maryland) and even the insurance company failed me by forcing us to send him to a skilled nursing hospital from National Rehad Hosp and then when he was there for 4 days, they said they were not going to pay anymore because he was not making "satisfactory progress" and I had to shell out over $10,000 for him to stay there for another month and a half til I could scramble enough to get him home. It was a nightmare. But thank God it is over.
  8. Hi everyone, I know some of you remember me - my husband had a hemorrhagic stroke last year as a result of hypertension which he started getting treated for while he was still in the navy. He is completely disabled and dependant, as his left side just doesn't want to cooperate. We applied for SSDI and he was approved in under 3 months. We then applied for Va comp last October for service connected hypertension ending in the complete disability which was stroke related. We got another request for more information but this is now what it says: "We are working on your application for service-connected comp. for stroke secondary to hypertension. " Under what we still need from you: "Please submit medical evidence on your curretn stroke disability as well as evidence showing a connection between your stroke disability and your service connected hypertension condition. We will consider service connection for your stroke as secondary to your service connetced hypertension." The letter is exactly what we received when we originally applied and I gave them all names, numbers, records that I had from my husbands stay at 2 of the three hospitals, etc. I guess I have to do it again, but what do they mean secondary? I am a little confused. They also mention " In support of your claim for special monthly compensation (which I did not apply for), we need medical evidence showing at least one of the following due to service connected disability: you need the aid and attendance of another person in performing your activities of daily living, etc. etc" In the section that says what we have done, they say they have requested documents form all of the places Hospitals, docs, that we have dealt with since the stroke including his PCP who has been treating him since he came home from Okinawa, but I sent them records from 2 of these places and have a signed receipt to prove it. Should I send it again? Does this mean he was approved for service connected hypertension and the stroke does not count? I guess I thought that since the hypertension wasthe reason he had a stroke which in turn caused the disability, and he started getting treated for hypertension in the military, never having had it before, I thought this was a no brainer. Sounds like they have just complicated the hell out of it. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks so much, Diane B)
  9. Dataman, Thanks so much for the advice, no he is not retired, well he may be if he cannot recover anything on that left side. I keep praying. Thanks again for the info, it is great that this website exists for those who just don't know B) Have a great day, Diane :D
  10. I am sure someone has answered, but I will ask anyway. MY husband had a stroke due to high blood pressure at the age of 46 and is completely paralyzed on his left side and totally dependent on us for day to day living. That was over a year ago. We immediately applied for SSDI and was awarded the social security in less than 3 months, but of course had to wait the 6 months. We also have a 14 year old daughter and found out that ss will give us income for our daughter, and they do - 50% of his SSDI. We then applied for Va Comp, as my husband was diagnosed with high blood pressure and treated for it for the first time ever while in the Navy - Okinawa to be exact and has been on meds for hypertension ever since. My question is, if they approve his service connected disability Va Comp will SSDI reduce his award which he is currently receiving? Assuming my husband is awarded Va Comp, will we have to notify SS? When we received the request for information, I sent all of the hospital documentation I had along with a copy of his SSDI award letter. Does this help the claim or hurt it? Thanks in advance B) Diane
  11. Berta, I am unsure what TDIU is, but we have put in a compensation claim. I included all of the medical records i had on hand regarding the stroke,(the only one missing was from Georgetown University hospital) up to and including his discharge from the skilled nursing facility. I included a copy of his social security award letter and the only responses we have had are the computer generated letters saying that they are still working on his claim. I am so sorry to hear about your husband, I thought I almost lost him that night in April. Funny how quickly things can happen to completely change your life forever, or in the very least your perception of it B) Thanks again, Diane :)
  12. Thanks for the advice Berta, No, I - Thank God, am very healthy, work out, like to run, etc. etc. I am tryng my best to continue doing that, though demands on my time with the hubby and the 14 year old daughter a pretty high, but I manage to do alright B) Thanks so much for the invaluable advice :) Diane
  13. Ricky, Thanks so much for the support!! It means a lot when someone who has gone through a similar situation says it is going to be ok B) I eally, honestly appreciate it. It has not been easy, but we are getting by. Right now the hubby is in the hospital for a total left hip replacement on the "bad" side so that maybe, if there is less pain from severe osteoarthritis, he will be able to recover from the stroke a little easier. The people on hadit are great and incredibly supportive and I have learned quite a bit just reading. I hope all continues to go well and my thoughts are with you. I will keep on hanging in there and keep knowing that everything will be alright in the end. :) I told my husband yesterday that once he is able to walk and do for himself, I don't know what I will do with all of my time :) Even our teenage daughter helps, which is great. I just keep reminding myself that humour heals, so we try very hard to laugh as much as possible - it works :) I will keep you posted and thanks again for the warm thoughts and advice - it is invaluable at times like these Diane :)
  14. Hi everyone - I did look around for other topics, but I was unable to find any. My husband is a Navy vet who was diagnosed with hypertension during his time in the Navy (while in Okinawa I believe) and was prescribed medication as a result. Just last year at the ripe young age of 46, he suffered a massive stroke as a result of a bleed which was as a result of hypertension for which he has been treated since he was diagnosed in the Navy. We immediately applied for Social Security disability benefits, for which he was approved in less than 3 months,( he is still unable to walk and must be cared for by me and my wonderful Dad who moved in with us after the stroke) and so life went on. He came home after 3 months in hospitals, rehab hospitals (non VA - insurance through my job) and finally in a skilled nursing facility. My dad, a vet as well, encouraged my husband and I to apply for VA comp for my husband and we did. I am just wondering what the chances are that he will get approved/disapproved? It has been about 5 months and I have since sent all paperwork I could lay my hands on to the VA Baltimore office (certified return recepit requested - thanks hadit members for advice!) and we have received 2 of those "we are still working on your claim letters. Any advice? I don't quite understand all of the ratings scales because I am still unsure that he will get approved. I appreciate all responses and help in advance B) I too am ex-Navy - married my husband after :)
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