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Lorraine

Second Class Petty Officers
  • Posts

    98
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About Lorraine

  • Birthday 12/27/1941

Profile Information

  • Location
    Beautiful Pacific Northwest - Seattle area
  • Interests
    Salt water boating, reading trashy novels,volunteer nursing,reading recipes,studying Hadit info, reading Hadit posts, "dishing" with my old ladies group and other retired RN's

Previous Fields

  • Service Connected Disability
    70

Lorraine's Achievements

  1. Can you hear me singing? "Happy Days are here again". Soooo happy for you. Stay as healthy as you can and ENJOY! Thank you for your service and sacrifice. May you have many more Merry Christmases. Lorraine
  2. Hi Kray My husband is 70% AO for IHD, DMtype 2,PAD, ED. He put in a claim for hypertension along with his initial claim(also dx'd after the IHD like you) and although his BP readings would have qualified him for further compensation, AO is not presumptive for hypertension and since there was no other SC nexus, he was denied. I asked both his cardiologist and his internist if, in their opinion, his hypertension was related to his IHD and they both said no. Here's keeping our fingers crossed that you get a different ruling. Lorraine
  3. Congratulations on your success - it's always nice to share good news here on Hadit to help keep up the spirits of those who are still awaiting decisions. Lorraine
  4. OMG!!! How can this happen? All the aide had to do was stick his/her own hand in the water to check the temp! I'm just sick. I'm suspecting this patient was left unattended. Lorraine
  5. I'm feeling anxious and a little sick after reading the Examiner's blog and the comments from hadit posters. I'm anxious that a PA is doing C & P exams with that kind of mindset, feeling really sick for those of you out there with your horrendous health problems as a result of your service to this county knowing how absolutely insulting this blog was, and then anxious for the kernel of suspicion that surfaced in thinking that there is fraud going on. My husband is rated at 70% for AO related IHD, Diabetes type 2, PAD, ED - denied for hypertension. I'm a RN and I seriously questioned AO being presumptive for IHD and diabetes. But, I did my homework before we ever filed and I wish this PA had done the same. If he thinks the VA just easily hands out these decisions, he's sadly mistaken. He should have listened to the congressional hearings about AO/IHD and the evidence that was presented from the experts at the National Institute of Health, etc. It's not just his remarks about diabetes, heart disease, it's everything he addresses. Before he hands out what he thinks are educated and informed opinions, he needs to do his research on what evidence is/was presented to the VA that allowed them to make their decisions. His hubris in his thinking that HE knows best is more than appalling. It's all just very upsetting because the VA as of late, has appeared to have been more responsible in giving deserved awards to Vets, but with this kind of "talk" and negativity, it just escalates the already prevalent bias towards Veterans receiving compensation. It's the VA's responsibility to ferret out the fraudulent claims and none of you should feel undeserving of your compensation. You served your country and you are paying the price - it's time for this country to pay YOU a price!!! Lorraine
  6. Soooo happy for you and your family. Thank you for your service, you've had to give a lot. Take good care of that baby boy! Lorraine
  7. Vet's Lady, I'm so happy for you that you got some clear and straight forward diagnoses from your Vet's private cardiologist. The VA can't just ignore that information, so here's hoping he gets a new rating for his heart disease very quickly. Wishing the best for both of you. Lorraine
  8. BINGO!!!! You hit the nail on the head once again. I dug out the last award when they upped him to 70% and there's a statement saying "entitlement to special monthly compensation based on loss of a creative organ is granted", but it never indicated any dollar amount. There is mention of erectile dysfunction along with DM type2, bilat PN, bilat PAD - three separate listings for 10% each and with VA math, that brought him up to 70%. I've gotta tell ya that no where in my RN training or Anatomy and Physiology classes did I ever learn anything about a "creative organ"!! Somebody got rather "creative" with their terminology. Berta had mentioned looking into TDIU when he got rated at 70% so I read everything I could find about that, but didn't see where it applied to him. He quit his job when he was 60yrs old because they were doing lots of layoffs of the younger guys, it was literally making him sick because we could get along with his AF pension and these young kids were hurting with mortgages and little kids. I told him his health was worth more than a paycheck so to turn in his papers and he did.(it was a good decision - he's still here!) He did not claim it as being for his health, so no records to back that up. He started drawing Soc Sec at 62(no disability - didn't put in for it) He's 71 now, certainly couldn't work now. If he makes a trip to the commisary or Costco with me, he comes home and sleeps for a couple of hours to recuperate. Doesn't age factor into whether or not you are able to work for TDIU? I'd appreciate any further input from you guys on the TDIU and P & T. We're certainly not out to get anymore than he should be awarded, have been so grateful to finally get something from VA if only to offset all that we've put out of pocket for medical expenses over the years. Thanks so much for your replies...I surely missed the part on his award about the entitlement to special monthly compensation. I can always count on someone at Hadit to set me straight. Lorraine
