ALLVetsMasterMuster&Intros
First a huge THANK YOU to Sparky10 for making our own forum a reality.
(Sparky10 please ask your janitor to make this a sticky) Now the best way to repay Sparky is to make good regular use of our new forum and show how much we really appreciate Sparky’s efforts.
Attention ALL Vets, Please post an intro here so we can get to know our fellow vets better. Tell us a bit about yourself and include which branch of service etc.
I am Gomer, aka Doc GOMER to some. I was made a ward of the state & hospitalized when I was 13 (almost 14) because I had quit my usual activities. I quit playing sports because I could not keep up with other kids my own age. I simply did other things I could do. I was in Civil Air Patrol and flying in a Red 1929 J3, looking down at baseball fields from several thousand feet up.
I was asked at age 17 (1963) if I wanted to be exempt from the draft, I said NO!, I wanted to be treated as "normal". My caseworker (MSW in today’s lingo) said it would be a good idea and I would not have to worry about future medical care (strange IMO at the time)
I had to get a letter from my teen yrs hospital doc, who stated the circumstances (w/o listing a Dx) and described me as having an ability to persevere and should be given a chance. I became a GOMER even in boot camp (Great Lakes). . I was not even allowed to march in revue at my boot camp graduation, given watch duty instead.
I made rate even before going to A-school in Jax Fla. Had higher security clearance than most of my fellow airdales, so I pulled a lot of TAD duty. I was picked (labeled a lifer) for a mag interview. I told him I was not going to ship-over (re-enlist) w/#1 reason being poor medical care I had received. I worked mostly in avionics, clean A/C conditions.
I had MS Sx before and during my enlistment. I developed diplopia at age 18 (before I joined) and had to have my prisms doubled once while on active duty. (one of many items, including possible ON (NAS Pensacola base Hospital, missing from my official med records). I also suffered a documented hearing loss (MS??) while on active duty and was never told. I found out about it just a few years ago. I am service connected for the hearing loss as of 2007, and the VA does provide me with hearing aids and supplies!
In the late 80s I insisted "something" else was wrong and sent to the shrink dept. They said I was not nuts or depressed, just "adamant" something else was wrong, just not showing up on testing. I gave up seeking an answer for decades. Turned out I was right, and finally formally Dx’d in Jan 2010 with long standing RRMS and probably early stage of going progressive.
I am getting reasonably good VA care now, too bad they did not listen to me long ago, maybe I could have begun treatment BEFORE my mobility declined. I use a power-chair part time and use a scooter for larger stores, malls etc. I get my non-MS care outside the VA. I am on Copaxone which I do get from the VA, $8/month co-pay.
Gomer
First a huge THANK YOU to Sparky10 for making our own forum a reality.
(Sparky10 please ask your janitor to make this a sticky) Now the best way to repay Sparky is to make good regular use of our new forum and show how much we really appreciate Sparky’s efforts.
Attention ALL Vets, Please post an intro here so we can get to know our fellow vets better. Tell us a bit about yourself and include which branch of service etc.
I am Gomer, aka Doc GOMER to some. I was made a ward of the state & hospitalized when I was 13 (almost 14) because I had quit my usual activities. I quit playing sports because I could not keep up with other kids my own age. I simply did other things I could do. I was in Civil Air Patrol and flying in a Red 1929 J3, looking down at baseball fields from several thousand feet up.
I was asked at age 17 (1963) if I wanted to be exempt from the draft, I said NO!, I wanted to be treated as "normal". My caseworker (MSW in today’s lingo) said it would be a good idea and I would not have to worry about future medical care (strange IMO at the time)
I had to get a letter from my teen yrs hospital doc, who stated the circumstances (w/o listing a Dx) and described me as having an ability to persevere and should be given a chance. I became a GOMER even in boot camp (Great Lakes). . I was not even allowed to march in revue at my boot camp graduation, given watch duty instead.
I made rate even before going to A-school in Jax Fla. Had higher security clearance than most of my fellow airdales, so I pulled a lot of TAD duty. I was picked (labeled a lifer) for a mag interview. I told him I was not going to ship-over (re-enlist) w/#1 reason being poor medical care I had received. I worked mostly in avionics, clean A/C conditions.
I had MS Sx before and during my enlistment. I developed diplopia at age 18 (before I joined) and had to have my prisms doubled once while on active duty. (one of many items, including possible ON (NAS Pensacola base Hospital, missing from my official med records). I also suffered a documented hearing loss (MS??) while on active duty and was never told. I found out about it just a few years ago. I am service connected for the hearing loss as of 2007, and the VA does provide me with hearing aids and supplies!
In the late 80s I insisted "something" else was wrong and sent to the shrink dept. They said I was not nuts or depressed, just "adamant" something else was wrong, just not showing up on testing. I gave up seeking an answer for decades. Turned out I was right, and finally formally Dx’d in Jan 2010 with long standing RRMS and probably early stage of going progressive.
I am getting reasonably good VA care now, too bad they did not listen to me long ago, maybe I could have begun treatment BEFORE my mobility declined. I use a power-chair part time and use a scooter for larger stores, malls etc. I get my non-MS care outside the VA. I am on Copaxone which I do get from the VA, $8/month co-pay.
Gomer
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