| Author |
Family Matters:  Update on the old family homestead...  |
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 22 2009 : 09:11:43 AM
|
Ok..well not the homestead, but what has been happening. After our trip to the ICU yesterday, things have changed dramatically around here. I have gone into total nesting and family mode...no school, job, nothing...just taking care of my little family and deciding on some rather important issues facing us.
As I meantioned before, Scott has had several medical issues that the military has chosen to ignore, throwing band aides and Motrin at them instead of treating him properly. He has a hiatal hernia that has given him heart attack symptoms for over 3 years now. Yesterday was the worse and he actually thought he was having a serious one. Now, if they medical people had nipped this in the bud 3 years ago, we wouldn't have been in this situation yesterday. Scott eats pretty healthy, maintains his weight, is sorta active and is only 38. They have downright refused to even take a scope of his tummy until 3 weeks ago. Let's just say, it's is not a pretty sight.
Secondly, this whole neck thing. He is is downright daily pain that doesn't go away, even with Percoset or any other strong narcotic. He actually had tears in his eyes one night last week from the pain. My husband only cried 2 other times...when we got married and when Charlie was born. I was worried and beside myself all night and I am so angry that nothing is being done.
He has been to medical 18 times in one month..yep...18 TIMES in one calendar month...they keep calling him a malingerer (sp) and that he is faking it.
SO- we are really pushing on a medical discharge. Yes, we lose of medical coverage, yes, we lose our housing allowance, yes, we lose a guaranteed check BUT we gain so much more, mainly our sanity and freedom. We are so over all of this. This has been a 4 year battle to get them to do something. My gosh...if we was a malingerer, would he have gone from the Navy to the Army when he had the chance to get out? We took a reduction in pay to do so, leaving my beloved Texas, putting of Scott joining the police force and me having to stop college until next year. We are basically at their mercy. Yes, I do understand that signing a contract with the military is basically signing your life away but at 10+ years of doing this, we have NEVER been treated so awful. They act like this is our first rodeo and we are so ready to move on. Scott and I are not exactly the type of people to sit back and not say anything. We both know how the system works and can do it with respect and under the right regulations and standards that they set.
We just want out. Scott can go back to driving trucks until the academy picks up. I would be able to start up college and finish and actually be able to use his GI Bill, now that the law passed that members can transfer it over to family members-Masters here I come!!! I can't even get a normal job, even with daycare, because of his schedule and then they give him extra duty on the weekends. There is no stability and Scott feels awful for dumping everything at home, including Charlie, on me.
We have looked around and found multiple home options for around $350-$500 a month, using one of our VA home loans. Our credit is good and it is guaranteed by the government. I looked at our finances and I know exactly how much we need to bring in to survive and have some for a rainy day.
We just feel it is time to use the things we have earned for all of our time, service, heartache, 6 deployments between us, the medical wear and tear on both of us and the 9 million other BS things they have put us through.
We want a fresh start NOW and the ability to go and do that where ever we need too with someone dictating our paycheck, time or where we have to live. We can put Charlie in school next year and know we won't be moving anytime soon and actual develope friendships and long term relationships. I want a church I can go to and not feel like I am not attached because I know we are moving again. I want to know the grocery clerks and get to know the bank clerks and actually give back to a community I am going to stay in.
Today we started working on his medical discharge from all angles. Praying is goes our way. Thanks for letting me vent (((HUGS)))
Heather
http://somewheredownintexas-heather.blogspot.com |
|
|
Caron
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
Caron
Orange
Texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2009 : 1:55:48 PM
|
Heather,I'm so sorry for all the pain Scott has been in.How awful! It sounds like you have a good plan in mind now. I will be keeping you both in my prayers.
Will you move back to Texas?
Caron
Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."
Ps. 128:1-2.
Farmgirl sister #254
|
 |
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
|
|
Caron
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
Caron
Orange
Texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2009 : 2:46:04 PM
|
That's wonderful! I'm going to make plans to come up to Tyler when ever you are all settled in. We can have a Farmgirl meeting!
Caron
Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."
Ps. 128:1-2.
Farmgirl sister #254
|
|
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
|
|
Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2009 : 05:32:23 AM
|
Zan, you would be amazed. I actually saw this happen while I was waiting for Scott at an appoinment one day. There were probably at least 20 lower ranking soldiers waiting to be seen, all had appointments but the hospital was running behind. A Colonel came in, no appointment, was seen in 5 minutes. The staff was just about falling over themselves to get him help. Yeppers... I respect rank and privelage but I was floored at how lower ranks are treated like dirt or as if their time is less valuable and they do receive less care, no matter what the government has you believing.
Heather
http://somewheredownintexas-heather.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Brenda Kay Groth
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Brenda
Manton
MIch
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2009 : 07:24:10 AM
|
wishing you the best with your decision..follow after the deep peace in your heart
bloom where you are planted |
|
|
|
catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
|
|
Laila
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Laila
Kutztown
PA
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2009 : 07:35:49 AM
|
I think it is terrible the way our military people get treated. They put their lives on hold to serve their country and get treated like dirt. Congress people ought to be treated that way. I hope everything works out OK for you and your family, Heather. Keep on plowin' through!
Laila |
|
|
|
KayB
True Blue Farmgirl
540 Posts
Kay
Del City
Oklahoma
USA
540 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 1:09:51 PM
|
Sweetie, if he goes for a medical discharge, you may be able to keep your medical and get a disability check each month. I have been rated at 20% and although that's not a lot, it puts some money in our savings. And if they do a medical, I got 10% of my base salary times the # of months I had in the Army, so it might be well worth looking into. We had enough to get by on for almost a year and I served 9 years. Check it out.
KayB
Life's a dance you learn as you go |
|
|
| |
Family Matters: Update on the old family homestead... |
|
Update on the old family homestead...
