Enough of this. I want to inform all of the Kossacks to please pass along any and all info you have of misstreatment of veterans at VA facilities. I am going after Florida but will have hopefully many behind me on this disgrace. Some VA Facilities are very good but the ones that are bad ARE VERY BAD! I write this in hope to bring the spotlight right down on the issue at hand and shine enough light that people had better start treating our veterans and their families with the respect they earned and not mess with me ANYMORE. Oh this isn't a bluff. I will be going public via several radio and tv stations and am already working on the details, There are well known media outlets not only me but other advocates have contacted and I am also working with Jesse LeGreca as well. this is an election year and why everything comes down to politics I don't know but one thing for sure a war vet who has service connection disabilities is not a pawn in a presidential run regardless who the candidate is. Whether it be republican or democrat, this shit is gonna hit the fan. IN AN ELECTION YEAR. One of two things is going to happen. The republican tea party crowd WILL be exposed or our administration had better get the DoJ involved in investigations regarding how veterans are being done and the ongoing putting lives in danger over eiither debt reduction or sheer greed from tea party governors. Or they will suffer in the fall. Either way, something is going to happen. This administration will look great for hitting this problem square on or throw it under the rug and face the consequences of failure to act once the truth comes out. The truth that it doesn't take but just one to get mistreated ....but as many as I have discovered is barbaric. Listen up. They fought regardless of their political persusasion and now we want them treated with honor and respect. jump below the fold and see what you will be hearing about
REAL SOON...
Some time ago an article was written about a 83 year old Veteran from South Carolina who was tired of fighting with the local Va clinic in Greenville. He decided that he would end his life right there in the parking lot of the Va clinic.
This proud Veteran lived only minutes from the local Va clinic in Greenville but was told that he must travel 100 miles to Columbia Va hospital if he wanted to be treated for his medical problem. He filed several complaints only to have them rejected. Finally the last letter he received telling him he must travel to Columbia was all he could tolerate. He took his 38 caliber revolver from his drawer called a cab, told the cabbie that he wanted to go to the Va clinic but needed to make a quick stop at the local pawn shop to pick something up. His stop was important as he needed to buy some ammunition for his revolver. He purchased the ammunition got into the cab and loaded it without the cab drivers knowledge. When he got to the Va clinic he paid the cab driver the fare and gave him a tip. After the cab driver pulled away the Veteran put a 38 cal bullet to his head and pulled the trigger. Although the support staff at the clinic tried to save his life, it was too late, the Veteran died in the parking lot.
This 83 year old Veteran who was in a fragile mental and physical health couldn’t take the insensitivity any longer, he decided to end his life, give up his fight. Fortunately, this Veteran wasn’t angry at anyone at the clinic so he decided that he wouldn’t hurt anyone else, he was at the end of his rope, frustrated, depressed and angry at the way he was being treated.
You wonder just how often something like this happens. You would like to think that this is something that is rare and unusual. No one wants to think that the Va could be so insensitive that they would actually intentionally cause a Veteran to commit suicide like this 83 year old Veteran did.
The sad truth is that Veterans all over this country commit suicide every day, just how many are forced into doing something like this because they too are at the end of their rope and frustrated to the point of suicide. gEach Veteran's suicide could be trigered by medical neglect or abuse. Each Veteran's suicide should be fully investigated to determine why the Veteran took his or her own life. In most cases Veterans who are victims of medical abuse and neglect don’t really know where to turn, most Veterans who receive Va medical care don’t have the money to retain a lawyer, even if they did, it may be a mute issue, the Va and its employees are insulated from civil law suites. Basically, Veterans are forced to either take the abuse and neglect or refuse treatment. Either situation is not a good position to be in. As a Veteran my experience at the Va hospitals and clinics have been very good, I have never had a complaint with a nurse, doctor or staff member. Everyone I have come in contact with has been professional and very respectful.
However, a reliable source close to the Lecanto Florida Psychiatric clinic who wishes to remain anonymous reports that numerous Veterans have serious complaints about how they have been treated by the staff at the Psychiatric clinic in Lacanto Florida. Lets face it, Veterans who have been referred to the Psychiatric clinic have some type of mental health problem requires special handling. Some are combat Veterans who have anger issues, some exhibit paranoia and mistrust. What ever their problem they all deserve to be treated compassionately and respectfully. Understanding and empathy is the cornerstone to psychiatric treatment. Mistrust is a major hurdle with Veterans who are having mental health issues. If the mental health care provider is insensitive, rude and discourteous, they will have little success at establishing trust with the Veterans.
