Vync

Here in Alabama, I have received the military/Veteran 10% discount at every store I visited. Usually, I just show my VA ID. At one store close to town, they refused, saying that because my VA ID says 'service connected' only, it does not say I am a disabled Veteran. I quickly resolved the issue by showing the letter saying I am 70% disabled. I do not keep the award letter in my car, but instead went to the local VA service office. I presented them with my award letter and they typed up a letter I keep in my glove box.

I had this happen to me when my number of dependents changed, but I hounded the hell out of the VA and made them fix it. It took those morons about 3 months to fix it and they docked me a good chunk of one month's money. Because I was prepared for it, I set aside the excess and it didn't hurt me financially when it happened. The next month arrived and everything was smooth sailing afterwards.

Pete, That's cool, but there are some hoops you need to jump through first. You must be a licensed practitioner or a patient with a valid prescription in order to purchase a TENS unit and/or electrode pads. For the fine print, see: http://www.tenssystem.com/info.html

Filed sometime in 2008, denied, still working through appeals process

Check your calendar dates. The VA starts payments on the first of the following month, regardless of the effective date. So, if your effective date was April 2nd, you prolly wont receive any cash until May 1st. Not sure if that's how it is for temp conv, but that's how it works for regular disability. Ripoff.

While at the VAMC today, I saw they had a comment card box full of cards. I filled one out to accurately describe my experiences today while I was there. They need to do this for the VARO's too, but I like TestVet's idea too.

I hope it works out well for you. Someone wrote a book called The Power of Positive Thinking. I never read it, but believe wholeheartedly in what the title represents. Keep us posted on your progress.

Carlie, Always glad to help. It's the least I could do for all the help that you and everyone here on Hadit have provided to me. I'm doing the happy dance too!

Note: See updated math based on different monthly payments available for each calendar year... (below)

bump!

According to the Hadit SC calculator, his new combined rating (7 10's + 20 + 30) should be 73.2, up from 52.1. Per the rates at http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/rates/comp01.htm 50% with no children or spouse pays $770/month. 70% with no children or spouse pays $1228/month, an increase of $458/month. $458 x 35 months (May 2007 - March 2008) = $16,030 Note! Those are this year's rates. The rates for each year will need to be calculated individually, as retro is calculated based on the rate of each calendar year where retro occurs. Don't have them handy, but should be easy to look up. Your friend should get somewhere between 14k-16k, which is still very sweet. It's even more if your pal has a spouse or children.http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=35718&hl=# Hope I got the math right, so someone go double check me...

Tried to ask for a second unit, but they would not give me one. Looking for another option here...

Sounds cool. I hope they offer that as a solution for you. Also, please note that they said it takes 4-6 weeks for it to be delivered. I don't have mine yet, but it totally blew me away that it was offered to me. With the constant noise, any relief is welcome relief.

bump

mac queen, Talking about having or not having sex during an exam is not necessarily a deal breaker. My physical therapist and I discussed it. She advised me of the right and wrong ways. Yes, if your back is shot, it still is possible to enjoy the finer aspects of life with minimal pain.

It makes me wonder. If there are two outcomes (granted or denied), why have five different options?

John, what was your SC disability percentage?

congratulations! Keep up the good fight!

I agree with *Bergie*, but I have not yet lost my job because of seeking medical treatment. I missed about 5 weeks of work last year (used vacation time for 3 weeks, short term disability for 2 weeks). I'm now completely out of vacation time. Each visit to the VAMC consumes at least half of a business day. Here is a sample visit: 1 hour = Traffic to/from VAMC 15 min = Shuttle bus to/from VAMC and parking deck 10 min = Wandering to/from clinics 1-2 hr = Clinical visit 30 min = Pharmacy 20 min = Travel window And that's on a good day. If I go to the x-ray or lab, increase time significantly. If I have to go to the ER, I might as well write off the rest of the day. Also, after jumping through those hoops all morning, I really don't have much energy left to devote toward being productive in my job. It would be great if the VA would authorize me obtain medical treatment at the hospitals next to my home or work, but you have to fill out a mountain of paperwork and hope for approval. That would allow me to only miss an hour or two, instead of half a day minimum. The Americans with Disabilities Act is supposed to protect Veterans too. Corporations today know ways to terminate someone without making it look like it was due to their disability. Corporations also would rather employ a worker who will be productive, not one who is constantly out sick or at the hospital.

Drw, 71M10 is right. You could file for it as secondary, but the VA might state that it is already covered in your existing disability. Exactly what are your back ratings? Half the docs in ER's are residents and don't have much real world medical experience. Also, they are usually not neurosurgeons or orthopedic surgeons. My first recommendation would be to see a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon, as they are specialist in that area. Remember, bone spurs could be temporary or permanent. Sometimes they grow and then get worn down over time. A friend of mine had spinal bone spurs and six months of physical therapy three times a week made a big difference, preventing the need for surgery.

Congratulations! That's awesome! Rofl, escorts...

In my sleep study seminar, they told us we would be issued a CPAP machine immediately if we were deemed positive for OSA. My results were inconclusive, so no machine for me yet.

cannon, Just about anything that generates 'white noise' is supposed to help drown out the whirring. The marsona tinnitus treatment kit is supposed to be superior to just a fan. It also has a battery pack, so you can take it anywhere. Having it at work would be a big plus. Visit the VA audiologist and see if they can get you one. My audiologist was very positive about the benefits of it over a regular fan.

Call the VAMC business office. They are not supposed to charge your private insurance for SC treatment/meds. If they sent you to a non-VA facility for treatment of SC conditions, they are supposed to eat the costs for that too. I had some advanced imaging done at a neighboring university hospital and no charges occurred to me or my insurance.

Hedgey, Yes, that's exactly what I do. If I call them, they put a set in the mail. If I go by the pick up window, they check my VA ID and give me some. One set seems to last me about 5-7 days. I only wish I had two TENS units, so I could treat both sides of my lower and upper back at the same time.