Losing What Left Of My Mind With Insane Amounts Of Medical Records

[retiredat44]

My VSO wants more records and organized.. At this point i am still waiting for my military personal records, i have all others. I have too many large boxes and folders. My wife is going to help me sort and organize. I am unable to get across in a forum of the large amount of records. this absolutely punishing. I have one good eye left that has had prvious catarat surgery. My bsad eye has catracts and may also have Glaucoma (I jus thad a checkup and they found more problems..

So going through papers is very hard to say the least..

the burden of proof must be for me to dig thought records as I am gulity unilt proven innocent..

This is monumental and I lose my sanity every day...

Reading medical records os cose to impossible because i don't inderstand the doctor writing and medical terms..

This is what I am going through after my DRO hearing..

next week my wife says she can start helping me organize my medical records.. I am tempted to show a photos of the boxes surrounding me,, really really insane... with the workd of computer, why can't they look using key word searches?/ wtf??

anyone know what to have when you are in this position of having too many records/

thank you,

Edited December 25, 2010 by retiredat44

[Berta]

Great advise Fantastic-

I did exactly what you suggested for my AO IHD claim.

My husbands ischemic heart disease was malpracticed on and he and I never knew he had significant heart disease.The head cardiologist at Syracuse, when I asked him about any heart conditiond he might have,(after another EKG and ECHO was done) told me nothing was wrong with my husband's heart.

The VA has never rated his heart disease but did grant me DIC under 1151 mentioning this as a 1151 disablity years ago and earleir this year I got direct SC death DIC award due to AO.Again no DC or raing for the IHD (I had filed a CUE claim on this in 2004 - and with Nehmer people and still pending)

I had to seek every single medical record over a 6 year period and all the FTCA reports so that I could prove my husband had IHD, it was noted in the medical records and acknowledged n 3 peer reviews for my settlement yet remained unrated and had no DC code in any decisions-not even the recent AO award.

But after I copied these records I managed to put them right back in order right away in the med rec files.

Same as with my A & A claim.

My keeping them in the same order by date that I received them in it helped me to prepare not only my original 1151 and FTCA claims but also my other AO death claim.

The best thing is to try to maintain focus on the specific disabilities,

Eventually, have everything sorted, but if you know the disability you are addressing,as you stated: " then maybe just look for those documents first, organize them by year/date and doctor...then work the contents."

You are right- and it pays to try to keep the focus simple.

It is easy to have your mind wander when you get glazed over on detailed med recs.

Past SOCs and SSOC are invaluable to read and re-read when you have other claims issues.

VA will often put their foot in their mouth in SOCs and sometimes this can be used against them for a new claim.

For example in an old SSOC the VA doc said my husband had "hyperlipidemia".

I didnt have a clue what that was and found nothing in his med recs or blood charts with that word in them.

Then after I began study endocrinology I realized this meant high blood lipids indicative of (in his case) undiagnosed diabetes and atherosclerosis.

This is a good topic because nothing is more frustrating and intimidating then a big pile of paperwork that holds the keys to the claim.

I just wish that disabled vets didn't have to do this work but it pays off.

So-

Great advise Fantastic-

I did exactly what you suggested for my AO IHD claim.

My husbands ischemic heart disease was malpracticed on and he and I never knew he had significant heart disease.The head cardiologist at Syracuse, when I asked him about any heart conditiond he might have,(after another EKG and ECHO was done) told me nothing was wrong with my husband's heart.

The VA has never rated his heart disease but did grant me DIC under 1151 mentioning this as a 1151 disablity years ago and earleir this year I got direct SC death DIC award due to AO.Again no DC or raing for the IHD (I had filed a CUE claim on this in 2004 - and with Nehmer people and still pending)

I had to seek every single medical record over a 6 year period and all the FTCA reports so that I could prove my husband had IHD, it was noted in the medical records and acknowledged n 3 peer reviews for my settlement yet remained unrated and had no DC code in any decisions-not even the recent AO award.

