jessie0054

Thanks Entropent. I was afraid that without his service officer the claim would just sit there. He filed for a reconsiteration back in May 07 and keep hoping everyday to hear something on it. Jessie

Hello All: Found out yesterday that my son's Service Officer at the Regional Office has Cancer and is out of the office now for surgery and Chemo. What is going to happen to the Claim while he is out?? Will it get assigned to another Officer, Or will it just sit there? Jessie

Monitou: Thank you for your Comments. My Husband does have an outside the VA Cardiogist and one at the VA. I will follow up. Thanks You Jessie

Thanks!! I will tell him!! Jessie

Hello John999 Thank you!! I'm not sure why they are not doing anything about his slow heart rate. He is on medication for this. Both the VA and his outside Cardiologist are aware of this. He has had 2 heart attacks in 3 years and has 2 stents in place. His Blood presure is controlled with several different medications at this point. Sometimes i think it's too low. [ like 166/56] He takes his blood pressure every day and records it and takes it back to his Cariologist at his appointments. They finally told him he didn't need to bring the readings anymore!! About 3-4 months ago we were back in the ER for what he thought was another heart attack and at that time he kept sounding off the monitor because his pulse rate was dropping. This was many times. Yet they just came in and reset the alarm and went back to what they were doing. I guess at the time he was the least of their worries since they did have a full blown heart attack on one side of us and an elderly man in resp failure on the other side. They eventually came in and just turned off his alarm so that it didn't keep going off. He wasn't having a heart attack so he was put on the back burner. When they did get back to him they sent him for another stress test which showed the second blockage resulting in the second stent. I mentioned to the nurse that day about his pulse rate dropping into the 40's 30's and i felt like i was being blown off and it was nothing new and the problem was being worked on. Since then i check him myself at night [ yea, i've lost a lot of sleep] and yes i am certified in CPR and i have the Emergency numbers programmed into my phone at the bedside just incase i should need them. I am surprized that if his heart did stop during the sleep study that he wasn't admitted right then into the Cardiac unit!! I don't know how long it takes the DR to read the results of the study. But if his heart did stop and he's not confused between the heart stopping and the breathing stopping that we should be hearing something very soon!! If i don't hear tomorrow [Monday] I am going to call. Jessie

Ok, My husband had a sleep study done at the Va sleep lab last night. He was up once for the bathroom and durning the time he was sleeping he awaken 30 times and heart stopped 11 times.[that's what the sleep lab tech said] I didn't know that your heart actually stops i thought it was you stopped breathing!! I have counted his pulse sometimes at night when he's sleeping and i know that his heart rate has dropped down into the 30's and that's when i would give him a nudge to get him to move, I didn't know the heart stops!! Is this normal in Sleep Apnea?? Anyway she told my husband that she was concerned and had thought about coming in a waking him up to put somekind of machine on him. [ am i thinking it is the c-pac or what ever you call it] He was fully awake at 4 am, [guess it's his internal alarm clock]They sent him home at that time. He has to go back and do it again this time using the machine. Jessie

Betrayed: Congrats!! Just stay with it, What ever is working for you!! I tried welbutrin, Didn't help me quit, Just made my cigs taste really bad. I called the welbutrin my i don't give a S____ pill. I tried that other pill they had out, Don't remember the name but i remember the 5 days in the hospital with an ice pack to my head and eye patches over my eyes to keep out any light and anytime i had to open my eyes i started vomitting volently and ear plugs so that i didn't hear any nosies that would drive the pain to even higher levels than i thought every possable. They called this a Statis Migraine brought on by that pill. I'm waiting to see how well my neice is going to do before i want to try a pill again. I wish you luck friend !! You have a week behind you, Just keep going!!! Jessie

Thanks Pete53 You always know the right things to say. Jessie

Thanks Wings: Lucky for us our next door neighbor is a Dr and a very good friend and we do have insurance other than the VA so if the Q&Q of the testing at the VA isn't getting anywhere i can ask him to do his own testing, He will get to the end of the problem. I have been sorta held back from saying anything to him because he is our neighbor and sometime you just don't want your neighbors to know everything about what is going on in your house, You know what i mean? Jessie

