Since we moved back home to Ga things have been in a stuck position with the Army...its been 1 month and 21 days since we moved back home..its been 3 weeks since the husband requested a referral for a different physc doc...which got approved shortly after the doctor he wanted to see stopped taking TriCare and new patients...so back to the waiting game we go...I'm sure it'll be another 3 weeks til he gets his referral approved...this remote care seems to be a bigger stress then staying on Ft Riley...why you ask...
Lets see on Ft Riley we were able to MAKE his appts...not wait for some case manager to get off their behind..ohh they sit at at desk on the phone...to call Tricare to set up the referral..what the hell good is it to have 2 case managers working for you if neither one of them do their jobs?? Or if 1 is trying the other one just blows you off...I'm sorry you're butt is getting paid A LOT of money to make sure that my husband gets his appts, his meds and anything else he needs..that is YOUR JOB! Instead of berating the soldier because he informed you 4 weeks ago about shit and you're just now taking care of it..its not his fault you can't seem to be bothered...
I swear this is turning into a daily battle...either by email or phone call. And no one can seem to figure out what they're doing..instead we get a constant reminder that "Remote care if a privilege". Well hell so is having a job but yet we don't see you getting threatened to have your job taken away..I'm so fed up with the system and the stupidity of the people that work for the system..how hard is it to let the soldier make their own appt, call it in to you as the case manager and you track it from the doctor??? Common sense does not exist in the Army.
Ugh...so its another Monday and the battle starts again...10 mins til 9am Ft Riley time and I'm already getting the phone warmed up for the battle...wish me luck and pray for those who get in my way....
Monday, November 28, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
How do you Heal..
How do you heal from an injury you can't see...everyday I ask myself that question and everyday its hard to figure out the answer..my husband was injured. You can't see his wounds but they are there. He has memory loss, he has anxiety attacks, he has severe/chronic PTSD and a mTBI..along with other problems but you can't see them..he's not faking, or trying to get the system to pay him for his "injuries".
I've seen the faces of Invisible injuries..I've seen the effect both personally and from others and its not pleasant. Everyday I read the news and articles about trying to get people to accept that PTSD, TBI's and other injuries involving the brain are real...and everyday I see the nasty posts/comments from people that are either to ignorant to understand or just don't care.
We fight a battle everyday hoping that people will understand that that isn't something they can "just get over"...they were/are injured. And if you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there...
I've seen the faces of Invisible injuries..I've seen the effect both personally and from others and its not pleasant. Everyday I read the news and articles about trying to get people to accept that PTSD, TBI's and other injuries involving the brain are real...and everyday I see the nasty posts/comments from people that are either to ignorant to understand or just don't care.
We fight a battle everyday hoping that people will understand that that isn't something they can "just get over"...they were/are injured. And if you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there...
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thankful
We're in the month of November already..and its half way done. There is a movement on Facebook people are posting daily what they're "Thankful" for each day..
I've learned through the battle with PTSD, mTBI and the Army to be thankful for the small things in life...the way the sun feels on my face, the smile on someone's face when you help them...the smell of fresh cut grass. There are so many things to be thankful for each day. But the biggest thing for me to thankful is my family & my husband...they are my life and soul. We struggle everyday to have our life..to be in a better place and yes it is a struggle but its something that makes us realize just how blessed we are...we have each other. We have the support of our families and friends...and even at the worst times I can look at those facts and be thankful for everything that has happened in my and our lives.
I've learned through the battle with PTSD, mTBI and the Army to be thankful for the small things in life...the way the sun feels on my face, the smile on someone's face when you help them...the smell of fresh cut grass. There are so many things to be thankful for each day. But the biggest thing for me to thankful is my family & my husband...they are my life and soul. We struggle everyday to have our life..to be in a better place and yes it is a struggle but its something that makes us realize just how blessed we are...we have each other. We have the support of our families and friends...and even at the worst times I can look at those facts and be thankful for everything that has happened in my and our lives.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Veterans Day 2011
Today is a day that is meant to reflect and thank a veteran for the sacrifices they have made so we as US citizens can enjoy freedom, the rights that we hold so dear and the opportunity to be a great nation.
