I am a vet, There fore I am both served and victim of the VA system, I ended a a victim of the VA by the same thing that sent me to them for treatment...pain....I still have no diagnosis, least not besides knowing it is some kind of autoimmune thing. After two years of being in so much pain I could do nothing but take to what I thought would be my death bed. I spent each night begging for the relief death could bring, but at the same time warding off the depression which wanted me to end it. After years years of mistreatment I called the VA suicide hot line and declared I could stand it no more.. I finally got my pain relief, I also got punishment, for threatening to end it they took my drivers license. At first I didn't care, I was in so much pain, I was not able to drive any way. Two years past, I mentioned that I mentioned I might like my drivers license back. I got no answer just a lot of the run around as only VA can give. I went another two years, weaned myself off the heavy pain killers and learned others ways to deal with chronic pain. I mentioned my drivers license again...stronger this time. Come to find out driving is not a right, it is a privilege, it can be given or denied at the whim of the state you live in and if they take it away you have to prove you are capable of driving, which includes medical approval...VA gave me the run around for two more years, then I started raising hell. Va wanted me to swear I would never threaten suicide again. I wanted VA to promise never ever to deny me medical care again. Course VA would not comply, they couldn't.. There is no one in VA that can give their word that means anything... I am now going on twelve years of special modified house arrest, my only crime, getting chronically ill.
I do not get proper medical care. because my wife who is now ten years older now too has problems driving long distances. I can't make use of VA transportation, because that means getting on a bus early in the morning and sitting around in a wheel chair all day at the VA hospital until the bus is ready to take me and the other vets home. I can't handle that kind of treatment. Va refuses to allow me local treatment, which is something they can do, but they will not.
Needless to say I am one very angry individual, although I have never threatened or cursed a VA Doctor I have been put down as a problem patient in the VA system because I continue to fight them. Not sure you understand what be a problem patient means in the VA system or how much the VA system loves to mess with any one that doesn't just roll over for them....Especially since I have caused a great deal of trouble for the local VA to include have doctors removed, there is nothing I can do about the people running VA in Washington
Now I said all that to say this, Yes, when ever I do go to the local VA clinic, My blood pressure goes through the roof..... Heck of it is, I am treated very well indeed compared to those that have served in recent years or those that might try to enter in the near future.....
