Commander Bob

Has the cancer ever came back. when was your last PET scan? Did you file a NOD for the AO cancer within one year from the date of your original denial of the AO?

Same here Chuck, Pete53, My Dad served with Patton, in WWII, USAF in Korea, and TDY in French indochina in the mid 50's. He never knew he had PTSD. He never talked about it. We never knew. They were an amazing generation, raised during the great depression, tempered by a world war, They suffered in silence, died unsung heros and many misundertood by their own children.

Again, Welcome aboard Tankerjoeo. Now drop and pump out 20...LOL. Obsessing about an upcoming C&P exam, especially during the time between the notice of the exam and when you finally get the C&P exam, appears to be a normal reaction to such an event. I've been there and done that. I felt relief immediately after the exam, on the way home from the VAMC. It was amazing how I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders, to have that part of the process over. That was November 29th. No matter if the exam was good, bad or ugly, you will have some relief just to have it over. Well, that was my experience, anyway. ( note: Rule #1, don't yell at the C&P examiner ) You write well here, and should be able to relate that to the PTSD C&P examiner. Have you already submitted copies of all the USMC records of your stressor & event, to the VARO??? I even submitted my Brigade daily reports & logs of the day I was wounded, with my PTSD claim. Like you, I tried to run through a mine field, but I only made it about half way. It also sounds like you were bounced around in that tank like a ball in a pin ball machine. TBI carries some of the same symptoms as PTSD. You can read about the different ratings for the different %s for PTSD. At the 100% level that you mentioned, would require you to be unemployable. Just look around Hadit for other PTSD postings, you will find the list. Again, Knowledge is power. Power & knoweldge is your ticket to freedom. Good Luck Marine. Stay in touch, your story is a good read. We are on your side, Bro. Cmdr. Bob

No good deed goes unpunished. I admire you guys... Cmdr. Bob Hang in there TANKERJOEO . Your upcoming C&P exams will be over soon enough, and then you will have that behind you. You explained your situation well here. I'm sure you will do well at the exam. Spend some time reading the other posts here. You'll learn a lot about what to expect. Knowledge is power. You will also get to know that those who were the first to respond to you will be your greatest source for relief and answers here on the good ship Hadit. Good luck

Congratulations clink. Better late than never.

Hi cornelia, In October, you mentioned a CUE. Did you raise the question of a clear and unmistakable error to the VA? What was the error made by the VA? Were you just doing a little research when you inquired about that? Just trying to help. Wishing you a sucessful New Year. Cmbr. Bob

You mean your local doctor wants to do orthoscopic surgery, don't you? Why would you let a Doc open up your knee? I have had many procedures done on my knee. Back in the old days, the ortho docs would filet a knee and leave you with a five inch scar, as well as residual problems. Cmdr. Bob

Good Morning Berta, I have read many of your postings here at Hadit. I think you are one in a million. There is nothing "dippity doo" about you. Warm Regards, Cmdr. Bob

Good Morning Ms. Susan, I searched around hadit's archives, and found skeeter's posting of Mar. 26, 2006; [ "In this case I found out that if your appeal is filed late, you can get around the filing date if you can show that the late filing was directly due to a mental disorder or or to being tricked or misled by an agent of the VA." ] I don't know, it could be another rabbit trail. Maybe you could check into this approach with the PTSD, NOD issue. Best wishes for a successful New Year, Cmdr. Bob

Good Morning Marine, File the CRSC application NOW. I just called CRSC, and after maneuvering thru the taped menu awhile, I got thru to an analyst. Good guy named Charles. I told him of your situation and your pending increase in VA rating. He suggested that you file now for CRSC. It's taking around 60 days to process an application. Keeping in mind that you said it may take a year to finalize your VA, PTSD increase, you should file for CRSC now. After you get your CRSC award letter, then you can submit the VA PTSD increase award letter. You will get a retro check for the 10% now, and retro for the 50% or 70% payable back to 1 Jan. 2008. Remember this is separate from the VA or the TDRL or the permanent retirement, when you get that. It's tax free. You earned it Good Luck ( stay out of Vegas) and have a great New Year. Cmdr. Bob

Good Morning Ms. Susan, I have followed your ordeal with the VA and your posts here at Hadit. I am an AO upper respiratory cancer, boots on the ground, combat wounded Vietnam vet, old solider. My heart goes out to you and to the memory of your beloved Bill. He was blessed to have a loving and caring wife. I' am disturbed by the problems you and many other caregiver survivors of Vietnam vets, who have suffered at the hands of the VA, and the vet having combined disabilities of AO cancer and PTSD. I am walking in Bill's boots as I write you this note. When you came aboard here, you were delivered into the hands of angels. I assure you that in no way they would try to make you feel stupid or being less than truthful here at Hadit.. Don't be so hard on yourself. ***[Footnote to Berta. ( You are truly an Angel on earth). A Vietnam vet could serve more than the one year rule in country. 2,3,4 years in Vietnam was achieved by volunteering to "extend". **It also appears that Bill may have been drafted. Draftees had a 2 year active duty commitment. And though the majority of draftees were placed in the Army, Some poor draftees were dispatched over to the USMC. Volunteers usually signed up for 3 or 4 years and had a choice of occupation. When I joined the army in 1966 for 3 years, with the occupation choice of becoming an Airborne Ranger, Light Weapons Infantry. I only served 2 years due to chapter 61 retirement.] ( I never got to go to Airborne school). *** Your experience has inspired me to put to together a "Check Out" file with all the DIC info,... etc. that my precious wife will need when I will have to leave her behind. On a personal note, I am very proud of you, Susan, and your commitment to fulfill Bill's wishes for you to receive DIC. I wish you Peace, Cmdr.Bob

I am profoundly saddened to hear of your husbands passing. I am moved beyond words by your loss. I weep for you and my fellow veteran brother. May he rest in peace.

