ptsd Esophageal cancer

[marla.osgood]

Hi, I am new to this site and would appreciate any help I can get. My husband is in treatment for esophageal cancer. Radiation, chemo for the next 5 1/2 weeks with no surgery following. His chances of making it are slim, he is stage 3. He is 70% PTSD and has been denied tinnitus, Gerds, ankle on his appeal just this week. We have just sent in the claim for AO/esophagus cancer but from what I am reading the chances of winning are slim. He was in DaNang and was definitely exposed so that is not an issue. If he passes I will not be covered so we are trying hard to get this processed. Do I need an attorney and if so anyone know of a good one in Oregon with a win record?  We feel time is of the essence as the Dr says 6 months if the treatment given doesn't work. Any help here would be so greatly appreciated.   Thanks, Marla

[Navy04]

Welcome aboard and sorry to hear of your issues. Was there good supporting evidence for the conditions that were denied?  Is his PTSD bad enough that you could submit an FDC claim and request an Increase? Do you have Military evidence or buddy letters that support your husband was in De nang and exposed to AO? Can you post the actual denial decision, with your personal info blacked out of course, so we can see why those conditions were denied. Keep us posted and God Bless

[Berta]

Esophageal cancer is not an AO presumptive but cases have succeeded due to strong Independent Medical Opinions s, such as this BVA case:

http://www.va.gov/vetapp10/files2/1015689.txt

[marla.osgood]

I read this but can't really say I understood it. My husband has bad PTSD and as a result doesn't share what is in his head. It has been a rough 44 years and getting information is like pulling teeth. He has had Gerds about 1970 or so, he got out of the service in 1968. He was awarded his disability for PTSD 2 years ago. To this day he has never told me what he and the examining Dr spoke of as he just doesn't want to talk about it. He has had several skin cancers burned off and operated on thru the years but they were not malignant. The thing I don't understand is that the Gerds in my non professional opinion is a result of the PTSD. Anxiety causes acid indigestion, he bites his nails down to nothing, explodes at odd times, does not want to be around people and  now the adenocarcinoma esophagus cancer. He had his bowels shut down last fall and was hospitalized for 4 days and they never could find an obstruction, he has a tremor so strong he no longer can write and 3 years ago broke out with some kind of rash that he had to be put on mass doses of prednisone over a period of a year. After around 2 years it has calmed down, all this with no real answers as to why. He does not share much with his Dr's and I always have to prod him to let the Dr know what is going on. When he was seeing the Dr for his swallowing problems he got so paranoid that they thought he was drug seeking it was sad, again it took me to get a response from his Dr as he was lethargic and not eating. Maybe they would have caught this sooner if he would have opened up a Iittle more but that is part of PTSD. It was only me in the room asking questions that got anything done. I am fighting a battle just to get him to let me ask the Dr questions so getting buddies or Dr letters is almost impossible. He is very much a recluse and so private that getting him involved is very hard. We are working with the local VA rep and he is helpful, but now my poor little vet is getting worse and things are even harder to get done. All his treatment has been with the VA for the last 20 years and to get him into another private Dr at this time would not be beneficial to him in the middle of the cancer treatment. I haven't received the denial letter, but the rep at the VA let me know that is was denied. What to do and who to talk to at this point is where we are with this.

[marla.osgood]

I will post it when it comes in the mail, we only know as the VA rep called me with the news. Thanks for any help you might be able to give.