hypertension Any Suggestions To Making This Better?

[Testvet]

To Whom It May Concern, 21 October 2011

I am currently rated at 100% for PTSD and 60% for CAD and 10% for hypertension, and this year has been a very active one medically.

On April 8, I was admitted to Lexington Medical Center after suffering a heart attack while still in ICU I sufferred an more severe heart attack which the doctors felt a medically induced coma was a necessity, when I was brought out of it, they had gathered my family from across the nation as they did not expect me to live, I was also in severe CHF. They transferred me from ICU, one ICU unit to another ICU at MUSC in Charleston for an evaluation for a VLAD device or recommendations for a new CABG, a heart transplant or a heart and lung transplant, by April 28th they told me none of these options were viable for me and sent me home on a medicate only treatment schedule.

In June I was having trouble breathing, I went to my Primary Care doctor at Augusta VA where they put me on 2 liters of oxygen due to the low 02 levels I was having 84 and 86, my heart was not pumping enough blood thru the lungs and getting enough air into them. A week later I again went into CHF failure and spent from 8 June thru 28 June in intensive care, where it was recommended I have a biventricular pacemaker.defibrillator installed to see if it would raise my 10% ejection fraction and give me a better quality of life. This surgery was done on 14 September authorized by the VA at Providence Hospital in Columbia, I was just released back to my cardiologist at Dorn a Dr Chiu.

It is my understanding that with the AICD device my cardiac issues should now be rated at the 100% level. Since I have further been weakened by the heart attacks and CHF, I am in my power chair or a regular wheel chair most of the time now due to a lack of breath and strength. This is causing problems in my home as the wheel chairs are to wide for the bathrooms in our home.

Is there a program available to us to enlarge the bathroom to make it more handicap accessible?

My psychiatrist and primary care doctor also believe that I am eleigble for the Aid and attendance program as I depend on my spouse to care for me, bath me, prepare all my meds, I have always had to hire my yardwork done as I have never been healthy enough to do it since we purchased the home in 2006. I haven't driven due to my SC issues since May 2000 and my wife has to drive me everywhere, she is more my care taker than anything else these days.

Also since I have been treated for PTSD and cardiac conditions my sex drive is gone and has been since 2002 or 2003 and I would think I qualify for the K award for ED.

I am asking you to please update my current disability status to reflect these new issues and for you to authorize any and all benefits that I am entitled to from the Veterans Administration, since I can no longer walk and spend my time in one wheel chair or another, is help in obtaining a vehicle to get a lift for my power chair possible? What grants are available for adapting my home to make it more wheelchair friendly?

I currently have the 10,000 free life insurance and the 20,000 optional life insurance that I pay for, has Congress authorized higher amounts of life insurance for totally disabled veterans?

I want nothing that I am not entitled to, but I would like all the benefits available to my wife and I.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Michael G Bailey

I know the K award is like 96 a month but how much is aid and attendance and if I have 2 100 rated issues does that change my SMC S to a higher rate? If I don't know and don't ask I won't ever learn will I? thanks to all who read this and more thanks to any and all that can answer these questions I want to get this in before the end of the month

off topic the VA has paid all of the ER and ICU stays at Lexington Medical for the CHF in April and June 23 days each time and they paid for the Biventrcular device and surgery at Providence Heart Hospital and a month of medical follow up I have now been released back to the CHF clinic at the VA no arguing about the bills or anything it was so smooth I was shocked

Edited October 21, 2011 by Testvet

[john999]

TestVet

I would claim A&A and if denied I would hire a lawyer. Why aggravate yourself doing the legal work? I think I would make specific claims, and not leave it up to the VA to decide what you might be entitled to get. Maybe you ought to go consult with a VA lawyer and see what he thinks you should ask for. Then if you ask for it and are denied hire him/her to get it for you.

[Berta]

Yes=the A & A regs are here under search with much discussion.

Also you sure might be eligible for a Special adaptive housing grant and we have discussed that program here at hadit too.

They paid for alterations to a friend of mine's bathroom (100% P & T 1151 and SMC) and also paid for another disabled vet I know for his inground swimming pool.( also 100% P & T SC and SMC.

The pool was needed to maintain the circulation in his right leg after losing his left leg in Vietnam as well as provide him exercise.They also [aid for other alterations in his home due to all of his SCs.

I have a A & A posthumous claim pending under Nehmer and found considerable medical evidence in my husband's records to support it. I also gave a statement in support as I was his caretaker.

His SSA records as well revealed evidence for Posthumous A & A award.I am seeking a higher level then that as accrued SMC posthumous award but what I claimed at SMC high level required that A & A be determined first as do most all of the step progressions of SMC, after SMC S and SMC K.

