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rpowell01

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I want people to know that if you are using Chapter 31 benefits and come to the point in your life where you know you need to stop then stop. Don't play the games with yourself in thinking you can keep going because it will hurt you later on. I started College in June 2010 and today I finally had to stop going and drop my classes. A person can only take so much pain and once that pain reaches at that high point it will affect your thinking, memory and being able to retain things. I had 3.8 GPA all the way up the last July. Right before this my lower back went out in June and I ended up at the ER. Already having to deal with radiculopathy in my arms and pectorial muscles in my chest now I have to deal with radiculopathy in both my legs, feet and toes more right than left. My GPA as started going downhill and so instead of lying to myself, the VA and my college I have decided to step away for awhile.

I do have a few epidurals scheduled in April and May and if they help I will start back but for right now I am done.

It hurts but it hurts me more lying to myself.

Again, don't lie to yourself and if your GPA starts going down, take a break for awhile because you will regret it later.

Rob

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I want people to know that if you are using Chapter 31 benefits and come to the point in your life where you know you need to stop then stop. Don't play the games with yourself in thinking you can keep going because it will hurt you later on. I started College in June 2010 and today I finally had to stop going and drop my classes. A person can only take so much pain and once that pain reaches at that high point it will affect your thinking, memory and being able to retain things. I had 3.8 GPA all the way up the last July. Right before this my lower back went out in June and I ended up at the ER. Already having to deal with radiculopathy in my arms and pectorial muscles in my chest now I have to deal with radiculopathy in both my legs, feet and toes more right than left. My GPA as started going downhill and so instead of lying to myself, the VA and my college I have decided to step away for awhile.

I do have a few epidurals scheduled in April and May and if they help I will start back but for right now I am done.

It hurts but it hurts me more lying to myself.

Again, don't lie to yourself and if your GPA starts going down, take a break for awhile because you will regret it later.

Rob

I stepped away in 1988 and went back to work..... first it isn 't going to be easy to get approval to restart, second you will regret it later on down the line.....

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If a SC disability hinders pursuit of Voc Rehab Chap 31,then this is good evidence for TDIU at the 100% rate.

If a vet is un-vocrehabable due to SC (I think made that word up)

then the veteran is unemployable due to SC .

The CHap 31 counselor has to document this. Your Voc Rehab records are not part of your C file or ed reecs, unless VA changed that in the last 20 years.

You did well. The fact your grades changed is prime facie EVIDENCE for TDIU.

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If a SC disability hinders pursuit of Voc Rehab Chap 31,then this is good evidence for TDIU at the 100% rate.

If a vet is un-vocrehabable due to SC (I think made that word up)

then the veteran is unemployable due to SC .

The CHap 31 counselor has to document this. Your Voc Rehab records are not part of your C file or ed reecs, unless VA changed that in the last 20 years.

You did well. The fact your grades changed is prime facie EVIDENCE for TDIU.

Not really.. I was an a-b student .. It got the the point that I was getting incomplets and F's.... (in 1988) .... I was never nor would I consider this as a reason for TDIU.. of couse this was way before the internet, and most of us had no idea what TDIU even was... But even today many veterans just quit because they get tired of the class room, and go back to work... oftern times it is because thay chose a field that they find to hard to master.....

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Well some veterans are different. I worked 10 years before my injury, for almost 20 years after my injury and it got worse in those tweny years. I didn't know what degenerative meant before January 2010. My issues relate to pain and trying to learn. Those two things don't mix together well. Then on top of that the mental stress the pain has caused pretty much wipes out the thinking process that goes into researching for homework and taking tests. I was doing great, I had a 3.8 GPA and then my lower back goes out last June and I had to got to the VA ER to have a shot to relieve pain I was experiencing in my legs. They felt like rubber, in a lot of pain and I wasn't able to walk right, I had to put a hand on the wall as I walked. The shot helped but since that time my legs, feet and toes have gotten worse. I can't even sleep at night because of the pain. I take Tramadol, Gabapentin and Meloxin, none of them work. Its actually worse than the pain in my arms and shoulders I experience every single day.

Does anybody else know of any other meds,beside narcotics (my last resort), that will help?

Whenever somebody has cervical, thoracic and lumbar DDD its a whole different world than just having one of those issues causing problems. Now I have three times as much to deal with and its not fun. Trust me my Vocational Rehab Counselor told me straight out that she doesn't think I can go back to work. She understands the slow process of the St Pete RO and that is why she is still allowing me to do my college. Basically she is waiting for their decision for my IU.

I was told by a certain person everybody knows on here that it was going to get worse and he has been right 100% so far and I just didnt' believe him or too ignorant to believe him.

I have talked with my Voc Rehab Counselor. She wants me to try taking at least one class and see if that helps. Can I go back to work? I can tell you that whenever the onset of all the radiuclopathy became active in January 2010 I worked up until I couldn't go any longer until May of 2012. I worked as a Corrections Officer all my life and in 2002 I realized I needed to change careers and began working in Information Systems. 2009 I was laid off and had no choice except to go back working in Corrections. I see it this way, I can go back working in IT (which I am pursuing my degree) but I realized that if I can't sit here and do my college studies what makes me think I will be able to go back in IT and sit at a computer all day. Its not going to happen as long as my legs, feet and toes keep hurting.

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BTW Berta I am looking into transferring to AMU, I think you recommended that? Anyway I feel their curriculum is more heavy for my degree than Florida institute of Technology. I discussed everything with my Counselor and she agrees I should try at least one class at a time. Maybe the epidurals I have setup will help but I know that is a 50-50 chance either way. I am not getting my hopes up because the last one only lasted 10 whole days.

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