Annerversy Date For Actull Va Tortour

[Guest fla_viking]

Dear Fellow Veterans & Friends.

In the 1980's a book was written about seclusion and how it was being used by Dr's against pt's they did not like. In Dec of 1980 I was locked up in a VA seclusion room for 7 days, Taken off all medicatons. Denied any human contact, Just a plastic matterest on the floor and no pillow or blankets. In a small room that allowed the 5 above zero Minnesota winter to cool the room to around 60 above.

I have never shared this abuse with you because even after all these years it still very painful to talk about. But you all know the VA has for years been trying to break me so what I have to share now should not be to much of a suprise.

I was in Mpls VA when the psych tests I took showed parnoid schizophrenia. They saw my case as needing extensive treatment at the Psych hospital in St Cloud MN. I was transferd up there. While I was going there someone in the VA saw the 1977 psych tests and then looked at the new 1980 psych tests and relized they were identical and that I could become service connected. That is when the 1980 MMPI report which the VA finneally reviewd in 1999 caused me to get SC. Now I know that 1980 report was shredded by the VA on my way up to St cloud. The St Cloud Dr upon review of my condition stated. I dont see why your here, You have no mental illness. He documented over and over again there was noting wrong with me. He took me off all medicatons

In Dec I was attacked by a Pt, I defended myself. He got a littel hurt but got to the staff first. Only on his word they locked me up for the 7 days. The VA become more and more desperate as time went along becvause I would not confess to doing any thing wrong therefore justifying there use of seclusion. As the days went by they became more and more threatened by my refusal to confess because the Pt advocate called Legal aid and complaints by other Dr's and the chaplin were made recarding the seclusion and its like all of the sudden they relized they had violated VA policy on the use of seclusion soly on the basis of on Pr who it was recorded had made death threats against me prior to the seclusion.

The staff keep in the room for streatches of 14 hours at a time without bathroom breaks, This was clearly loged in the seclusion chart where every 15 mn they have t make an entry. VA staff would taunt me by saying I would be there till the snow melts. I respoinded back by telling them. "its you guys serving me breakfest in bed every morning" Well after 7 days they knew I was never going to confess so they let me get out in the general population.

It was medically documented that I had a sever reaction to the seclusion. I had a psychotic break while in there. I had auditory hallucinations and other bad side effects.

I went to legal aid and they took me as a client. They filed a 1151 claim on my behalf. Did a great job. They had VA policy where I was to be let out every 2 hours. Seclusion was to be used for medical reasons not for punnishment, The Pt advocate wrote a statement that this seclusion was used for punishment. The VA policy stated it was to be used for out of control behavior. Except for me not confessing to doing any thing wrong. The VA noted during the whole time in seclusion that I was coapertive and under control. Legal aid found a book written about this kind of pratice and how it was being used more because Dr's did not like the attitued of the Pt then any real threat.

The VA denied this claim. How they did it is really corrupt. Even with the seclusion chart before them that clearly shows I was locked up for time periods that were clearly in violations of VA policy. THe VA denied I was allowed out every two hours. It was the medical opnion of the Dr who locked me up that seclusion was a real break in my treatment because it brought my mental illness out to where every one could see it.

It wasnt until years latter and after all my appeals were exhausted did my DAV rep shair with me how the VA came up with that 2 hour fanticy lock up idea.

Without my knowlege or contact to my lawyers. The VA had one of its own Dr's secretly review my medical file and he just lied and put in his 2 page report that I was let out every two hours. THere was no referance as how he came to that conclusion. The Dr found That I was taking medications before seclusion and then after seclusion I did not need medications before. The reality was. THey took me off all medications when I first entered St Cloud and then when I was out of seclusion they snowed me with medications. I walked like a robot and looked like a zombi.

Just after the BVA made its final ruling and the DAV disclosed as to what the BVA was using to rule on. I asked for review of the claim baised on the errors of that Dr's seceret report. I sent in the actull seclusion chart and showed the Dr lied. The BVA said I needed new and materal evidence to re open my claim.