One Veteran who had the misfortune of being referred to the Lacanto Psychiatric health clinic explained that he encountered a serious mistrust issue with the psychiatric Nurse during a counseling session. As result of this mistrust issue the Veteran refused to see this Nurse and demanded a new appointment with someone else. They did accommodate his request and scheduled him with another psychiatrist.
The Veteran explained that although he showed up for his appointment as scheduled he had trust issues, his willingness to open up took a turn for the worse with the confrontation with the Nurse.
According to the Veteran the doctor asked him why he was there, he also asked him if he was his doctor? And what did he want him to do? The Veteran said he could feel that the doctor was pushing his anger button by the way he was being interrogated; it was like he committed a crime. The Veteran added that at that point he tried to stay calm; he didn’t want to fly off the handle and get into a shouting match with the doctor so he told the doctor that he was angry about something “that Nurse wrote” while at the same time pointing his finger in the direction of her office. At this point the doctor started getting noticeable angry raising his voice. He asked the Veterans “ how long ago did she write this” The Veteran replied a couple of months ago but this was his first return visit due to some other personal problems he needed to take care of. The doctor then raised his voice again saying “several months ago and you are still angry, that isn’t right.” The doctor asked him again” why are you here?” The Veteran started to tell him that his primary care Doctor referred him to the clinic because he had anger and trust issues which he thought he could help resolve. At this point the doctor was yelling loud enough for people outside his office to hear. He told him that that he was confrontational because he pointed his finger at the Nurse’s office. The Veteran said at that point he started getting scared, he said he heard tell that psychiatrist had the right to call security and put the straight jacket on the patient. Therefore, the Veteran said that he told the doctor that he could see that he wasn’t going to get any help form him so he left the office without any further discussion. While he was leaving the office he said he knew that his blood pressure was off the charts and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest getting tighter and tighter. Besides he was noticeably shaken by the ordeal. As he was leaving his office he decided that he should go down the hall way to his primary care doctor’s office just to talk with him so he could calm him down. In the past this Veteran has experienced a heart attack so he knows what it feels like. As he was walking down the hall way the Veteran bumped into his primary care doctor’s nurse who noticed that something was wrong. He told the Nurse what happened and he asked him if was available as he needed to see someone he was in bad shape, he didn’t know if he could drive home. The Nurse told him he was in a meeting and he didn’t think he would be back in the office the rest of the day. As the Veteran was standing there looking down at the ground the Psychiatrist came out of his office and yelled down the hall way that his session was over he needed to leave the building.
Once the Veterans primary care doctor heard and saw the Psychiatrist he looked as though he was scared, said to the Veteran “I need to get back to my office.” Later the Veteran was told that this Psychiatrist had problems with nurses and other doctors in the clinic and he has had complaints from other patients about his behavior.
At this point this Veteran has a complex trust issue about Psychiatric clinics and has trust issues with the entire Va system. The worse thing about this Doctor’s rage is that he kicked this Veteran out of the building without getting chance to see his primary care doctor, with his medical history he could have had a heart attack and died right there in the clinic.
If this is true as told by the Veteran, this behavior is uncalled for from a health care professional. This could be considered medical abuse and or neglect and perhaps malpractice. For this mental health professional to act in this manner with this Veteran, who knows what he does to our returning combat Veterans as well as Veterans in the nursing homes who have no alternative but to take his abuse.
It is hard to believe that a Veterans administration psychiatrist would treat a Veteran like this, it is also hard to beleive a US Army psychiatrist would open fire on his fellow soldiers at Ft. Hood. What would this doctor have done if this Veteran was carrying a gun to the clinic? It is very possible that this Veteran’s could have snapped under this stress due to his fragile mental state. The big question is who would be held responsiblel for such a tragedy? Most likely the doctor would explain his way out of such a serious situation. Perhaps the Veterans administration Inspector General’s division will launch an inquiry into patient abuse and neglect at theOnce the Ins Lacanto Florida Psychiatric health clinic. Once the Inspector General’s investigators get on the job, they will ask the all right question and talk with everyone in that building that day. They will open up and let them know how this mental health doctor deals with Veterans as well as other staff members in the adjoining clinics. Hopefully, the truth will come out and Justice will prevail.
