Somehow my military medical records got lost after discharge in 1969-just imagine that one day you suddenly don't exist on paper and cant prove anything.
I knew that from Vietnam I was seriously sick with things I got while serving such as asbestos-so I fought the government long and hard-so far still losing but after 27 years of fighting the system I still have hope.
The VA employees are some of our most dedicated men and women in America, but my problems were with a system set up to deny, deny, deny till they die. Well my time for dying suddenly began-I am terminally ill with a few disease but this is not about me.
I had given up after fighting the diseases for years and was preparing to die-giving away all my possessions, etc.
As a combat vet I had only medicare plan A, I could not afford B and D even though I was terminally ill.
Sick and depressed I was struggling until a fellow combat vet told me about the new VA outreach clinic in Lewiston, Idaho. I went in not expecting much because without the missing medical records I have been on the fringes. At the clinic I was instantly impressed. Two young Iraq and Afghanistan vets greeted me with big smiles. I suddenly felt like I had finally returned home.( bear with me, I am crying as I write this)
They made me an appointment to see a Dr. Matthew Rice and his nurse Susy.
At the appointment I walked into the office and was greeted warmly by a stunning lovely,with a huge smile, lady--Susy---then a giant of a man-scrawny, beaming man-Dr. Rice. (sorry Doc I meant lanky-haha). Right away he sent me for a battery of tests and a cat scan during the results he named several diseases and said Rich you don't have these so feel good-the bad news is you have about 5 other major problems and 2 are terminal but you will be ok-we will do our best with you. He then said I needed to do the scope thing looking for a hiatal hernia-I went to Walla Walla, Washington hospital and even though they thought it was too risky I candidly insisted-my Doctor relented-to be honest I told him get some balls Doc and do this-I need to know what is going on. The rest is history, I died on the table and they brought me back-I want to thank the wonderful Doctor there and the nurses-I know i scared the hell out of them but that one incident actually helped shake up my heart, which it needed and yes I did have a hernia also. I had told that doctor don't worry doc I won't die today but I meant permanently.
From there I went from the VA to a local intensive care unit where the VA paid for most of my care--in May they put me as terminally ill and I entered End of Life Hospice which is where they give you around the clock morphene 7 days a week untll you stop breathing---after 2 months of this and now down to 132 my stubbornness kicked in and I took myself off the Hospice-I think I did 2 or more ambulance trips after that. Sure, I am terminal but I realized that from our birth we all are terminal so don't go out easy!
Dr. Rice believes that one day I will be cured-deep down I think he debates that. I met my maker and now know how my life will be so it is all good, whatever happens.
Susy, Susy, Susy- Dr. Rice's glorious nurse, sent from heaven to help vets and wow oh wow-talk about dedicated. She wants me go get better and who could deny Susy?
You could say " Susy you won't get paid any more for being a veteran nurse and she would just smile and say " Get out of my way so I can go help that other vet.
I have made Susy cry when I visited the clinic-it hurt to see me suffer and go though all this. I felt guilty at first seeing this then realized that is just how Susy really is. She has so much love for " her" vets that her love just simply overflows. So much love that Suzie had to be rushed to Spokane VA hospital for heart problems. The doctors sent her home to rest. Immediately she was back at work saying " rest? I worry even moment when I am at home and can't see my vets". I love you Susy and you Dr. Rice and all the wonderful people who work for the VA who say we care about vets then show it and prove it daily!
We need the President as Commander in Chief to publicly say thank you to everyone working for the VA.
Dr. Rice asked me while I was in his office during one of my worst episodes. " Rich, knowing all you have been though for 30 years fighting the system and your diseases I want to ask you one question-would you join the military and do it all over?" As I cried with pain I replied-yes Dr. Mat, I would be first in line". With tears in his eyes he hugged me and whispered in my ear- "I just knew you would say that!"
I knew that from Vietnam I was seriously sick with things I got while serving such as asbestos-so I fought the government long and hard-so far still losing but after 27 years of fighting the system I still have hope.
The VA employees are some of our most dedicated men and women in America, but my problems were with a system set up to deny, deny, deny till they die. Well my time for dying suddenly began-I am terminally ill with a few disease but this is not about me.
I had given up after fighting the diseases for years and was preparing to die-giving away all my possessions, etc.
As a combat vet I had only medicare plan A, I could not afford B and D even though I was terminally ill.
Sick and depressed I was struggling until a fellow combat vet told me about the new VA outreach clinic in Lewiston, Idaho. I went in not expecting much because without the missing medical records I have been on the fringes. At the clinic I was instantly impressed. Two young Iraq and Afghanistan vets greeted me with big smiles. I suddenly felt like I had finally returned home.( bear with me, I am crying as I write this)
They made me an appointment to see a Dr. Matthew Rice and his nurse Susy.
At the appointment I walked into the office and was greeted warmly by a stunning lovely,with a huge smile, lady--Susy---then a giant of a man-scrawny, beaming man-Dr. Rice. (sorry Doc I meant lanky-haha). Right away he sent me for a battery of tests and a cat scan during the results he named several diseases and said Rich you don't have these so feel good-the bad news is you have about 5 other major problems and 2 are terminal but you will be ok-we will do our best with you. He then said I needed to do the scope thing looking for a hiatal hernia-I went to Walla Walla, Washington hospital and even though they thought it was too risky I candidly insisted-my Doctor relented-to be honest I told him get some balls Doc and do this-I need to know what is going on. The rest is history, I died on the table and they brought me back-I want to thank the wonderful Doctor there and the nurses-I know i scared the hell out of them but that one incident actually helped shake up my heart, which it needed and yes I did have a hernia also. I had told that doctor don't worry doc I won't die today but I meant permanently.
From there I went from the VA to a local intensive care unit where the VA paid for most of my care--in May they put me as terminally ill and I entered End of Life Hospice which is where they give you around the clock morphene 7 days a week untll you stop breathing---after 2 months of this and now down to 132 my stubbornness kicked in and I took myself off the Hospice-I think I did 2 or more ambulance trips after that. Sure, I am terminal but I realized that from our birth we all are terminal so don't go out easy!
Dr. Rice believes that one day I will be cured-deep down I think he debates that. I met my maker and now know how my life will be so it is all good, whatever happens.
Susy, Susy, Susy- Dr. Rice's glorious nurse, sent from heaven to help vets and wow oh wow-talk about dedicated. She wants me go get better and who could deny Susy?
You could say " Susy you won't get paid any more for being a veteran nurse and she would just smile and say " Get out of my way so I can go help that other vet.
I have made Susy cry when I visited the clinic-it hurt to see me suffer and go though all this. I felt guilty at first seeing this then realized that is just how Susy really is. She has so much love for " her" vets that her love just simply overflows. So much love that Suzie had to be rushed to Spokane VA hospital for heart problems. The doctors sent her home to rest. Immediately she was back at work saying " rest? I worry even moment when I am at home and can't see my vets". I love you Susy and you Dr. Rice and all the wonderful people who work for the VA who say we care about vets then show it and prove it daily!
We need the President as Commander in Chief to publicly say thank you to everyone working for the VA.
Dr. Rice asked me while I was in his office during one of my worst episodes. " Rich, knowing all you have been though for 30 years fighting the system and your diseases I want to ask you one question-would you join the military and do it all over?" As I cried with pain I replied-yes Dr. Mat, I would be first in line". With tears in his eyes he hugged me and whispered in my ear- "I just knew you would say that!"
