retiredat44

yes, I too use a fan.. very soothing blocks out noise and gives moving air.. and keeps me cool... I wasn't treated fo back problems, only had complaints of leg pain and stomach issues and toxic checmicals with petroleum chemicals illnesses. So, I owuld have to have th eleg pain connected to my degenerative disc disease, that didn't dhow up until after I got out..

I can only offer support, but you have two choices, try to find a job that lets you sit down... or go on disability... I know that's very very cold.. but not much else.. even sititng dfown with a bad back can be hell, you have no chance of being able to work where you have to walk around.. unless you can find a doctor that wil lgive you better pain relief.. but that's very hard to do.. and if you get strong meds, you can't work well on strong pain killers... maybe you could get a job like couseling.. lots of jobs like that,, (when there are jobs open..).. of course you need a higher degree because of competition... sorry, just thinking... accounting is another..

While I have many other fish to fry and am fighting for intestinal disease a and neuro problems, I to have a bad back. I had degenerative disc disease.. when I was on active duty I had horrible kee pain. I asked the doctors for help.. but they said they could not find anythign wrong.. and a few year later it turned out my muscles were weak and I also had degenreative disc disease... not sure how to get them to link it, but it is very common for back problems to give leg pain... I suppose you need a doctor to link the pain to the back, leg etc.. also, I had a disc removed that broke and pushed into my spinal cord.. in a surgery 20 years ago.. But, since I have many other problems, this will go on the back burner (so to speak..) also , every couple of months I have to get injectionsin my spine for the pain and muscles..

I am very sorry to hear about your brother.. while i was in the hospital (6 months) and after I got out I had to take massive amounts of iron.. then one day I asked if I stil had to take the iron, and they kinda freaked out and said no! I no longer eneded it and stop immediately.. I had to goto a liver clinic because of pancrease disease, I had blocked arteries/viens in my liver... it gets very confusing al these chemicals and drugs.. and blood testing levels.. very confusing to a patient.. I had more drugs pumped into me that I thought existed..

I am expecting a letter in the coming days for the DRO review/hearing. I am stil unclear if they do a review with the new evidence, before the hearing, or just do the hearing, then the review, or both.. my VSO says that she expects the hearing to be by December, she says she saw the schedule, but doesn't know the day yet... if not December then January.... I have everything ready... I hope... Anyone else getitng a hearing in San Diego soon?

I was kinda making a light hearted joke,, about you having a name which suggests you takes things easy, and I am getting things very hard.. so my name would have been the opposite of your very cool and easy going forum name.. I actually use another name for some other forums I do some hobbies on.. but decided to keep the forum names seperate. I don't care for people hunting me down, lots of kooks are out on the Internet, and not using the same name makes it harder for the kooks to chase one around.. (yes, there are evil people who will take what one writes and use it in some twisted ways..).

I wish my name was COOL BREEZE. the closest name to my experience has been Firey Hell

Keep an eye on home health care type people.. I mean the sicial works.. my mother had one and the person actually went using he rPOA and changed paperwork on her apartement lease to show that my moths didn't have any survirvors, and stole everything when my mother died.. I tried taking everyone to court and got screwed,, no lawyer would help because of no money involved.. my father died 20 years ago, and so when my mother died she only had Social security left.. she had a social worker help her with daily needs and the social worker was a theif.. I( was very ver y sick and was unable to take care fo my mother andf my brothyer did al he could.. the courts and police refuse to help when I filed theft chargers against the Los Angeles county social worker.. I contacted the new organizations, tv and radio to telling them of the theives they didn't care.. I sued the apartment owner in smal claims, and the court would not listen.. the apartment manager gave away al the furniture within 2 weeks of her death without notifiing our family of her death.. I sued in court, and got no where the court said the apartmnet manager had no record of me.. my mother lived there for 20 years! The home health care workers that work for the state and county are theives who steal a families belonging to the elderly! They have the impression that a limited POA entitles them to the family accounts and belongins, whenin fact it is to help the person with such things and paying bills, shopping etc... Crooks everythwhere! I was in the hsopital for 6 months while these crooks worked on stealing everything! The social worker (home care giver) told me she and her husband took al all my mother papers and documents and shredded them,! the laywers I contacted would not talk to me unless there was a huge amount of money for them! I wil never ever get over this and stil want those involved prosecuted! I have their names!

My Father, who was a US Navy Vet, got VA disability for emphysema.. he smoked Pall Mall Red for 40 years.. he never saw a doctor in his life.. but they gave him the VA disability, and he only went to one c&p exam.. I did not smoke and, nor did any other self inflicted wounds, spent 20 years sick in bed, in the hospital for operations, some hospital stays up to 6 months in a hospital bed fighting for my life every moment.. yet they have fought me every frakkin inch of the way to appeals.. To me it looks like if you smoke and drink yourself to death, they pay up, but if you be a good boy, and mind your own business, they tell you to F-Off.. sorry, I am just angry.. everything is bass ackwards..