LECANTO ..UNDER GAINESVILLE VA HEALTHCARE
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The news found on abuse of vets
The letter and details of my husband...
Subject: Inadequate treatment at VA Facility --Gainesville Florida
I am Amanda Kato and a veterans advocate. I am very good friends with xxxxx and I too write for as Vetwife.
XXXXXX gave me your name and I want to express my concerns over the VA Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.
In a perfect world, all veterans would be handled and treated with dignity and respect, and lately it seems accountability is an even harder
commodity to obtain. I would like to inform you of some concerns and issues that I have with The Gainesville Veterans Hospital. I do understand
that the VA's all across the nation are underfunded and understaffed but there is still a quality of care expectation, even with lack of funding.
My husband is a 100 percent disabled combat veteran from the Vietnam War. He received that compensation (service connected) due to PTSD.
My husband is unemployable. He has suffered throughout the years with startle reaction, flashbacks migraines, nightmares, personality changes and insomnia.
We moved from Gainesville to Atlanta in 96 whereas he found the right cocktail of medication and therapy with Dr. Saldevia but his physical health started
deteriorating in the year 2009. He complained with pain in the back and legs. His doctor was not longer at the Atlanta VA and he started seeing
a primary care physician. Several tests were ordered but the gait and mobility was becoming increasingly worse. He was given a diagnosis of spinal stenosis,
arthritis which included bone spurs, but he would still walk with a cane. He was unable to deal with a needle in the back for tests in 2010 due to the
outrageous pain. He was given 10 mg. of hydrocodone which barely numbed the pain and walking. We moved to Inverness Florida in 2011 due to
many things regarding the economic downturn but his health continued to deteriorate with pain and mobility.
We had only been at our new residence one day when he wandered off from the house, truck loaded and landed in the Gainesville VA medical facility after
becoming disoriented due to back pain, lack of sleep and survival guilt associated with this PTSD, I had hopes that he would finally get some immediate
attention to his ongoing problems with mobility and now increasing PTSD issues. He was hospitalized for one week and sent to Lecanto VA outpatient clinic.
This turned out to be a very unworkable situation. He went without a primary care physician for a long period of time. He had a social worker named Iris who
upon meeting us said . "Well if he takes off, I guess you have marital problems"...This shocked me beyond belief. Marital problems from a wife who has
always been concerned with his mental and physical well being and his ptsd was being dismissed and blamed on a hysterical wife who didn't know where her
husband was . This same husband who did not know the time of day,, month or year, or even where he was during a fugue episode and was behind the wheel
not only not knowing where he was but possibly who he was at the time. This is WAS NOT a marital problem. This was a combat vet being judged by a woman
who just met us. The second time he just disappeared...again I asked for some sort of evaluation of his mental state to go completely disregarded.
I had never been treated like a hysterical wife or newlywed and all I was asking for was someone in the capacity of dealing with PTSD to get to some answers.
We have been married 22 years. I am used to him and veterans. She seemed like she was shuffling paper and couldn't wait to say NEXT. There were some
appointments set up for sleep apnea and this was not a concern for him. There was one appointment set up for a spinal needle to be inserted at the Gainesville VA and he kept the appointment but they were agitated that he could not handle the pain of the needle. After he had a confrontation with his new doctor over
missing an appointment because of his pain, it was then we decided to transfer all care to The Villages Satellite Office. Still part of the Gainesville Medical Center.
The Villages seemed like it might work out until this week. I still have hope. Miller, the Transportation man and the social worker Margaret Butler, seem very helpful and accommodating but I have no clue how much influence either have in the realm of treatment. Miller can get him there but I am pretty sure that is the extent of his ability to help. I hate to say this but transportation has been more helpful than any doctor, nurse, counselor or anyone affiliated with Gainesville VA Medical Center. Margaret had some very good ideas for treatment and follow up last Thursday after 17 calls my husband made to TeleCare over medication mix ups and I requested a follow up on his Aid and Attendance request that was made one year ago and stuck in adjudication. I also requested a firm diagnosis regarding his back and leg and mobility problems but never heard from
her again and do not know why. Just Gone with the Wind like so many times before with Florida VA follow ups. I then called his Primary care who he has only seen once and I have never met to report black and blue bruises on his feet and legs and toes. I was told to get to the ER in Gainesville by the PC Doc's nurse. Her name was Shirley.