It pays to go over all the info here on all levels of SMC as this benefit ,in my opinion, is never claimed by many and often their SOs and reps dont have a clue how it works.

Good Luck Mike-you deserve EVERYTHING you can get.

[Testvet]

John my favorite VA lawyer came to the ICU to write my will and a legal paper for my wife to be able to tell the docs what to do for me if I wasn't able, when her firm sent me a bill for it she got pizzed and told them it was pro bono and zero out the bill, she has moved back to Miss I am going to miss her I hope the vets in Mississipi realize what an asset they are getting for legal help if they decide to retain her. She is the best I have ever seen.

my pool liner is leaking maybe I can get them to replace it rofl

I am sure the renovations to the bathroom and the doors will be a lot higher than 4,000 so I will need one of the larger grants. Berta I am also under the impression that if I can get one of the higher housing grants then we will be eligible to get mortgage insurance from the VA to pay off the house when I pass, we still owe 163,000 it would be nice if she didn't have to pay the home loan every month

I probably should have filed claims for some of this stuff earlier but I wasn't up for it mentally or physically now I am.....

[Teac]

John my favorite VA lawyer came to the ICU to write my will and a legal paper for my wife to be able to tell the docs what to do for me if I wasn't able, when her firm sent me a bill for it she got pizzed and told them it was pro bono and zero out the bill, she has moved back to Miss I am going to miss her I hope the vets in Mississipi realize what an asset they are getting for legal help if they decide to retain her. She is the best I have ever seen.

my pool liner is leaking maybe I can get them to replace it rofl

I am sure the renovations to the bathroom and the doors will be a lot higher than 4,000 so I will need one of the larger grants. Berta I am also under the impression that if I can get one of the higher housing grants then we will be eligible to get mortgage insurance from the VA to pay off the house when I pass, we still owe 163,000 it would be nice if she didn't have to pay the home loan every month

I probably should have filed claims for some of this stuff earlier but I wasn't up for it mentally or physically now I am.....

I am sorry to hear your doing poorly. You should know that based on what you stated you do not qualify for the adapted housing grant. But you may qualify if you are able to get additonal ratings.

You may qualify for the (HISA) Home Improvement structual alteraltions grant, the Hisa grant requires a va doctor to indicate that you need you home to be modified for a wheelchair . I think the max grant is now $6100.

Hisa VA Handbook: http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1681

adapted housing requirements are: Part 1 : http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/docs/part1_va_pamphlet_26_jrd_edits_doc.pdf

Part II: http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/docs/part2_va_pamphlet_26_jrd_edits_doc.pdf

The Specially Adapted Housing Grant is available to veterans or servicemembers

who are entitled to compensation for permanent and total service-connected

disability due to:

a. The loss, or loss of use, of both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion

without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.

b. Blindness in both eyes having only light perception, plus loss or loss of use of one

lower extremity.

c. The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity together with

(1) residuals of organic disease or injury, or

(2) the loss or loss of use of one upper extremity.

Item (1) and Item (2) above must so affect the functions of balance or propulsion as

to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair

[JR Reihs]

I will go out on a limb and disagree with Teac and state that with your heart and lung condition being SC then it would seem that the loss of use covers under,

"The Specially Adapted Housing Grant is available to veterans or servicemembers

who are entitled to compensation for permanent and total service-connected

disability due to:

a. The loss, or loss of use, of both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion

without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.

Being confined to a wheelchair or power chair as you are would seem to be the same under loss of use without aid. Just because you physically have your legs does not mean you can use them.

I would apply for the whole housing grant, you have nothing to lose and I think your case stands for a very good argument for the whole enchilada not just the HISA.

[Teac]

I will go out on a limb and disagree with Teac and state that with your heart and lung condition being SC then it would seem that the loss of use covers under,

Let me be very clear.. I do not take any joy in telling a veteran he does not qualify for a specific benefit. In this case, based on what TestVet stated he does not have the service connected disability to qualify for adaptive housing.

What should be understood is that just because a veteran takes to a wheehchair doesn't make them qualified for adapted housing unless the veteran is service connected for medical conditions that are specifically mentioned in the rules.

That doesn't mean that Test Vet can't get adapted housing. It means that he would have to prove medically that his reasons for being in a wheelchair are secondary to his heart and lung disease. Specifically, he is going to need to show loss of or

loss of use of his legs secondary to his already service connected conditons. That may or may not be hard to do, since I am not a doctor I don't know. But I do know that in my case with the required ratings It still took me three years to get my adaptive

housing grant approved on appeal and another year before I was allowed to use it.

While waiting on the adaptive housing grant it is a good idea to request the hisa grant which is more than enough to get the bathroom modified and doors modified to take care of the immediate needs.