Hello Jay: Thank You for your comments and wanting to help. [ i am not going to question you, as i just don't know] There is no history of hereditary alzheimers in my husbands family. All his older siblings are still very sharp in mind and memory, Both his parents and grandparents died from Heart/Kidney conditions and several half siblings died of Cancer. One younger brother has AO related diabetes. My husband does have high blood presure and heart problems and takes a hand full of medications daily for these along with the ptsd. I'm not leaning in the direction of alzheimers, But then i'm not a Dr. So until next week we will just be in the dark, But i will keep an watchfull eye on things. Thanks Jessie

Hi Free: Yes, Your so right!! I want my husband back!! I have never ever in all the years i've known him [ about 40 total] felt i needed to fear him in anyway. And i admit that his anger the other day did scare me enough to feel i need our son here. I sat yesterday and went through all the changes i've noticed in say the last year or or 2 or maybe longer?? and i guess maybe i should have added 2+2 togather and paid a little closer attention, But i to have been involved in many other problems. I do plan to be right there beside him with the Dr's and insist that to do whatever testing that needs to be done to find the right answer and diagnosis ant treat it. My husband ask me last night if i thought he has Alzheimers?? I told him i didn't know only the testing will prove it one way or another. He's going to turn 60 next month. Do people really get Alzheimer's that young?? I'm not a Dr. But i'm thinking because this issue of retirement has trigered this whole thing. And now he is feeling really insurcure about decisions he usually makes on his own and calls me to now run it by me before doing it. [it's a goog thing i have plenty of rollover minutes] All said and done, I just want them to find out what the problem it, Fix it and give me back my husband. Jessie

Hello Kim: My neice is using this drug with good results. I can't say about the VA. Jessie

Thanks Time: I was on the phone with both DR's yesterday and now have appointments set up for him next week. His Psych ask me if i was aware that he had missed all his appointment in this last year?? I had no idea!! I sent him out for those appointments and even ask him how they went and i always got the same answer " Just fine, Nothing to worry about" I guess i'll just have to make it a point to go with him!! I know he is going to hate that! You have brought to light some conditions i never gave a thought to and will bring them up to the DR. Thanks Again Jessie

Hello rthomass: I don't know if this helps or not but my brother receives a non Service Connected Pension in the Amount of 846.00. He has no dependants when his wife was alive he drew somewhere a little over $1000.00 a month. Hope this helps Jessie

Thanks Wings: This were cool when hubby came home not a word about this morning fit throwing. Maybe because sonny was here. But will still call the VA tomorrow for appointment. Thanks again, Jessie

Jay Thanks again: Our son is here now and my husband will be home within the next 45 mins and we will see how he acts as far as his reactions today. I did pull the informations sheet for each of his medications and yes one side effect is Mental/Mood Changes. We have decided to call the VA in the morning and get him appointments set up for some testing. Thanks Jessie

Pete53: Thanks, I didn't think about the side effects of his Medications, But i'm going to check them out since they did make some changes in the dosage of 1 of his meds in the last few months. Maybe that's the answer!! Jessie

Hello Jay: He will be 60 next month. And i might add that he is looking at retirement in Jan 08 after 37 years on the same job. I know that thinking about retirement has caused him stress as he is always worried about money and i don't understand that because he has a very very good amount in the 401K and has planned very well for retirement so money isn't an issue. I think the biggest fear he has is what to do with his time after he retires. And i think this is the route of everything i'm seeing going on now. I called our son this evening to ask if his dad had said anything "off the wall" to him and i was amazed. I told him about dad's sudden fury this morning and he is going to be here when he gets home, So we will wait and see how he is acting. Get him in for test?? Maybe with both of us on him!! We'll see. I also want him to get tested for Sleep Apnea as i know he has it. I have mentioned it to him before but i think he thinks i am joking as he always answers me in a joking " Ya it wakes me up sometimes too!!" Jessie