Through out the years, the wars and conflicts there have always been people that seem to take those rights for granted and those people make this day a bit of a stretch at times. You may not support the conflict/war but at least support the soldiers...they are risking their lives to make sure you have this chance to protest, to scream at them and call them names.
The World War 2 generation was called the Greatest Generation and while they have earned that title..I believe that each generation of Vets is the greatest of their generation.They are great because they go out and defend this country.
I am so very proud of my family and the service they have done...from a grandfather who was in the Marines during the Korean War...to my dad who did several tours in Vietnam...to my brothers and sister who all deployed in the 90's to my wonderful husband, 2 tours in Iraq and 1 tour to Africa..they along with thousands of soldiers risked their lives for freedom..the safety of millions of others. They along with their families are the greatest of their generation.
Thank a Vet not only today but everyday!
Through out the years, the wars and conflicts there have always been people that seem to take those rights for granted and those people make this day a bit of a stretch at times. You may not support the conflict/war but at least support the soldiers...they are risking their lives to make sure you have this chance to protest, to scream at them and call them names.
The World War 2 generation was called the Greatest Generation and while they have earned that title..I believe that each generation of Vets is the greatest of their generation.They are great because they go out and defend this country.
I am so very proud of my family and the service they have done...from a grandfather who was in the Marines during the Korean War...to my dad who did several tours in Vietnam...to my brothers and sister who all deployed in the 90's to my wonderful husband, 2 tours in Iraq and 1 tour to Africa..they along with thousands of soldiers risked their lives for freedom..the safety of millions of others. They along with their families are the greatest of their generation.
Thank a Vet not only today but everyday!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Makes me think...
So on our fabulous trip from Kansas to Georgia I was in one vehicle with 2 danes, 2 cats and a grouchy teenage girl and husband was driving the Uhaul with a lab as his driving buddy while towing his truck.
The trip was going good til...we made it to a small gas station in Northern Georgia..and husband had problems with the debit card and couldn't get it to work..so he wasn't happy about it and started to have a melt down. I got him calmed down and had him go wait by the Uhaul while I got the gas paid for..there was a woman standing behind me and she made some comments about how my husband was acting like a total jerk and some other things. Well it took everything I had not to rip her head off..then it hit me we are in a whole different world, away from the Army and people that know about PTSD so I calmly explained to her that my husband was injured and has severe/chronic PTSD along with a mTBI and that he can't always control himself and that we have been driving for 2 days already. Everyday our civilian counterparts hear about PTSD, TBI's and other injuries but they really don't understand them, because its something they are not exposed to as much as those of us that are around the military daily.
I don't want my husband to be veiwed as the "weird guy" on the street and I want people to understand that while he has PTSD he is still a wonderful guy...he tries to keep it all together and for the most part he does but like any injury there are residual effects...he can't handle crowds, he can't handle people looking at him, he can't handle loud noises(fireworks, cars backfiring and so forth), he can't be alone for long periods of times because he's impulsive and can't control his actions...and so forth. It's not my husband its a horrible injury that makes him this way...and all soldiers & civilians with PTSD are people..they are living, breathing people who feel pain when they are judged. They feel everything and to be judged and treated like garbage because of this injury is wrong...just because you can't see an injury doesn't mean its not there and just because you can't see the damage PTSD does doesn't mean its not there..I've seen first hand the damages of PTSD. Please don't judge to harshly when you hear someone has PTSD..you never know when you could be facing this injury..
