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    One tiny step

    ..or should I say slide?

    The VA came thru on one little help, a ramp. Hopefully a proper chair that fits ME properly instead of my st Vincent De Paul special will be next.

    Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

    #2
    Gomer,

    That is great news. Hopefully they will come through on the scooter as well.
    Dennis

    The soul of a song will lift your spirits.

    Comment


      #3
      Veteran with MS

      Hello everyone! Have been honorably discharged from military for 43 years as combat veteran. Diagnosed with MS 13 years ago and filed for SC disability 3 years ago but was turned down. Does anyone have suggestions on getting SC after being discharged so long?

      Comment


        #4
        What you need is proof or notes in medical records showing MS sx while AD or with in 7 years of separating, how long you have been out or dx really doesn't make the diference, I got out in 87 was dx in 08 but had notes in my med records of sx dating back to my second year of service, I submitted a claim in 2010 and was awarded 60% and resubmitted and rcvd 100% the following year. You need to get someone DAV,PVA etc to help you handle the claim, you will have to resubmit your claim as the 3 yrs old claim has been closed.
        Plan for the future, but not too hard; it’s not your decision anyway

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Sailors Song View Post
          Gomer,

          That is great news. Hopefully they will come through on the scooter as well.
          Doesn't look like its going to happen??? I have had 3 fittings/measurements since the Dr request was made last summer. The last I was told was it had to be approved by some committee, and that it would take a week to 2 weeks. That was LAST year! (Dec) and its almost been 2 months. I guess their committee figures I do not deserve one. Typical Michigan, no wonder we are dead last of ALL states and territories for vets.

          At least I have my old used rather awkward very heavy clunker. When I was on active duty I had to fend for myself when the Navy did not do their duty. I was repeatedly sent (by my bosses or instructor ) to sick bay for eye checks, and all three times they ignored my vision issues and not once did I get even bad, incorrect prisms for my diplopia, NOT ONCE! (I even have copies to back this and more) I was forced to see a civilian doc at my cost just to get proper eye glasses so I could function.

          Gomer

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by gomer View Post
            When I was on active duty I had to fend for myself when the Navy did not do their duty. I was repeatedly sent (by my bosses or instructor ) to sick bay for eye checks, and all three times they ignored my vision issues and not once did I get even bad, incorrect prisms for my diplopia, NOT ONCE! (I even have copies to back this and more) I was forced to see a civilian doc at my cost just to get proper eye glasses so I could function.

            Gomer
            Seems we must have been in the same Navy. LOL When I broke off one of my front teeth and chiped the other one I had to live on pain pills for 6 months before they would take care of the dental work. And then they only capped the broken tooth and did nothing for the chipped one. Then when I was having knee pain allthey did was inject novacane and steroids into it (very painfull).

            When the doctor broke the needle off in my knee I decided I had enough of that and told them it didn't hurt any more just to get out of the medical holding company. After I got out of the Navy I had to have knee surgery to fix all of the scaring in the knee from those stupid Navy doctors. At least I finally got the VA to give me S/C for the knee after 5 years of trying.
            Dennis

            The soul of a song will lift your spirits.

            Comment


              #7
              "medical holding company" ??

              Sounds more like army than Navy. I was admitted to sick bay a few times and hospital once.

              Well its been yet another week, and not a peep from the VA on the w/c I was fitted for 3 times, a scooter lift or P/T which I was told would be in Nov, and told again it would be soon, months ago. I have not even heard a word from my letter sent to my senator over a month ago. It's almost as if we not exist or are invisible.

              Sailor, Any progress on your front?

              Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

              Comment


                #8
                Gomer- you say not a word from them, when was the last time you called all of them and asked what was going on?
                Plan for the future, but not too hard; it’s not your decision anyway

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by gomer View Post
                  "medical holding company" ??

                  Sounds more like army than Navy. I was admitted to sick bay a few times and hospital once.

                  Well its been yet another week, and not a peep from the VA on the w/c I was fitted for 3 times, a scooter lift or P/T which I was told would be in Nov, and told again it would be soon, months ago. I have not even heard a word from my letter sent to my senator over a month ago. It's almost as if we not exist or are invisible.

                  Sailor, Any progress on your front?

                  Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot
                  I was stationed on a destroyer in San Diego and since the figured it was going to be long term treatment they sent me up to Long Beach for treatment on a Hospital Ship. But the hospital ship doesn't have bunks for long term treatment patients I was assigned to the medical holding company barracks. Since I was 3rd class PO I had to stand watches in the barracks. One night while standing watch I was severly beaten by 6 AA sailors waiting for their discharges and hence one of the reasons I have PTSD. Of course having MS on top of PTSD doesn't help as the MS makes that even worse. My shrink has stated in my records that the MS and other health issues will just continue to make my PTSD worse over time.

