Thank you for your support. It does mean something. Lots of times we feel alone in the fight.
***Recent updates - I am almost completely housebound at this time. I have not received any new diagnosis. I have seen a neurologist again for more tests, waiting for results on them. I have falls from balance issues, which mostly ends with me on my back hoping I can still get up. I recently twisted my left ankle because my thought process went "freaky" on me. I jumped up when flipping my hair forward. I couldn't even repeat that action if I tried! (don't really wish to either) When I landed my left ankle twisted and down I went onto my back again!! My back has taken some serious hits.
Because of a bill update, I was able to get an increase of my disability rating. I also found out there is a thing called Unemployability Rating for disabled vets. I am now rated at a 75% unemployability rating!! Now my husband doesn't have to work basically 80 hrs a week to cover bills and have some spending funds. What a blessing that is.
There is one main thing us vets need to keep in mind, if the government can hide it or make it disappear they will so they don't have to pay. We need to consider it like a political war for our rights.
1) Use their rules to get them to pay attention and cover the cost of what we are paying with our lives now.
2)
Guard your records!! Keep copies of everything relating in any way to your service and treatments (military and non-military).
3) Get statements from co-workers, friends, and family to annotate and submit with your evidence of what is and has been happening to you. Write one yourself also.
4) Make sure that anything you send or receive you keep a copy of it, and keep it all together.
5) Let a family member or good friend know where you are keeping it in case something happens to you. Your family can get assistance or benefits later that you may not have been able to finish.
6) Keep within the timelines and remember your final date for action, as long as there is no break, when you get rewarded benefits the VA backdates to the original submission for those benefits.
7) When the VA sends a decision you have the right to request a copy of the evidence they used to come to their decision. This is how you can get the VA doctors recorded input. This can be very helpful in an appeal.
8) Don't be afraid to appeal their decision. It gives you another chance to submit evidence for your position.
9) If you can go through the civilian doctors for treatment of the ailments do so. Their diagnosis and treatments carry weight in a decision for benefits.
10) Remember the VA and military doctors are somehow trained or told to make your receiving of benefits a hard task to accomplish. They want you to give up.
11) DON'T QUIT!!!
12) If you are offered the Vocational Rehab program go through the process a denial from them as to your inability to hold a 40 hr week job helps your case. This is one of their agencies categorizing you as inable to work because of your health problems.
13) Senator and Representative inquiries will get action, if you are continuing to get denied, yet have a valid disabling health issue. Pursue this avenue of help.
Re: Beginning to share My Story 
