Lack of proper medical treatment

[YAMA-MAMA]

For those of you who have been following Lonesometriz's delema at Ft Benning we FINALLY got some answers after nearly 4 months. Heres some history. When he processed up there he developed a virus. He went to sick call, got passed around by the asprin and bandaide guys and never got better. He progressively got worse, going from the front of the pt run when he first got there to falling out because he couldnt breathe. Test after test were done and put in his file but no diagnosis. We came up with several plans to take his diagnosis and care into our own hands but got Great idea but thats not how the Army does it. WELL he finally got 4 days to come home. I looked at his medical records and the answer had been there since he had his EcoCardiogram mid september. His ejection fraction was 45%. Normal range is 55 to 70% Ejection fraction is the amount of blood that your heart pumps out. Right there in black and white and no one bothered to look at it. He saw a cardiologist here at home last tuesday and in 4 hours Dr Finn found what the army couldnt. Because of the virus that was not treated properly he has Cardiomyopothy (weakend heart) Wednesday he has a neuclear stress test that was abnormal and Thursday a cardiac cath. Dr Finn doesnt play. We wanted agressive we got it. With just what little bit of proper care that he has gotten so far his heart is already improving and his ejection fraction as of last week was up to 53%. Louis is currently battling pneumonia BUT Dr Finn expects a FULL RECOVERY and he should be ready to start the OCS class in January!

[SYKO]

glad you guys found it!! get better lonesome WE GOTTA RIDE!!!

[Erics350x]

he will be in our prayers.

[Billy Golightly]

Wow I know he was having some problems but I didn't know it was anything that serious! Dang, I hope everything works out OK. I know all to well about VA medical treatment, my dad has been having eye problems thanks to a botched "remedy" for some swelling in the back of the eye. They injected a steroid to make the swelling go down where he would see more clearly and in the process they knocked the retna loose from the cornea. They surgically re-attached it once and used a gas to hold the laser stitching together so it didn't retear before it was completely grown back together. Of course before each operation there is the obligatory 9 hours in the waiting room :rolleyes: Well a month later we were down there for a checkup and it had de-tached again because the "gas leaked out faster then expected". He's now had a silicon oil inside his eye since the beginning of June and has about 400 vision in that eye. The oil is scheduled to be drained the 25th of this month. The doctors had at first said "you WILL see better after the oil is drained" to now "Well we'll see if it helps out any or not". ON TOP OF THAT, he has a cataract on his left eye that is very dense and no one will work on it until the right one is "finished". Nice eh?

[85hondaatc125m]

Get well soon lonesome! Wish you the best of luck with everything.

[ATC-Eric]

Get well soon!

[dreadhed]

Tell him I wish him the best. I know the VA is too. My best friends dad had back problems after a couple years of going for appoitments they did surgery on his back. He ended up worse than when he went it. His leg shakes & will give out on him now & he has to use a cane. Also the 4 to 5 hours wait every time he went. It's a shame how the treat the people who served the country. It's to bad just about any thing the goverment runs is run like crap. Hope he can enjoy some of his time off.

[SYKO]

I had to stop taking my dad to the VA in lakecity, I got into a fight with one of the doctors, my dad sat for 8 hours, he could barely breath, and they were taking there sweet time about averything, he was close to passing out. He dosnt go there any more, he a damn veteran of two wars, and they dont give a crap about him, the VA can get screwed.

[Jim mac]

I think if the doctors knew they could be sued they would pay more attention. Its unfortunate but thats how free enterprise works. If theres no encouragement to do a good job or penalty for a bad job they just don't care. Jim

[jason 32]

?? gov is supposed to have the best isnt it????

[dreadhed]

?? gov is supposed to have the best isnt it????
Ya right. Just like Gov schools? Any thing the Gov. runs is run like crap. The Gov. is best at wasting our money & not taking care of who ther should. Instead they will take care of the lazy welfare people before those who severed the country. What a shame.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Well I just managed to push my self out of bed. I usually have 30 minutes of decent energy in the morning before the medication wears off. Then it is back to feeling like pure unprocessed crap. Thank you everybody for the well wishing. I do not intend to let this beat me. We went through way too much so I could make it this far.

I am sorry to hear your dad is still going though all that Billy. Does he have Tricare? If so, he can see a civilian doctor that accepts Tricare. That is the only reason I am finally recovering.

[YAMA-MAMA]

You would think that our soldiers and veterans would get great medical care. NOT! Thank goodness that we were able to get him to a civilian doctor I hate to think how far this would have gone otherwise. Now you know if you or a loved one has to go to a military "doctor" run the other way FAST! Thanks for all the well wishing. Hes getting better slowly, he's threatening to go out in the back yard and work on something so you know hes on the way !

[Billy Golightly]

Well I just managed to push my self out of bed. I usually have 30 minutes of decent energy in the morning before the medication wears off. Then it is back to feeling like pure unprocessed crap. Thank you everybody for the well wishing. I do not intend to let this beat me. We went through way too much so I could make it this far.

I am sorry to hear your dad is still going though all that Billy. Does he have Tricare? If so, he can see a civilian doctor that accepts Tricare. That is the only reason I am finally recovering.


Iv'e never heard of that so I dont think so. I do know many many years ago when he had cataract surgery on that right eye and we did it outside of VA we had to pay for a large chunk of it (although not all of it thankfully). He does not have the 100% coverage from the VA that comes with a permanent disability from war time.

[wheelie king]

LOUIS!!!

I did not know it was that serious, and I am sorry to hear that. Last we talked, you knew there was a problem, but that was about it......... I hope it all gets better, and it sounds like you are well on your way there. Good luck, man!!!! I'll talk to you soon.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Thanks Greg. Things have been rough, but they could always be worse. Being on the receiving end of the Army's incompetence kind of makes me reevaluate my decision to go military instead of into law enforcement. I may be doing my time and looking towards a federal agency later on.

This whole situation sickens me. I am well aware we all have a responsibility to do our part. However, serving is still on a voluntary basis. You would think we would receive the respect that sort of commitment deserves. Instead our medical needs falls on the back burning. And of course with out the possibility of taking action against those who screw up, there is no real quality control. Too many soldiers with bright futures have become victims of the sheer crap and gross negligence of the “system”.