AO and Stroke

[Berta]

I wrote a letter but never mailed it- all I have to do is change the Secretary's name on it and the date.

 

 

As you all know former Secretary Shulkin was fired around this time and the other doctor Trump picked withdrew from the nomination.I didn't know who to send it to.

 

If you feel the new Secretary Wilkie should add any or all of these potential AO presumptives, why not write to him and tell him why.

 

My letter regards that fact that any veteran who already has a AO IHD award and has suffered stroke, as ischemia of the brain, as ischemic heart disease is a known factor in ischemic stroke, should be able to have their stroke service connected as a presumptive AO disability.. The medical etiology of both of these disabilities are the same.

 

Secretary Robert L.Wilkie 

Veterans Administration

810 Vermont Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20420

 

Copy to President Donald J.Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

( I send POTUS copies of anything I send to the VA Secretary via USPS )

 

Edited October 10, 2018 by Berta

[Mike Doellman]

Woke up on Veterans' Day with my left arm numb.  Figured I'd slept on it or something, but after a half hour and no change I did some Internet checking.  Then I took a shower, dressed, and called an ambulance AFTER waking up my wife.

Yup.  Stroke.  I had my right carotid artery (70-80% blocked) cleaned out on November 16 and I've been in recovery ever since.

I'm currently 80%, the last increase being do to ischemic heart disease.  My diabetes, and then the IHD, was AO connected (DMZ, Korea, 1969).

Am I somehow eligible for an increase in disability?  It seems to me that I should be.  Or should I just file and hope or simply forget about it?

Thanks.

[GBArmy]

Mike No, don't "just file." You may have several additional disabilities that you may be compensated for. At 80% it is hard to move the needle, but getting at least to 90% is possible. Also, you should have been also asked if you want to be considered for TDIU. A stroke obviously causes cognitive issues as well, which are a mental health disability. I strongly recommend you get with a neurological doc that is familiar with VA-speak and can provide a IMO for you. You definitely should see if you have left some money on the table. Don't leave it up to the VA to "find", that isn't a wise choice.

[Berta]

Great advice from GBArmy-

IHD ( ischemic heart disease) can cause ischemia of the brain ( stroke)- due to plaque forming in the arteries.

If the VA did an ECHO regarding the IHD, they could have easily determined if your arteries had been compromised by plaque, and that is treatable.

ECHOs give a measurement of how open the main  arteries are.

Did the VA put you on any statin med when they diagnosed the heart disease?

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike Doellman]

I've been on statins for years.  After the IHD diagnosis two years ago they didn't do much of anything except increase my percentage.  Oh, I did have to drive 120 miles (round trip) twice to see a doctor and have test done that were already done here (our facility wasn't VA-contracted or something -- the results of the testing sixty miles away were sent to the hospital here!).  The VA hasn't done much except fiddle around, it seems to me.  I've asked our local State Vet Rep (VERY GOOD one!) for an appointment.  I'm going to move on this and see what happens.  I've already been through two appeals, why not a third?