by Angela Anonymous

Created on: July 27, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

There seems to be quite a few disadvantages to using V.A. benefits. However, there are a few advantages as well. The first among the disadvantages, is the length of time it takes to actually get an appointment with the V.A. Here is a firsthand example of how badly this can effect a person's health.

A veteran, whom will be called 'Ben' for this article, has diabetes. He noticed a callous on his middle toe, and picked at it, causing a small sore. Knowing that this was dangerous for a person who is diabetic, he called the V.A. near his mother's (where he was staying in February), for an appointment. Due to the fact that he had just moved from another state, and they did not have his records in the new state yet, he had to wait until some of his records could catch up with his move. Still, it was several months before he could be seen.

In April, Ben finally had an appointment with the doctor at his local V.A. clinic. She checked his heart, blood pressure, it was like a normal check-up routine. He pointed out his toe, and the doctor said it looked fine to her, that it wasn't infected. She had barely glanced at it. He tried to get her to examine it, but she seemed to be in too much of a rush, and wouldn't look again as he requested. He also mentioned to the doctor that he was having numbness in his left side. The doctor didn't seem to be alarmed at this at all. She said his check-up looked fine, and she sent him home.

That very night, at around 1 am, Ben drove himself to the local ''regular'' hospital. His left side was going completely numb, and he was afraid he may be having a stroke. He was admitted and tests were immediately started on his heart, as well as orders given by the attending physician for an MRI, on his head and neck to check for blood clots. It would seem that these tests should have been ordered by the doctor at the V.A. One would think that a patient should never be sent home with numbness in one side.

Ben mentioned his toe to a nurse in the hospital where he was now being treated. She looked at it, and immediately left to get supplies. She came back and stated that it looked ''bad'', that it was more than likely infected, and that she would make an appointment with the podiatry department to come and see his toe before he was released. She then proceeded to clean the toe, disinfect it with beta dine, and bandage it, which was much more than the V.A. doctor had even attempted to do.

Ben spent over a week in this hospital. They did not release

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