ptsd Is It Me Or Does Most People Get Burnt Out Helping?

[Testvet]

I haven't really showed my azz on this board or if I have it has been a really long time since I did I forgot, but I probably did a few years ago, I have had a stroke so I gorget a lot of stuff easily, I don't have to buy new books because my favorite writes W.E.B Griffin, Clive Clussler etc six months after I read the book or series of books I can go back and pick them up and read them again and it's like the first time all over again (saves money on books rofl)

But I know I have memory issues, I have to write a diray basically to remember when and who I saw on what dates and what the conversation was if I need to have a back up memory. I am not like that retired Senator that write down everything all day long everyday down to what pair of socks he wore and what color the suit was.

But I find myself getting pizzed at peep when they ask a question and then get smart towards me with the reply they want answers like we have crystal balls and of course none of us do, no one can "predict when a VARO will do anything" but they leave out a lot of important stuff like their claim they are waiting on they seem to think a claim with 10 or 15 problems should be worked in the same time as a claim with one issue, and what difference should that make, excuse me? Is it me or am I the stupid one?

I get tired of even trying to respond anymore they don't want to hear any type of the fact that they may be causing the problems (writing IRIS every week does not help speed the VA up) or they tell you they haven't called their VSO but down thread they admit they have been calling their VSO but they don't tell them anything, thats nothing new, in 7 years I have never had a SO be able to tell me anything other than I should play lets make a deal or I should drop my claim and be grateful for what I already have, and that I am just being greedy because I expected I a higher PTSD rating than 50% and didn't I know most vets would love to be rated at 50% and that by my filing a NOD for more I was depriving another veteran from getting their claim handled, BS, SO's in my opinion are lazy and would prefer that no one ever calls them and expect action. They close their offices 2 days a week to play catch up and 6 months later they still haven;t filed appeals WTF and they claim they are overworked, they need to try and start working in most cases.

Maybe I should just walk away from the boards and stop trying to help, I don't mind answering questions for new people but I really hate ignorant lying people....am I the only one that gets this way?

[mags1023]

I appreciate how all of you have dedicated so much time to the Vets who come here for guidance. I haven't been on hadit long, but I already get a little frustrated when I see so many repeat posts. Especially, when the same questions is still on the main page forum area. But, then I try to remember where I was with the system when I was a year from retiring or just getting out. I didn't have a clue!! And I think, actually I know that is how it is with 90% of the folks getting out in this era. First of all, they are coming out wounded and in the middle of a war. How much time do you think their service is dedicating to them for VA system knowledge. I wish I had come here when I first got out, because I would have known what it took to get through the claims process. I think most of us feel when we file our initial claim with VA that it is going to come back stamped approved. That's the way we were taught, right? It's right there in our medical records that we have these conditions. Vets in the past have gotten rated for the same things, so mine should slide right through..........then we get hit with the denial letter and it's wake up time. Oh, okay now we know we're in for a battle.

Sorry to be long winded, but I wanted to take some of you back to where you started. This site is great and it's the folks that have been on here the longest who built the backbone. I learned a lot over the past year or so and as you can see, I got 80% overall. I will stand the watch for some of the folks who need some R & R and when I get to your point of frustration someone who just started a year ago will take up my slack and you guys will still be there to handle the really tough questions. When I provide guidance, I try to provide only situations/facts that I have encountered personally. Sometimes I do answer questions with what I have been provided here on hadit, but that is because I got it from someone like Rentalguy1 or Berta. If I feel I can answer it with knowledge I have gotten from them, I will try to answer it so they don't have to spend time answering a question they might have already answered for me.

Bottom line is, I hope the Vets getting out today know we are here for them and also the ones who may have gotten out a long time ago and are just now hurting and they are deserving of some VA benefits for the sacrifices they made. Let's keep it a positive experience to come to this site for guidance!

[carlie]

Many times I try to help veterans and Hadit members

in a way that some may not understand, but that is the way

my mind works from dealing with VA and being able to learn

the information that I have acquired a little knowledge on.

Alot of times I will answer questions by asking additional

questions as I try to look at claims from the VA's standpoint.

I usually form my questions by thinking ahead of how or why

VA may deny the claim or what may delay a rating decision.

Also, many times when new members join they really don't

know yet what their own questions are, how to form their question

and what information is needed, prior to being able to provide

the most accurate information and answers that we can.

It's great to have so many people here, helps me feel confident that when

I or someone else screws up - another person will come along and help

straighten it out.

