ptsd Ready To Cry

[JohnM]

Hi Everyone!

For a 2 months now I have been reading and posting questions, printing, referencing and cross referencing and today I'm just about in tears.

John had back surgery Feb. of this year, he found out he was a diabedic in april of this year, we didn't know anything about VA until July of this year, when we found out about VA, we got the doctor's reports of all illness's from diabedic, perpheiral neuropathy, hearing loss, tinninus, vertigo, cataracts, depression shoulder and other info.

we filled on July 10th. in the mean time I have been getting info from this site, checking everything I could check, writting a letter on Johns symptoms and today we recieved documents stating tthat we are working on your application for servise-connected compensation for PTSD, cataract,chronic upper respiratory condition and individual unemploybility. Left everything else out. Needless to say I seen this and Called our Rep, she wasn't in but the lady looked at the file and said that we put everything down. HOW DEPRESSING IS THIS!

They want specific details of the stressful incidents in service that resulted in PTSD which I wrote in my letter. They want Dr.'s reports which we gave them when we filed, Plus we gave them a Dr.'s letter, then for them to leave out the important parts of his health that is SC that we know for sure is so stressfull in that it self. John said he feels like writting down for PTSD is the stress of sending everything in and then being asked to send it again. I know its only been 2 months but this makes me want to cry, especially reading all the post and and the bull everyone else has gone thru.

I'm sorry, I'm just venting! Thanks for letting me!

John's Wife

[Patrick428]

John's Wife,

I do understand your plight with the VA and sometimes the VA can be insenstive as hell. I know, I worked for them for a good while and everyone eventually becomes a claim file number. It is not that the people there are not dedicated to what they are doing, and it is not to say there a a few bad fish in the barrel because there are quite a few. Most of the people who work for the VA are veterans themselves and do understand what is going on. But the system is so bogged down, that everything is reduced to a number and a process. A lot of claims are just sitting there because one minor piece of information is lacking. And until that piece is gathered, the claim sits.

I worked in a large VARO region and can attest to the vast number of claims that are filed. They are in the 1000s. The good claims that have solid evidence and have good information are usually swamped by the very marginal ones. For example, you have to know that for every good claim that comes through, there are the Rambo wannabee claims that fill the shelves, or the claims from vets who served in Germany during Vietnam and claimed Agent Orange exposure because they flew owver Vietnam to get to the Phillipines. Then for every 100 claims there is one that is filled with fraud and deceit. But they still have to be processed. So multiply that by a few thousand and you kinda get the idea.

Having said all this, the only thing you can do is comply with their request and furnish the information requested. And if you have too, furnish 5 times if necessary. Many people think that one person handles your claim at the VA when in fact several people do. All things are reviewed by teams and until all things are checked off will it finally go to the top to be signed off on.

If they want details about his stressors, then do so. I have posted on this site a self-report that will help you formulate what your issues are and how they play into stress and other illnesses. And if you write one or need assitance, send me a message by email here with your regular email and in return I will be glad to help you construct a good stressor letter.

Patrick

[Guest jstacy]

Believe it or not My first name is John and my middle initial is M.

This is the most frustrating, Unorganized, System in the Government. It was intended to be that way just to do what it did to John and You. They often dont read information we send in. I have even had them mis-quote the service record evidence..

It has been only 2 months and I am going to relay to you this advice.

Copy the information and put Johns claim number at the top of each page. Go ahead and resend the information again via certified mail (signature recipt). Go on the website and see who signed for it.

Then ask your vet rep to contact that person and verify it is there.

Ask on a Iris inquiry if they have received this information.

Then wait a litle bit for some type of response from IRIS.

Is John drawing SSDI / SSA.

If so, they will contact the SSA to get their records also.

Then relax, Do not let them get to you,

Remember, Be nice, Dilligent, and most of all, Keep on checking at least once per week.

You have every right to get frustrated, At one time or another we have been there.

We are here to help. Do not hesitate to im me to ask any questions.

John

[Guest jangrin]

Ms. JohnM,

Is the letter you received a VCAA letter? Also when you talked to the SO did you go in person or did you talk to her over the telephone?

I'm wondering if you actualy saw the copy of the claim that the SO filed for you. You need to make sure that the DMII is listed in the claim. That is your presumptive SC. The others are secondary. I would call or go over (with John) and ask to see the claim.

If DMII is listed then that is good. If not make an additional claim for DMII. Better to have to make another claim now than to catch it in a year from now.

Even though VA says they will get medical records from various providers for you, I would not trust that to happen. I would get copies of every doctors office visit, imaging study, x-ray, everything for everyone your husband has seen, also his SSDI records both medical and his award letter. I would try to get his service medical records and then his recent VAMC in patient and out patient records. Then you have a master of all documents.

