Sleep Apnea Claim

[EODCMC]

Hi, I am a 30 year retired vet. I retired 13 years ago. I as recently diagnosed with "very severe" obstructive sleep apnea. The machine they gave me is preset on the highest output flow. My episode exceed 35 times an hour with some lasting more than 30 seconds. 

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a couple of years prior to retirement and the study and diagnosis is documented in my record. In fact, they wanted to operate on my uvula. There lies the rub. The operation could have ended my career so I didn't persue. Additionally, while on active duty I developed severe chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis and this also is documented in my service health record. I have been living with this and chalking it down to getting old.

Fast forward...I recently got a machine that they say I have to wear for the remainder of my life. I just learned that Tricare Prime does not pay for it all. So, I researched online and submitted a claim the E-benefits and it has been received and was under review until today when they changed this to "gathering of evidence" Development Letter Sent.

Does anyone know what this means? What do I have to look forward to concerning the process. I watch the news. It doesn't look good, right?

thanks in advance.

[EODCMC]

Andy, I only now have had chance to read your comment thoroughly. I want you to know that you can have my place also. I have a good job and I am on CPAP. The money would be helpful but I am in a good place. I do have health issues that are connected to my service time and I wouldn't be grudge being compensated, if I am entitled. If someone is deemed more important, I'm ok with that. 

The problem is the timeline. Whenever I give someone 3-6 months to complete a task, they typically start on day 150. I think that is the VA problem. If they triaged the very urgent vets, like yourself and told me mine would be complete on day 180, I would never look for a status. But, if there are 5-6 steps and we are still on step 1 on the 70th day, I have to believe we are not trying hard enough. To me, this whole E-benefits thing is just a ruse so the VA can say they are getting better.

I also think there are too many folks that are trying to get over on the system. If one person dies while waiting on help, shame on these people. This comment is meant for no one in particular. They know who they are.

Andy, you really sound like someone with genuine need. I pray you find your help today.

[EODCMC]

"Get the DBQ, be sure it's in your VMC Med Records (within 3 days, posts on your MHV), File an FDC attaching a copy of the DBQ. Sit back and relax, you'll get a C & P or an Award/Denial Letter in 2 - 6 months. FDC's are the only way to Fly."

Gastone, by saying the FDC is the only way to fly, do you mean the alternative is that much worse? That is truly sad commentary. The VA is truly broken and they are not advocates for veterans. Congressmen and Senators should be forced to read 10 of these blogs a week. Veteran's lives matter!!

oh, and you, Buck, Berta and others should be rewarded for the help you give our veterans. Thank you!!

Edited July 13, 2016 by EODCMC
Typo

[Andyman73]

Thanks, EODCMC I appreciate that.  See, here's the thing, I tried to drink myself out, a few times, which resulted in a few lost days on the floor of my barracks room, and nobody noticed, since each time my roomie was out of town.  And plenty of black outs with no memory of anything.

And then I was seconds away from running a blade down the length of my forearms and a fellow Marine caught/stopped me with my hand in motion. 

From there he took me to my division chief, an O-3, who didn't know what to do, so he sent me to the base Chaplain.  We talked for 30 minutes....and that was it, that was the extent of my MH evaluation.  No medical or mental health doctors, no therapy, no follow up from my chief or the Chaplain.

Guess who felt like they didn't matter, that no one was concerned about them?  It must have been true, because if either my chief or the Chaplain had made an official report, wouldn't someone have looked into it?  Maybe suicide in the early mid-90s Marine Corps was a hidden/ignored issue.

I even mentioned it once or twice on health questionaires while still in, and then at my first VA eval/checkup where I initiated contact, to get in the system for regular treatment, nothing either.  And that was only ten months after my EAS.

And like a tiny splinter that gets infected, if left go, can then, infect the whole body and poison it, and end up causing death, from a tiny ignored splinter.

Yep, beyond falling down some stairs in the very beginning, there was really no other specific event that happened.  Even getting picked up for public intox, which got me an Article 15/NJP, happened a little over a year after the wrist cutting attempt. 

I had trouble sleeping due to the pain from that fantastic voyage down the stairway(not to heaven, tho), and started drinking to help fall asleep. I even used OTC sleep aids, which helped but left me too groggy in the morning.  That drinking took me down the road to the aforementioned NJP.

Finally, 17 years later, I called the hotline as I was about to step off the point of no return. I've been in treatment 13 months now, and only feel slightly better. My VA therapist is pretty good, but can't help me.  Tells me that regs prevent him from doing a DBQ or writing a nexus letter on my behalf.

It all started with a quick flight down a 12 step stairway, on day 5 of Boot Camp.

Okay, cork back in the bottle, bottle buried back in the dark reaches of my mind.....

Edited July 14, 2016 by Andyman73

[EODCMC]

Awe Andy, I wish I had some words to ease your pain. I'm not smart enough. I'd sit on a bench and listen though. I wish you well.

[Andyman73]

EODCMC,

It still makes me go "hmmm" when I think about my MH C&P exam.  The person kept asking me why did I wait so long to reach out for help.  He couldn't grasp the idea that for all those years I truly believed help wasn't available for me. 

I mean, who wouldn't right? First off, when I got caught in the act of prepping to cut my wrists, and no real help was offered, why would I, or anyone else, even think for a second that then help is there, when it wasn't offered or ordered.

And all the rest of my enlistment, and the years after, the only help offered and advertised, was for combat Vets, for PTSD and such.  That in no way tells me that help is there for non-combatants like me, especially since I didn't have any non-combat related traumatic events either.  Add to that the shame and humiliation associated with a Marine asking for MH help is to much to bear.  It's so much easier to keep it inside, hidden away.  No one knows, and probably never will, except God, and I don't think He's telling anybody about me. 

I've tried talking to my own Dad, but he thinks I talk to much...according to the grapevine.  My wife thinks worse than that, so no support there.

To this day, the only person I have talked to that seemed truly and genuinely interested and concerned, was the lady on the crisis hot line.

And it amazes me how often you hear of suicide victims family and friends saying stuff like, we never knew, had no idea, and so on and so forth.  Well, it's because no one wants to listen or cares enough to let the sufferer vent.  I say a lot of things on here that I don't tell anyone else...none of you know me, and I know many of you face similar situations. 

Back to my cage in the dungeon...

[cooter]

Thanks Gastone! So the DBQ's turned out to be a big difference! Lol...At first, I never thought they would fly cause it seemed to be too easy. Glad to see they made an improvement.

 

   <Coot>