I receive Google Veterans alerts on a daily basis, and some of the things I read in these just makes me shake my head and determined even more to speak out more.
This article just made me angry when I read it, I am hoping others can click on the site I have given here, and read about how something that has been going on within the VA has finally upset a Congress member. It shocks me tho that this particular member would be upset as he is one that I have wrote to numerous times and even sent a picture of my husband, asking for just an explanation as to what the VA is doing to me, and get no response from him. But I guess he has decided that he would not allow his own children to be treated at a VA hospital with what he has learned over the no smoking medication that the VA has been giving to Veterans. Because the VA did not inform Veterans of the side effects, some of which are suicidal thoughts etc....and the VA claiming they were not aware of these side effects...I have to again ask, if they are doctors, prescribing medication to patients, should they not be aware of the side effects before handing out medication? Well, we know the answer to that question, but, again the VA can more or less do what they want and give medications that they want.
Washington Times - VA mishaps shake Congress' confidence

I remember all the medication I had to dispose of the morning Terry died, our family physician came to the house to pronounce Terry dead, and he helped me dispose of bottles and bottles of pills, because they had him on over 100's of medication during a 2 yr period. And I would always ask if one pill would interfere with another he was taking. I was always told no, but how do you know? This was one big worry for me along with everything else.

But to read now that this congressman is upset over what has been going on for months, is just one more thing that needs to be looked into, not just acknowledging it, but dealing with it first hand. If this medication is causing these problems, then it should not be allowed to be prescribed to Veterans or anyone else.

Doesn't it make you wonder how many other things have shocked the government but just not dealt with? It does me.

How many times have you heard that exact statement over the past, lets say, 4 yrs? Lets Support Our Troops. Well yes, wouldn't it be so nice to really be doing that? Wouldn't it be nice to know that our politicians are doing just that exact thing? But, those 3 words are easily said, but actions prove more. Today again, I read in our local paper about a man who joined the Army and became dependent on alcohol and later tried to commit suicide as he could not deal with the stress of adjusting from war, to real life. Why are these men and women being left to deal with these feelings of adjustment on their own? Isn't the Army or other military branches keeping an eye on these men and women and giving them support for these dependencies they are encountering after going thru war, adjustments, and just trying to fit back into ''normal'' life? It makes me so angry that they are just being pushed thru a system, just creeping thru the cracks and not being taken care of properly. This IS NOT supporting our troops, this is using them, basically when the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guards are done with these men and women and no longer need their service, then they are just turned out to fight for themselves. Sort of like a race horse that no longer can race and make money for that owner, just turn the horse out to pasture...this is NOT supporting our troops.
I see so many Veterans organizations who ask for money to help our Veterans and families, well, where does this money go? Why isn't it being used for these Veterans who come home and need help and assistance? I would really like to know where the money donated goes, as I have heard more and more tell me that after asking for help they are told they don't meet the qualifications...which, I have also been told that samething.
I am so happy that more and more newspapers are printing these types of stories, the American people need to be aware of what our Veterans go thru, but, sad part is, like my story about Terry, it fades into the past, and after awhile they are forgotten, they are just a ''sad story'', and basically old news. Well, even tho it is ''old news'' those left behind, or those families still dealing with these struggles are still having to deal with the ''real'' issues of trying to make it thru.....
So next time you hear someone say ''I Support Our Troops'', ask them just how it is they support them, ask them what they mean by those 3 little words, that hold a powerful punch.

Today I had the opportunity to speak to a Veteran who had been in the Army for 20 yrs. I had read in the newspaper about him and his battle with the Department of Defense, and felt a need to somehow offer to help him if I could.
He admittingly got into drugs, while still in the Army and serving his country, our country, and even after all these years of service the DOD sent him a letter saying he was discharged from the Army. His discharge was an ''other than'' discharge....now that just totally amazed me that they would come up with that one..but, anyway, now they want him to pay back his sign up bonus they gave him when they wanted him to resign up.

He is going to appeal this, as he should...and he has assured me that VA is being good to him, paying for schooling, paying his medical etc...which makes me feel good since I am fighting the VA to try to get better care etc for Veterans....BUT, in the same thought, where was the Army when this guy needed rehab? Why did they not step up to the plate and get him the help he needed? No, it is easier to just hand him a letter and then send him a bill for money they gave him when ''they'' needed him....but, now since obviously they don't ''need'' him, they want him to pay this back.

This falls under the same class of these men and women who have lost legs, arms, had their heads blown half off by bombs,or brain damage, and now the government wants them to pay back their sign up bonus..because....they could not full fill their duties...WHAT??? Gee, if I lost my leg, arm etc...I don't think I could be the same person I was prior to that, do you?