Bill That # is 800-827-1000 Jessie

OK, I have written several times in the last year about different member's of my family i am trying to help. Now it is my husband, He's doing some really out of charater things for him. Usually he is more in control, But lately i am seeing things in him that are starting to worry me. First i'll tell you he is 30% service connected for PTSD. He ususally fuctions pretty well and these things have been coming on over the last 10-12 months and the lid blew off the pot so to speak today. I collect coins as a hobby and in the last 4 months he has brought home a roll of the Washington quarters 4 times. I didn't have the heart to tell him i already have them so i just took them and put them away. I keep his PM medications in the bathroom so he will not forget to take them as he go's through his bedtime routine. I have caught him twice in the last week taking them in the morning!! A few times even though i have watched him take them he gets up 30 mins later " Oh i forgot to take my pills" So i have to remind him he's already taken them. Twice in the last month or two he wakes me up out of a very peacefull sleep and ask me if i can't go take a sleeping pill so i can go to sleep. Duh!! I'm already sleeping!! Somedays he will call me or our son half a dozen times a day and gets upset because we don't answer our cell phone saying ' I'm going to throw that SOB cell phone out the door because you won't answer it" Well i check it to see if i have missed any calls because sometime if i'm in another room and the TV is on i can't hear it ring and ususally no i haven't any missed calls from him. Last Saturday he got up at 5:30 Am and got dressed and ready to head off to work. I woke up and ask him what he was doing, You don't work on Saturadys.!! This morning he called me from work very upset, Said he had hid some money in the gargage and some of it was missing and accused me of taking it. [And no, I didn't know he was hidding money and no i didn't take his money!!] He got even more upset when i ask why he was hidding money and could he maybe have put some of it in a different area and forgot where he hid it?? Boy that was the wrong thing to say!! I'm sure i haven't heard the end of it yet!! Like i said he usually is in pretty good control and i'm hoping that in the next few hours before he gets off work that he may take sometime and think about the things he said. So maybe he will have cooled off before he gets home. I have never had a reason to fear him, But!!! He loves his money and if he really believes i took any from him i don't know what he might do. So could be his PTSD getting worse or is he getting Alzhemer's disease?? Jessie

Thanks Pete: Yes he is much better at home with his family now. Mother is surposed to call the SO before she takes the A&A form back out to him. She said that the SO was a bit rude to her the other day because she just popped in to get the form without first calling for an appointment. I ask her if he had other's waiting and she said no his office was empty. I told her when she go's back after she makes the appointment to just drop off the form and he is still rude to her we might have to consider getting another SO. No need for him to be so rude to her or anybody in my book. :) Jessie

Hey Pete53 I sent my mother out to my Brother's Service Officer yesterday to pick up the form for A&A and while there the SO made an appointment today for my brother at the VA. The DR. filled out the report and on the top of the form she put my brother as the Veteran but put my mother as the Claimant. IS She the Claimant and not mt brother? The DR. said NO that my brother is unable to take care of his own personal needs or the act of nature and is unable to leave home alone. [ I guess this is good?? for the A&A right??] It is also noted that the VA is sending out a visiting Nurse for several visits in the next couple weeks because the DR. said my brother isn't taking all his medications that he is surposed to be taking. [ I didn't know the VA did this] If he should get the A&A how much would it raise his NSC Pension?? Is there anything else to do but sit back and wait for the C&P?? Should i be getting togather any of his medical records to send?? Can i write a letter in support of his claim?? I know this is a lot of questions but want to make sure i do it right. :) Thanks Jessie

Thanks Berta: I have printed out all the Iris Replys [ Just in case i should ever need them] After i got the first reply i fired another reply back to them and i got another reply back this morning saying " Please keep in mind that all the medical evidence in your file will be read and you may not need another C&P exam" My reply was to THEN READ THE EVIDENCE and quit wasting time. :) Jessie