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Ichemic Heart Disease


cfisher
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Ken, Giz and all...Great news about your medical updates. Maybe we will just outlive expectations.

I guess i'll have to make a commissary run and buy a new fridge at the BX cause I don't think one will be enough.

I recon Montana can get quite cold and snowy during the winter. Having lived many years in the northeast and Alaska, I can say with conviction....I don't miss walking in the snow, shoveling it, driving in it playing in it, or having to shovel my car out of a snow drift to get to work.

Florida aint so bad. I had a big, slow, loud C130 fly over my house yesterday. One of the great benefits of living close to an Air Force Base.

Not a bad life at all........

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Well, went to the VA hospital here in Atlanta today to visit a VN vet from our church who just had a valve and 2 bypass operation. I figured what the heck and took my corrected DD214 (called a DD 215) and my copies of my travel vouchers in to see if I could get on the AO register. Suprised me how great the people treated me and everyone else. They helped me fill out the paperwork and even though I didn't have an appointment they gave me a physcial. Paperwork had a question about which Corp I was in, 1,2 or 3 and due to my vouchers she looked on a map she had on the wall and said I was in all 3 of them... for what good that does me. No question at all that I had not been "boots on the ground" in VN. For you guys still looking for proof, as a note, when I got the letter and corrected 214

they showed where my flt chief had shown on an APR for that period that I had been in country for 159 days. I didn't know they had those on record. Write and ask for them! From what I'm seeing, you have to be specific as to what you ask for. Hang in there guys you earned it, you deserve it !! Bill

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I don't know if there is a lot to add to this discussion, except to urge each and every one out there to get into the VA health care system as soon as possible. You do not need to be a combat veteran or have even been over seas, a veteran is a veteran. However, if you have served in Vietnam, or any other combat zone, you have benefits due you. You've all read about the difficulties some of us have had in prooving that we served in Vietnam. My dd214 states that I was awarded the Vietnam service medal. For the Milwaukee Regional Office that was enough proof that I was boots. Each Regional Office has it's own deffinition it seems. A little story here: while in the "couples PTSD" group I mentioned that I was a little embarrased that I was receiving a rather generous (seems to me) benefit check each month. One of the guys came unglued over that sentiment. When we held up our hand and took that oath we signed a blank check, payable to the United States of America, with our life if cashed in. OK, thats my rant. By the way, geting a rating for hearing loss is virtually impossible. You may get a 10% for tinnitus. The rating for IHC is 0%, 30% 50%, 70%, 100%. However, there are many factors that go into a VA rating; P&T, and I.U. for instance. I've been through all of this stuff for about 5 years now, it's a slow process, but one we can win. I did. As I mentioned before, there is an awful lot that goes into a VA rating, and I'd be more than willing to discuss it with anyone , just send me a personal message and I'll get right back to you personally without taking up any more time on this forum.....Chris

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Bob, I don't know about this...........SQC is usually a skin cancer of the face, neck, ears, etc, but it can wander all over. At the cancer clinic where my wife works, she sees a lot of patients with this............ .I know, also, that they see a number of vets there, and i think some of them are getting care through VA. When she gest home this evening i will ask her. Of course, she will not be able to be specific about patients, etc, on account of the Hippa stuff, but can give me some general info, if that would work for you. But it does seem to be a regional thing as to how we get treatments, exams, etc.............as Tinwhistle states. I just do not understand why it ain't the same all over. Anyway, if that could possibly help ya, I'll assk her

giz

Giz

I'll look forward to it, Thanks Bob

Edited by bobdaley
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Does anyone know if squamish cell carcinoma, is covered by the VA if you served in Viet Nam as far as a disbility benefit?

Bob

Bob, If you are on the Agent Orange Registry, they will cover your dermatology problems.

I've had many squamous cell carcinomas frozen, scraped or surgically removed by the VA. Make sure you have them taken care of, because squamous cells can spread. As far as it being an AO condition for disability payments. It is not one of the acknowledge conditions associated with AO.

Pat

Pat

Thanks for the info on AO. I have the treatment pretty well covered by Medicare and Tricare at least so far, but I think I'll check on getting on the AO registry. I have already signed up and got a determination on VA benefits, fairly low rating and the advisor at the VA Hospital at West Roxbury MA pretty much told me as long as I had Medicare and Tricare then that was easier and better than the VA. I do plan to look into VA pharmacy in MA because it is just a mile away, but the VA in Dallas is a long haul into terra incognita here in Dallas.

Thanks

Bob

Edited by bobdaley
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Bob, I checked with my wife, and after a twenty minute lecture on the disease, she tells me she is not aware of any of the patients she has had that had any AO association. However, as Pat points out, it is not associated with AO, at least as far as the VA acknowledges at this time. From what she told me about it, it sure as hell should be........................

Giz, with help from Elissa

Giz

Please tell Elisa thanks.