  9. Hope this is the correct forum for this, if not, hope you moderators catch this and put it in the correct forum. My Vet has had numerous changes in his compensation dollar amount since his initial claim. We got his first check Dec.2011 and the retro. He got 60% for AO/IHD, then the VA suggested he file an additional claim for diabetes type2 and PAD (they'd found these dx's in his medical records)So, after C & P and filing the paperwork, then he got rated at 70%. Because he's 20 yr retired AF, he'd also filed for CRSC for the 60%, then had to file again for the increase to 70%,, then there was the COLA raise, so you can see why the reimbursement was frequently changing. I thought it was finally all done so went to the new 2012 table to make sure he was getting the correct amount and it appears he is receiving $99 too much for a 70% rating and having a spouse. That looks like the amount awarded for AA, but he/we don't qualify for that. So, my question is - how do we rectify this? Write to them (where??--Regional office?)and send it certified mail and keep a copy for our files? I assume we'll have to pay them back? I don't have a clue how long this has gone on because it all got so confusing with the frequent changes so I guess I'll have to leave it up to them to figure it all out!(that doesn't make me very comfortable!) I guess I should be thankful that I looked this up today and didn't end up getting dinged for it 5 yrs from now! Thought this was all done and that I could quit leaning on you folks at Hadit to walk me through all of this, but here I go again asking for some advice. Sure glad we were financially in a position to follow Carlie's advice to not just BLOW the retro and be cautious, we've been nervous that something would happen and they'd end up saying they made a mistake or something. Talk about creating your own reality!! Lorraine
  10. Vet's Lady Wishing you the best of luck with pursuing this claim - seems like you have some good medical evidence and you know your way around the VA claims process if he's already 100% SC, so go for it! I can tell you are watching out for his best interests with his health. You take care. Lorraine
  11. Had a successful visit with my Vet to Seattle VARO today to view his "C" file. We've always been treated with courtesy and respect at this office and this was no exception. We were told that they would copy 10 pages of his "C" file today, but if we wanted additional copies we'd have to request that via FOIA . We'd previously requested his military medical records, had our personal copies of all of his private medical records, etc, have saved every single page of any kind of correspondence form VA on his claims,. so already had a rather complete file of our own. I was pleased that there was no erroneous information in the file, ALL of the information we'd provided was in the file, including personal correspondence and documentation challenging erroneous info in the IHD C & P exam. It was very thorough and complete. We did request copies of info of a claim when my Vet retired in 1979 for hypertension that was denied. We had not saved any correspondence on that claim (DUH!!!)so glad to have that information in our files now too. My Vet applied in person to view his "C" file back on 9/15/2011 and after many contacts with IRIS, he rec'd a letter stating he could come and view it from Jan9 thru Jan 20th, 2012. It took a long time to get our hands on it, we'd been itching to see it ever since we found Hadit and gotten the recommendations to view it and make copies. But, we were also advised to not request it while the claims were being worked on or it would delay action on them, So, we waited until he was rated and then made the request. I think we lucked out that all of the info to make a favorable rating was complete and in his file when they rated him-we had no way of knowing what they were looking at to make the determination. He filed his IHD/AO claim with Seattle Varo in Oct 2009, was rated Nov 2011 with retro. Filed an addendum for Diabetes type 2 in April 2011 and was rated Sept 2011 with retro. These both had Nehmer work-ups in his "C" file, but he didn't qualify under Nehmer. After the horror stories we've read on Hadit on claims pending for YEARS, we have been very happy. I'm certain that because of what I'd read on Hadit about C & P exams, how to present oneself, providing documentation and more documation re his medical status, etc. that it helped expedite the claims. The information and knowledge on this site is so beneficial to filing claims. Thanks again, Hadit! Lorraine
  12. Navy Doc - Congratulations, we're all smiling here. Couldn't be happier for you and hoping to hear more success stories in 2012. Lorraine
  13. CONGRATULATIONS !!!! We're always happy to hear about successful claims here at Hadit! Lorraine
  14. Yaaaaay, Deacon!!! Happy New year to you. Wonderful news to start off 2012. Lorraine
  15. I'm so happy for you, Carlie. You've put in so much work and it has paid off. My hope is that you are feeling well and will continue to enjoy your award. You deserve this award and I'm just sorry that it took you so long to get it. You are clearly a very caring person, you share so much of yourself(love your humor!) and your knowledge with the folks here at Hadit. Thanks for being here, stay well, and be happy. Lorraine
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