First and foremost, she needs to get into the VA system. Here is the link to the FA in El Paso: http://www.elpaso.va.gov/

Besides the healthcare issues, she needs to look into VA disabiltiy - figuring that the issues are related to her service.

William Boumont is a very good facility. If there is anything that she can get done there, I would use it.

There could also be workmans comp issues with the employer she had in Iraq.

But first get to the VA and start through the process of getting help from them. She needs to be ready to not take NO for an answer from anyone there. If it is necessary, a letter to your Congressman and both Senators can encourage the VA to do the right thing.

Patience with the VA is great most of the time but it sounds like her situation is not one that will wait. DOn't allow the VA to put her off.

One last question: Did she document any of her problems in her medical records, before she got out and does she have a copy of her medical records? It is a very good idea to keep one copy of those medical records and be ready to make copies from them as needed.

Hal

 

I don't know any vets that I can ask, but I think it's smart that you posted online to see if you can find other people in the same situation. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to try to think of some other websites that are likely to be visited by military families and ask the same question there. Good luck with it.

 

Thank you all for your replies. I did some reading up on that colon cleanse and detox program that wyododge recomended and decided to give it a shot. I also decided to get her some better vitamins to help with any issues/deficiencies she may be having. I know the VA in Albuquerque is a very good hospital. I have also heard very good things about William Boumont in El Paso. The Army did send her a notice saying that she still needs to do her post-deployment physical and we were thinking of trying to use that as a way to get her foot in the door. She does'nt have health insurance right now, but if she is a veteran, I think tri-care (military health insurance) picks it up. Am I correct on this or does she have to be active duty? Or does the VA just treat veterans with disabilities? We really don't know how this all works, but we are starting to educate ourselves on the process. I am currently reading on the links posted.

Anyhow, one thing we have started doing is eating fresh foods. They seem to help out a lot with her condition (but it is still there) and she is turning into one hell of a cook. If we eat out or eat fast food, she will not get off the couch for about a day because she is curled up in pain in the fetal position. Last night, she had real bad hiccups. I reached over and put pressure over where her spleen would be and they stopped immediatley. We both looked at each other in amazement because nothing had ever worked to stop them before......Well, thank you all for your input and prayers. I really do appreciate the info you guys are providing. I will keep you all posted on what happens.

 

she needs to join the DAV. they fought for me and have done a great job! they will help her get the disability rating she needs and she won't have to do a thing. She needs to go down to the local VA hospital and register. bring her DD214 with you guys. She will get an ID card and make an appointment.

 

Well, I felt an update was in order because so many of you provided such positive information and kept us in your prayers. We decided to try and treat her ourselves since all of the doctors were not sure what to do and trying to go through the VA seemed like an uphill battle. I bought the colon cleanse stuff for her and got her some quality vitamins to start taking every day. We started walking and running every day when she was feeling up to it. I am by no means a doctor, but it worked. She still has the pain every now and then, but not nearly as frequent or as severe. I think she was so malnourished from stress caused by her time in Afghanistan and Iraq, her ex husband cheating on her while she was over there and her mom passing away, that it just slowly started getting worse to where she could not even eat without vomiting. She slowly started getting worse to where she just got stuck in a "rut" health wise. It was causing all kinds of things to go haywire in her body....

Now, it's like night and day. She feels so good and has so much energy now that she asked me, "is this what it's like to be healthy?". I like this new woman I see, she is just full of life again. For those of you who are curious, no, she did not have any of those rubbery turds from the colon cleanse product, but I do believe it helped jump start her system again.

Anyhow, I had told her to take some time off to mourn her mother and to take some time for herself because she had not had a vacation since 2001 when she joined the service. We ended up refinancing the house for 4.85%, dropping the payments by over $300 a month. She finally finalized her divorce from her ex after a few years. We managed to get caught up on the mortgage after being behind by about 4 months. We ended up scraping together our tax returns, unemployment money and some of our retirement to get caught up. It sucks, but at least we still have a roof over our heads. I ended up getting a bad infection and had to have surgery to get it cut out. I am still healing and hope to return to work within a few weeks. But we are doing good.....

On a little bit of a sadder note, she got an offer of $182,000 to return to Afghanistan for a year. I don't want her to go but we need something like this to get out of the debt we racked up over the past year. She said she would not have even considered it if they had not decided to pay her so much. When she gets back, both of the trucks will be paid off, credit cards paid off, medical bills paid off, and after a year of holding down the fort, we still will have 70K saved up after taxes - thats not including what I will bring in this year. I don't want her to go, but it's a chance at a better life for us and a chance to get out of Carlsbad NM.

Well, I just wanted to give you all an update and thank you guys for your prayers and moral support - God bless

 

Yikes, those are definately some pretty gross looking pics.

I'm not sure whats worse. The people proudly displaying their experience or the pics themselves

 

Chris first off, please thank your GF for serving our Nation and protecting me and mine (and rest of nation of course). Secondly, do not totally discount Gallbladder until a HIDA scan (Hepatobilary Iminadiacetic Acid scan) is done. The imaging examines the gallbladder and ducts that go into and out of the GB. It is done by a nuclear scanner, and examines the aforementioned over about 2 hours. It may be clear, but to rule out GB dz, I would want all the tests done. I am not a Physician, but am an anesthesia provider and work with surgeons and Gastroenterologists and others all the time. A GOOD Gastroentor. should be able to get to bottom of this. They are internal medicine MD's before a residency or fellowship in GI. I would definitely go to the VA and hopefully, she will get a great MD. I will pray she does. Good Luck and God Bless.

 

sorry i spent almost 2 years in each and dont have any issues... yet

 

Chris,

Been away for a while and just read your update. I am very glad to hear that she is feeling much better. My situation was very similar. I have taken time to try to identify things that I eat that really don't agree with me and just don't eat them any more. Milk is one of them. On the financial side of things, it sounds as though you two are definitely going to make it. You look adversity in the face, deal with it and move on. It does not surprise me that there is military training in your relationship, Those boys and girls don't know what the word loose is. If you know what I mean. Please be sure to keep updates going as a few additional prayers never hurt.

Please be sure to extend my families sincerest gratitude for your families sacrifice and service to our great nation.

Take care,

Jeff