Term Lv In 2 Weeks! Requesting Help For Filing Initial Claim [long Post Warning}

[MDB1968NM]

Hi Folks,

I will TRY to cut to the chase as I spend more time talking with doctors now than I do with my family.

BLUF:  I will be on Terminal Leave starting in 2 weeks...12 Feb is my last day on Active Duty (terminal leave starts then).  My retirement date is 31 May.  I will be applying for the BDD (benefits delivery at discharge) program here within the next month.

Let me first state that this is going to be a LONG post....a bit embarrassing for me at times but I am looking for assistance here.  You all have been SOOOO helpful in research and support and I am here asking for some more of your time.

I have probably SCREWED up according to many people including my flight surgeon by NOT pursuing MEB/PEB actions.  I want to state up front...this has been MY CHOICE 110%.  When I entered the military, I wanted to serve my country and I entered into service:"that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God."  The reason I did not want to pursue such actions (MEB/PEB) is because I came into the service on my own terms AND want to leave this way as well.

So now that you know my rationale for my decisions, here is a disjointed summary (I am unloading a bunch so if it is too much just ignore it):

I underwent 6 knee surgeries on my knee due to an ACL blowout in 1990 while on Active Duty.  I have had multiple revisions to that and this ultimately ended up in a total knee replacement 7 months ago.  Three years ago I was in an aircraft severe turbulence incident that knocked a molar loose and separated both of my shoulders.  After a year and a half of sucking it up/complaining/trying to remain on flying status I finally demanded to have MRI's done on them.  Both shoulders had significant labral tears that have resulted in surgery on both of them within the past 17 months.  In 2004 I had an aneurysm one of my eyes that resulted in a blind spot in my central vision....not huge but just out of my direct field of view.  I was allowed to remain on flying status after much persuasion to the flight docs.  My other eye compensated enough to pass all my visual acuity tests, but the blind spot remains.  This has been documented on my amsler grid testing with a couple of times being either mis-annotated on my physical OR was something I really could have cared less about at the time...just get me in the air.

Fast Forward to the past 15 months....the USAF placed me on several drugs to get rid of the pain that I was enduring (and still do).  The list is long and distinguished...Oxycontin was the horrible part.  I was referred to a civilian pain management doctor to help wean me off of it so I could undergo my total knee replacement.  That was a success, however, the pain in my shoulders/lower back/plantar fasciitis remained. (all of these conditions are being treated still by civilian providers).  After the TKR, 7 months ago, my pain has increased twenty-fold.  Pain management has performed injections in my sacral region and more to come in my groin due to torn tissues in the pelvic region....WTH is going on????  I am also on morphine sulfate and percocet 6x daily to get through the day.

I referred myself (after discussion with my flight surgeon) to the Mental Health clinic for Chronic Pain problems and help with dealing with them.  I apologize for being disjointed but the treatment at mental health began when I started on the narcotics over a year ago.  The support that I have been receiving from them has been 100% incredible!  The psychiatrist literally saved my life....for things that I simply cannot get into here (I 'coded' and 'left the Earth' while at WHMC in 2006).  I have also been seeing a colleague of my MH doc who is a psychologist and has been prescribing Effexor for help in dealing with the pain receptors and my ability to deal with the pain.  I have also been on multiple drugs for insomnia due to the constant pain I am in.  They have agreed to continue seeing me until the issues are resolved even after retirement (I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS)!

Three months ago, my flight surgeon did a battery of blood tests that showed that I have a "strong" possibility of having an auto-immune disorder.  Will all the issues I have been having (too many to list tonight) he stated that it was time to see a Rheumatologist.  What has transpired since, has been a medical nightmare for my flight doc/pain doc/rheumatologist/gastroenterologist.  In December, chest pains that I have been having for a few years caught up with me.  My blood pressure shot up to 160's over 110's and my resting heartrate was over 110 beats per min.  After rounds of meds, we have found that HCTZ/Norvasc/Atenolol combination has reduced both the BP and HR to normal levels.  However, the pain in the chest persists as well as dry-heaving a few times per day.