But after I copied these records I managed to put them right back in order right away in the med rec files.

Same as with my A & A claim.

My keeping them in the same order by date that I received them in it helped me to prepare not only my original 1151 and FTCA claims but also my other AO death claim.

The best thing is to try to maintain focus on the specific disabilities,

Eventually, have everything sorted, but if you know the disability you are addressing,as you stated: " then maybe just look for those documents first, organize them by year/date and doctor...then work the contents."

You are right- and it pays to try to keep the focus simple.

It is easy to have your mind wander when you get glazed over on detailed med recs.

Past SOCs and SSOC are invaluable to read and re-read when you have other claims issues.

VA will often put their foot in their mouth in SOCs and sometimes this can be used against them for a new claim.

For example in an old SSOC the VA doc said my husband had "hyperlipidemia".

I didnt have a clue what that was and found nothing in his med recs or blood charts with that word in them.

Then after I began study endocrinology I realized this meant high blood lipids indicative of (in his case) undiagnosed diabetes and atherosclerosis.

This is a good topic because nothing is more frustrating and intimidating then a big pile of paperwork that holds the keys to the claim.

I just wish that disabled vets didn't have to do this work but it pays off.

So-

[mortarman]

I no it is a pain,but it will pay of in the end.Mortarman

[fanaticbooks]

Just some other suggestions as you begin....

1. Get some MORE boxes....empty. I would buy those file boxes that you can get at Office Depot or Staples that are about $7-$9 for six boxes. They are simple to buy and have a space on the front for a box number, title, location...whatever.

Use these boxes to sort into.

File the stuff in boxes with labels such as:

Hospitals

Doctors--

General

Heart

Eye

Whatever

Military---Vietnam

Military--Camp Lejune (whatever, just example)

2. Sorting:

Now, go through and find the specific doctor/hospital/military (whatever) and as you find documents, dump them neatly into its box. Label on outside of box who or what as well as years. Write on the outside of the box all over it if necessary. I have. Keep in mind that if you have small amounts of specific, you can dump a bunch of different folders into one box...just as long as you label on the outside what is there.

If you can specify for a disability, write on the outside of the box so it is easy to spot. Use Colored Markers, such as Red, for writing the disability. Thus you can spot that easily.

3. As you empty out a full box, turn around and use THAT box to fill with new documents, doing the same thing.

4. Number the boxes as you go...1, 2, 3, 4....

If more than one box for a specific item (i.e., hospital, doctor, whatever) than label the boxes 1a, 1b, 1c and so on so you know how many for that specific one. Later as you delve into them more, you can always sort them even finer, but for now it allows you to perhaps control it better.

5. Make a list as you go.

Just write down the name of the doctor/hospital/whatever, possible disabiilty if you wish and the box number.

By doing this, you can then go back to sort and research by scanning your list and choosing which box to work.

Doing this rough sort, cubbyholes your information. You then don't have to work a whole bunch at once, but can still find something as you investigate.

Eventually, you should be able to see daylight.

6. When you begin the actual working of contents, create a system easy to see.

You said your eyes are kind of bad, well, choose bright colors to flag specific boxes--stickers or markers, anything that is easy to see. Put that same color next to the list you have so you can look for the box that way to pull to work.

When you begin working the information actually in the document, do so knowing the disability.

7. Research your disability. Try Medlineplus if necessary. Check for medications and side effects.

Once you know symptoms, studies, tests that a doctor does, you might be able to skim the medical documents easier. Highlight any information you find and note on a piece of paper date and doctor.

Once you have those documents narrowed down, you can just copy those to send with your report.

8. Another suggestion.....

When you find these documents that are pertinent, make copies of them. Then take these copies and put in a folder at the front of that doctor/hospital/whatever or put in a box just for copies you have found. Return the original to its spot in the box.

Now, all of these are suggestions for when you basically start and then begin the process. You can refine it as you find time and energy to sort even closer. However, it might be a place to start.

Good luck.

fanaticbooks