Medical Records...some Pages Unreadable...some I Can't Deciper

[MDB1968NM]

Hi Everyone,

I want to thank EVERYONE here for their continued service (yes Hadit is most definitely a very valuable service!).....

I just got a copy of my SMRs on Friday.  WOW!  1500+ pages and more than half are double sided.... B)

Two questions:

1)  Some of the copies simply do not show up because in the early records they were printed on "tissue/tracing" paper and will NOT be copied under the copy machine (the person doing them indicated this to me and it just won't work).  What do I do about those documents?

2)  Some of the older records (pre-computer stuff like is out there now) are written in doctor hieroglyphics and chicken scratching where I simply cannot understand what the heck is written.  How can anyone figure out what was said?

I am retiring in June so I have some time to get my things in order...I am glad that I was turned onto this site as I am beginning to learn that I am my own best advocate AND the time to start this process is NOW!

Thanks again for all the help here....you are all extremely kind and knowledgeable!!!

[Pete53]

What happens when you can't read the Doc's handwriting

[JamesBreckenridge]

We're told "If you can't read it, don't worry about it. If the vet's problem really is chronic, as opposed to a just one time thing, the condition should show up again on another page of the veteran's service treatment records."

This is actually true for the most part. Over several years of a veteran's career, I'll see them on profile or sick call several times for back or knee complaints, or mysterious numbness and tingling, or whatever.

What's lousy is when the vet chose to "tough it out" and not report it. :) No paper trail, leaving me with no incident in service.

[MDB1968NM]

James,

Add me to the "toughing it out crowd"!  As a flier the last person I wanted to see was the flight surgeon.  I also am one of the last persons who want to be "left behind" when the stuff hits the fan...hell thats why I signed up in the first place.  Now that I am close to my retirement and have learned a few things here and there, I have educated all of my troops on ensuring they take care of themselves (as I did not).  I think you made a very good point....if it is something that is chronic it should show up again and again....but toughing it out gets rid of that stuff.  Some of us probably also feel that at some point it is simply useless to go into the doctor.  

Take migraines, for example,  they started for me with loss of vision last March.  Scared the hell out of me, still does.  Eventually these became incapacitating because of pain/nausea....the initial episodes I thought I was having a brain seizure that was making me blind.  Anyhow...I have drugs to combat the episodes but did not go to the doctor while they were occurring (no need, I had prescriptions to handle that and have a squadron that is very good about understanding my issues).  So while there have been many episodes due to the migraines, I do not go to the doctor for them as there is no physical way to get there (live 30 miles from base).  Kind of a catch 22.  What do you do in these cases?  I have to be realistic as no one can go to the doc every time they have a problem.  How would the VA view something like this?

[MDB1968NM]

James,

Another quick question for you as you seem like you know this pretty well.....

You mentioned that "Over several years of a veteran's career, I'll see them on profile or sick call several times for back or knee complaints, or mysterious numbness and tingling, or whatever."

So does the VA look at all the profiles, 1042's (USAF Medical Recommendation for Flying or Special Operational Duty), physical therapy records?  Or do they just look at a diagnosis from the Physician?

Thanks!

[JamesBreckenridge]

Yeah, I learned that there are adverse affects for air force and nukers who go on sick call. You don't get the flight pay or other high pay, and that is IMPORTANT to a young family, so yeah, a lot of guys tough it out. We are well aware of this problem, and do what we can with the evidence we have.

Yes, we look at everything we have. I've seen profile reports and proceedings of Medical Evaluation Boards and other "fitness for duty" type reports. If it's a medical record, we HOPEFULLY have a record of it. I also check the personnel folder, too; we don't usually ask for it unless PTSD or something is claimed, but sometimes there's usable stuff in there. So no, we don't just use the entrance exam, doctors charts, and exit physical; we look at EVERYTHING. Example: a nuker on a sub's recommendation for dismissal due to migraines. It doesn't diagnose the migraines, but it sure lets me know that this vet had a pretty serious problem in service, one so bad that it affected his fitness for his job.

If you had prescriptions for migraine meds while in service, you must have gotten the scrip from a doctor, unless you were just borrowing from a friend or something. A treatment record from a civilian doctor during your military service counts as a service treatment record. And yeah, lots of conditions are like that, where it doesn't really do any good to go to the doctor (hemmorhoids for example). We keep that in mind. But there is a line of thinking that depending on what the issue is, if certain issues aren't complained about they must not be too bad.

And don't even get me started on the exit physicals... I pretty much ignore those things unless they SUPPORT the veteran's claim. We know that you guys are willing to check any box and sign any form they put in front of you when it comes time to get out. But I've seen older ratings deny a claim on that basis. "Just claimed once in service, not in evidence on exit physical, denied as acute and transitory."

Hope that helps.

[MDB1968NM]

It does help tremendously James!  Thanks for the informed response!  I hope that when I file my claim, someone such as yourself will take the time and effort to see what is going on.  I think that I will be using a VSO to help me through the "pile-o-papers" I have sitting next to me.  I actually have one in mind that was recommended to me.  She really seems to care about getting things right the FIRST time.  I still have time to work my claim as I will be participating in the BDD program.  This site has been INVALUABLE in learning what I can.  Thanks to you and everyone for this help!  Hopefully someday I can return the favor!!!