Calgon!!!!! Take me away

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I am new to this site and hoping that I can get some support along with some advice.....

Eight years ago my husband suffered a traumatic spinal injury while serving in the military. The injury was caused during a combat excercise where he was parachuting from 800 feet with all his combat gear (clothes, food, weapon, ammo, and so on) which weighs about 170# his chute didn't open and he landed on his lower back. The Army discharged him and he became very depressed and has never really regained his spirit. Then the nightmares started. He was in a combat engineer company in Somalia in 1993 he was attached to the rangers when they went in to Mogadishu (Hooked on phonics). So between the fire fights in 93 and the spinal injury he has been diagnosed as depressed and has had 2 spinal surgeries the last a lumbar fusion. He is still not getting any better and now he is seeing a psychiatrist on a regular basis along with a neurologist. He is now diagnosed as being Bi-Polar in addition to his spinal injury. If that is not enough we continue trucking along finding little bumps in the road. Such as he can't move his right arm or he feels like his lungs are being compressed from the inside. So now we go to the ER after I think he has had a minor stroke only to find out he has Multiple Sclerosis. So now I am taking care of a hemoplegic in a wheel chair with a spinal injury, PTSD, MS, and is Bi-Polar.

I also have 2 children and am looking for a job (how I will fit one in my schedule I do not know) and am having no luck. I am a medical assistant with 13 years in the medical field but just last year actually received classroom training. Most of my training I also learned in the military or on the job. So if you have any suggestions they will be greatly appriciated.

I am not a pity party I do have a great life with a very loving and wonderful husband who has a whole lot on his plate right now and two children I consider my best friends. But my family is in Texas and I am in California so my support is small and at times I feel overwhelmed.

Thanks for listening:redbeathe:heartbeat

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First off {{{{HUGS}}}} and lots of them.

As far as suggestions - and you may have already been down this road, but what the hey...

You and your husband both have done an incredible service to this country. It's time for this country to pay back. Please contact the VA. I don't know about CA, but if you contact the county human services department, they should be able to put you in contact with a VSO (Veteran's service officer). These VSO's know all the programs available to veterans and may be able to be of some help. There are programs avialable to help disabled veterans family members go to college and may be able to help you find a job you will love.

Also contact the Veteran's organizations such as the VFW (Veteran's of Foriegn Wars) or others. Your husband may be able to find a new purpose in working with some of these veterans groups to help other veterans. I know you are both in need of a lift up right now, but maybe if your hubby becomes involved with other veterans he will be able to realize what you already know - he is needed and valuable.

Please thank your husband for his service and good luck.

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Forgot to mention that we have been fighting the VA for his comp and pension for the past 6 years but the men and women that keep coming back from Iraq and Afganistan are taking priority. Not that they don't deserve it they deserve all they can get for putting their lives on the line so our president can make a few extra bucks at the pumps and avenge daddy. Anyway thats a whole 'nother thread. But due to the high number of injured coming home the system is overwhelmed and can not keep up.

Thank you very much for your thoughts and hugs are always nice too.

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It's very unfourtnite that all this is happening to you. Have you just been dealing with the local VA? I have had a lot of experience with my local VA hospital (my dad has prostate cancer and has had all of his surgeries there, and recently on of my best friends has been dignosed with brain cancer and is having all of his surgeries and chemo there). Maybe it would help to look at some different VA hospitals or tryto work with someone who presently isn't working on your case. I would write to your congress-person at the very least and ask for their help. Most elected officals are looking for a way to "help" someone in thier district.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/CVICU/ED/HS.

norcal...As a Veteran myself I understand that it is sometimes a "fight" to get help from the VA...However, if he goes into the local VA clinic with the proper documentation(214, medical records) he should have no problem with the medical care and medications. As for the compensation, this is slightly(sarcasm) more difficult. Again, as you know, it comes down to documentation. If the training accident was documented properly, the VA will not be able to dispute it.

My concern is the time frame of 6 years...I would keep on them with letters and 'phone calls. You and your spouse helped this country remain free for a few more years...Now this country needs to help you. May God Bless.

BTW...the last part of your username...you are NOT an idiot...

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When my husband was a Ranger in the army he broke his ankle 3 times from parachuting and did get some relief from va. The bad thing is, the military is making him pay back his seperation pay with his meager monthly monies that he receives for his injuries. We are looking at another 14 months before we see his compensation.

Good luck to you and your husband. Don't give up on va, he deserves to get something back!

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I would write to your congress-person at the very least and ask for their help. Most elected officals are looking for a way to "help" someone in thier district.
Absolutely. Waiting 6 years is beyond ridiculous. My daughter wrangled with them for over a year, but once I got my Congressman involved, the situation was resolved within a week.

https://allnurses.com/forums/2680888-post41.html

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Holy Cow! I am so sorry you are having to fight with the VA. I would definetly follow the previous poster's advice and contact a congressman or senator. I would also recommend getting copies of all of his medical records from the Military as well as witness statements from the accident if he is still in contact with any of his fellow soldiers from that time.

In the mean time, I would still recommend hooking up with a veterans group. The comraderie (sp?) can only help with both of your spirits and who knows? they may have some ideas for how to help your hubby with the VA.

Good luck.

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We have PVA (paralyzed veterans of America) and they have been helping with the comp and pension and we contacted our congressman he is helping but it is slow going due to the current war. My husband is getting the medical assistance he needs but I feel helpless. I am overwhelmed by the cost because VA has not yet rated him we pay an arm and a leg to use VA doctors so we are using private insurance which is not cheap either but he feels he is getting better care than with the VA. He broke his leg in 2003 went to the VA for it they told him he had a bad sprain and he needed to stay off it for a few days. He went back for a follow up in 6 weeks and the doctor wanted to know when he had the cast removed. My husband and I sat there and looked like monkeys asking what cast??? So he has refused to go to VA for medical care since.

Its not so much his care that is overwhelming as it is his needs and me being able to take care of them plus 2 kids and find a job so we can continue to have a roof over our heads. All of your suggestions are great and some of them we have tried others we have not. As far as him being a volunteer I think would be great but he has turned into a recluse and I have to fight with him to get out of the house.

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