The VA.... One veterans rant on the system.

The VA is suppose to be responsible for veterans health but they never seem to have their shit together. They are suppose to help veterans with their healthcare but they can't even schedule an appointment properly so how can I trust them with anything else? It seems like it is one issue after another when it comes to VA healthcare, and that makes a veterans life difficult. I had a simple task when I moved, change addresses with the VA and set up an appointment to see a doctor for an annual visit. I don't understand why it is so hard to change VA's but I had to wait at least 2 weeks to see a doctor. What good is that? If I am sick today or hurt today what does an appointment two weeks or more from now do for me? Answer: NOTHING. This is just one of the long list of problems with veterans health care.

If I want to see a doctor same day or even close to that I have to drive 2 plus hours to go to an emergency room. Now don't get me wrong, I knew that the emergency room was that far away when I moved here, I just didn't know the VA in my area was going to be such a shit show! A week wait at my last VA was common, but not 2 - 3 weeks like it is here!

Just to give u and idea of how unorganized they are, I moved to NC over a month ago now and the very first thing I did was go to the VA and fill out the necessary paperwork to transfer my files and primary care to the VA closest to me. I was told they would get the paperwork filed and then call me to set up an appointment, they said "it may take a week or two." I waited a month, I got no calls, no paper work in the mail and I was no closer to an appointment than the day I moved here. Thanks VA. That's right up there with the wait I use to have to see my mental health provider at the VA, I would have to schedule those appointments more than a month out.... A MONTH!! That is not ok for someone who is suppose to see their psychologist weekly! But I digress.

I finally got tired of waiting for them to call me so I called again this morning. For some reason they still hadn't had my information in the system (a month later and not even in the fucking system!). Well, I guess thats not totally true, they had my files in A system, but not the correct one so I never would've gotten a call or letter if I didn't call up and hound someone about this today. But now I have to wait another 3 weeks to see a doctor for the first time, so it will be nearly 2 months before I get one appointment with the VA! THAT IS RIDICULOUS! I am a disabled veteran with a laundry list of ailments. If I was taking any medications right now I would be FUCKED! I can't believe this is how I am getting treated after serving my country and going to war twice. Its disgusting how veterans get treated!

When I do have an appointment I am told to show up 20 - 30 minutes early but I have never ever gotten in to any appointment on time and I usually wait at least 30 minutes to 1 hour past my doctor appointment before I even get to see the doctor. Thanks VA for making me waste more of my life for no reason.

It wasn't always this bad, in the past the VA doctors would do anything they could to help a veteran, but now the parents of veterans who over dosed are making it impossible for VA doctors to really help veterans. They barely prescribe pain killers even when veterans really need them. That's messed up. I understand the risk of abuse but the truth is many veterans are going to abuse it whether they get the drugs from the VA or from the guy on the corner! The only thing the VA is doing is making people who aren't addicts continue to be in pain (the addicts still get theirs from somewhere else, that's the truth). They are letting the majority of honest veterans suffer so the few addicts don't get their fix. Punish everyone for the mistakes of the few, that's just stupid!

Truth is most veterans who over dose know exactly what they are doing, so I wish their parents would stop blaming the VA and start blaming WAR! That's why their child ended it, they can't handle life anymore and swallowing a bottle of pills and going to sleep seems way easier than pulling a trigger. So I actually don't blame them at all, in fact I understand why they want out. It's hard to live with certain decisions that often come with war. But now veterans who really need certain medications aren't getting them and that is making them miserable and perpetuating more suicides in the veteran world. Veterans who want to live, but can't deal with the mental/physical pain and are now being punished for others actions. I know this is hard to understand but making living veterans pay the price for other veterans taking their own lives by over dosing purposely is fucking ridiculous!

I'm not saying over dosing doesn't happen but why is that on the VA? Why can't we put the blame where it belongs, the veteran who made a choice to take more than what was prescribed, how is that anyone elses fault? We keep blaming the wrong people for the wrong things and in the VA that has caused way more problems than it ever solved, especially for veterans.

Here's the bottom line, soldiers get fucked up in the head from war! When they come home they don't know how to go back to being "normal" civilians, especially if they were combat soldiers. Trying to work a desk job after killing people doesn't quite work out the way people think it does. Your mind never forgets, you carry it around with you forever and whether you believe it or not it changes you and affects you for the rest of your life! So who cares if a veteran wants to take a few pain killers or xanax on bad days? I don't. I understand it. And if you have never been to war or seen combat then you have no right to tell me or any veteran who has how to cope with things. I am so tired of people who have never experienced war/combat telling veterans what is right or wrong for them.

I don't know how to change things, or if change is even possible anymore. I honestly use to think the VA was a good thing, but over the past 10 years things have changed and now I see the VA as a problem. Our veterans deserve the best care possible and I don't think this comes even close. WE NEED CHANGE! But it doesn't seem like that will ever happen. The VA will slowly fall apart like social security is starting to, it is only a matter of time.

Please don't let our veterans suffer any more than they already do.

"Peace, Love and all that hippie shit"