February
20, 2004
I think the relationship between exposures of the Alaska oil
spill and the Gulf War is that many of us were exposed to
petroleum by-products in either the oil itself, or the smoke
from the oilwell fires. That's as far as I can see in the
relationship, because both exposures produce same or similar
health conditions for which there is little research and
treatment.
As far as the effects of cleaning products that contain
petroleum by-products, I think it's stretching that issue as it
applies to combat veterans who were exposed to a whole lot more
in the AOR. However, if research and effective treatments can be
found for the least of these exposures, we may have hope in
treating some of the others.
I have been able to find some interesting information from
Margaret's links on conditions, research, and treatments from
toxic exposures, and for that alone, I appreciate what she has
done.
When I was first fighting this illness and going through the
claims process, I really didn't give a lot of thought or
creedence to those who said they were sick and didn't deploy to
the AOR. I was quite a "combat snob" at the time. The
thought of some of these conditions arising as a result of bad
vaccines was almost laughable to me at the time-- until I
realized many people can't even take flu shots (even with a good
batch of vaccine). Many people are allergic to the ingredients
that is derived from shellfish in flu shots. It took a while for
me to even realize the effects of the other prophylactics on
everyone, even though I had ended up in the field hospital for 3
days from the side-effects of the anti-malarial tablets.
Then, as research and reports began to take place, we found
that Bioport (the only maker of anthrax vaccine) had, indeed,
given us a bunch of outdated vaccines that hadn't even been
inspected by the FDA. So, now we have an entire group of
veterans left out in the cold, regarding VA benefits and
treatments even though they were prepped for war with
inoculations, but didn't deploy. And what about the vets who DID
use a lot of cleaning fluids and products who didn't deploy, but
are now sick? Or the Navy folks who weren't close to everything
on land in the AOR, but who had been involved in grinding
antiskid materials on aircraft carrier decks:
http://www.va.gov/publ/direc/health/infolet/109904.doc
(March 5, 1999
UNDER SECRETARY FOR HEALTH'S INFORMATION LETTER
RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN FORMER NAVY DECK GRINDERS)
Now, as I look around, we even have civilians who have been
affected by either inoculations, or direct exposure in cleaning
the equipment that came back from the war. I had company these
past two weeks with a friend of mine who worked at Rota, Spain
during the Gulf War as a civilian, who is now sick with
conditions we have, as a result of having to clean the equipment
that came back to Spain from the Gulf War.
Can we really justify the toxic and hazardous exposures,
without aggressive research and treatment to ANYONE? Not in my
humble opinion. So, who is it we are trying to help here? Just
those who were in the AOR during the war? Those who were part of
the war effort, but not deployed? Everyone involved in the war
effort (including civilians)?
I can only serve best in the areas I am most familiar with
and try to learn and pick up a few things along the way from
others, trying to keep an open mind. For the purpose of helping
vets get VA benefits, I can only really help those who are
eligibile by the VA's criteria of being service-connected by
virtue of being in the AOR during the Gulf War.
For the purpose of helping anyone else who is sick from the
other effects of toxic exposures, I can only try to provide as
much information as possible on what research and treatments are
available in the civilian sector and refer them to Social
Security benefits, as well. Possibly, we may learn from each
other as to the research and treatments, at least, regardless
what exposures we're dealing with.
February
20, 2004