The VA and lung cancer

[dantrefethen]

Last week I took my brother to the VA clinic in Caldwell Idaho

We got the bad news that he has lung cancer.

We talked to a Physitian Assistant and she said that an oncologist would call.
That was a week ago and we have heard nothing. Nothing from a real doctor.

I see NO sence of urgency.

Any one have experience with the VA and lung cancer? What can we expect ?

My brother is a disabled Air Force Vietnam era veteran. He didn't serve in
Vietnam, but did service KC 135 tankers that flew there

I am retired US Army and Army National Guard

[olspeed]

I am not a Vet so I don't know how fast the VA is but I am part of the federal Building Trades National Medical Screening Program (was out at Amchitka) and they are on top of it when it comes to referring people to specialists... it is the government though so make some noise, squeaky wheel gets the grease!! Anyway I am sorry to hear that your brother is going through all this and no support that is terrible!
P.S. Thank you and your brother for your service!
_________________
66- Ghia
76-Beetle

[Air-Cooled Head]

Sorry to hear of your brother's diagnosis.
But you must have been under a rock for the past couple of years. Slow care from the VA has been in the news, repeatedly for at least 2 years.

Google Veterans Choice Program. This program allows vets to receive care from private doctors, on the VA's dime.
This is in response to situations just like yours, where the VA has long wait times to see a VA doc.

Good luck, and many prayers.
_________________
Everything known to man has been written.
Readers are Leaders!

[dantrefethen]

Yes we know about that program.

One must be 40 miles from the clinic and have appointments that are 30
days out. My brother does not qualify.

I have heard the horror stories about the long wait times. I don't know
how this will go. That is why I want to hear from people that have gone
through it or are now. Maybe from people regardless of where they got
treatment.

It is all very scary.

Dan

[*Darren]

Understandable your concern & surprise, as someone that works in a hospital you need to realize, you're dealing with a specialist. Second, you're dealing with the Government (bureaucracy & all that crap). We hate dealing with the Government for reimbursement, as it really doesn't cover our costs. That's why so many physicians (specials especially) don't deal with Medicaid/Care at all.

Lastly you are dealing with the VA. The VA has been in the news quite a bit from mismanagement to staffing issues - all sorts of things. Examples, the issue in Philadelphia of badly planted radioactive seeds in prostate cancer cases, to the closing of the BHU in Martinsburg, WV due to the lack of psychiatrists. I'll say it totally sucks that the Government can't staff the VA better to better serve the country's veterans.

[KTPhil]

Does your local TV station have a consumer troubleshooter? Sometimes they can publicize a problem and shame an organization into acting, if only to save face (hard to do when it is up their ass).

Sometimes a sympathetic national politician's office can intervene and get similar "shaming" results.

The sad and enraging reality is that the VA, much like insurance companies, is in ho hurry to serve because an ugly cost analysis says death benefits (eventually inevitable anyway) are cheaper than medical treatment. This makes procrastination work in their favor. Bastards.

[dantrefethen]

What I would really like to hear is positive experiences with the VA
and cancer. Some encouragement. The first week here has not been so good.

Success stories of lung cancer in general would be good.

Dan

[hazetguy]

Pm sent

[nsracing]

So sorry to hear of your ordeal. The VA needs to be dismantled. I am a veteran myself. It is hard to believe this part of the gov't is supposed to be taking care of us.

You cannot rely on the government for anything.

I would look for help somewhere else.

[bigdog1962]

My first step would be to seek out the patient advocate Monday morning.
My second step would be to go to the VA itself, to the clinic and speak to the nurse manager over the clinic, if the advocate doesn't give you satisfaction.
My third step would be to go to administration.

However, realize that your timetable may not necessarily be what the medical community's timetable would be.

For instance, if I had bone cancer or some other terrible, terrible disease and I was at a private hospital, I would want chemo/radiation that day. But, it won't happen that way. They would schedule me for the treatment but it wouldn't be soon enough for my likes.

I tell you that not to have you wait but to realize that the public's perception of what is needed often doesn't match what the medical community establishes as a standard of practice.

Go talk to them and find out what is reasonable. Read online from reputable resources.

But keep pushing...the VA is well known for delays.

Good luck and God bless.

[dantrefethen]

Yesterday my Mom called the oncology department at the Boise VA Hospital.

They said that the lab results needed to go to Seattle for genetic testing before they could proceed.

My brother has his first meeting with the cancer doctor on 21 June.

I guess these things take time, but it seems like it is taking forever.

Dan

[greebly]

Be very proactive, contact the patient rep at your VA and let them know that they are put on notice that you will contact your districts US congressman and complain if they do not treat your brother with the highest level of care. They do not like congressman's office inquiries, it requires direct response from the VA directors office and can lead to a complaint filed directly to the secretary of the VA.

[mark tucker]

they kept effing with my dad ( he was in korea&nam&allover the place, even toted wepons of mass distruction to iraq for sadum....) he died last year,heart&lung failure.no real dionosis, since they told mom it would be better if they did not do a autopusy...hmm that dont look right,but neither was them getting a "disclaimer" for all the shit he had rong due to the usaf,agent orange,& being treeted for the same thing too many times everytime he went to another base and the reckords didnt get there but they "had to inockulize him again&treet him again for...crap..fergot the name,,, old days it was consumption...no not drinken. the other one .lung related..witch treetment&base chaged was prety effing offten.witch also induced geionbreieas in him.. effing morons. now no claim can be made and thie offical reckords dont show shit, thats how they get away with "oh only 1% have a reaction or some shit like that. there is no proof he had anything now. remember there gonna cover thier asses, not his.

[mark tucker]

TB that was it, but he didnt have it, but too many inocku;ayions made it look that way in test. probably had lung cancer too but...never know now.