IMHO....the road to ruin is paved with good intentions...

Aug 27 2008, 07:31 PM Post #1 Old DaveSeaman Group: Seaman Posts: 11 Joined: 25-August 08 Member No.: 4,253 Service Connected Disability: 80 Branch of Service: USMC I want to thank all of you for your help and encouragement. It is good not to feel alone. Berta, thanks for your advice. Yes, I still work. No, I havn't been turned down by the VA yet. I WAS a smoker, have had hypertension for as long as I've had DMII and my Dad had 3 heart attacks before he finally died of kidney failure. However, all of the research I've done still seems to say that even allowing for all of the other risk factors, people with DMII are between 2 to 4 times more likely to have a heart attack than non-diabetics. I'm sure the VA will make every effort to deny the connection. I wish you well and good luck with your battle. One more thing. Doing the research on DMII and CAD is awful depressing. I saw some statistics that indicated I should have been dead years ago. However, 20 years with DMII and 10 years following a heart attack and I'm not only still kicking but kicking with all four of my limbs, not on insulin and work 40 hrs a week. Regardless of how my claim goes, I think I must be luckier than most.

Your kids and/or grand kids are most fortunate to have you around Ron II . I understand where your coming from. I'm reminded of an old Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song from the 60's..." Teach your children well". Great song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6pphVs8bF0

Hey Pete53 are you going to tell yoggie2 about how your real Hadit name was suppose to be Pete 52 . Ahhh, to be young again. May you have many more.

WOW!!! ...we all jumped on that one at the same time. Thanks rentalguy1. I feel better for Old Dave. now,...

Wellllll, OldDave, you could file a CUE. However, the VA seldom makes mistakes. ( ??? ) Just ask them. From what you presented here, you don't know for sure anyway. Tests are sometimes just snapshots in time anyway. Are you working? Are you capable of gainful employment? A long time ago, I once notified the VA that I felt that they made a mistake, and wanted a reduced % rating on a service connected disability,... And just like that, they reduced me. Right or wrong, they will be glad to reduce your rating, if you ask. I understand and respect your concern to do the right thing. If you look around, you can find a doctor that will say you are OK. I understand where you're coming from. That's how I stand also, in the real world... Welcome to OZ. Congratulations on the good news.

Happy Holidays harvestinghistory.org

Good Morning sunfish34. with the limited gen. information that you presented, If you are truly in no hurry to receive the retro check, if you understand the requirements to be eligible for IU, and you belive he does qualify for IU, then if you file the IU claim now, and request that his IU be combined with the original claim. And, If your husband indeed won his claim and qulified for IU, then his pay @ the 100% comp. level would be retro back to when you first applied. I filed an amended increase for another disability a few months after I filed an original AO claim and the VA attached it to my pending claim. Any increase would be retro to the original claim date. ( although I qualify for the rating increase, my personal reasons were punitive in nature ), and I can wait till the cows come home, to hear back from the VA. It's been many decades, until recently, since I had dealings with the VA. I am loathed to step foot in a VAMC or VARO. I have read horror stories of VA employee misadventures and not dealing fairly with the vet. There could be pitfalls in trying to attach another claim to the original. The reward could be much more considerable than a combined 60 or 70% with the dominate disability being over 40%. From what I have read, who knows what a VA's RO (rating officer) would do with your original claim, knowing that a new IU claim was coming down the line later. Is there a time limit on adding new sc conditions to a pending claim? I don't know. It might be too late to attach the IU claim to the 13 to 18 month(???) pending claim you already have. Again, I don't know. I have read your posts, sunfish34, you handle yourself well. Do you have a Veterans Service Officer ( VSO ) helping you with the original claim? Ask the VSO? Please report back here. You would be helping other vets who come aboard Hadit who are looking for answers too. Best wishes for a happy and successful new year.

Merry Christmas tk3000. excellent question. I have always thought that if you passed the military physical and you were approved fit for duty. your preexisting condition was not disabling. Now it is. Was it exacerbated by your service or your sc disability, like Pete53 mentioned earlier? Again, excellent question. I wonder what the VA's position is on preexisting conditions?

Ha....thanks for the laugh john999. Great Idea Pete. Count me in.

Merry Christmas robert51,... May I ask how long you have been PT? As I understand it, the 10th year mark is the magic number with P&T....DIC, etc... RE; Psoriasis, Did your pcp refer you to derm. clinic? They have some good Rx for that. No need to suffer with it.