A priority endoscopy was ordered just before Christmas and my esophagus is 'sloughing' off tissue in the entire lower half.  My stomach looks as though there is a cup of 'salmon eggs' coating the bottom to a depth of about 1/4" (as far as I can tell) and there is a ring of tissue right below my sternum that has restricted the size to less than half.  I have been treated with multiple proton pump inhibitiors and zantac to try to stop the esophagitis/gastritis that is happening.  The drugs have been of no help to date.

A month ago my Rheumatologist discovered that I am not making/absorbing Vitamin D and has stated that I have 'osteomalacia' which is in my terms "mushy bone syndrome".  Basically my bones are soft due to the deficiency and we are attempting to treat this now.  The Rheumatologist thinks that this is why my plates failed in my knee prior to the TKR and why the TKR is so awfully painful now with increased swelling.

Last week some of the 20 vials of blood 'donated' in the same week have come back to say that I have no measurable testosterone in my body.  I am awaiting an appt next week to see what we can do about this......geeze what else can go wrong?  Has my "warranty" expired...LOL....at least I have my humor right?????

There are a litany of  other 'issues' that pale in comparison to what I am going through now that are at the "bottom of my list":  Migraines 2-3 times per month with loss of vision for the past 18 months, numbness in the arms/hands, a shoulder that needs another surgery, herniated calf muscle, foot injections that have not worked (huge bone spurs perhaps???)...I could definitely write a novel.

SOOOOO....where am I going???  I have put off the retirement stuff to the very last minute (began the checklists/outprocessing/benefits briefs/reports/decorations for others) and I am in the final stretch.  I realize that my "date" to participate in BDD is rapidly approaching.  I have not yet contacted a VSO to help...but I will in two weeks.  I have a partial copy of my SMR's (2500 pages as of 6 months ago) and have been looking at them, albeit briefly.  My sole job now is to finally take care of MYSELF and figure out how to do the claim.  {{BDEWEY if you read this, you are the ONLY exception to this....whatever you need let me know}}

Any suggestions on how to proceed would be invaluable to me.  I will NOT be working after retirement.  I have decided to volunteer with the local canine shelter AND the Airman Family Readiness center.....time to give back to a hugely personal cause and to help others that have served as I have.

Thanks for all the help and at least letting me put a few things on the table.....I guess this my way of finally asking for some help.  I promise to 'pay it forward' and you can take that to the bank!

Regards,

Mike

NOTE:  I have obtained all of the MRI/CT SCANS/X-rays with reports from the civilian providers AND the VA (our Med group is co-located with the VA...I am still on Active duty until 31 May).  I have never been in the reserves/guard as some may ask.  20 years Active.  I was DNIFed in March 2008 due to vision loss from migraines and then the multiple surgeries on shoulders/knee.  Med Disqualified from flying 12 months ago finally.  My Commander (as well as a confidant/friend who I will admire for eternity), his wife, my docs....are all some of the most loving and caring individuals you could ever hope to know.

I have made my decision long ago to retire from the USAF and be with my family after 20 years of faithful service.  I want to retire on my own terms and NOT be retired due to some medical 'issues'....again many will think I am crazy, but it is what I will do.

[MDB1968NM]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE RESPONSES!!!!

This is one of the main reasons I check this site out on a regular (if not daily) basis since joining.  I know many of you do not know me from 'Adam' but after reading TONS of information here over the past year, I feel as if I have begun to know some of you a little bit from your posts.  What I genuinely love about this site is that there is rarely, if ever, any anger/ill-will expressed to new folks that post here....other sites are not like that.  I am certainly grateful for being allowed to participate here!!!!

With that being said, I will respond to the individual quotes below. [i apologize for the formatting but multi-quote is not working for me apparently]

Fanaticbooks stated:

MDB,

you might take a look at my website. It could be a good way to begin. It is free and offers guidance on researching, then organizing and finally assembling a va claim. I think you will find a lot of good info. And finally, On another website, Veterans Benefits Network, in the General Forum there is a topic that covers active duty military as they are leaving the service. It offers quite a bit of information that should help also.

TO Fanaticbooks:  I have been to your website quite a few times!  I KNOW that it was a labor of love to put that together and has really helped me begin gathering my information.  The VA rep that met with us during TAP classes stated that they did not need or want records "tabbed/highlighted"  and stated that just filling out the form and turning in our SMRs would suffice.  With a fairly large set of SMRs (2500+ pages) it would seem next to impossible for them to be able to go through this all.  I am a member at the VBN and will post my message that I wrote last night there as well.  Thanks for the tip!

