When I was medically discharged in 2009 I was found unfit to perform my job as a soldier and as a Cable Dawg. When I was released I was released with the condition called Post Thrombotic Syndrome. This syndrome is the aftermath of multiple blood clots in my legs that still to this day I haven’t been given the answer to why at 23 I was experiencing a condition that many would only see when they are in the late 60’s. This condition calls for blood thinner medication to combat my body from forming more clots. In my medical discharge it actually states….”stop all medications.” So the Army released me with a condition that was life threatening and discontinued my medication. No further action was given as to what I was supposed to do. I submitted my paper work to VA and nothing happened after that.
Since 2009 I dealt with the pain….took a lot of aspirin and did everything I could to keep myself safe. On July 8, 2014 I couldn’t take the pain in my leg anymore so I checked myself into the Phoenix VA emergency room. Ten hours later they found a clot in my lower left leg……hhhhmmmmm wonder why? I was placed back on my meds and was seen by a Coumadin clinic doctor that stated I would be placed on this medication for life. Now at this time I was placed with a Dr at the Phoenix VA. In October, tired of waiting for an appointment, I went to the clinic and asked for an appointment. The lady behind the counter asked me what the appointment was for, I said “its the first time I am meeting my doctor and I haven’t had an appointment yet since July, I have a lot of questions that need to be answered.” So they made me an appointment in December…..it was actually December 16, 2014. Now when this date came I was excited to actually speak to a doctor…..nope… received a call that morning that the doctor called in and that my appointment would be pushed out another month.
Now I know thing happen and I know that other people might have a more serious condition than I do….but as I explained to the patient advocate….there is no name for my condition and I am on blood thinners and I am still having blood clots….oh in November I had an ultrasound done and while on meds, they found another clot. So obviously the medicine isn’t working and blood clots are a serious issues, especially since you don’t know why for 11 years my body just wants to clot. As I have said before….I would rather have lost the leg and know why I lost it, or have cancer and know what I have and how long I have to live, then have a condition that the VA only give me 10% disability for that could kill me at any second.
I won’t rest until I have answer to why a perfectly healthy 23 year old soldier lands in Iraq in 2004 and then all of a sudden starts swelling in my legs and they do nothing for me while I am in Iraq and then in 2005 they find two massive clots behind both of my knees and now I have a Post condition. Post means after….so what is the Pre to my condition? My favorite answer is, “no one knows its something new.” Well the problem I have with that is no one is doing anything about it as I sit and wait for this condition to destroy tissue in my legs, then have ulcers that eat at my legs and then lose the use of my leg, then and only then per my claim denial will I be awarded 40% disability from the VA. I actually have to lose my leg for anyone to do anything and even then I don’t think the VA would have any actions.
What the VA doesn’t know is I know what the cause is. After 11 years I haven’t just set by idly waiting. I have every copy of every medical record and have found many compelling finds. Like the fact that a shot I received in 2003 had an affect that would only affect 1 out of 30,000. This affect would produce low blood platelet counts. This causes the blood to not form a clot….10 days before my deployment on February 04, 2004 a blood test was draw and tested to make sure I was healthy to deploy. Obviously they didn’t care about the test because they test I have shows that my platelet count was a 32…next to that number on the form says normal count should be between 67 and 82. So as I was deploying and flying into Iraq my body wasn’t able to clot….my valve in my leg must have failed and started flooding my leg with blood. Because I couldn’t clot the valve couldn’t heal and now I am left with the aftermath because some doctor or nurse didn’t do there job and make sure I was fit.
Please, if you have issues that aren’t being resolved by the VA….do some homework…ask for your records, Google all the shots and side affects to see if they cause what is wrong with you. In the end it will only help your case. Get smart about whats wrong with you and don’t let the VA walk all over you. Complain, Call, make them feel exactly how you are.
After my appointment was canceled I filed a complaint with the patient advocate office. I called 6 times, left 3 voice mail’s before they called me back today. The lady said, “well you know you can just walk in and a doctor will see you.” I told her that that is how I got the appointment in the first place. I honestly shouldn’t have to walk in. There should be more than one doctor doing their job at the VA. Step up and uphold the oath of a doctor and take care of your patients.
I am a Veteran who honorably served this country….Now its time for them to serve me as I served them!!!
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