Don't know what to do for husband...

[nancygail]

I need  help and have no idea where to find it. My husband is a 50% disabled vet of 30 years. Due to the severity of his problems he has not been able to work regularly since he was discharged. As a guy with a lot of pride he's always tried to make it and though difficult we somehow managed.  He was diagnosed with  Conversion Disorder... but he has severe PTSD.  His condition got much worse last year... He's only sleeping 1 to 2 hours a night and has constant anxiety.  We recently started the process to get his disability increased and are trying to gather paperwork but its been so long I have no idea what are chance is. 

I was diagnosed with cancer last year and my daughter brought me to live with her for a while as my husband could no longer help take care of me along with his own problems. I'm in Arizona... he's in Arkansas. The goal is the move here. He blacked out today and barely made it home... there is no one to help him. In order to be seen by the VA he has to go to Little Rock to the hospital there which is 2 hours away and sit and wait for what is typically hours to be seen. But he can't drive and has no way to get there.  We have a house which we are in danger of losing... I've never felt so helpless...

If anyone could give me any information where I might find help I'd be so appreciative. 

 

Thank you,

Nancy

 

UPDATE

• My husband is 60 years old. NOT a wartime veteran.
• Active Duty AF: 1980 to 1988
• Experienced several head injuries on base. 
• Experienced traumatic shooting event in 1984. (Shooter came into his office and shot a coworker.)
• He started passing out. They could not find a cause. He would pass out and come too unable to move and with his eyes rolling around in his head. His eyes would be BRIGHT red. Took a day to recover. 
• From 1988 to 1998 he continued to pass out 2 or 3 times a week for TEN YEARS. 
• Though the passing out lessoned his ability to think and reason became difficult. He started having nightmares, unable to sleep... uncontrollable shaking and panic attacks. 
• Could not hold a regular job due to these things. 
• Became an entertainer in 2000 as a way to control his schedule and keep an income.  www.royrivers.com
• Was unable to perform his last show due to health. 
• Jan 2019 started process with Sierra Vista, AZ DAV after a failed attempt in Little Rock. Have 1 year to get them all paperwork. 
• As of this date his conditioned has deteriorated to a point where he cannot easily drive. Sleeps 1 to 2 hours a night. Started passing out again. Shakes uncontrollably and has nightmares. 
• He is alone in Arkansas as we have a home we are in fear of losing. I am in AZ for cancer treatment with my daughter. 
• I have access to many of his records and buddy letters etc. We are waiting on his medical records. 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by nancygail
Adding more info

[vetquest]

Would your husband be willing to check into the hospital?  The phsyc ward is no fun but these people can really get a ball rolling for you.  If he is willing then there is only the transportation issue.  I know that most people are not willing to do this but they will evaluate him and if he is suffering severe PTSD they will see it.  This might be the route.  Call your local VA and find out what he needs to do to check in.

Edited May 21, 2019 by vetquest

[Buck52]

IF HE IS 50% SC he can call 911 and have the ambulance take him to the nearest VAMC that has a MH Clinic  with MH Dr's

 First  Call the Nearest VA (Little Rock) and let them know you have a emergency and that you can't drive yourself and you don't have anyone that can drive you  so ask if you can call for an Ambulance to transport you to the Little Rock VA...they should tell you yes    then the VA will pay for the Ambulance Bill

seek treatment ASAP  if he is having uncontrollable anxiety  it will only get worse if he don't get help

Once at the VA Emergency  they will contact M H and get him the help he needs.....PTSD Anxiety  is nothing to take lightly

IF your hubby is this Bad  don't be worrying about a claim  worry about getting him the help he so badly needs before its to late.

[paulstrgn]

I don't have any advice for you @nancygail but I can offer my thoughts and prayers for both you and your husband. You are both going through very tough times...but you can make it!!!

[broncovet]

You can also get "community care" help, at least temporarily, because VA wants to make Veterans wait a long time for help.  This is especially true if your husband is over 65.  

