For those of you who don't know me and are interested...
I'm an honorably discharged United States Marine with a service connected disability called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. This is a pain syndrome where the sympathetic nerves in my right leg tell my brain that it's basically being destroyed. The pain ratings people have conducted studies that demonstrate this pain as worse than child labor. I have this pain for large portions of every day. This also has a direct effect on my vision which blurs considerably, and on my memory which has been completely ravaged.
I'm starting this blog to post up my trials and tribulations in the hopes that it will be read and the systems that govern the care of disabled military personnel will have little other option other than to change for the better.
Today I've been gasping for breath for about the last 6 hours.
To bring everyone up to speed...
I have submitted for VA benefits increases and social security. Both have been denied twice. It would seem that they don't believe that I'm disabled and are falling back on technicalities to deny me. My family is on the verge of eviction and having the family vehicle repossessed. Things are pretty gloomy.
My hope is to be able to post here from my phone while lying prone so I do not aggravate the pain I'm already in. I'll try to do so for those who are interested on a semi-daily basis.
I will also be posting up my direct dealings with the government so others can learn from my own mistakes, or help me find new avenues for success.
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteI just began reading your blog. I have not spoken with you in many years, and I was shocked and outraged to read about your injury and the government's treatment of you. As a member of a military family, I find your blog touching and interesting. I am going through your other posts now. Where were you deployed? When? How did you contract this syndrome?
Keep up your writing. You are doing good work. You have support and a growing audience.
Laura Jean
I was destroyed my ankle durring a close quarters combat training exercise called combat basket ball. It was just a basic sprain, but I developed severe swelling. My leg from hip to toes was all the same size as my thigh. For some reason when some people have minor injuries they'll develope what I have. It's called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD).
ReplyDeleteI couldn't get a medical speraration because they deemed my MOS as one I could perform while having this injury. I suffered with the pain from 98-00 when they finally got it to go into remission. They told me I was cured.
In September of 09 it came back worse than it had been during my tour.
I served from 97-02 and couldn't re-up because of my injury.