Berta stated:

I suggest you try to contact a VSO from one of the main vet orgs now- but if you cant ,there might well be VSOs available through the transition process (BDD). 

In my opinion I think you should also apply for TDIU as well as SSA disability benefits.But you do intend to do volunteer work.So best to see what a vet rep suggests there.

I feel you should list your main disabilities first and then add anything that is secondary to them.There are many medical issues here that are potentially ratable and are documented in your SMRs.So best to list them all.

To Berta: Let me say this....your struggles with obtaining the benefits you deserve make me think that I am about incompetent at this!  I admire you more than you know from reading your posts and the help you provide here to everyone!  I also could not PM you when you helped a young airman I work with (bdewey) a couple of weeks ago...so I will reiterate this here...THANK YOU!!!!!

I do not know what is primary or secondary to things so I am hoping that a VSO can help me with this.  There are several of my squadron buddies that have retired in the past two years and have recommended many different VSO agencies.  I am fortunate in that the Regional VA Medical center is here in Albuquerque and is co-located with our active duty medical group.  The VA building that houses all the VSO agencies, along with the VA claims personnel is all of a 7 minute drive down the road.

Berta....also what are "TDIU" and "SSA disabilities"???  In all my reading, most likely my fault in not delving into those areas???

As far as guys that have gone through the process when retiring here, many have received their 'brown envelope' within two months of retiring due to the BDD program.  They all had relatively small SMRs compared to mine AND do not have anywhere near the issues that I have (most are still on-going and do not have a full diagnosis on what is going on yet).  I was informed by our VA rep at the TAP briefings that this is NOT a problem....an individual can still retire and have ongoing treatment.

Everyone of the guys that I spoke with, 11 in all that have retired recently, stated that they were shocked at what the VA awarded them on ratings....as in they never expected to get anything.  In my case, I know that due to the TKR I will be allowed to get 30% as a minimum.  With other issues still ongoing, I think that (hope anyhow) that 50% would not be unreasonable.  It may sound greedy, and I do not intend it to come across as such, but 50% seems to be the magic number for concurrent receipt.  That would make my family's live much easier and help out with the bills.

There are many things I would LOVE to do after the USAF (type of person who needs to do something at least go back to college for another degree) but many of my passions I simply cannot do because of my physical limitations....that stinks.  I would trade everything (aside from my family...LOL) to just have my health back!!!!!!!!

Broncovet stated: I dont know anything about this "BDD" program..it may work and you may get your benefits in 2 weeks. However, other VA programs have been less successful. Consider the "Post 9-11 GI Bill" program, implemented by the VA.

To Broncovet:  The Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program, we were told anyhow, tries to ensure that members that are retiring and have claims with the VA would have their records reviewed much faster than if they had waited until after retirement.  Thus far, from friends that have retired here, almost every one has had their 'brown envelope' within 2 months after their official retirement date.

I most certainly do not think with my issues this will be possible, but at least participating in this is a shot at getting the results a bit sooner if past experiences here at our base ring true.

I am considering getting another degree with the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  I am NOT going to pursue this until I get the health issues at least somewhat squared away.  The three things that have kept me SANE with all these issues going on are:  My commander, my docs, being VERY busy at work....being busy really helps keep my mind off of the pain and other associated problems....so when I do stop actually working in two weeks, I am a bit frightened that I will be more cognizant of the pain....Hence my desire to do some volunteer stuff if possible.

Commander Bob stated:

Congratulations on your upcoming USAF retirement, 'MDB1968NM'. I commend you on your tenacity and commitment to see this through. You chose no MEB/PEB. My only advice is not to be too stubborn, and as Berta suggested, to seek professional "Veterans" VSO council as you complete your career. Good luck in the future with your medical & VA issues.

To Commander Bob:  Thanks for the congrats!  I am really proud of my career and what I have done for the country.  It means a great deal when people say "thank you"....on Friday I was getting gas and the pump would not accept the card for some reason.  When I went inside to pay, the woman behind the counter said "Thank you for keeping us safe."....I told her that I was the one to be thanking her because it means more to me than just about anything when people express their gratitude for service men and women!

