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Post by Brooke on Jun 2, 2004 21:48:43 GMT -5
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Post by Brooke on Jun 2, 2004 23:24:45 GMT -5
20 days will mark the ONE YEAR anniversary of Shen's parachuting accident. ONE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! and we are STILL dealing with this medical board BS! We were told back in September (actually ridiculed because he's been out of work and not boarded yet) that he would be sent home within 3 months on a med board process. It was to start september 11th which is when they put him on the FENTENYL (which is 1000 times stronger than MORAPHINE) patches. (1st up to 50 mics and then UP to 75 which is what he is STILL TO THIS DAY ON!!!) So I wait till November and then we begin calling because we haven't heard a word. We then find out that they have not even STARTED the process yet (again this is after they reamed US out for not pushing this fast enough since he had set a record for being off work on the base without being boarded at that time) SO they have not at that point started and said that it will THEN begin. I go back in December to find out what is going on and they said they STILL had not started and that they will begin it THAT DAY. We went on vacation for christmas back here in Indiana and went back and inquired once again and they told us that it had begun and that we had to wait another 3 months and that we should be home by march/april. I went back in february only to find out that they had completely LIED to me and that it STILL had not been started. Finally the jerk off did send it through and we got the case worker working on it. For the record.... (because I know I haven't talked about it much in a long time) one month ago they JUST xrayed his back and found out that he has spinal degeneration and rotated disks in his back and neck. So he has been walking on this since day 1. He has been complaining about this for FOREVER and they just A MONTH AGO x rayed him and thats ONLY because the caseworker (who is not a doctor) and is working with his medical board with... (or actually I should say AGAINST) his doctor, pushed to get him the xrays since his doctor has refused numerous times. Well over the course of the last month we have since been informed that his "doctor" is being recruited to another base. Shen went in to find out what was going on and to get his prescriptions refilled and the guy slammed the door in his face and said that because he's being moved he is no longer required to do anything with his medical board or his case. Well...the next doctor who got the case decided otherwise and pushed it back to this doctor and is forcing him to dictate the medical board.... SOOO drumroll please.... I get a call from Shen today and guess what he tells me? This "doctor" had his secretary call him in today and give him his last recommendation and tidbit of "help". He is further having him sent in for a mental evaluation because apparently he believes Shen to all the sudden have Schizophrenea and he said (even though we have him on tape) that he has never been informed of his photophobia, back/neck/leg issues (even though he has seen the xrays & ect) Why? because by the time the mental evaluation goes through he should be gone and won't have to do the medical board. Our military at it's finest folks...
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Post by Laura on Jun 3, 2004 0:15:14 GMT -5
In soladarity... Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry you two have to deal with this , it's a gawdawful shame the military can treat it's own like this and get away with it, that doctor should be drawn and quartered, and saying Shen is a psych case..... That is the biggest load of HORSES*** I've ever heard! If anyone's head needs to be examined, it's that quack who has this case, not Shen . You come and vent anytime, we've got big ears here, and some pretty decent sized shoulders to lean on too, cause if you don't, you're gonna need some couch time as well !
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Post by Brooke on Jun 3, 2004 0:40:13 GMT -5
Shen is completely devestated that this is now in his file. It is obvious that it's not true but it really hurt his ego and what he has left of his self confidence. He is truely a very crumbled person right now. I am completely amazed at the lack of compassion or conscience these people have. I hope Karma bites them in the arse big time one day. I'm only sad I won't more than likely be there to see it but you bet your sweet butt I will fight to do what I can to get that Karma moving. I know nothing will come of it though. Shen has no fight left in him anymore and I seem to be the only person in his corner TRYING which is hard for me to do alone because I need help and there are so many variables! He seemed to do a little better after I left and his friends came home. He was spending time with them and it's kind of tapered back to how it was before I left. Sleeping all day and playing video games. It sounds like his friends don't even come over anymore because he doesn't want to do anything or go anywhere. He just wants to sit around alone sleep and be depressed all the time. The military has done as little as possible and shrugged off his and my numerous pleas for counseling. His parents have not once gone to see him during this whole thing. Even when the accident happened because "it's too hard for them to handle seeing him that way" and that just boggles my mind! Maybe it's the culture difference, I don't know, but I just can't get over it... I'm so drained....he's so drained and we just don't know what to do anymore. Everything is completely bust.
