Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Got My Eyes Fixed, Now It's Time To Work On The Ears

Had cataract surgery on the other eye last week. It's looking good. Both eyes are now seeing the same colors; whether or not they are seeing the same colors as everyone else may be debatable.

Yesterday I saw an audiologist at the VA for a hearing test. Have been having trouble hearing stuff for some time now. Turns out my hearing in the low frequencies is perfect. The audiologist said she had never seen such good results on the low end. But on the other end I definitely have some hearing loss. She is ordering hearing aids for me. Supposedly they won't cost me anything as I am technically service-connected disabled. That was because I suffered a broken leg while in the Air Force and the VA ruled I was 0% disabled. (WTF, what does 0% disabled mean???) Now I think I need to see if I can get disability for the hearing loss as it started when I was in the Air Force. At my last hearing test in the Air Force I was told I had lost some of the higher frequencies. If I can get disability for the hearing loss, then for sure the hearing aids won't cost me anything. Medicare only covers hearing aids if you have them before you go on Medicare. Leaves me out as I've been on Medicare for 9 months now.

The problem I have is that the veteran's rep for this county that I talked to last year didn't seem to know FUCK-ALL about dealing with the VA. I wanted info on how to get back in the system (I had been in the system 10 years before) and he handed me the forms for a new application. Then I was near the VA clinic one day and went in and showed my VA card and after a few minutes I was entered back into the system. Thinking about checking with the DAV to see if they can help me.

5 comments:

  1. The Mrs. had cataract surgery last fall. I told the doc to call me when I can get some zoom lenses.

    ReplyDelete
  2. K,
    Tis the Sergeant - I had the same shit, zero percent and zero diability money. Contact the state VFW and they will contact the VA and work for you on the claim. Now, you do have CONSTANT ringing in both ears? I was certain of it.
    I got 10% = hearing aids.
    Next, how old are you? On Medicare?
    Medicare is doing something for hearing aids.

    msgtron@aol.com


    Ron

    ReplyDelete
  3. Got a pretty decent VA office here, they helped me get copies of my discharge papers. I could get my hernia fixed through them but have never filled out the paperwork and went through the loops.

    Maybe I'll do that someday, maybe I won't.

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  4. Don't really have any complaints with the VA. I always get treated decently when I have an appointment. Altho, last year I only saw the DR. once, seems like they forgot about me, but maybe now that I'm really in the system it'll be different. Last year they kept saying I hadn't filled out the paperwork on my income and I had done it and dropped it off at the clinic, if they lost it, that's their problem.

    Next week I'll have to go see the local vet rep and get the forms to file for disability. Hopefully if I make a good enough case, I'll get a better result than the last time. Can't do it this week as he is only in his office two afternoons a week and I got other things to do on those days.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My wife complains that I don't hear well - i tell her to talk louder.

    The VA is over worked and under funded with all the incoming vets from the middle-east wars...But I have no complaints about the treatment.

    I have a 30% disability but I don't get any money from the VA: is all it means is that 30% of my military retirement pay is non-taxable.
    the Ol'Buzzard

    ReplyDelete

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