I AM 45 YEARS OF AGE RETIRED MARINE MASTER SGT

I AM 45 YEARS OF AGE RETIRED MARINE MASTER SGT, SERVED IN THE GULF IN A HELICOPTER UNIT. UPON RETURN HOME I DIDN'T EVEN GET THE PHYSICAL THAT THE V. A. ISSUED THINKING THAT IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME .

I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT I COULD NO LONGER RUN AND OPERATE WITHOUT

PAIN,
FATIGUE.
SWELLING,
NIGHT SWEATS,
HEADACHES,
SHORTNESS OF BREATH,
HEART BURN,
ATTENTION TO DETAILS (BEING ABLE TO STUDY OR REMEMBER SMALL DETAILS)

SO I REPORTED TO THE V.A. MY PROBLEMS AND RECEIVED A PHYSICAL TO WHICH THEY FOUND NO PROBLEMS AND STATED THAT IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY MENTAL AND THAT IT WOULD PASS .

THAT WAS IN 1994 IT IS NOW AUG. 2000 AND THE V.A. HASN'T OFFERED ANY HELP OR TREATMENT . MY CONDITION HAS WORSENED AS TIME PASSED,

MY FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND OTHER SPECIALIST HAVE TREATED ME THRU THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH EVERYTHING FROM T.B TO GOUT

IN FEB. OF THIS YEAR I WENT DOWN MY LEGS TURNED BLACK AND SWOLLEN (COULDN'T WALK),

TROUBLE BREATHING.
CHEST PAINS.

WENT TO V.A. THE DOCTOR INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD GET MY DISABILITIES IN ORDER, AGAIN NO HELP I COULD CONTINUE TO TELL YOU MY STRUGGLES FOR THE PAST 6YRS BUT I WON'T BURDEN YOU WITH MY JOURNEY BUT TO SAY AT TIMES ITS BEEN HELL, AND OTHERS I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD MAKE IT.

I AM AT PRESENT ON STEROIDS AND CHEMOTHERAPY thyroid REFLUX, IMETREX FOR HEADACHES PAIN MEDICINE AS NEEDED. I HAVE SLOWLY WATCHED MY WHOLE BEING CHANGING INTO SOMEONE I NO LONGER KNOW OR LIKE.

MY ANGER HAS REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM AND HAS AFFECTED MY FAMILY
AS I'M TYPING THIS OUT MY HANDS ARE SHAKING AND HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I RECEIVE NO SUPPORT FROM THE GOV. MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT SOMEONE WILL SOON FIND ANSWERS TO ALL MY AILING BROTHERS AND SISTERS. TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT LIVE AND PUT UP WITH US MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS ALL OF YOU ,YOU ARE TRULY SPECIAL, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON US, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US HAVE. WHEN I GET INTO MY PITY PARTY I SIMPLY THINK OF HOW MUCH BETTER OFF I AM THAN OTHERS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO VENT MY FRUSTRATIONS, MY HOPES AND DESIRES.

I AM A CHRISTIAN AND WITH HIS HELP I AM ABLE TO BEAR THRU THIS ORDEAL HE CARRIES ME THRU THE HARD TIMES. MY WIFE AND SON SUPPORT ME EVEN AT TIMES WHEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

SO TO END THIS BY SAYING THAT FOR NOW THERE MAY SEEM THAT THERE IS NO HELP BUT I CAN BE FILLED WITH HOPE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE . GOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE VETS WILL MAKE IT SIMPER FI

Donny Richardson August 12, 2000