Questions About VA Health Care Or Life In Amerika

Thanks for the two comments. Your perception is helpful.

About waiting around, that is one thing I remember. Amen. Hurry up and wait!

 

It was said: "They did not like my answers and recommended I see someone in the psych department. I declined and that was the end of it. They still treated me and told be to come back if I ever wanted to talk to someone. No medication or therapy was forced on me. This was at the VA hospital in Dublin GA."

That is an import perspective and I think important to be known and as it should be. Thanks for making that point. "I declined and that was the end of it. They still treated me. . ." [for other health concerns]

 

Comments from a brother in the true faith, called to preach, plus an active duty soldier, and combat veteran. Remember this man, as he might face further conflicts:

Dear Brother Bob, I saw your post about the VA and their "pushing" pills. I have to say that I enjoyed reading it. As far as the conspiracy is concerned I go back and forth. I am not sure that it is a plot being planned and carried out by the government. I, myself, am more inclined to believe that this is the direction that the world is going due to the fall. I tend to think that more people actually desire pills to make everything "all better." This of course leads to two things. First of all, when they get these pills they do feel better for a while and when that wears off they want more pills so doctors honestly think the pills are helping. The second thing is that the drug companies (and individual scientists that develop said pills) see that by making "new and improved" pills they can make quite a lot of money.

The push to take pills is full blast even in the active duty tricare system. Any time you go to the military doctors on Ft. Hood you see numerous posters explaining that stress is a chemical reaction in the brain and that it needs to be treated IMEDIATELY!!!! PTSD is a huge problem in our military (or so they say) and now that it is in the forefront I bet they are trying to help Vietnam vets too - not that their methods really are helpful. It has been reported that one in six soldiers that was deployed to Iraq with my unit (4th Infantry Division) has experienced some level of PTSD. I don't know about 1 in 6. Well, maybe that many has disturbing dreams and what I call tight chest syndrome in certain situations but I am not sure that it requires pills or even mental evaluation. Men have been warring for thousands of years. I must admit that I do have nightmares and sometimes in crowds I find myself getting sweaty and antsy but it is fading as time goes on - it has been a year.

Maybe the idea is that they would rather drug people up than give them the naturally required time to get over an experience like combat. I honestly don't know, but I do know that the whole pill pushing craze in our society is horrible and it is probably hurting far more people than it could possibly help. Then again, we live in a terribly depressed, hopeless, Godless society that is undeniably running at break neck speed towards the great judgment of this earth - what else can we expect them to do?????

In reply, I said:

Dear Brother, Thank you for the helpful and informative comments. I appreciate the straight forward, thoughtful perspective and agree with what you are saying. Amen and Amen! Your perception is helpful for me that I better understand these matters, and am sure they will be for others. Pursuing this matter, I have learned very much and hope these things are found helpful for others. Also, thank you for the kind words.

 

". . .certainly not normal now."

When I first glanced at the post, I thought, "Boy howdy, this person knows me pretty well. Where do they know me from?" Then I read more carefully

 

Amen! I agree with what you are saying. Semper Fi

 

Excellent points Bro. Roby. Amen and Amen! The manner in which questions are asked and recommended treatment is presented to the patient is a very important point. Myself, I think the vast majority of those having direct contact with veterans are excellent in how they present themselves and in their attitude toward the veterans. With such things, respect from both sides is required. The doctor is there to treat the patient, and the most emphasis is placed on them. They have a tremendous responsibility, as mentors, and advancing a sense of family. They are the most visible. Those that I have had contact with have been top notch, excellent, and had my trust. Not everyone has had that experience. Doing good, but striving to be better should be a goal, and the problems that sometimes appear should be addressed. Again, I stress that I have had excellent experience with those of the VA that I have come in contact with. If there would ever be any little thing, a few friendly words face should clear things up. Though isolated, not all that have sought care have found things affable. There are isolated cases of an attitude adjustment being needed. Doesn’t that sometimes work both ways? Unless such problems are admitted to exist, they will not be addressed and a determination about making things better will not be made. Again, what I am saying is, “Doing good, and striving to do better.”

 

Not everyone can speak in their own defense. From a dear Christian woman, and a nurse:

Brother, I have been reading your articles with much interest. As a nurse for over 30 years, I can honestly say that there is an upward swing to overmedicate people. The psych drugs like Prozac, Haldol, Lexapro, etc, are commonly used. We have many VA patients at our rehab facility. Most are on some type of psych med usually for "depression". There is a trend also to get patients under the care of Hospice. This is a major concern to me personally. Hospice and the PCP order high dosages of Morphine for their terminal residents. I watched the Terri Schaivo case very closely. What the media did not report is the fact that there are many Terri Scaivo's around the country. Over the last few years I have seen 3 people die just like that. The family decided the patient had no quality of life and so Hospice ordered all food and water withheld. One was an 80 plus gentleman with end stage Alzheimers. Two were elderly women with the same diagnosis. Two of the 3 had feeding tubes and the feeding tube was tied in a knot. The nursing staff was told if they gave any water or formula to these poor souls they would be out of a job. The patients were given high doses of morphine for pain. This is where the rubber hits the road for a Christian working in healthcare. Those of us that are Christians gave water and feeding formula. We were told that Hospice was monitoring the urinary output to determine of water or formula had been given. We were never reported however even though it was obvious that water and food had been given. What a horrible way to die. Don't think that a living will is the answer either. It could end up being used against you. This has bothered me for some time now. It is a growing trend in the healthcare field. Seems the elderly are dispensable and their life hangs in the balance based on the whim of the family. Shame on Florida for allowing it to happen. Shame on America for allowing it to happen. Thank-you for allowing me to vent on this subject. Blessings to you and your family.

In reply, I said:

Dear Sister: You are saying very clearly, what most people simply refuse to acknowledge. Amen! Amen! and Amen! There is nothing I can say, except Amen!

There is something else. . . [What of those] in a nursing home, with Alzheimer’s? . . . I am very aware of how these things are handled through Hospice. . . . I fear for [them].

 

Thump. . .

 

There is another thread I started, Witchcraft/Sorcery that might shed insight to this. . .

Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

 

Thump!