I get so angry everytime I hear these men and women getting treated like this...this man is not bitter, do you know he told me today that if he could, he would go right back in and serve his country,he said he did not have a problem doing that at all. The man gives 20 yrs of his life, and no doubt due to everything he went thru during war, all he seen, is one reason for turning to drugs....and now the DOD wants him to pay back the little they gave him. I find this totally sad that our country would have the nerve to ask for anything from these men and women...but then again, our government has to find someway of repaying back all the money they have lost.....

I keep reading and hearing about how this administration is agreeing to give more money to the VA for the care of Veterans...well, that is fine that they are giving an increase of money, but, that money isn't going to help at all until the entire system is overhauled, until these doctors and people working in the VA hospitals start caring. Now, don't get me wrong, there are good and caring people who work in the VA hospitals, clinics and other VA offices, but, the ones who don't care are the ones that need to move on to other jobs, so that this increase in money can be better used.
I know when Terry was being treated there at the Cleveland VA, he had to have seen over 100 doctors within that 2 yrs period of time, and I have to say there were about maybe 4 who really did care about his care and finding out what was wrong with him....but the problem was, the one who was in charge of his care was the one who had final say in what was done for him.....and we find out later that, that doctor never really believed he was sick, so how much do you really think was done for Terry?
I am a firm believer, and believe I have said this before, until this administration, or future administration changes the law where a patient can sue a VA doctor, and not have to sue the government, due to VA doc's being protected by the government, nothing within this health system is going to change.....these VA docs who continue to make mistakes and get away with it, need to be held accountable for their actions just like a regular doctor is.
Another thing was that I realized about some who. lets say got a little too close with Terry and his care, they seemed to disappear, they were sent to different VA hospitals....now, explain that to me....seemed odd that these people were there for quite sometime, and when the heat started coming down on the VA with me, the good guys were sent away. No explanation given.
So, my thinking on this giving the VA more money is not going to help the Veteran until things change within the system....we don't need bigger buildings, we don't need more administration, we don't need more offices, we need more caring and concerned doctors who want to help the Veteran.

Hope your enjoying this final ''summer'' holiday.
Wonder where this summer has gone, seems like we just started and it is already coming to an end.

I wonder what our soldiers are doing for this holiday? Ever sit and wonder how these men and women spend their holidays away from their families and what goes thru their minds on these days? I often think about them, and my heart goes out to all of them, and also to their families back home, worrying about their safety and wanting them back home so bad.

But then, how many come home the same person they left as? I am hearing more and more stories of Veterans who come home and are not the same person, don't have the same wants and needs, their entire personalities have changed and some cannot even enjoy the life they come home to. But yet the VA wants to blame so much on other things, nope, couldn't be that you were in war, seen men, women, children, and your fellow soldiers killed or hurt. Nope, I bet that would have nothing to do with how you are now, this is just another way of VA getting out of paying these men and women benefits that are there for them.

I would personally like to meet with some of these people who make a final decision on who gets benefits and who does not. I would love to sit down with them and let them explain to me how they come to the decisions they make. Their decisions could make or break a family that is dealing with the claims, appeals, and the outcome of these decisions. But, I would like to tell these decision makers how it feels to be on the other side of the table, having to feel like your begging for something that you deserve. No one should have to go thru this type of mental abuse.
And that is basically what it is.

You know, when I was going thru last minute details of moving from the house we had, knowing I could no longer afford that house with Terry gone, I needed help with moving expenses etc. I was told by a Veterans group if I would go to the one group in our town, and explain to them why I needed this emergency help, they would be able to give me a one time assistance. So I made an appointment with this group, I had to be at their meeting at a certain time, I arrived and the room was full, I had no idea what I was expected to do and so as I stood there, people talking and mingling, I felt so out of place and alone. Finally they called the meeting to order, introduced me, put me in front of all these members of this group, and said ''now tell us why you feel you should get this emergency help''. I was appalled that I had to stand up in front of an entire group of people, and spill my personal guts out and share things with them that was not only embarrassing, but degrading. Then questions were asked, and I was told someone would be in touch with me.......yep, you guessed it, I did not get that emergency help I needed. But I was made to feel as if I was no good for nothing. Some of these people were people who knew Terry, knew what he had gone thru, and some who he himself had even helped in one way or another.

So, on this Labor Day, my thoughts are with those men and women away from their families, those who are with their families, but tomorrow will no doubt have to continue their battle with the VA, those who served years ago and still battling the VA, and those of us who have lost spouses and battle the VA over and over.....