    The fastest way to get help in an emergency (like if he blacks out) is to dial 911 and get an ambulance if needed.  

    As Berta mentioned, the DAV usually has vans to transport Vets with no good means of transporting themselves to the VAMC.   Other VSO's, may also have transportation available such as VFW, etc.  

[Zoomie 59]

The DAV gives rides to veterans where I live who have to go to the VA in Johnson City, TN from Boone, NC.  Door-to-door both ways.  The DAV can help your husband with networking with other veterans.  My veteran friends bend over backward for one another.  I have no experience with the FHA but an elderly lady told me that they helped her keep her home.

[nancygail]

8 hours ago, shrekthetank1 said:

Sounds like you have a few things going on.  A VSO might be able to help you file this, but there are also people on here who can help also.  

Sounds like he is not working?  So you need to file for TDUI.  Next it sounds like you are in HARDSHIP?  Filing for this can get you claim advanced.  As for the medical records this is what can win this case for you.  Make sure you get as much as possible.  Also Lay statements by you and anyone who knows how bad his condition has gotten.  

Also the VA will help you get the paperwork, but It takes them forever.  It is far faster to call the hospital and get them mailed to you.  

Lastly the VA is starting to allow for those who do not live near a VA hospital to see someone closer to you.  It sounds like he needs some help!  

Had a rough night so I'm just getting back on here... I'm overwhelmed with the number of replies! I'll start at the beginning and go through them. 

Here is a bit more of the story:  When my husband started getting much worse he contacted the Disabled American Veterans in Little Rock. The guy who was helping him had an office  in with the VA hospital I believe. The guy helping him gave him a great deal of hope and said he could fast track things. This was early 2018. He told my husband to gather a bunch of info. He also told him there were a variety of other things he could get as a veteran including grants for a home business etc. My husband started the process of gather info, contacting old service buddies and typing up his story. Unfortunately doing all this this caused a huge setback with PTSD... nightmares... not sleeping... panic attacks... shaking. He called his advocate three months later and the guy would not return a call. Finally he drove to his office. The lady there said he had been "let go". there was no record of anything my husband had brought him and she would not tell him any details. Through research I found the man had been arrested.   So all that was for nothing and we would have to start over and my husband was in worse shape than ever. 

In january this year he came out to visit me in Sierra Vista AZ and we took him to the local DAV there and started the process again. They sent for his records which we still have not received. They were not nearly as hopeful as the original guy in Arkansas and said much of what the original guy told him was not true. I have started gathering buddy letters etc. But its been 30 years. As we are both ill its been a slow process. The DAV there told us they would also REDUCE his current disability which was not comforting.  

I'm unsure what a VSO is. Unless its the same as the DAV people which he saw again in january.  We have till January 2020 to get them all the paperwork we can. 

Due to his inability to hold a normal job he entered the field of entertainment over a decade ago. While its not been too profitable  it allowed him to set his own schedule and it kept the wolf away but was inconsistent and a very stressful way to live. He has a couple shows coming up and I doubt he will be able to do them. He's just too sick. FYI if your interested: www.royrivers.com   (His name in the miliarty was Roy Rector. He changed it when he became an entertainer for security reasons.)

I have no idea what the TDUI is... and we've been in hardship for decades not knowing how we would make bills for extended periods. Got help from our church and friends.   

I have his current records and were waiting to get his original military files. They were requested by the DAV in January.  He's not been seen a lot by VA doctor through the years due to location. 

There is a clinic in our town but they do limited things. He's gone there a couple times and they just tell him to drive to Little Rock. They won't help. 

 

I will research this TDUI. My greatest fear is losing our house... we were finally able to purchase one in 2014 after 36 years of marriage. We will try to sell it which is heartbreaking but we need minimum income to keep u payments. 

 

Thank you so much for the info. 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by nancygail