ptsd Viet Nam Vet Newly Diag Cancer Lung/throat Ao Related

[halos2]

A friend recently diag with cancer of lung and throat/esophagus and PTSD...VA keeps asking for proof...HEY VA you diag PTSD and now keep asking for stressors?? WHAT GIVES??

Vet is Viet Nam, medic has Bronze star"V", and another one too, some commendations too and went through the ranks pretty fast too...5 promotions during original enlistment...Have received all diagnoses from Dr and specialists, Cancer treatment regimen, including chemo(started already), radiation(started already),and all have been given to VA directly...yet the stupid computer generated letters continue, and the VA did write/tell VSO WHERE IS THE PROOF? SEND US THE SMR's TOO!

SSDI approved claim in 2 1/2 weeks from start of claim to granting approval, but waiting time began last mth...

He is utalizing a VSO not the same I have, but it does appear the guy is trying to push everything through fast, minus the BS the VA is putting him through too. The guy worked for the govt too up until this point too.

I tried to tell them how the VA conviently looses vets papers, and how the computer keeps generating the same info out over and over...but I realize they have an enormous amount of anxiety regarding his diagnoses, on top of the unknown VA processes, and the mistrust already evidenced by the VA's actions/ or lack of correct actions.

SO does anyone have an idea/or personal experience on the expedience requested on a claim with some of the diagnoses being 2 different types of cancer? I know all claims are treated on a different time frame, but have always read with terminal illinesses they are suppose to move them along faster.

Here we have another vet who has attempted to deal with PTSD on his own, and the stressors have taken the ultimate toll on his body, and his health. He is being treated by private Dr's and in a private hosp too, to get things going faster.

Any thoughts, comments, advice, suggestions, and prayers are so welcomed from all of my fellow hadit friend's for this genuine brave man. Thank you, halos2.

Edited August 8, 2009 by halos2

[Berta]

Your onocologist would need to review the cancers on this list-

https://community.hadit.com/topic/75673-all-ao-cancers-and-other-presumptives-as-of-august-5-2019/

A few veterans have proven their type of cancer was analogous to some on the list-meaning so similar that is should have been a presumptive...

I think one of them was a CLL vet and then CLL was added to this list- not sure-

The IMO must conform to the IMO criteria here at hadit.

Also I raised some other theories of entitlement that his doctor should consider.Somewhere in this thread----

 

Edited August 5, 2019 by Berta

[Marilyn Haney]

He was first diagnosed with a metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma soft tissue of the lymph node.  It was also in his pelvis and to begin with they believed the small cell carcinoma in the lung could be the primary and then he got this other diagnosis....I believe it was somewhere in Washington D.C.  I wiill need to check in my brother's medical records again.  Should I ask his oncologist could the tumor in his lung be a small cell sarcoma

Edited August 6, 2019 by Marilyn Haney

[Berta]

He will need to give details on his stressor(s)that the VA can have verified by JSRRC.

The VA only concedes that a stressor occurred if the PH, CAR, or CIB is on the veteran's DD 214.

Sometimes even with one of these awards on the DD 214 -the VA will still want proof of the stressor.

The cancer- VA will SC lung cancer in any incountry Vietnam vet if the cancer is soft tissue sarcoma type.They will also secondarily service connect any STS cancer that has metasized from it.(meaning the original SC cancer has caused additional organs to be affected with same cancer.

What type of cancer did he get first?

Was it a soft tissue sarcoma?

Many of these claims need a thorough review of the medical records to define exactly what type of cancer he has.

The VA service connects 34 STS cancers and the list is here at hadit.

Make sure the VA has all of his private medical records too.

A widow got quite a disappointment 2 years ago when the MOPH told her that she could definitely expect DIC based on her Vietnam vet husband's death from lung cancer.

The claim was denied-he did not have a soft tissue sarcoma type of lung cancer.

The VA will SC larynx, broncial and trachea cancer as well as lung cancer if the vet was incountry Vietnam and has Soft tissue sarcoma type of cancer.

Do you have his medical records?

For the proof of stressor-

did he give the VA a detailed account? Have they attempted top verify the stressor yet through JSRRC?

[halos2]

He will need to give details on his stressor(s)that the VA can have verified by JSRRC.