My VSO started asking me about being spiriitual. I am not into religion, but i don't feel like hurting people, and said I am not into religion. She says, I don't mean relgion.. I mean being spiriitual. Well, I am in a tough situation, because I don't want the people repesenting me pissed at me for telling them to go F-Off... so I said I am not religous. I don't have any desire to. period. I know I could say anything, but I am trying to get my claim through, and don't need relgious stuff being pushed on me.. I finally said goodbye until the next meeting.. Horrible situation for your VSO to start some 'spiritual' talk... while you are on the verge of going insane, sick and suffering trying to get benefits.. and thinking, don't say the wrong word of my file is into the round-file for not believing in some religion.. Mind you this office is in a VA Regional Office buidling this conversation is taking place..

I think they actually do hold a secret hand, hold some cards, and you have to guess what those cards are.. if you don't use the secret words they deny you... hard to find the secret words, expecially if you are just poor sick disabled vet who is trying to write down the horror they go through, only ot have some cold hearted beurocrat sitting behind a desk playing word games.. if you use the wrong word, you are screwed.. and since you not a mind reader, you have no idea what they are thinking and what the rules are.. example: you think they know your job description and the full duties, but they don't either that, or they never look up the job descritption. You have no way of knowing they don't know the job, yet they are determining what you did or didn't do dpending on what they know or don't know. It a feaking shell game..

I had a bad reaction form heparin, but there is no claim.. I almost lost my eyesight, and was treated as an in-patient at the VA.. These side-effects, as far as I know, are not a basis for suing, unless they cause permanent damage.. and proving the damage is almos timpossible with a lawyer, and they will not go after the va unless something huge happens.. also, probably laws to protect the federal government.. so basically, you are probably wasting your time..

American Legion VSO Representative told me although that being a member of the American Legion is not required for services, I decided I should join. As my claim is hanndled through them, it wil look better as I am now a member. I really don't have cash for much, but feel it can't hurt to be a member. Especially since my life is in their hands in this VA disability claims process and them helping me. It was $25.00 for 1 year. I would like to know if anyone else has doent he same thing. My claim in the 1990's was through Puple Hearts. There was no membership of any kind, well actually there was, but don't remember thinking about joining it. I hate being a leach, as these organizations do a lot for veterans. While I was stationed at some bases, I would go in for a drink, a dance, or just some fun. Just any thoughts on memberships in these organizations and getting the help they offer. Btw, I don't go anywhere, as I am to sick, but I fell I will get my moneys worth. A lawyer probably won't give me as much help anyways. I can bug these guys with constant questions and walk in. Plus they are local.

I got this info from another website.. Before I post it, I just wondered, in the DRO process, do they do a review on the claim and documents before the hearing? Of does the hearing come before they do the whole review? ======== DRO Review Process, De Novo Review, Hearings, Informal Conference Procedures Lead[-] DRO REVIEW PROCESS Actual explanations are excerpts taken direct from M21-1MR, Part I, Chapter 5, Section C. Much of this Chapter 5, Section have not been put in here since they are not pertinent to the veteran. This is simply created to try to help a veteran understand this portion of the appeal process. Stage 1: The appellant elects the DRO review process. Stage 2: The DRO conducts a de novo review of the prior decision Stage 3: Based on a review of the evidence of record, is there enough evidence to make a new decision? • If yes, the DRO makes a new decision. • If no, the DRO − pursues additional evidence considered necessary to resolve the claim, and/or conducts an informal conference to obtain additional evidence from the appellant and his/her representative. Stage 4: Based on evidence gathered, the DRO • upholds or overturns the original decision • works with the appellant and his/her representative to − focus the issue, and − fully explain the decision in an effort to resolve the appellant’s disagreement, and • begins to prepare the appeal for BVA review by sending an SOC, unless there is a full grant of benefits. What is a DRO? The Decision Review Officer (DRO) is a senior technical expert who is responsible for holding post-decisional hearings and processing appeals. The DRO may have jurisdiction of any appeal. Notes: • The DRO is a member of the Appeals Team but is under the direct supervision of the Veterans Service Center Manager (VSCM) or assistant VSCM. The Appeals Team Coach may assign work to the DRO. • The composition of the local appeals team may vary. At some ROs, the team may consist of only DROs, while at others, it may include − DROs − RVSRs − VSRs, and Claims Assistants.

Here is a copy of what is my current rating.

Should I print out any prior BVA/Appeals related to my injuries to show that my case also has the same merit? Take the printouts to the DRO hearing and show them? or is that a waste of time..? Even though I already have an IMO, should I print out reports from medical websites for the toxic chemicals and related diseases? When I say print out, I am not going to print out books, I mean a few pages in summary.. with references.. I would think they do the same research and also go with precednce on previous court cases.. but, maybe they don't at DRO level... thanx..

Today, I talked to my VSO at the regional office in San Diego, she said she expects my DRO hearing to happen as early as November or December.. keep in mind one of my DRO hearing requests was filed in Oct 2009.

I talked to my VSO who's office it at the VA reginal office where the C-File is at. She told me that my file is with the DRO and my hearing is only a month or two away.. so she says don't worry and she wil check fo rme, but that it wil be fine and at the hearing I will see my files.. with my representative there with me..

thanx. sorry for the mispellings...

