Health Care

A few months ago a friend suggested I might be eligible for VA benefits based on my prostate cancer and time in Vietnam. It turns out he was correct. I filed a claim and was approved for VA medical benefits because of my exposure to Agent Orange. Agent Orange has been linked to a number of illnesses among Vietnam veterans, one of which is prostate cancer. It was pretty much cut and dry, if you were in Vietnam and if you have prostate cancer you qualify. We went to the McAllen VA medical center with my medical records and Army discharge papers showing service in Vietnam and I walked out with VA medical coverage.

I wasn’t about to turn it down. So I got a check-up and labs and all of that. At the time I went in there was “money available” for cataract surgery. I was checked by a contract doctor and I thought, approved for cataract surgery. I had the pre-surgery physical and everything, but then for some reason it was canceled. I’m going to check on it but in the mean time I’d like to think that maybe somebody at the VA is looking out for some of your tax dollars. I do have a cataract as determined by my previous health care provider, but only in the right eye and at last check not ready for surgery. I think maybe the contract doctor down here was a little too liberal in his diagnosis and maybe a little greedy. Anyway it’s off. No cataract removal at this time. Now we have to go to Mexico and get some new glasses.

Anyway the VA medical is good to have but it gets kind of confusing as to what to use. I have VA, Blue Cross and Medicare now. We just switched to Blue Cross from Kaiser in Portland and don’t have doctors here yet although Kat has an appointment upcoming. I’ll get it all sorted out sometime maybe. But I have options. I went in recently and had an X-ray on my knee. Now I’m waiting to hear from a contract orthopedist ( ? knee Dr.). I hope we don’t get stuck here too long waiting though? We're both getting kind of itchy to leave.