VA Healthcare: Time for a Change!

Going to the VA is like gambling in Vegas. Sometimes you hit big, other times you lose. . . badly. Since leaving the Army the VA has been my primary healthcare. There was a stint when we had BlueCross but for the most part it has been the VA.

As you may know that means my healthcare is free. That is great and I consider myself fortunate to have free healthcare. But is anything really free. What cost does this come at?

We can go into details like taxes and what the government pays into it, but that is not what I want to address. What does the soldier have to pay or give up to receive such benefits?

Time. Going to the VA isn't like going to an appointment at a doctor's office. You have a scheduled appointment that they recommend you show up 10 to 15 minutes prior and then sometimes you end up waiting 30-40 minutes after your scheduled time before being seen. The interesting part is there are signs that say, "If you have been waiting more than 15 minutes past your appointment time please notify the receptionist." What is the answer that is waiting you when you let them know? "Yes we know it's busy." Or "I'll let them know". The latter sounds nice, but when you sit back down and watch you notice they never pick up a phone or say anything to anyone.

Now sometimes, and actually alot now, you don't wait that long and you are whisked right in. However, the doctor does everything possible to make it the shortest appointment of all time. He or she makes you feel like you are not really being heard and when you are trying to press upon them the issue and what is going on they are quick to come up with a solution like; pills, rest, give it time, or referring you to someone else just to go through the same process.

On the subject of the actual appointment and doctors there is another thing that veterans lose out on. Care. It is a hit or miss. Sometimes you get someone that cares or someone that doesn't care. And the sad part is the latter is more likely to take place. Saying the doctors don't care is such a strong claim but the behavior and attitude shown to veterans is just that. Here is an example, You go in and see the doctor and he or she asks what is going on. While you are talking there back is turned to you and they are typing on the computer. They say the occasional, "Uh-huh", or "hmmm". Then they turn around and tell you to go the pharmacy. VA doctors in my opinion are pill pushers.

Now let me come into the defense of the doctors. It's not them that is flawed it is the system. The doctors don't just have some patients they are in the triple digits. There are thousands of veterans that require care and the doctors are left with seeing numerous patients. I don't know how many they see in one day. But when I go to the VA hospital there are a numerous amount of veterans. Yes there are various departments but I can say the workload is most likely heavy.

This leaves a dangerous situation. What situation is that you ask? It's the unanswered health concerns of veterans. And at times perhaps life threatening concerns. Let me share with you a couple stories that are personal experiences for me. After serving in Iraq I sustained some injuries to my right shoulder, back, and right knee. After returning home it was a joke trying to get some help. I was just given pills all the time; percocet, oxycodone, vicodin, robaxin, etc. I ended up becoming an addict. I will not blame them because I am responsible for my own choices. But that was the only help I got while in the Army. Out of the Army I was excited to hopefully finally get some help. After all the Portland VA is supposedly one of the best. The first year was nightmare. Same thing; pills. I was done with pills I knew I had a problem and on top of that I just wanted answers and solutions. I kept getting told about my right shoulder that I was fine, ice it and take ibuprofen. My lower back I was told I just have some bulging discs. Rest when inflammed, ice, and ibuprofen. So when it came to right knee I didn't even bother. There was a glimmer of hope when it came to my migraines. They did a CT scan and it came back normal, but the doctor wanted me to try Zomig because it helps migraines. I was okay with that it was non addictive and unfortunately migraines just plague some people. Well the night I got them I took one at the onset of my headache and layed down. Five minutes later it felt like there was 300 pounds on my chest. John was at work and I couldn't breathe. I could barely move. Thank God for cell phones it was right by me. I had to call 911. After that I don't remember too much until I got to the hospital. They started benadryl through my IV. Now in the civilian hopsital I gave them my list of allergies. The doctor was shocked to find out that they gave me Zomig with me being allergic to Haldol. They are in the same family. When I followed up with my VA doctor the following week, he didn't apologize at all. He made a note in my chart. Then he said, "Well just take excedrin for you headaches." Then he sent me on my way.

To give up an update on my back and shoulder; the year we had Bluecross both issues were handled. Had surgery on my right shoulder where they fixed two tears and took out part of my collarbone. Now I am fine. My lower back they sent me to an osteopathic doctor that was able to help me with that. Yes I still get pain in my back sometimes but I am able to take what the doctor showed me and help it.

Now for my right knee. Just recently I saw an orthopedic doctor at the VA. He definitely said there was alot of fluid in there and wanted to do an MRI. Well he didn't see anything on the MRI so he told me I would grow out of it as soon as I reached my thirties. To be honest I don't even know what to say to that. Fortunately my job just gave me full time and I start getting benefits the end of the month. I think it's sad that I am excited to go see a doctor outside the VA system.

I can buy into the conspiracy theories that the reason the system is this way is so they don't have to pay out more money in actually helping veterans or that they don't want the truth of what the war has done to the bodies of young men and women. But that is all they are theories. All I know is there needs to be a change. Veterans should be getting the same care that is offered out in the private sector, if not better.

We put our lives on the line for this country. We were shot at, bombed, and exposed to bacterias that we don't have in our country. The least they can do for all veterans is give them better healthcare.

I know I have started asking questions (and unfortunately hung up on or given the run around). Perhaps it's time we are start asking questions and asking for a better system. Veteran or not it's time we start to ask for a change.