Thanks

Bob

Edited by bobdaley
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1. I have the same problem I was tdy to Clark AFB in February 1968 for 2.5 months. 8 C-130's from Sewart and 8 from Dias an "EST" team from Pope and the one I was on from Langley. I flew incoutry on several occasions to drop off supplies and bring troops out. One of the loads we took on several trips was barrels of AO. I submitted to the VA for Ischemic Heart Disease. Because I had a heart attack in 1983, triple bypass in 1994 and three stints in 2008. I just received a reading from the VA saying that they have no record of me being in country and was denied my claim. So I am trying to establish some proof also.

If anyone who reads this happen to be one of the people in the group that was at Clark on the rotation that I mentioned above please contact me at [email protected]. I was told that if I could find someone who was over there with me to write a letter it would help to establish my claim.

Edited by pgg1214
typo
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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't under stand why the folks on this site that has 6 pages on it only three of us has contacted military records and got our travel voucher. showing we had boots on the ground in Vietam. Please try to do that first. If we did it there is no reason youall can't

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I don't under stand why the folks on this site that has 6 pages on it only three of us has contacted military records and got our travel voucher. showing we had boots on the ground in Vietam. Please try to do that first. If we did it there is no reason youall can't

I agree completely with cfisher. If you served you should be with VA care, if you served in Vietnam the most important thing you can and should be doing right now is proving you were there. It can be done. It's important. As far as the Agent Orange Registery is concerned, I can only pass on what I was told at the VA hospital at Madison WI. "It's a wast of time". I did not register and there has never been any blowback at all. I must caution you about the various disability ratings. First of all, despite what you may read, even on the national VA web site, all ratings are subjective, in the end it is the individual rater who makes that determination. Then there is VA math: for instance, 20 plus 20 does not nessarily add up to 40. As I mentionet in a previous reply; there are variables in any rating decision. Every one is different, every rater is different. But it behoves all of you to get started on this process. You may be healthy as a horse today and and have a heart attack tomorrow. I had absolutely no indication that I was about to have a heart attack, in fact was only 6 months out from a stress test; bang, flat on my back, med flighted to the coronary unit. You simply don't know.

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I waited but I finely made the request for records. Also I reapplied to VA to review my records. Mine might be harder to find as I got "Boots on the ground" while flying on C141's. In from Clark and out to Yokoata. This was back in 1971 while I was at McChord AFB. I asked for travel vouchers and orders both tdy and flight. While not having spent that much time on the ground I was reluctant about applying as I felt that I had not served in country as the others had. However the way that VA has structured this I went ahead. I guess I am lucky as there are 2 VA hospitals within 50 miles of where I live.

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  • 1 month later...

I recevied notice from the VA yesterday that i would be getting 100% disibilty for ptsd and ichmeic disease. When 1 added up all my retermets and saw what i would be getting a year I nearly fell out of my chair. Also in OKLA. you don't have to pay proprety tax or sales tax car tags are only 10 dollars and you don't have to pay excise when you buy a car. you get free hunting and fifhing for life.Oklahoma is very good to the 100% disable vets. You people that is fighting the system dont give up. I didn't want a dollar i didn't earn but i wanted ever one i had comming to me. The gave me a choice to use a VA Dr.or a contract DR. I chose a contract DR. If you have choice i would go with contract DR. I had asked my mental helth DR.at the VA if i should file a claim for PDST and he didn'tthink so.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have requested my records from the (vetrecs arcives) NPRC in St Louis, MO when I received them no travel orders and no travel vouchers. According to them I never left Langley after I got there in 1966. So I requested them again and I got a couple of travel orders to Mildenhall but that was it. Before I got out I totaled up my TDY time and I had just shy of 2 years TDY. Anyway I Sent a request to the department of the Air Force, Washington DC under the freedom of information act and I recevied a reply telling me that they had no records on file. Today I just sent in an Appeal to the agency appellate authority in Indianapolis under the Fredeom of information act. I guess all I can do is wait and see if I get the same run around from them. If anybody else has anyplace else tht I can send a request to let me know. [email protected]

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Hey Guys

Time to weigh in on the IHD issue. I received a letter last week informing me that my claim was approved and I was awarded 30%. The higher rating of 60% was not approved because I had a stress test in 2008 that showed I was too healthy. For those of you that are thinking of filing, use the fast track process. I didn't and it took 15 months to get a resolution. A friend that filed with the fast track system took 6 months to resolve the issue. i was told the pay would be retroactive to July of 2010 when IHD was approved as an Agent Orange condition.

As a side note I have always been in great shape and watch my diet, however I have had Angioplasty's with stents in 2000 and 2007. In a Viet Nam Veterans of America magazine there was an article that has shown that Viet Nam vets are dying at an average age of 65. This is much earlier than any other veteran's group. Good luck to all of you in proving boots on the ground. Take care my brothers and be safe.

Wil

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  • 2 weeks later...

