Bad News From A Friend

[john999]

One of my buddies from Vietnam emailed me today and told me he went to the VA ER today and they told him he was having congestive heart failure. He is 20% For DMII and the VA has low balled him on everything else. He is worried he is going to die. The VA doctor had been treating him for months and telling him not to worry about weakness that it was just DMII. I think he should sue this miserable bastard. Now he is in heart failure and his heart is full of fluid. What is his best course of action. I told him to see a real doctor outside the VA and file for service connection for the heart as secondary to the DMII but he is very sick. I was telling him about survivors benefits for his wife and that she should insist on pursuing this. I feel like I am telling him something but I am a day late and a dollar short. I told him to come here and post. My other two closest friends in Nam are already dead. The VA doctor at the ER told him he might die. Can you imagine what he is going through?

John

[john999]

My buddy is in Idaho. I am in Florida. I know they sent him home on some meds ,and I told him to go immediately to a private doctor. He has medicare. He tells me the care in Idaho is awful where he is now at the VA. He was in California but moved to Idaho for some reason. He is another AO victim. Maybe I can talk to him via the phone and get him going. He was always a free spirit and does not take kindly to being told what to do. I have been so pushy telling him to file this and file that and I know he is weak and short of funds. He does have two sons and a wife. I know he has been depressed for a long time since he moved to Idaho. It is just too cold but I think he wanted to get away to somehow start a new life. He also wanted to go back to Vietnam. I don't think his wife is up to fighting the VA for survivors benefits if he dies because she will have to prove it was due to his DMII. Most spouses are not like Berta and neither are most vets.

He has had a bunch of AO problems including lung cancer but the VA denied it. You have to be a pitbull to get all these things SC'ed. I don't want to depress him more but I told him to get a lawyer and sue the VA for this malpractice. They knew about his symptoms for months but did nothing. His legs were swelling up and the doctor just said that was normal for DMII.

[Guest jangrin]

John999,

I'm saddened to hear about your buddy. It sounds like you have been a long term good friend. I'm sure your buddy appreciates you and all your efforts and advice. Sometimes when people don't feel good it's all they can do to fight for thier health and all the other stuff takes a back seat. Keep helping with those things that your buddy and his wife allow you to do. It may not be everything you want to do but I'm sure it will mean a lot to your friend and his family. I'll say prayer for them and for you.

Jangrin

[Berta]

John-you are right- all of this sounds like it is secondary to the DMII.

And it sure sounds like malpractice.

He should, if he can, or with the wife's help, apply for higher rating and state that his heart condition is secondary.

Also he should attach a Section 1151 claim stating that he has suffered from additional disability of heart disease due to VA's negligence in treatment of his DMII.

And I think he should sue them too. I have posted the SF 95 here many times- he should ask for Millions and attach a separate statement that describes the medical situation he is now in due to VA health care.

Something appears to be drastically wrong with his VA care.

Maybe by filing more claims, this will help keep him going-claims are goals and can give a vet more to live for.

His depression too could be secondary to his diabetes.

The link of diabetes to congestive heart failure is a known medical fact:

http://docnews.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/2/22

He could even have renal disease and like Terry said- he might need dialysis.

With this low rating I know this family must be in dire financial need and that might get worse.

They should take action to file both the Sec 1151 claim and the FTCA claim.

He should try to get a good service officer that maybe could get this claim a resolve that is faster than usual.

The ER doctor told him he might die? He or the wife must take some action-especially if he is forced to continue to use VA care.

They should prepare to file the Sec 1151 and the Tort and get in touch with the Medical Director where he was given VA care at and where he will be getting it.

Actually that is more important than the claims-

Getting in touch with the Medical Director and asking some tough questions about his past and future VA care.

If the wife does this for him, she should make sure that the converstations and her concerns are documented by the Med Director in his med record file.

Been there done that-----and it can help get better care sometimes-

If he has to remain in VA care, this family has to make some demands and act fast due to his critical situation.

[john999]

Berta

I will tell him to get in touch with the medical director at the VAMC and ask about his future care at the VA. I will tell him to bring his wife and lay it out for them. I am not sure he is in any shape to be running around doing all these claims and is probably in shock. I was hoping a lawyer could run all this for him since he needs medical care. I told him to use his medicare and get a decent doctor.

[Berta]

He has Medicare? That is great!

He needs to be away from the VA anyhow-and you are right about them talking to a lawyer.

I am sure he is in shock.

The heart disease should have never progressed this far without treatment.

I think there is a pop up at hadit for Medical malpractice lawyers.

I didn't have a FTCA lawyer so I have no one to recommend.

This is such a disturbing situation. But hopefully with the right medical care, maybe things will change for him.

I would think the very first assessment from a Medicare doctor might reveal that his VA care was improper.

Edited October 13, 2006 by Berta

[kkp]

John999

I have had open heart surgery. I was fortunate that my wife had insurance and I am on medicare.

I cant imagine having to depend on the va for something that serious.

I also have a friend who went to the local va last month. They discovered he had an abdominal aortic an-eu-rysm where it splits and goes to each leg. The va helinetted him from the local va to Richmond. Believe it or not they didn't have a bed and sent him home (200 miles) That was on tuesday. they had him come back the following tuesday. He had a cold so they sent him home again to return the next tuesday.

He finally had the operation but ,spent 4 days icu. He is home now. He is 83 years old and a very lucky man as they tried every way they could to take him off the roster, but the old vet kicked ass again.

kkp