If I go the my Regional VA office and ask to see my C-File (Claims File) will I be able to see it there immediately? Or do I have to get an appointment and come back? In other words, can I just walk in, go the desk, ask to see it, and sign the release (if any?). Thanx.. I wonder if they lose records... and worry they lose them... (or even throw them out and shred them..)

One of my DRO hearing requests was filed October 2009. I have added one more DRO request September 2010 to combine them both. I am in San Diego. I am awaiting a DRO date..

Jobs: 1-Fuels Specialist: (all fuels, Jet Fuel, Leaded Gasoline, Diesel Fuel). 2-Repro-Graphics Specialist: used the chemicals such as inks and thrichloroethylene (to clean the equipment (rollers and presses..)). No where, anywhere, does it say my job description is only Jet Fuel. Plus my claims and IMO say that all the chemcials listed were the chemicals I used on the job, yet JP-4 (Jet Fuel) was the only chemical addressed in their decision. For the life of me, where did the idiot morons get the idea that I only worked with Jet Fuel. I had daily contact and my skin and clothing were soaked daily with all these chemicals. They are all carcinigens, and cause diseases with skin, liver, pancreas, and more.. why didn't they address the issue with all of them? Why did they ignore all but jet fuel? That is my big question to the morons.. Why does it take several years to ask why they ignored evidence? What kind of possible answer could these fools have?

With my DRO coming up, I have some questions. First of all the DRO wil give a chance to show that in the process, up until now, most of my evidence was ignored. And, further that my NOD did not spell out all the duties of my job, and all my inuries, and that the process failed to see that whoever looked at my file and denied me, failed to see all the evidence, whether ignored or bungled. In the DRO request I pointed out that they only looked at the Jet Fuel (JP-4), not the Leaded Gasoline, Diesel fuel, and Trichloroethylene al were totally ignored. So, they are all now listed in my DRO review and hearing request. I have to ask them why I am already rated at 50% for illness from Jet Fuel, yet they say there is no evidence of illness from jet fuel?? wtf, what kind of contradiction ids that? Jet Fuel contains the same Benzine which is in gasoline. I though that the people who do the reviews and ratings were suppose to know the job descriptions of the veteran's claims? Apparently the people who do the claims process have no clue, or they do not even bother into looking into the claimant's jobs and job descriptions. if they had read the job desciptions they would have clearly saw all the chemicals I worked with. So, now I have to spell out every part of my jobs I held. My IMO clearly stated al the chemicals I worked with in the 2 jobs I held in the USAF. I also spelled out that after I held one job, got sick and was moved to another job which was cleary against the doctor's orders, not to work with petroleum chemicals. I have to explain that the claims process ignored al the chemaicla.s I suppose I have to try to not get angry with the DRO people and tell them the the claims process people bungled their jobs.. They totally ignored evidence! But, I suppose I cannot/should not chasitise them for being stupid. While I have solid proof and evidence, I have more questions. Do I need to get more evidence? such as: Do I need to get studies and VA hearing decisions and print them out shwoing the chemicals are carcinigens and cancer causing chemicals? Studies off the Internet and websites showing prior studies and cases regarding toxic chemicals? Clearly, they have access to the same information I have and can get/ or do I have to lead them like they are stupid and show them everything i can find about illnesses caused by Gasoline and toxic chemicals? How about diseases like cancer and liver and pancreas diseases caused by petroleum chemials? Do I need to start printing out all these studies? Do I stack them on the table at the DRO hearing? It appears that having too much evidence is better than too little! But, I just don't understand why they ignore evidence? What am I missing?

Just reminded me a very very, very, extremely weird problem I have with my nose.. For many years now, whenever I stopp over for a few minutes.. my nose runs like a faucet. It can pour water (or water like liquid) that will only stop when I am up straight again.. I kept asking doctors what the problem is and I don't think one took me seriously. I was watching a health show on cable about mystry health conditions where people have problems and can go their whole lives beofre they finally find the problem... one show figured it out and this person had a whole in their skull behind their nose and spinal fluid would leak out like this.. and the only fix was surgery, a bone graft to plug the hole.. I also developed an extrmely serious pleblem where the inside of my nose was swollen and was putting al kinds of silocn looking liquid, like the stuff you buy in harwade stores.. and told it was sinuisits, or rhinitis. I had a feeding tube in my nose for six months and aksed it that caused an infection.. The nose got so bad it was a big scab in my nose.. the roof and sides were scabbed over, and that went on for 4 months.. the sewelling and disahrage has gone on for 2 years.. They never did fix it,, and it stil has a silicon like discharge daily.. and swells up inside.. int he USAF it may have been broken,, but I only aSked for a breathing problem to get help when I was on active duty and they checked my nostrils and they said it looked fine.. oh, well, just thought i would chime in.. lots of problems no one can help, or will help..

if you lose your NOD's, you can combine them in the DRO hearing process.. or the BVA process.. until then.. they can be seperate.. at least that is what I have learned..