Being too stubborn....hmmmm....can you elaborate?  I am very stubborn and have a hard time asking for help.  However, NOW I fully realize that with my health issues continuing to go down the toilet, I know that I need help from people or I will simply explode.  Hence my 'plea' in this thread for assistance.

Pete53 stated:

In your case I don't see much delay for you getting your full VA Benefits. Like others I suggest that you get some help. For you and your family I suggest that you make your decisions on what is in your best interest and don't worry to much about how things look. You served and are owed benefits it is that simple.

Good luck you will be in my thoughts and prayers.

To Pete53:  Thanks for the input!  I am going to get help from our local VSO organizations....I will probably have to chat with a couple of them at least because of the perceived complexities (my opinion) and magnitude of the issues.  I know they are swamped and what I want to do is have an initial conversation with a couple of VSOs that I met during TAP classes.  Once they see my SMRs and private doc information hopefully they can glean some info on how to best proceed.

I am going to bring my SMRs to the conversations and have a list of things with some tabs from my research on my personal copy of my records.  Hopefully this will help them a bit initially!

___________________________________________

The summary of information on the computerized printout record that was listed in a visit in Jan 2009...I am not sure why they place all of this on every visit with the doc, but I will toss this out and see if anyone thinks that these things should be brought up on my initial claim. (NOTE:  This was the eval that was done in Jan 2009 and only lists things from 2008 to Jan 2009....I copied it exactly as written but did not make a list as it would be way to long):

I believe the above list just simply states the things that have I have been seen for over the year timeframe from March 2008 to Jan 2009.  I have not yet received my full SMRs or my mental health records (I was told by the records folks that I should have these by Friday)....all of the recent things are not contained in the SMR copy that a buddy made for me on his own a several months ago.  So the list above does not contain the things from my post earlier in this thread (aka anything post Jan 2009)....I am hoping that the "Official" copies I get on Friday will be totally up to date.

Does my approach sound feasible?  Talk with the VSO reps in a couple weeks once I have received my SMRs from Flight Surgeon, Chiropractor, Physical Therapy, Mental Health, Dental....AND as many of the civilian records I can obtain.  Prior to going to the first visit with the VSOs, compile a list of the major issues I have and then a list of the minor ones with my personal copy tabbed so that they can reference the pages?

BTW....getting medical records from the civilian offices is a bit of a pain but it is REALLY EXPENSIVE....my pain doctor ones (15 or so pages) cost $18.00....WOW!!!!!

Thanks again for all the INVALUABLE help and support.....

Regards,

Mike

Edited February 11, 2010 by MDB1968NM

[john999]

Get every scrap of documentation to present to the VA. If you don't get 100% I don't know the meaning of the word.

[cowgirl]

Congratulations, good luck and welcome to Hadit. With all you listed I am impressed the Flight Surgeon kept you activated. I am sorry that your health needs are what you've listed. To your benefit, Tricare will be good until you get VA claims ironed out. Be prepared to provide for yourself, (and family).

Two key documents are entry physical and exit physical exam. Please self advocate for a correct exit exam comment or correction. These documents seem nearly as important as any enlistment contract.

Oh, you may be able to collect unemployment upon retirement. or if health conditions keep you from being employed - maybe ssdi. I mention Social Security Disability Insurance only because of current credits needed to be eligible. Takes alot of effort to 'reclaim' and stay current to keep hard earned SS credits. (worked hard to keep mine from disappearing.)

Note, the VA health care system is for the veteran but disability benefits if high enough can include dependents. So when you file your first claim, do add all your dependents information. ALSO please, if you feel if you cannot work or are totally disabled, or anywhere near that - consider filling out the unemployability portion. I did not, but truly needed to at the time. My xxx,xxx.00 error based on advice from a well meaning ancient VSO! would have set my original date better.etc

One more note, my training records deliverd at discharge had errors but hard to correct them 'after retirement', more hoops and redtape. The error credited me with a 2 year technical school I never attended - extremely specialized and I never cracked a book! B)

Best to ya, glad to have ya aboard,

Cowgirl

[Berta]

TDIU-

Total Disabilty due to Unemployability-

If your service connecable disablities render you unemployable, the VA will award you TDIU.