The VA only concedes that a stressor occurred if the PH, CAR, or CIB is on the veteran's DD 214. BRONZE STAR with "V"

Sometimes even with one of these awards on the DD 214 -the VA will still want proof of the stressor.

The cancer- VA will SC lung cancer in any incountry Vietnam vet if the cancer is soft tissue sarcoma type.They will also secondarily service connect any STS cancer that has metasized from it.(meaning the original SC cancer has caused additional organs to be affected with same cancer.

What type of cancer did he get first? SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA found in lungs and then said cancer also in throat/esophagus

Was it a soft tissue sarcoma? YES and they told him this was r/t AO so he might get 100% but they are reviewing records still

Many of these claims need a thorough review of the medical records to define exactly what type of cancer he has.

The VA service connects 34 STS cancers and the list is here at hadit.

Make sure the VA has all of his private medical records too. HIS WIFE GAVE THEM COPIES OF EVERYTHING THEY HAD...

A widow got quite a disappointment 2 years ago when the MOPH told her that she could definitely expect DIC based on her Vietnam vet husband's death from lung cancer.

The claim was denied-he did not have a soft tissue sarcoma type of lung cancer. THIS VET DOES HAVE SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA

The VA will SC larynx, broncial and trachea cancer as well as lung cancer if the vet was incountry Vietnam and has Soft tissue sarcoma type of cancer. YES, Berta, thank you so much.

Do you have his medical records? I TOLD THEM TO GET ALL SMR AND ALL MILITARY RECORDS FROM ST LOUIS TOO she gave VA copies of his personal records and is getting copies from other dr's he has seen for 20+ yrs prior to Cancer diag

For the proof of stressor-

did he give the VA a detailed account? Have they attempted top verify the stressor yet through JSRRC?

YES THIS PAST WEEK HE DID...VERY TRAUMATIC TELLING THE HORROR STORIES TOO per his wife and he said...alot of tears shared in there too...I wanted to cry when I heard a brief history of some of it from her too!

BERTA...THIS HAS ALL OCCURRED SINCE the beginning of JULY 09, he had been tired, coughing alot(smoker+drinks beer) and was treated for general lethargy, advised to stop smoking/drinking, but was getting worse and saw specialists since scopes and xrays, PET scan, other diagnostic tests and studies determined that he does have SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA of lung and throat and another type in throat too...already has a peg tube in place(gastric tube in stomach for nutrition) as he will not be able to eat/drink very soon with the radiation tx to neck/throat...

I told her last week to get ALL COPIES from VA, any DR's he has seen...so within 5 weeks he has the diag's ,started tx, been approved by SSDI(2 1/2 weeks total time) but has to wait the 5 mths out, and VA counselor diag him with PTSD because of Bronze star"V" and commendations...but VARO says PROVE IT!!

AND they sent VARO ALL CANCER tests and treatment copies, and records he had from military(copies of all)requested all military records and awaiting those...

Thank you ever so much...btw they have a 19 yr old child in college too...so he should be getting 100% for him, wife, and collge aged child too, but when who knows...the records will prove his VIET NAM too as did HIS DD214 and citations too.

Edited August 8, 2009 by halos2

[john999]

That soft tissue sarcoma is the key. I don't know how many kinds lung cancer exist. I thought cancer was cancer but I should have know the VA would qualify it. Can they differentiate between lung cancer caused by smoking and AO? All Nam vets were exposed to AO and about half of them probably smoked.

[Hoppy]

There have been many changes over the years that make it easier for a Viet Nam veteran to prove he was in combat. Social security doctors do not investigate or require proof of the stressor. However, the VA requires that the records show a link between the specific stressful event and the diagnosis of PTSD. The awards Berta identified show the veteran was in combat. There are other awards including some types of bronze stars that only require the VA to investigate whether the veteran was in combat or not. However, no matter how the claim is developed the veteran will have to provide the dates, places and his statement as to what happened that caused the stressful event. This could be what the VA is asking the SO for. This requires a letter and some standard forms from the veteran identifying the specific stressful event and then the VA will seek corroboration by the JSRCC, and or other sources. Hopefully the SO is working on getting this information.