Then I would organized and tab all records for each condition that he has claimed for VA SC. Then prepare a cover letter list all items inclosed. Make 3 copies. Give a copy to the SO and make a copy for the POA. Send in one to the VA. Then everyone is on the same page. Add additional records as John receives treatment and stay current.

I know that this is a lot of work but then you will be able to know that everyone has the same records. Send in to VA by certified mail or through the SO and you can be assured that they indeed received all John's records in order to make a determination. (this will help you sleep better)

Once the VA requests records they will wait for weeks and weeks to get them. That is silly, you can get copies yourself in just a couple of days. But the VA will request and never follow-up on their request. I worked in a doctor's office, sometimes records didn't get copied for a variety of reasons. You are the one who must gather the records.

It is easy to get frustrated, I know because I have vented here alot, I think it is us NEWBIES, but then you learn that everyone is going through this and they all have been there venting like us too. I suppose after we have been around for a while we will learn to take it in stride- this is war- we need to get through boot camp and AIT- Don't worry -you'll get it done-because it effects your husband and your life-you can do this even with tears in your eyes. Some of my best work is with tears in my eyes. Don't ever give up-

Hang in there-

Jangrin

[jimlane1949]

Hi Everyone!

For a 2 months now I have been reading and posting questions, printing, referencing and cross referencing and today I'm just about in tears.

John had back surgery Feb. of this year, he found out he was a diabedic in april of this year, we didn't know anything about VA until July of this year, when we found out about VA, we got the doctor's reports of all illness's from diabedic, perpheiral neuropathy, hearing loss, tinninus, vertigo, cataracts, depression shoulder and other info.

we filled on July 10th. in the mean time I have been getting info from this site, checking everything I could check, writting a letter on Johns symptoms and today we recieved documents stating tthat we are working on your application for servise-connected compensation for PTSD, cataract,chronic upper respiratory condition and individual unemploybility. Left everything else out. Needless to say I seen this and Called our Rep, she wasn't in but the lady looked at the file and said that we put everything down. HOW DEPRESSING IS THIS!

They want specific details of the stressful incidents in service that resulted in PTSD which I wrote in my letter. They want Dr.'s reports which we gave them when we filed, Plus we gave them a Dr.'s letter, then for them to leave out the important parts of his health that is SC that we know for sure is so stressfull in that it self. John said he feels like writting down for PTSD is the stress of sending everything in and then being asked to send it again. I know its only been 2 months but this makes me want to cry, especially reading all the post and and the bull everyone else has gone thru.

I'm sorry, I'm just venting! Thanks for letting me!

John's Wife

How involved is your husband working his claim? If he is marginally involved it puts alot of stress on you. Working together will help ensure that nothing is left out. Its like delegating certain parts of the claim so all the information is obtained. I hope this makes sense because one person working alone and doing all the work gets burned out.

[JohnM]

Thanks for all of your support! John is some what involved, but not like me. I'm trying to do this for him because for 26 years I didn't give a d--- about hearing about Viet Nam. I was stuiped and I know now that it didn't help John, He just kept things inside. I would not even go and watch the movie Good Morning Veit Nam with him and to this day have not seen it.

As far as John being of SSD yes he is, because of his back, he lost his job and the day before back surgery we got the letter that he was accepted. After back surgery and at 57 soon to be 58 who is going to hire you.

plus he's only had two Jobs and military in his life all were hard labor. Because of John's DMII and PN he can barly stand for more than 15 min. has trouble walking, and because of the vertigo or what ever his dizziness is from he has trouble with balance.

As far as the paper work goes I acctually filled it all out before we seen the Rep. So I know that DMII was first on the list and the letter we received yesterday Was from The regional office in Milwaukee.

What really bothered me yeserday is that our primary Dr. will not accept John's PN or catracts as part of DMII, the letter he wrote was all negative as far as connecting it to be service related so our Rep said we will not send this in, I asked if he would rewrite the letter and and the words least likely or not to it and he said no that was yesterday and then we get the letter from VA and most of John's problems are not listed. And how does that look without your primary Dr.'s letter, although we did get one from the Spine Dr. which are Rep sent in and that states that because of John's back surgery and John is still having problems He can not preform any more surgery and he has irrversiable nerve damage plus DMII and PN.

I have printed files to I'm blue in the face, I bet I have at least 100 folders but I will go thru each one and start all over again.

I

[JohnM]

Patrick I did print that stressor letter out and I will follow thru on that

Thanks