The trip was going good til...we made it to a small gas station in Northern Georgia..and husband had problems with the debit card and couldn't get it to work..so he wasn't happy about it and started to have a melt down. I got him calmed down and had him go wait by the Uhaul while I got the gas paid for..there was a woman standing behind me and she made some comments about how my husband was acting like a total jerk and some other things. Well it took everything I had not to rip her head off..then it hit me we are in a whole different world, away from the Army and people that know about PTSD so I calmly explained to her that my husband was injured and has severe/chronic PTSD along with a mTBI and that he can't always control himself and that we have been driving for 2 days already. Everyday our civilian counterparts hear about PTSD, TBI's and other injuries but they really don't understand them, because its something they are not exposed to as much as those of us that are around the military daily.
I don't want my husband to be veiwed as the "weird guy" on the street and I want people to understand that while he has PTSD he is still a wonderful guy...he tries to keep it all together and for the most part he does but like any injury there are residual effects...he can't handle crowds, he can't handle people looking at him, he can't handle loud noises(fireworks, cars backfiring and so forth), he can't be alone for long periods of times because he's impulsive and can't control his actions...and so forth. It's not my husband its a horrible injury that makes him this way...and all soldiers & civilians with PTSD are people..they are living, breathing people who feel pain when they are judged. They feel everything and to be judged and treated like garbage because of this injury is wrong...just because you can't see an injury doesn't mean its not there and just because you can't see the damage PTSD does doesn't mean its not there..I've seen first hand the damages of PTSD. Please don't judge to harshly when you hear someone has PTSD..you never know when you could be facing this injury..
Friday, November 4, 2011
Grrr...and the battle continues
So we are all moved down here and enjoying our wonderful new home...which is amazing!
Buuuuut...and yes there is a but...husband is still assigned to the WTB at Ft Riley and has to have them do his referrals for his doctor appts which means they can sit on their behinds for days before he gets his referral's approved..really??? So its ok for him to be without his meds for over 2 weeks because you can't be bothered to make the referrals...we've talked to his Tricare case manager and she can't do anything because once again everything has to be done by his WTB case manager...what the hell good is it to have 2 case managers, a plt sgt, a 1st sgt and everyone else with their hands in the jar if no one can get shit done??
Lets make it simple...we've always made husband's appts why not let us do it now..call tricare with the information and go on our merry way! Husband has to scan and email a paper weekly with his appts weekly to his plt sgt so its being tracked but once again that would make life simple! I know simple is not a word the military knows...I think people just get paid to sit around and think about ways to make life difficult for people especially our disabled vets.
So once again we battle to get things done...kind of getting burnt out from all the fighting. I wish somedays I could throw up my hands and say I quit but I don't and we still fight! Hopefully someday someone will see this and realize that life for a wounded warrior and his/her family isn't easy..that we don't get things handed to us and that we have to fight everyday for what they need and deserve! Til then we keep fighting, struggling and kicking all the way through this life...
Buuuuut...and yes there is a but...husband is still assigned to the WTB at Ft Riley and has to have them do his referrals for his doctor appts which means they can sit on their behinds for days before he gets his referral's approved..really??? So its ok for him to be without his meds for over 2 weeks because you can't be bothered to make the referrals...we've talked to his Tricare case manager and she can't do anything because once again everything has to be done by his WTB case manager...what the hell good is it to have 2 case managers, a plt sgt, a 1st sgt and everyone else with their hands in the jar if no one can get shit done??
Lets make it simple...we've always made husband's appts why not let us do it now..call tricare with the information and go on our merry way! Husband has to scan and email a paper weekly with his appts weekly to his plt sgt so its being tracked but once again that would make life simple! I know simple is not a word the military knows...I think people just get paid to sit around and think about ways to make life difficult for people especially our disabled vets.
So once again we battle to get things done...kind of getting burnt out from all the fighting. I wish somedays I could throw up my hands and say I quit but I don't and we still fight! Hopefully someday someone will see this and realize that life for a wounded warrior and his/her family isn't easy..that we don't get things handed to us and that we have to fight everyday for what they need and deserve! Til then we keep fighting, struggling and kicking all the way through this life...
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