funeral

[The Wiz]

A couple days ago I went to a funeral. He was a vet. He hung himself. Left a wife and bunch of kids. Vets kill themselves at a higher rate than the general population. It is a national crisis and a disgrace. I know there are vets on the site and I urge them if they need help or know of someone needing help, contact the VA or any other agency. A VFW post is also a good place to start. I know the VA has a bad rap and probably earned but they helped me. You are not alone.

Mike

[Shakey Jake]

Sorry to hear about the loss. Yes, we need better intervention.

[PT7]

Sorry, Wiz. Yes, very tough stuff.

I was stationed for a short time at an Air Force evac base (stateside during Nam). We knew there were vets returning daily, who were physically and emotionally seriously damaged from their tours-of-duty.

Agreed, it has risen to a crisis level. I never thought back then that I would see the staggering vet suicide stats that are happening today. Extremely sad and tragic.

[RanchRoper]

My hat is off to anyone who served.

[mlrifleNY]

I have been using the VA for all my health care, no problems for me. Syracuse NY I think is one of the best. I am sure that I wouldn't be here today if not for them. I have had nothing but the best of care there.

Jim

[The Wiz]

I have been in the VA system for about 10 years. Had both my eyes fixed, surgery on my arm, finger, and foot. They remind you of yearly tests and routine checkups. I can not really complain. I have used two of their hospital because of moves. All the VA hospitals are situated next to teaching hospitals and use their residents, under the supervision of a real doctor, to treat. I no longer have to wait for 6 months for an eye exam or any other exam. You can now use private Dr. if the wait is excessive to see a VA doctor. My only complaint is the clinic doctors who are, for the most part, foreign and sometimes it is hard to communicate. And I am not sure of their training. Luckily, all the nurses and staff speak English ( they really run the clinics) and are the best. They are still falling short on mental care but that is improving. They need more money to staff their hot line with out farming out to an outside vendor who can be unreliably. Maybe our politicians should quit spending money on really stupid things and give it to our vets and stop the carnage of our heroes.

[RetiredSeabee]

I have been through training with two organizations to help veterans. Veteran's Yoga Project and Warriors at Ease. Both are dedicated to helping Veterans use yoga and meditation to help them cope.

[Conax]

I went to the VA for a huge kidney stone. After they waited three months to let it wreck a kidney, the extraction wrecked the plumbing from the kidney on out. I turned into an old man after that treatment.
I'll go there again if my guts are hanging out or I need a broke leg set, but the place is dangerous as hell.
I guess it depends on which quack you get.

[CT_Shooter]

I went to the VA for a huge kidney stone.

That's a very sad story, Conax.

Our Vets and all of our citizens deserve healthcare that is so much better than most of us actually have.

I'm very lucky to have medicare and great secondary and prescription drug insurance because I retired as a unionized state employee. My late wife's cancer treatments and prescriptions cost many thousands of dollars per month for more than three years, but our copay was a teeny-tiny fraction of it. Otherwise, it would have bankrupted us.

I am in favor of universal healthcare for every U.S. citizen. We have several members here from other less prosperous countries that have it. Why not us?

[mlrifleNY]

universal healthcare, it would be great and there is no reason we couldn't have it here. I don't believe we will ever see it because to many company's and doctors would not make the money they do now. The greedy money system is in place and almost impossible to stop.

Jim

[BrokenolMarine]

I paid for my insurance thru my department for years, then changed jobs. The cost tripled and the coverages were no where near as good. I went to the VA to see if the could help with meds. "Ah... with your rating, we cover all your connected care... and your meds."

I wasn't 100% at that time... but the care I got was very good in most of the clinics. There were a couple I crossed off my list after a couple visits. I can so my primary care, dental, and ortho are top notch. The physical therapists really care and work very hard as well, and there are some exceptional folks in that department as well.

Like any business... there are those with poor attitudes, there to do the time each day, with as little effort as possible, and go home. They only want to get paid. They are one of the reasons certain clinics are on my "never again" list.

[GFK]

For about 15 years now, I have been using a VA office as my primary care. I have had two doctors during that time. I typically only visit during my annual checkup. I like the concept of preventative medicine instead of corrective medicine. If I had a major issue, I may seek a non-VA office though. But while I can, I will probably continue using the VA medical office. It does not cost me any out of pocket expense. Plus, it is about 5 blocks from my house. On a nice day, I could walk to an office visit. It has been able to address all of my medical concerns so far. If I require some type of drugs, I receive them through the mail, or I use the military retiree pharmacy plan which there is typically a $10-$20 co-pay. In fact, I am due for the annual visit next month. Like BrokenolMarine put it, I use them while they work. When they stop working, I will let them be.

[The Wiz]

Spent 4 hrs. In a non VA emergency room this am. ( Chest pains, false alarm) The VA does not have a monopoly on wait times. Arrrg!

[JEBar]

sure happy to hear it was a false alarm .... take care