                  I'm kind of confused about you saying you were weasured 3 times in regards to a scooter. They never measured me for anything.

                  I just got off the phone with the mobility company that has the contract with the VA here. They wanted to verify the information about my pickup truck and get the measurement from the bottom of my trailer hitch to the ground in order to put in the final quote for services to the VA for approval and order the power lift parts. The woman said I should get a call in 7 - 12 days to bring in my truck for installation and to get my scooter. When I was talking to the doc at the VA she told me it would be 2 -3 months.

                  Sounds like your senators are about a useless as mine are. I have written to mine in the past as well and gotten no responce at all. And my congressman is also useless in the same way.
                  Dennis

                  The soul of a song will lift your spirits.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    sailor.... the measurements were a fitting for a proper manual wheel chair. Scooters do not need measurements. What I have now is a very old used st Vincent De Paul special I bought years ago.

                    Gomer aka Sir Falls-a-lot

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Gomer,

                      I just assumed that you would get a scooter and not a wheel chair. In the 8 years I have been going to the VA here I can't remember one person with a wheel chair of their own. Lot of scooter, but no wheel chairs other than those that the VA owns. So my next question is why a wheel chair and not a scooter? Is that your choice or more of the usual MI VA stuff?
                      Dennis

                      The soul of a song will lift your spirits.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I have a scooter I bought years ago on my own as usual. Wished I had one years earlier. I sold off some personal property to buy my eBay special scooter. It breaks down easily and fits in my car trunk with room to spare.

                        My issue with it is even when broken down into pieces it is hard on my shoulder to lift the parts into the car trunk. I need something lighter. I had to cut back a little due to my shoulder issue. I was told I would get P/T for my shoulder last year but as usual that never happened wither.

                        At home I spend a fair amount of time in my basement. The stairs have good railings and is carpeted and I can crawl up/dn when needed, and have. (my wife used to LOL at me crawling the stairs, she backed off making fun of me after my MS Dx). I could never get my scooter down w/o help, not practical.

                        Gomer

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Gomer,

                          Luckily I don't have to go up and down stairs to my basement very much, the laundry room is in the basement. I kind of wish the VA was giving me a 3 wheel scooter instead of the 4 wheeler so that I could use it inside my home. A lot of the time I have to crawl around my home because my balance is so messed up. I guess they opted for the 4 wheeler since I have a gravel driveway. But that doesn't make much sense since I will have to go down into my basement to get on the scooter to go outside instead of just going out my front door with a 3 wheel scooter. I sometimes (well actually almost always) think they don't think things through.

                          I probably couldn't lift your scooter or any other for that matter since my MS has really messed up my upper body strength. I even have a special knife because I can't cut most things with a normal knife. I looked up the scooter they are giving me and it weights 186 lbs (almost as much as me). So I am thankful they are also installing the power lift on my truck.
                          Dennis

                          The soul of a song will lift your spirits.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I tried calling again and also a secure message.....(via MHV)

                            Guess what?

                            NO RESPONSE...as usual. I can not help but think those involved do not want to be the one to say NO your Dr's request was denied.

                            That is other than another co-pay bill. Even my Dr appointments are getting delayed. My usual 6mo MS clinic is not even on the schedule, even tho I should have already been done. MY GP appointment is delayed a few months as well. I was told they are delaying such appointments here as routine.

                            Seems since the state Gov complained our state is dead last on caring for vets...things are even worse now.

                            The norm here is even when they say something was approved, the call or letter never comes. If they ask me to schedule yet another (that would be the fourth) P/T appointment for a VA wheel chair I am going to ask WHAT FOR? so you can bill me for another wasted visit?

                            Year before last they got hundreds in co-pays for less than NOTHING, for I ended up at St Jo hospital and emergency procedure less than 2 weeks later for exactly what the VA was seeing me for and not taking care of.

                            I do get nice pleasant lip-service, when lucky, but that does not help me whatsoever.

                            Gomer in the Bottom of the barrel Vet State.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              that's where we differ Gomer, I would be there standing on some ones desk demanding an answer, hard to put you off and ignore in person. You have to be proactive. Just FYI I was measured for a W/C and it showed up by UPS about 2 months later. Contact your social worker for your primary care team, they have some pull also, for me they are better than patient advocates at least at my VA.
                              Plan for the future, but not too hard; it’s not your decision anyway

                              Comment

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