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I AM 45 YEARS OF AGE RETIRED
MARINE MASTER SGT, SERVED IN THE
GULF IN A HELICOPTER UNIT. UPON
RETURN HOME I DIDN'T EVEN GET
THE PHYSICAL THAT THE V. A.
ISSUED THINKING THAT IT WAS A
WASTE OF TIME .
I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT I COULD
NO LONGER RUN AND OPERATE
WITHOUT
-
PAIN,
-
FATIGUE.
-
SWELLING,
-
NIGHT SWEATS,
-
HEADACHES,
-
SHORTNESS OF BREATH,
-
HEART BURN,
-
ATTENTION TO DETAILS (BEING
ABLE TO STUDY OR REMEMBER
SMALL DETAILS)
SO I REPORTED TO THE V.A. MY
PROBLEMS AND RECEIVED A PHYSICAL
TO WHICH THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS
AND STATED THAT IT WAS MORE THAN
LIKELY MENTAL AND THAT IT WOULD
PASS .
THAT WAS IN 1994 IT IS NOW AUG.
2000 AND THE V.A. HASN'T OFFERED
ANY HELP OR TREATMENT . MY
CONDITION HAS WORSENED AS TIME
PASSED,
MY FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND OTHER
SPECIALIST HAVE TREATED ME THRU
THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. I HAVE BEEN
DIAGNOSED WITH EVERYTHING FROM
T.B TO
GOUT
IN FEB. OF THIS YEAR I WENT DOWN
MY LEGS TURNED BLACK AND SWOLLEN
(COULDN'T WALK),
-
TROUBLE BREATHING.
-
CHEST PAINS.
WENT TO V.A. THE DOCTOR INFORMED
ME THAT I SHOULD GET MY
DISABILITIES IN ORDER, AGAIN NO
HELP I COULD CONTINUE TO TELL
YOU MY STRUGGLES FOR THE PAST
6YRS BUT I WON'T BURDEN YOU WITH
MY JOURNEY BUT TO SAY AT TIMES
ITS BEEN HELL, AND OTHERS I
DIDN'T THINK I WOULD MAKE IT.
I AM AT PRESENT ON STEROIDS AND
CHEMOTHERAPY thyroid REFLUX,
IMETREX FOR HEADACHES PAIN
MEDICINE AS NEEDED. I HAVE
SLOWLY WATCHED MY WHOLE BEING
CHANGING INTO SOMEONE I NO
LONGER KNOW OR LIKE.
-
MY ANGER HAS REALLY BEEN A
PROBLEM AND HAS AFFECTED MY
FAMILY
-
AS I'M TYPING THIS OUT MY
HANDS ARE SHAKING AND HAVE
BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I RECEIVE NO SUPPORT FROM THE
GOV. MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT
SOMEONE WILL SOON FIND ANSWERS
TO ALL MY AILING BROTHERS AND
SISTERS. TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT
LIVE AND PUT UP WITH US MAY GOD
RICHLY BLESS ALL OF YOU ,YOU ARE
TRULY SPECIAL, PLEASE DON'T GIVE
UP ON US, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US
HAVE. WHEN I GET INTO MY PITY
PARTY I SIMPLY THINK OF HOW MUCH
BETTER OFF I AM THAN OTHERS. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING
ME TO VENT MY FRUSTRATIONS, MY
HOPES AND DESIRES.
I AM A CHRISTIAN AND WITH HIS
HELP I AM ABLE TO BEAR THRU THIS
ORDEAL HE CARRIES ME THRU THE
HARD TIMES. MY WIFE AND SON
SUPPORT ME EVEN AT TIMES WHEN
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO TO END THIS BY SAYING THAT
FOR NOW THERE MAY SEEM THAT
THERE IS NO HELP BUT I CAN BE
FILLED WITH HOPE IN THE FUTURE
BECAUSE . GOD, FAMILY AND
FRIENDS WE VETS WILL MAKE IT
SIMPER FI
Donny Richardson August 12,
2000 |