I usually try to provide answers with an opinion and a link

if I can locate it quickly.

Something that is starting to irratate me a bit is when people

come on and post as if they are texting someone with abbreviated

words and short cuts to sentences.

I do not text and it is a different language to me that I know

nothing about -- and don't really want to.

I do so wish members would take a little more time and study

Hadit's homepage a bit more.

Tbird works constantly updating and tweaking it for us, providing

hundereds of easy to access links.

Soooo, if you are one of the people that is not familiar with our

homepage, please dedicate some of your time to study and research there,

always keeping in mind that after all, it IS your claim.

I have a difficult time concentrating also so I do like Pete53,

before I hit send, I re-read my post to see if my reply and spelling,

is somewhat understandable.

carlie

[john999]

you can get tired because VA abuse just goes on and on to every new batch of vets. Even Berta, has IMO's ignored for years and you wonder what is it all for when the VA laughs in your face. But we need to go down swinging if we go down!

[Testvet]

well thanks to everyone's help here I have been kicking and screaming since Nov 2002 I think that is when I first found Hadit, I know I have been thru a few board transitions, when T Bird went to this board I was one of the first ones to get signed up for it I think that was when Flip and a few others decided they weren't moving they were tired of learning new set ups rofl they end up showing up eventually the "fambly" draws us all back eventually I think Mike from Oregon got tied up with the pointman group he was into and his voice has been missed

I am just having issues with my health, my breathing is getting hard, my nerves are like little "lady finger" fire crackers snap crackle and pop I am am amatuer compared to many of the regular posters here, my biggest asset was listening and tenacity and refusing to drop the appeals even with everyone from the Service groups telling me I should, that I couldn't win BS the SO is not your friend and they are not going to help you pay your bills when they screw up your claim

I got lucky and found a lawyer that was not afraid to ask questions of other members of the NOVA group that took my case "pro bono" because my appeals were before the June 2007 line in the sand the VA set. They refused to play the VAROs games and took it to the Judge and presented the evidence, all of it, even the stuff the VARO didn't want the Judge to see about Edgewood they ignored it from Nov 2002 until the Judge brought the facts into the award decision.

The VARO is really good at ignoring the stuff they want, and what really gets my goat is they get away with it......

[sixthscents]

Personally I can address this for myself. I was a very active advocate for about 4 years, and never really got "burned out". I got sick, or rather "sicker". For me it was a very very hard decision but I had to cut back my advocacy. I simply could not then, (or now) support the level of activity I was managing online, locally, and nation wide. For a while I cut out all of my work. I had to, and it killed me, but I had no choice.

Now, after a bunch of surgeries, and new problems (I go in for a bone marrow test on Friday)I still find that I am only occasionally able to help. I go thru the posts and look at what is being said with each. If I feel the person is being helped adaquately, I dont post. Some people ask basic questions that are answered again and again, generally I look and see if they have been directed to a FAQ etc.

What kinda has always grabbed my goat though are the ones not willing to help themselves. (This is not pointed at anyone in particular) The idea here is we are a community that learns and passes on that knowllege, so others can help even more - but sometimes, well really often, people only worry about their claim, and when it's done they go away. Or they constantly ask you to do the work for them. Depending upon the veteran, I am willing to do much, but some don't need me to do it all.

The most important advice anyone here can give is read. Read CFR 38 read M21-1MR. How you base your claim will depend on how the law outlines evidence, service connection etc., and you can find all that in CFR 38 all on your own. Now dont get me wrong I like to help, but I also like to teach. CFR 38 and M21-1MR and available totally on the web, and there are links here to them. There are always exceptions, but the best advice I can offer is read. Take the time, and do it. Then ask questions based upon what you have read.

[robert51]

I feel funny when a new guy will PM me and say i see you have an award for PTSD well i applied and wanted to ask you what do you say? do you look the doctor in the eye? do you act like your mad? should i tell the doctor about drinking or doing drugs? should i act crazy ?how long is the meeting? After its over how long till i can get paid? I really dont know how to address these questions as i think if you have it you have it and the doctor will know and if you dont have PTSD your a lucky person because it sure does not make living an easier..I can only wonder how people without PTSD live i used to watch other fathers to get hints on how i should act around my own children. I put a lock on my bedroom door not to keep others out but to keep me in so i would not wander around in a sleeply drift and hurt one of the children.. We have done many things over the years to adapt to being the way we are .. Why would anyone want to have PTSD ? With only so many years in a life its a bummer to have to live them with PTSD ..