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?

[Meddac]

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." coach John R. Wooden

I have stepped back. I am not tired of helping, but there are a hundred different answers to ten different questions. The VA is changing stuff daily, it seems. Heck, continuity of treatment changed for us in the last week (a bit more to the veterans favor). There are people who claim to be experts, and claim to know the ins and outs of it all, but no one really does.

In my years with the VA, things are just not the same as they were. It gets complicated, and then they ease up on a few things. It never stays the same. I am by no means an expert when it comes to the VA system. When the newbies come in to be trained they are taught the regs and the exceptions. There is an exception to everything we have.

I still read the site, but I just don't reply that much. If someone truly needs help they can PM me, or several on here even have my number to call. Seems I talk for hours about claims every week. I don't mind that at all.

[Pete53]

Meddac:

Its great that you are willing to help. For me I always got something from your posts. If you look on the front page look at bottom and see how many guests we have. Its usually in hundreds and sometimes thousands.

[vaf]

What helps me continue doing this when I get to feeling overwhelmed by the complexity and frustration of the process is the look on a vet's face when an award comes through, especially with retro that the vet desperately needs. They are so grateful, it's like they can hardly talk. I don't do it for that reason, I do it because it needs to be done, it's the right thing to do, and truthfully, for some of these guys, it's the first time anyone has ever done something for them without expecting something in return. I've tried to learn from past mistakes of my own and fortunately, I've gotten better at doing this than I used to be, but there's still a lot for me to learn. Which is why I continue coming here -- it's an ongoing education, for which I am most grateful...