My VA psychologist resigned from the VA because of this abuse of seclusin. He wrote a very strong report in support of my claim. He stated. "I cannot agree that the psychotic break was a natural progression of the pre-existing psychiatric disablity The treatment enviorment for Mr. Higgins was hositle from the beginning. A parnoid person is a frightened person, and in my opinion requires reassurance, support, and freedom from invasiveness, the very opposite of a power struggle, in which the treatment team quickly engaged. The nature of the seclusion, in which the hospital regulations were violated, serverd to confirm Mr Higgins was helpless and among enemies. Mr. Higgins had emotional suppport only from a chaplain assigned to the ward and me. The chaplain was forced off the ward because of his support and I was forced eventually in turn , out of his treatment, into part time status and off the ward"

The BVA responded to the above Dr statement with. "Thats his opnion" and did not comment or acknowlege any further on that issue. In reading the BVA rulings denying my claim. The BVA would only say I was in seclusion for no longer than 2 hours. They never identifyed where they got that information. They only disclosed there conclusioins. I had submitted to the BVA the actull seclusoin chat showing they were wrong, But the BVA would only review the secret medical opnion and used it as soul determining factor in this case and to this day has not allowed any further review of the issue.

I'm dealing with some psych problems today with this anversery date. I hope it will make me feel better putting this in writting and shareing it with you.

Terry Higgins (FMP)

[Guest fla_viking]

Dear Fellow Veterans & Friends.

This was so painful to write about I had to just send it out without any kind of review of spelling and I see some missed words from sentances. Please read through my errors and try to see the whole pic

Terry Higgins

[Guest fla_viking]

Dear Fellow Veterans & Friends.

Share with you a catch 22 the VA uses allot in denying our claims.

The VA ruled there was no sign of mental illness due to service. The VA up until the seclusion denied I had any metal illness. After seclusion with the psychotic break. The VA now says I was mentally ill along. iT did not cause any illness. The seclusion brought out my illness to where every one could see it.

THe VA refused to allow any review of when they thought my illness occured and if it was now service related. The VA refused to even entertain the idea that if they missed my illness until they locked me up. Maybe they made a mistake in its review of if I had the illness from service.

Its been for 25 years to hear no more of this, speak no more, and see no more. Even though the evidence is in black and white before them

Terry Higgins

[Guest Berta]

Terry- Thank you for sharing this- I think when one shares it can ease the burden of it all a little-

It is a shame that the 1151 wasn't appealed-

And it is a disgrace-the way you were treated-

The worm turns Terry and what goes around- comes around.

You survived all of this-and the docs who messed you up will answer to a Higher Authority one of these days---(may they rot in Hell!)

Yeah- secret medical opnion -

sometimes they ask for a quality review by a Chief med Director-

the vet or claimant cannot get a copy-

if it helps- the vet it is Top secret-

I got a copy of one of these -the dopes put it in the c file-

Of course it was a medical opinion that helped my claim-

They never mentioned it ever- in 11 years.

You did not Take this abuse Terry-you fught back and you are doing OK today!

It is important to remember the past but not to allow it to control one single second of our present and future-

in a negative way-if we can-

The VA knows that any mental disability is more then enough for a vet to deal with-

yet it seems these are the very vets they like to screw around with---

at least in the past they did- I could write a book on that-

I saw so much crap go on at the local VAMC years ago- I couldnt believe it-

One thing was so unusual that -when I told my COngressman, he visited the VA and found out it was true- something very bizarre-

they fixed it-

Things have changed- the IG has a web site-and a vet can email their Congressperson or State Senators in a heart beat-

Many veterans wrote to the Disability Commission telling their stories-about the VA.

Newspapers often are very interested in any news about VA care-bad or good-

I commend you Terry-this was a past battle that you fought and won-

they cannot hurt you anymore.

Your family must be very proud of you. I sure AM!

(we needed you here locally many years ago- some VA hosp vets were planning an Article 99-just like the Movie-)

[carlie]

Terry,

I think the Bas***ds should have to consider your claim under POW regs.

It took a tough individual to survive what they put you through.

Merry Christmas --- tomorrow your anniversary is over for another year.

carlie