Veterans: the feelings never die

Absolutely right. I was in the VA Emergency Room last night for several hours trying to die, obviously unsuccessfully this time. Every one coiuldn't have been nicer from the staff to other parients, to patients families. Some helped me, we helped someothers, all were concerned about this kid just back from Iraq who was having a really hard time. You are absolutely right about being able to sit down with another Vet and strike up a conversation, whether you were in the same war, same time, same philosophy, same religion or not.

Another thing about going to the VA Medical Center, no one feels the need to pander and "Thank" me for my service. That gripes me to no end when someone does that. It was my DUTY.

 

SN, you sure did type a mouthful. Nice stuff.

 

I'm so sorry to hear this (the first part, not the second). I don't know your circumstances or your reasons, but you are in my heart and prayers. I hope you get the help you need. (((Jeff)))

 

Daisy

Thanks for the very kind words. My diseases are no big secrets, I am a severe diabetic, with diabetic neuropathy, glaucoma, and all the associated baggage that goes with that. I also have systemic lupus (and yes i am a man). :type: It is very painful to type, which is why I don't post much or much of length. Yesterday, blood sugar went past 700, and was in ketoacidosis, so off to the VA I went. Regular Docs in these parts are incompetent. The VA treats me very well, no complaints at all.

Hope all is well in New York? Is your sister still down in these parts?

 

What a great post. My friend and I go over to the White City domiciliary and grab a couple vets to play golf with every so often. They are always the finest golf partners we play with. Really fun time.

 

It's surprisingly hard to get a good doctor here, too, even though there is a glut of them. Those are some serious problems. Please take care.

It's cold here today, but sunny. The crocus and snowdrops are blooming unfazed.

My sister works at a satellite clinic in Konnarock. She found a good doctor, luckily.

 

While shopping recently in Gatlinburg, my wife and I went into a little shop run by a Vietnam Vet. My wife and I buy from him often. She jokingly asked if we could get a discount, and he said "I don't give anyone discounts." He went on to say that he didn't give anyone discounts. Not active duty military, Vets, anyone. His reason why was that he was treated like crap when he came home from Vietnam. Called a baby killer, all that. So now, he said he's going to give Vets some of what he got. I thanked him for his service, but told him I felt he had it all wrong, that repaying evil for evil was not the way to handle it. He didn't agree.

I walked away sad that his man found it necessary to violate the bond of which y'all are speaking of. And I walked away wondering if my wife and I will shop in that little store ever again.

 

I am not a combat era veteran but I find that the respect from other veterans is still there. Sometimes they pick with me for being a bathtub jockey (Coast Guard) but we still have a mutual respect for having served in the US military.

However, I have found the VA medical facilities and standard of care to be far below that of the civilian world. Buildings are poorly maintained. Waiting times are very long. It takes 2 weeks to get the results for a throat culture. My civilian Dr. can get the same results in about 15 minutes.

Veterans respect each other but the VA Medical care system doesn't seem to put much effort into showing the same respect.

Sorry about using an uplifting thread to complain but I just had to vent a little.

 

Carolina Baptist

My experience is just the opposite of yours. I hear the results in the VA within a few minutes, but the civilian docs take forever, if ever, to give results. The docs at the Johnson City, TN facility take the time to explain why I need a certain treatment, while the civilian docs never ever do. The hospital at Johnson City is state of the art. I had a CAT Scan monday, took all of 5 minutes, while in the civilian world here, the machines are much slower and can take 30, plus the waiting time of getting an appointment. The VA here is great. It might be because I was WIA, and the record is marked that way, but I have absolutely no problems with the VA, while I would rate most civilian docs in this part of the world as a bunch of quacks.

And so sorry you had to be a bathtub jockey. :laugh:

 

I have always heard that the Johnson City facility was good. I used to live just a couple of blocks from the VA hospital in Louisville, KY.

 

Maybe It's just the VA Hospital that is local to me (about 20 miles). Because of my earlier experience there I chose to have my knee (service connected) opperated on at a civilian hospital. I saw the inpatient rooms when my dad was there. I understand that the building was built in the '50s and has not been upgraded since, but there is no excuse for the conditions I saw. The plumbing had not been maintained. I hope that, while they are looking at Walter Reed, they take a closer look at the VA hospital here.

I have been to the one in Ashville. The facility is much better but I still sat in the waiting room for nearly 4 hours. I haven't seen the inpatient rooms there.

P.S. WIA was move you the the front of the line, and rightly so.

P.P.S. Maybe I should have had knee surgery at the VA. The outcome that I got was worse that what I started with.:tonofbricks:

 

This seems like a good place for this:

"I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not to tell war stories or look at old pictures. Not to laugh or weep. Comrades gather together because they long to be with men who once acted their best, men who suffered and sacrificed, who were stripped raw , right down to their humanity."

Michael Norman, USMC
"These Good Men", 1990