As I sat in the Phoenix Veterans Affairs hospital on Dec. 21, 2012, I had no idea my life was about to change. I’d seen a nurse practitioner in 2011 and was finally consulting with a VA urologist almost a year later. I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t prepared for the diagnosis I was about to receive.
“You’ve got one of the worst cases of prostate cancer I’ve ever seen in my life,” the urologist said to me. “Hospice will call you Monday morning.”
Those words hit me like a ton of bricks.
I was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. Had I been seen by a doctor sooner, my cancer could have been detected before it had progressed so far. Now it was too late. My cancer was so advanced the VA wouldn’t even offer me a treatment option.
I had joined the U.S. Army in 1989 as a young, ambitious kid. I honorably served my country for 18 years in the infantry and military police. When I took off the uniform, I relied on the promise I would be cared for as one who “shall have borne the battle.” But that promise was broken.
I was let down by government, the country that I served and loved. That hurt worse than my diagnosis.
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https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/veterans-day-by-the-time-i-saw-my-va-doctor-he-said-it-was-too-late
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
4 comments:
My VA doctor in Cambridge VA clinic is a joke. She does no more than the bare minimum. TG e last two years during my yearly physical her only objective was to build some sort of evidence to rebut future disability benefits. No prostate check she stated my PSA levels from blood work was enough for her. Dr. Talusan your professionalism sucks
There are no words to describe how much it hurts a family when they are ignored by their country yet immigrants are taken care of with out question. Dems have no respect for the military. That is carried forward. Dems don't what immigrant babies separated from it's immigrant mother when it turns out it isn't even her baby. Anchor babies are provided full American coverage - welfare, health,etc even when they return to their original country. It must stop. Help our President fight this total injustice. Vote Republican 2020.
I get it that the VA is screwed up and a disgrace. But I'd the author knew something was wrong, why didnt he go outside the VA system for a second opinion? We all have to be responsible for our own health. If you think it is screwed up for Male veterans, female veterans are often unable to get beds in VA hospitals because most wards are open and all Male. Women veterans have to wait for the rare single room and are often left on stretchers in hallways (they tried to move one friend to the morgue because they didnt realize she had been left in the hall waiting for a bed.)
I'm a veteran and know that it doesn't matter. For eight months, I went to the V.A. complaining of back and rib pain The V.A. gave me a bottle of Motrin and a steroid shot and sent me on my way. I seek a second opinion through a civilian doctor who referred me to an Orthopedic surgeon who referred me to a physical therapist. The physical therapist recommended a back brace, a cane and physical exercise. Soon after, the systems became worst, I had to stop physical therapy, quit my job and return to the V.A. My primary doctor thought it was all in my head until I told her that in this month alone, my weigh went from 235 to 214. That finally got her attention. She ordered for the first time in my life a full body scan and diagnose me with Sarcoma and referred me to a Hematologist. The Hematologist look at the scan, immediately conducted a bone marrow test and told me that it was Sarcoma but instead second stage Multiple Myeloma and requested immediate treatment. It took the V.A. three month to approve the treatment outside of the V.A. And, it took the V.A. three days to approve the medications and treatment plan at the cancer treatment center I'm currently being treated for six months. The bottom line is, if you do not have Tricare or familiar with medicine, the V.A. nor civilian doctors don't care about your health. You literally have to make them do their job especially if you have medical experience yourself. This was the case with me. I knew something was wrong but I just could not put my hand on it until I started losing weight. Now, I live off $1198.00 with a mortgage and other household expenses. I receive $27.00 a month for food stamps which is ridiculous because I know an illegal mother with anchor babies at least two can receive at least three to four hundreds dollars of food stamp. This disease has eiped out my sabing. And, all I can do is relie on the V.A. For most of these doctors, it's all about the M.O.N.E.Y. And they would much rather put you in a wheel chair and roll you off a cliff. I'm doing ok but I feel so sad for the hospice person above. When you are diagnose with late stage through no fault of your own, your so call faith base friends and even family begin to disappear as well.
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