Lorraine

GO CARLIE!!! GO CARLIE !!!!!GO CARLIE!!!!!! Here's Lorraine cheering for you out in Seattle.

Congratulations on your 100% award !!- couldn't be happier for you. Lorraine

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Couldn't be happier for you for your win. Enjoy. Lorraine

THANKS, Carlie.. Lorraine

Geeks-I'm befuddled(unfortunately not always an unnatural state for me these days!) I recall some posts where Carlie chimed in about "triggers" for folks on the site -especialy for the folks with PTSD because of issues of MST, other violence, etc. and am wondering how discussions on social chat, etc. should be handled in regards to possible triggers. Am thinking of the current lawsuit in the news about MST - kind of wanted to know thoughts of others on DOD being sued, but not wanting to cause harm to anyone by bringing up a trigger. I haven't treaded into these waters, so need some boundaries on appropriateness of topics. Suggestions? Lorraine

DuRock I'm just catching up on reading posts and I'm so happy to read of your award! $40g!!! I tell ya, between you and Carlie, this is all blowin' me away! I am just thrilled for all of you in getting what I consider "back pay" settlements. Whoop dee do! Lorraine

ZIPPITY Doo DAH! Carlie - I'm so happy for you that if I had a bottle of champagne on hand, I'd uncork it have and meself one heck of a party!!! Coming on the Hadit anniversary just makes it all the sweeter. Tbird, you must be bursting your buttons and all of you elders that had a part in helping Carlie along the way with information or support should be so proud! This is so wonderful and exciting. Congratulations and best wishes for future claims, Carlie. Lorraine

Congratulations Postman and things look good for further claims for you -press on! Lorraine

RDT - your post brings up so many questions. Have you gotten a copy of your C & P to know what it says, did they do a stress test or give give you an echo to come up with a METS level? Compensation percentages are defined in the regs depending on what your current METS level is. Berta is our IHD guru here on hadit and maybe she can jump in on this. My Vet recently got 60% for AO/IHD and the rating followed exactly the ratings system. I wish you the very best of luck with this claim. Lorraine

Soooo happy for you getting your 60% for IHD. That's what my Vet got too, so I'm always happy to see AO Vets getting their awards. Thanks for posting so that others that still have pending claims can keep their hopes up! Lorraine

Great news!! Hope you get the correct numbers all straightened out. Lorraine

Carlie - mucho congrats! 32 yrs???? OMG and I thought VETSLADY's claim was amazing after 8 years. Every day I'm surprised by something I read on hadit! I'm really happy that maybe this pain in the neck(pun intended) is over for you :-) Lorraine

Dear VetsLady - I am so thrilled for you and your Vet. I cannot imagine an 8 year journey waiting for this day. I understand the relief for you and your husband. You sound very "grounded", but know this is a vulnerable time for you so continue to play it safe. My Vet got his retro for a year for a 60% IHD claim and has received that and one month's pay and we're both being weird about it, acting like it just isn't there! Maybe that's a good route til it all settles in. I know there are still many folks with pending claims and I hope our Success Stories give them hope. Your eight yr wait is an especially important Success Story to note for those who are walking your same path. Congratulations, give yourself some time now to relax. Lorraine

Congrats, MAGS - very happy to hear of your success! Lorraine

Hooray for you on your IHD award!! Let's hope you have as good of luck with your other claims. Lorraine

Congratulations - tickled to pieces for you both. Hope you have a healthy and happy New Year, already know it will be more prosperous! I think my Vet and I are still in a bit of a state of disbelief -waiting to see what shows up in the bank for his monthly 60% compensation. We're afraid to touch the retro in case there's been a mistake and they want it back! Lorraine

Carlie Sorry, got behind on reading posts with the Holidays "at my throat". Guess I goofed, my recollection was that when you had that horrible sinus/tooth episode and were leaving the VA clinic because you were not willing to be seen by a practioner where'd you'd been assaulted, that a nurse came after you to find out why you wouldn't see anybody and that she re-routed you to a female physician. Heck, she could have been a real Nurse Ratchett and complete BEE-ATCH for all I know! I made the erroneous assumption that she'd helped you. Since I'm a retired RN, guess I was hoping that she reached out to you, but have enuf miles behind me to know that often ain't the case! Lorraine

Congratulations! It's great to keep reading of these IHD/AO success stories and now the Nehmer cases are coming forward. Hooray. Have a Happy and Healthy NEW YEAR! That's a healthy retro check - spend it wisely or save it, either way, ENJOY! Lorraine

Merry, Merry, Christmas Marinevet1!! We're all thrilled for you here at Hadit. Lorraine

T-Bird You are going to do just fine with the memory test, attitude going in will get you everywhere. Just tell the examiner that you suffer from panic attacks, but you're going to try to do your very best. But....that when you say you need a break, you need a break! They are absolutely not there to test you on your stamina or mental stability, their job is to get a good test done on your ability to remember. If it takes TEN breaks to finish the test,so be it! When you take those breaks, just think about all of us out here on Hadit that are pulling for you. We will be "beaming" you our best wishes and support for getting through yet another ordeal. I hope you are going to have a buddy be there with you. I also suffer from panic attacks and lost it so bad having a MRI that the examiner had to go get my friend out of the waiting room and she practically crawled into the darn tube with me to get me calmed down. They suggested I come back another day, but I knew I'd never do it. Once out, I was never going back in there. I'd been upfront ahead of the test so nobody got too upset when I "wigged out" and really tried their best to help me out. Maybe you'll luck out like Carlie did recently and get a sympathetic nurse/examiner that will work with you. Let your cheer-leading squad here on Hadit know how it all turns out. Big HUGS, Lorraine

Great news. We're all happy for your success with your claim. Loraine

Whooopeeee!!! Another IHD claim coming through. What great news. Lorraine

Mike- congratulations! Thirteen years???? I can't imagine it going on this long. Kudos to you for your perseverance! Lorraine

Hooray! From Washington state to NY state, the claims are being awarded. Hope this helps everybody else on the waiting lists keep their chins up! Congrats, stay healthy so you can enjoy your Christmas present for years to come! Lorraine

Berta asked if there were any SMR's or VA or private records . Yes, when he was stationed on active duty at Boeing aircraft, he broke his ankle and had to be seen at a US Public Health hosital(no longer exists) and they noted that he had hypertension on his clinic visits(but, not at a compensable level for VA). We had our own copies and provided copies to VA iwth his claim. Then his retirement physical showed hypertension and they were the ones who told him to file with VA, he did and they said he was fine. Ultimately, his IHD would have been the same, but the extensive heart muscle damage could have been avoided. Now that his claim has been awarded, we're going to get copies of his C-file because we've never seen a copy of his C & P back in 1979. Heck, we were ignorant to the whole thing, they said he didnt have a problem, we believed them. I am still so angry, but try not to dwell on the fact that there could/should have been intervention then. I'm a retired RN(wasn't back then) and know this kind of thing happens elsewhere within the medical community, but the VA is a huge training facility for doctors and I personally think they are not closely enough supervised. We've heard too many stories here on Hadit and in the media to discount these fiasco's as being rare! Gosh, Berta, you've been through a lot and here you are working diligently every day to help Vets with their claims and sharing your knowledge. I really admire you and appreciate all that you do for the folks here on Hadit. Even though my knowledge is very limited, I still am wanting to be able to help other Vets through this claim process whether it simply be filling out paperwork, providing transportation, making some phone calls. I'm going to find a way. Lorraine