I am a 47 year old disabled veteran. Recently I was diagnoised with cervical stenosis of my 4th 5th and 6th. It took the VA Hospital 1 year 7 months to finally tell me; I live 7 hrs. away from the hospital. They have had me on p.t. and pain pills. Now they have set me up to have an ESI. But first I have to go to pain management then back again for the ESI. Once I went to the hospital and the doctor saw me for 3 minutes. Once I went and it was just for paperwork. Can anyone help me expedite my current situation?

[This message has been edited by Redd (edited 12-10-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Redd (edited 12-10-2002).]

REDD,
I AM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ORDEAL. THAT 7 HOUR RIDE WILL CAUSE YOU MORE DAMAGE AS SITTING PUTS SO MUCH PRESSURE ON OUR BACKSIDES. IF YOU CAN'T CHANGE FROM YOUR V.A. HOSPITAL, EXPLAIN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES TO YOUR DOCTOR. YOU WON'T BE ALOUD TO DRIVE AFTER YOUR E.S.I.
FIND A FAX MACHINE AT A LOCAL COMPUER STORE AND TELL DOCTORS OFFICE ALL PAPERWORK WILL BE HANDLED THROUGH IT. GOOD LUCK TO YOU, I WISH I HAD ADVICE TO HELP YOU EXPEDIATE YOUR HELP. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY AND ANY PAIN FREE MOMENTS YOU MAY FIND
BOBBYJ

I will never understand why the VA, - the place where the patients are some of the most important people in our country's history, - can be the cruelest people, and provide substandard care! It's outrageous.

If you can do paperwork over the net or via fax as suggested it's helpful, but it's pretty illogical to put you through PT if you live so far away. Can they contract out somehow so you can see someone else? Or, hate to say this, but off the record, can you barter with a PT for some help?

I'm a personal trainer, not a physical therapist, but I've bartered with people, and I know that I'm not the only one who would be willing to help someone. These boards can be an excellent referral source and of all the boards I've tried, this one is by far the most supportive I have EVER seen, bar none!

I agree that the long drive and sitting is counterproductive. The problem with stenosis (I have spinal stenosis too, among a host of other things), is that there isn't exactly a lot than can be done to "fix" it. The canal is narrowing, and depending on what is causing the narrowing, the compression of the chord will continue. I don't know why it took so long to tell you. With an MRI you can detect spinal stenosis and have it reported to your doctor almost immediately. I got my results within a week.

When there is tissue damage, when tissue needs to be removed, when there is nerve damage, and you're facing surgery, -- well even then it would make sense to try every other option first, -- but that's more something worth the travel because left untreated can result in paralysis or other permanent damage, not "just pain."

For now, how about pain control?

I agree with you about the VA system. I've been dealing with them for many years now. I believe the reason they put off telling me for so long was about politics. They want to keep me at a certain disability percent for as long as they can, so in other words they stall.

They are willing to contract PT but only for one month increments, when it runs out it takes about 2 months to get another month approved.

As for the pain, they do like any "good" VA hospital and give me whatever I want. But mainly I suck it up, but I must admit it's getting harder by the day. I know my body is probably already addicted to the pain pills.

They have scheduled me for an appointment with the pain management RN then I have to go back again for an ESI. I am expected to get there and back for both occasions. I am trying to change it but have been told it may take up to 8 weeks, and there is no certainty that they will approve it, and back to square one I go. They also told me if the ESI does not work, surgery will not work, is that true?