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Post by Aussienot on Jun 3, 2004 0:53:58 GMT -5
Brooke, I'm so sorry. You are such a wonderful person and it's just wrong, wrong, wrong that you two are having to suffer through this. Is there anyway a lawer could help? It defys justice that Shen could be injured while in the military, but they won't do anything about it.
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Post by Brooke on Jun 3, 2004 1:06:16 GMT -5
I've tried going that route as well unfortunately our lovely government has made laws to protect the military in these cases so that they do not lose money. In effect these guys are totally ready willing and able to do these kinds of things without so much as a slap on the wrist or less. They are allowed to do what they want.
I'm going to ask Shen to send me copies of his medical files which are the size of two phone books and I will be contacting as many news and governmental figures as I possibly can. This is the last straw. We've been patient, understanding and we've done everything the way they've wanted and it's gotten us nowhere. We've pushed and pushed for things that they just poo poo away and we have no control over any of it no matter how much we nag. Politely or bitchy it doesn't get us anywhere so this is it. I've had it.
I'm done playing nicey nice.
The hardest part is going to be getting Shen to care enough to send them to me. I have a person at the local paper interested in researching and running the story as well. We will see what happens. Its going to be hard motivating him to send me the files. I tried to send this out a few months ago but not much came of it. I think it happens so much that it's not really anything new in the media world anymore. I have a LOT more in the file now though.
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Post by sibemom on Jun 3, 2004 4:31:46 GMT -5
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Post by Nicole on Jun 3, 2004 7:58:41 GMT -5
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Post by Willow on Jun 3, 2004 11:58:58 GMT -5
Brooke, I'm so sorry. Being an X military wife and still having to deal with the Military, plus having two sons in the Military, I know your frustration and anger. If Shen is on a drug like Morphine, only stronger, I would say no wonder all he wants to do is sleep etc. That's what those drugs do to a person. Make them like a Zombie and also totally dependent on them. It's too bad you couldn't get some good non-Military Dr.s too!!!
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Post by Richard on Jun 3, 2004 19:30:51 GMT -5
Brooke,
I can only say that it is very sad that the military treats its soldiers like that....sadly convicts in jail get better treatment....this is not a good situation at all and to add injury to insult, they're tagging Shen with mental problems....good grief..did that Doctor practice any medicine on live patients at any time? His manners indicate he was either a vet in another life or just worked on cadavers fulltime.
Scumbag, lowlife maggots is the best words I can use at this time to describe those people who've done nothing to help you and Shen....
I'd start the email campaign now....fire off a nice letter to anyone and everyone who can either help, further your cause or make a decision to do the right thing for you and Shen....so far, it seems the Army is just playing the waiting game and hoping you go away so there will be no accountability on their part....
Gee, perhaps the Doctor Twit you've been dealing with may end up in Iraq and perhaps start to understand what it means to do your duty then get ignored by your Country.
Keep us posted.
-Richard
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Post by amyjo on Jun 4, 2004 8:35:59 GMT -5
Brooke - I am so sorry for all this trouble - I am sorry that the US govmt basically took a poop on you both in return for your patriotism. So much for supporting the troops eh?
Please please please do yourself a favor and in addition to the more conventional outlets you plan to contact - look to some of the more left leaning (some say "fringe" type folks) they are more willing to run with stuff like this and then when the story gets attention that way -the mainstream media likes to jump on the bandwagon -Rush Limbaugh does it for the far right all the time.
This doesn't have to be political - just use the resources available to you - that's all.
Contact the folks at airamericaradio.com - all of them - they are all listed on the site - includes Al Franken. LOVE HIM!
The folks at workingforchange.com. Any of the contributing writers on that site might be interested in your story....
Also - there is always Michael Moore... Some love him some hate him - some love to hate him. Personally I love him but don't always agree with him....anyway michaelmoore.com
And don't forget Eric Alterman - he has an column on msnbc.com.
Here is another idea - start a fundraising campaign in your home town to pay for civilian medical care - since you aren't getting proper care from the military. Stage something big and outlandish (we'll think of something) invite the press - they eat stuff like that up!- you might not raise any money but you will get attention.
Here is another idea - lets start an e-mail storm - you write out the entire story and email it to each of us - we will then each e-mail it to all of our friends and the white house and your congress reps offices as well as email adresses for all the media folks you are intrested in contacting - we will then ask each of those people to do the same - the result could be thousands of emails sent to your targets...hopefully interesting them in the story.
I am so sorry for your difficulty and I will do what I can to help.....
Your friend - the bleeding heart liberal Amy
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