I will attach the form.

TDIU pays at the same 100% SC comp rate- $2,673 per month vet, with spouse $2,823.

SSA disability- if the SSA finds you unemployable due to disability(ies) you can receive the SSA along wth the TDIU check with no offset of any benefit.

If VA awards you TDIU-this is great evidence for SSA and vice versa.

One thing I am not sure of- when my daughter was discharged from USAF (7 years) they mentioned at the transition briefings that these newly discharged servicemen and women were eligible for unemployment compensation.

There were lifers as well as enlisted in the briefngs so I guess they meant everyone. ???

But if a vet is so disabled they cannot work (or they do not have that TDIU determination yet) I wonder if they could still apply for unemployment insurance and whether this would stop when they apply formally for TDIU?

My daughter saved enough money to go gain some college credits and see how her DOD job turned out after service. The TS clearance took months.

At some point she did get some unemployment checks and was surprised at how smoothly that went for newly discharged

veterans.I hope that is still the case.

She advised me to tell everyone here how important these transition briefings are and the info is excellent but overwhelming.

There was a VA guy and a vet rep at one briefing giving an overview of the VA claims process.

(Not the nitty gritty as we know it but a fairly good overview)

On Question # 18 check Yes and apply for SSA

On # 25 Remarks you can refer them to a separate page with your service number (or C file number when you get one) name address etc and tell them anything they need to know as to how your service connected disabilities render you unemployable.

Tell them the side affects of any meds that could cause unemployability-like do not take and drive,can cause confusion,drowsiness etc.

And be sure to check out CRDP CRSC under the search feature up top here.

Make copies of every single form, or letter etc that you send to the VA and get a proof of mailing for everything you send. They lose stuff.

Time to start a manila file collection-

One for DD 214s and that stuff

One for all VA correspondence to and from-

One for any print out here that you might want to save etc etc

I have 20 years of VA Ola. It pays to SAVE everything.

TDIU_21_8940.pdf

[MDB1968NM]

John999, Cowgirl, and Berta...

Thank you all immensely for the support and advice.  I am going to the vets benefits class and disability class again tomorrow.  Hopefully to gain some more information and ask a few questions while I am there.  I have gone through this before (Aug/Sep) of last year but it was all a firehose and now that I know more...and am just a few days from terminal leave, I need to get cracking!!!

I will ask about the TDIU stuff while I am there.  We have what seem to be very good VA support here so I am sure they will have an answer or two for me.

Still awaiting my records....hopefully by Friday.  I have managed to get my dental and mental health records today.  I also realized that I need to become a 'resident' here and do all the things associated (register to vote in this state, get a state driver's license as my old one will not be valid, etc).

What I did find out is that I need a Social Security Card.  All of my life I have NEVER had one.  Just a number.  It has never been an issue because my military ID always had my SSN on it.  So I went to the SS Administration this afternoon.  OMG...I was shocked at the number of people there.  Fortunately I was still in my uniform and a woman approached me and asked what I needed.  I explained that I needed a SSN card as I had never had one before.  Well I suppose one of the final benefits of actually wearing the uniform actually happened!  She whisked me off to the side, asked for my ID, asked questions to make sure I was who I said I was and WHAMMO....I was out the door in all of 12 minutes!!!!!!  

I am going to print out this thread and take it with me later on tonight so I have it at the briefing to see if there is anything that I am unsure of.  Good to have my binder of notes there...I am a creature of habit writing everything down.

I am sure the questions will continue to flow here this evening and into the future.  Thanks soooo much for all the assistance folks!  It means alot!

Mike 

[MDB1968NM]

Two key documents are entry physical and exit physical exam. Please self advocate for a correct exit exam comment or correction. These documents seem nearly as important as any enlistment contract.

They seem to have all my entry physical stuff.  The retirement physical was more of a discussion between my doc and I for over an hour.  I did not have enough space on the form to put all of the things but just the current things from my last physical.  The doc also managed to fill out the entire back portion of the form.  He also chatted with me about getting another PCM after retirement hits.  He does not want me to go with a general physician but has recommended that I get an internal medicine doctor.  I am researching that now.  Flight doc is a really good guy and wants to have a conversation with my new PCM so that they are aware of all the things that are going on.