JuanP

OK Pete53, where and how can I find out how "bone spurs in the cervical spine, with degenerative disc disease is rated?

OK Larry, so do I just ask her to edit it when I go back in? I may run into some trouble as they have switched my doctor again. The one that wrote this was called away for several months of training in DC, and I think it's possible she may be getting a different position when she gets back.. Do I ask the new doctor to fix it? Or do I begin trying to track her down in order to edit what is obviously an oversight?

WOW, I'm an idiot!! I see what your saying ! This is what she wrote. Unfortunately, she worded it wrong at the end. This visit with her took over an hour I think. I requested a change from my first Dr. with the VA, and was given her. Apparently she is an outstanding professional within the Orlando VA community with a great reputation. This visit in particular was spent updating and filling out my medical record where my previous Dr. (I'd love to put his name out there, but will refrain until asked!) had been very lazy about filling things out. So when she got to this area of my record, she told me that things had to be worded a certain way for the VA to review favorably. I guess she even messed up a little at the end, being pressed for time after spending so much time with me.

LarryJ, I added that specific quote because I had read on here somewhere that the language that the doctors use is important when getting the VA to approve your claim. So this is the exact quote that my VA doctor put in my medical record. If you need more context then let me know, I'm not sure how much info you need to form an opinion.

OK everybody, I am back. Before I go any further, I want to thank you all for the aggressive and positive attitude that you all bring to this board. The confidence you all have is the only thing that has gotten me through and is giving me hope. With that in mind, I have been completely shell shocked until about 3 weeks ago, and I sucked it up and got to work, here goes: The DVA sent me a letter which included VA 21-0760 dated May 19, saying they had received my app for benefits. One month later on June 18, I got a packet asking for all records that I could scrounge up. They included VA form: 21-4138 (x2) and 21-4142 (x2). I took your advice and sent away for my records myself, and sure enough, 2 months after your advice, my full records came. Over the coarse of my 3 year. and 12 day career, I visited sick call 5 times for back pain, once specifically for neck, as well as my hernia operation. One incident is specifically related to carrying heavy equipment up ladder-wells during the clearing out of the ship for Decommissioning. This incident is documented to have lasted at least 4 weeks alone. At no time can I find any record of an x-ray or MRI. All treatment was done with the standard 800 mg Motrin. I got out in May 93. I never had insurance until late 1999, which is when I picked back up medical records dealing with my back and neck (and a specific note by the Md. saying "I have had back problems for a long time" in quoting me. He uses Muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory meds to treat me. In late 2001 I had a spinal fusion surgery for C5 to C7. And so from then on I have been able to acquire records for treatment of my back until the present. From 2005 through 2007 is a little thin because of a lack of insurance, but surely they get the general idea....???? When I got out of the Navy, I lived with my sister, who is a nurse (I believe that to be kind of irrelevant) and she has filled out a 21-4138 stating the ongoing troubles I had with my back and the ways that we dealt with it during that time. In the mean time, my VA doctor, wrote in my record under the progress notes section: "Based on the activities Mr. Perez had to complete while in the military, his symptoms are more likely than not a result of his current clinical status present today." My understanding is that this language is important. So then, this is where I am, and today I turned everything in to my Veteran Service Officer. Should I also send a mirror copy to the VA by registered mail? I did also make him sign for all of the documents that I gave him, <snicker>!! He said he's never had anybody do that before!! What do you all think about where I am, as I have laid it out.? Comments, suggestions?

Carlie, Thank you. Pete53, a couple of things. I'm really blind in this whole process, the military has a manual about everything except about what WE need. So then, I have been hanging my hat on the fact of me getting a hernia, and operation for it while still in as evidence of the type of lifting and results. Am I to understand that this leap cannot or will not be made? Also, I had hoped to get the records from the chiropractor from 95 but that is not an option now. I did not have insurance til about 99 so any visits I had were sporadic and spread out. Try being a mid-20 guy going in to ask for muscle relaxers or pain meds. So I never did. Next, I have only seen my Service Officer (same as VARO? ) once. He told me that I wouldn't be able to get my medical record from storage because after filing the claim it would be sent straight to the board. Is this not accurate? I am on Morphine and Percocets so my memory, focus, retention and understanding is off quite a bit. I may have misunderstood him ............. As I said Pete, my plan is to scour this board over the next several days to get information, so I don't want to put you out by engaging too much right now. Your input really is a huge help for me. I am sure many of you have felt the anxiety that I have right now.

As I said, I'm 9 months in the VA, and I feel like a sheep that is just told what to next with no map, plan or option of what road I'm on or where I'm headed. This is my situation. I'm not going to start asking a bunch of questions, I feel I need to search around on your site to learn what I can so as not to waste your time with things that you have answered a 1000 times before. That and I want to acclimate myself to the board. I tend to be long winded only because I feel that the more detail I can provide, the better feel for the situation the reader can get of my situation, I apologize ahead of time for that. I will try to post the meat first, and the background after for those who wish to read it. The short version is that: I left the Navy in 93 with an Honorable Discharge, and have never asked the VA for anything until 9 months ago. Severe back and neck pain. After 6 or 7 months they finally gave me an MRI and put me on Morphine shortly thereafter. MRI revealed bone spurs in my neck along with a bad disc at c4. My doctor put me in for C & P which I am now waiting for a decision on. I will admit that the evidence is thin, and I would not have thought anything of it had my doctor not put me in for it along with a note in my file saying that "Yes, my injury was likely the result of my duties in the Navy." As evidenced by a hernia that I sustained in the Navy a result of the lifting of test equipment and tools for my duties. Not to mention the preparation of my first ship for DECOM. Here is what I know myself, truly I never had back problems until after the Navy. I just always wrote the different issues off to a vague whatever normal part of life. I saw a chiropractor for some of these problems around 1995, but after I refused a new regime of treatment 3 weeks ago he decided that those records had been deleted and he could not find them. Suspicious at best. Especially after telling me that those records had been digitized, it was just a matter of finding the pass code or hacking into the old files. As I said this is the short version, I will write a long version at another point, and I have no questions as of now. Thank you ahead of time for your interest and possible help. Sincerely, Juan