I must caution you about the various disability ratings. First of all, despite what you may read, even on the national VA web site, all ratings are subjective, in the end it is the individual rater who makes that determination. Then there is VA math: for instance, 20 plus 20 does not nessarily add up to 40.

Let me show you my example of the VA numbers that will get you 100%

I dont remember the exact ratings I got but if you added them together its close to 200 just to get 100

there were five or six 10 ratings, a couple 20 ratings, a 30 (chronic vertigo- cost me my bike riding dammit), a 50 for sleep apnea with cpap and a 60 for a destroyed back.

All this on the ratings tables come to 95 and rounded up is 100%

I wish I could remember all the individual ratings, I must have had thirty of them and just slid by to get 100% after three years fighting.

When dealing with the MORONS that run the VA ADMIN arena, there are a couple things to always remember

When sending in a ratings package ALWAYS send it return receipt so you know time, date and who got your package

You can rely on the VSO's to help you but I found I could do it quicker and better myself, download yourself a copy of CFR 38, and get to know it!

USE YOUR CONGRESSMAN'S OFFICE, hell that's what he's there for, I must have filed five congressional's against these f%^kheads

Dont give up, they are betting on you giving in after the first denial, hell that's their bread and butter and they laugh at us behind our backs

What finally got me my 100% was a personal letter from my wife and a former co'worker, no matter what my medical records said they blew me off but a single submission of letters and WHAM I got it. So remember your ol lady has lots of power to get you what you need.

Anybody has any specific questions for me, get ahold of me here or email (more sure way to get ahold of me) [email protected] (yeah I know all about email harvesting bots)

NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT and dont forget to shove the pineapple up Hitlers a** everyday at 4PM (sorry, just watched little nickey again)

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So as to muddy the waters a little more: the Va has several additional sub-catagories which may come into play on any particular claim, such as: P&T (permenant and total disability), this may be applied to a less than 100% rating and get you a payment equal to 100%. Then there is I.U. (individual unemployability), which in the end may also increase your entitlement. What this all amounts to is, just as you have been reading; if you feel you have a claim, file it. Don't take no for an answer. However, I would caution: the VA will pick apart a suspicious claim in a heart beat. In the end, if you are honest and tenatious and have a ligitimate claim you should file and you should be compensated.....Good luck Chris

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P&T (permenant and total disability), this may be applied to a less than 100% rating and get you a payment equal to 100%. Then there is I.U. (individual unemployability), which in the end may also increase your entitlement

Actually a P&T rating is only supposed to be applied to 100%, the I.U. rating can be applied to as little as 50 or 60% if I remember right; you will get paid at the 100% rate but wont get all the other goodies that you get with a 100% P&T rating.

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Well, I am still waitin' for anything back on my claim, from last June. I am privileged to have a congressman who is so damned old, he was born when there was only eleven in a dozen, I got one senator who only comes to life once every six years and another who blows a good tune about vets, but just plays the game, damn sawed-off cow, she needs to go, too. What really pisses me off is this... I don't THINK I got anything YET that has had a big effect on me, but I want an evaluation, just in case, and to get my ducks in a row if there is. What the hell will happen to some poor guy who has a REAL IMMEDIATE issue??? Oh, yeah, I know, as I have seen, he dies before anything gets taken care of.. absolutely amazing. BTW Dan, are ya still crammin' them nasty ass drugs down for your "remodeler's lung disease?" Sure hope they are puttin' ya on to recovery...

Giz

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Hang in there Giz it seems to take the VA one mounth shourt of a year to do any thing with a claim , you should here something in june .

Im one of Dans 10% I have 4 10% and one 20% adding up to 50% it took me 3and a half years to get here but what the heck what else did I half todo (but I still like the VA) go figer

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  • 2 weeks later...

Gizzard, yep, still having to take the meds for the histoplasmosis; just had my seven month followup and my damn lungs are in worse shape than they were when this all started.

CFisher, at least you didn't say I look like a dildo LOL I do remeber having some students tell me that I intimidated them- I dont know why.

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  • 1 month later...

okay, guys, ready for this boatload of BS????? After 11 months, I finally got some form of acknowledgement of my VA claim, AND here is the most stupid thing I have encountered yet.. In a multi-page letter, filled with all kinds of convoluted direction and so on, it says and i paraphrase " In order to complete your evaluation, you must supply scientific or medical evidence that Dioxin (AO) has been proven to cause the issues you claim!!!!!!!!"""""""""" What??? I ain't no damn doctor, or scientist, I thought all that had been proven to these SOB"S and was now presumptive.. any of the rest of you had such a pile of shit coe your way?????? I just can't fathom this..........

Giz

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Giz I guess I should have mentioned when you get your agent orenge phs (after proving boots on the ground) they are saposed to say (the docters)the condition is more likely than not service conected. It took over 3 years and I had to file a disagrement of their results. You have to just keep going, in the end they will give up and award the claim but like don said all claim seters are different

Jerry

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