http://www.pugetsound.va.gov/...
Everywhere I look on the media this week,I see stories of veterans's hospital horror
stories.
I started using the Veterans hospital in 2002. I was classified as 100% service connected disabled Veteran.
I was given totally free medical care,including dental. For twelve years,I've
felt as if this was my second home. The hospital has given me free mental health to free running shoes included with proper socks and arch-supports.
They paid for my first computer,a person to come to my home to teach me how to use
one. They have purchased a tread-mill for me.
A counselor told me to apply for Social Security. I had no idea you can have a disability
payment from the Veterans and Social Security department at the same time. I am
proof that you can. I never saw a doctor from Social Security,I had one phone interview and that was it. I was approved in 4 months which I'm told is fast.The Veterans folks took about five months to decide if I could receive benefits from them.
On Sunday the 5th of this month,I had a growth on my neck. On Wednesday the 7th,
I had a cat-scan and diagnosis.
Many times I have sat in a dental waiting room listening to veterans beg to be seen
by a dentist,if you don't qualify,you have to go to the emergency room,then you will be treated just for the emergency.
I am one lucky Veteran. I came before the "rush". Things are much busier now but
if you have an emergency, you can be seen quickly.
The Iraq war and our never ending war is creating 1000 new veterans a day. Young
soldiers walk around begging for money,angry that they can't be seen. I plan to write
another story about a 501-c group raising money to feed Veterans
How do our leaders plan a war,know how many soldiers they have and NOT prepare
and give the Veterans department time and money to prepare for these new Veterans?
I"m sure people will be fired in some Veterans hospitals. I have not been IN other VA
hospitals so I have nothing to form an opinion on. I really believe that if Veterans
hospital care-givers had the space and the staff,Veterans would be seen quickly.
The people in the Seattle V.A. have always been kind and eager to help me.
Anger needs to be placed at the feet of President Bush and Congress during the years
we were still in Iraq. THAT is when massive amounts of money and building should
have have been given to ALL Veterans hospitals. More doctors,nurses,all types of folks
SHOULD have been hired to be ready for the thousand NEW Veterans our country
would soon be getting.
Our new Veterans have been to war many times, these folks will need help for years.
We don't have many,but I see World War two and Korea Veterans at the hospital
all the time. Now my fellow Vietnam friends are getting old. Being treated for Parkinson's means having several departments treat me. I guess I'm lucky I have a
letter saying Agent Orange caused it. I shudder to think what the cost would be if I was paying the medical bill,but you the tax-payer are picking up the bill: thanks.
My message to you folks returning home is to be assertive and polite. Never raise your voice to someone in a hospital trying to help you. Thank them for THEIR service. I've
had more than one care giver thank me for saying that.
Your anger should be with Congress and the Republicans. Republicans don't solve problems in our Country,they are much too busy to yell at Obamacare and now to
raise money over four dead Americans in a make believe cover up.
Keep fighting and hang in there,you deserve care and a thank you for your service.
Your a hero.
Keep reading.
-Do not keep saying
to yourself,if you
can possibly avoid
it,"But how can
it be like that?"
because you will
get "down the drain,"
into a blind
alley from which
nobody has yet
escaped,Nobody
knows how it can
be like that.
-Richard,Feynman
PHYSICIST