Now we are up to what straw broke the camel's back. The Gainesville VA Medical Center Emergency room visit. We checked into the VA ER at about 3PM for
what I hoped would be a admittance due to all of the problems. PTSD so severe that he had actually mentioned wishing he was back in Nam. So severe that
he had not slept for days. So severe that he had written some notes about seeing blood on himself. So bad that flashbacks had returned after many years ..So bad that startle reaction was on going. So bad, electronic devices were taken apart and put together in an almost ritual like behavior. So bad he was screaming in pain and his on guard feeling was escalated and one could tell he had the 1000 yard stare. Now he was black and blue and unable to walk from numbness in the feet and legs. Migraines coming more regularly. We had our 6 year old with us with my friend meeting me at the VA to take her and care for her but that too went a little south due to the outrage of that night. He first had to find his own wheelchair. No one offered to find one or get one as I parked the car. He checks in and went to the window to let them know his PC had sent him and was directed to go check in at the open door and was told to go back and fill out a card at the window. They wanted to argue at this point about not being instructed to fill out a card. He went back and filled out the card until his name was called. He then went to the triage nurse and the triage nurse asked him about his pain from 1 to 10 and he said 9. When asked if he was nauseous and my husband said He would be happy to puke over the office.
My husband was clearly in rage mode. He threw the blood pressure cuff down. He then was sat outside in the waiting room. I walked in and asked if I could see the triage nurse to request a psych evaluation and was promptly told they did not have to talk with me. I sat down and the television was blaring loudly on Fox news talking about Obamacare this and that and running down the President, speaking of war and how the Army Chaplain was angry at the army and on and on it went. He said to me, " Is that propaganda still on? I glanced up and said, "Yes Fox is on".
I saw a nurse and said, " Is it possible to turn the channel?" My request was ignored. We now had been there for over an hour. He sat very still in the corner squinting his eyes. I saw danger . I saw him have that dark look in his eyes that is explosive. I was beginning to get nervous. I heard him yell Turn that Shit off, Now, my husband would never curse in his right mind as as he is very faith oriented. Never in his right mind would he use foul language in front of our daughter. He said again loudly, " Turn the propaganda shit machine off . If I wanted to watch cartoons I would watch Cartoon Network." Again no response . He yanked the cord from the wall. It was at this point that he was surrounded by police (VA I assume). He was threatened with arrest. He was told that they
had no problem with arresting him unless he behaved and act right or go to jail. (Excuse me...He was out of control and I believe the TV triggered the outburst
in an already bad situation. I went over and tried to speak to the police and say he needed treatment and they then told me if I interfered I would be arrested.
Bottom line.....to make this more to the point.
He has received inadequate medical care and follow up
He has been threatened with arrest for unplugging a TV and making a speech about cartoons.
The Rn triage nurse still did not want to speak to a wife about psych evaluation or anything regarding treatment
The Rn triage nurse never intervened to get him to a safe place
The hospital sent him to a non VA Facility
The hospital has yet to contact the veteran's family to update or even tell of his whereabouts
The Primary Care Doctor still has not contacted the vet or family
The primary care doctor's nurse was informed by wife of the vet's whereabouts and was told they had 12,000 patients and people were busy.
There was no consideration given to the vet at the hospital.
Children and people they did not know were invited back into the emergency room..children 6 yoa (Unheard of in my book) in any hospital to visit my husband.
Unsafe in any circumstance in my opinion.
The wait was over 10 hours and not without incident.
The wife was told by the ER intake RN that sometimes spouses were dumped there for wives to party.
A social work asked the wife what she wanted. A note was made and entered into the computer.
The psych nurse opted for admission for severe PTSD.
I don't know what else to say except that this is so unprofessional and inexcusable that if this is how we treat those who borne the battle then we have
some major problems. I put out a call for this facility and any other Florida medical treatment centers be investigated. Calls were made to VISN. Calls were
made to administrators from all who heard of this outrage. I was informed that many complaints that were made went basically dis
regarded at the Gainesville VA.
Televisions which act as triggers on controversial programming should be taken away. This is not helping the patients. Television on a nature channel is
neither controversial or seems to act as a trigger. I would just as soon see them gone.
Patients with obvious PTSD diagnosis having flashbacks should be calmed or taken back immediately.
Please forgive the length of the letter. I felt you needed to know the entire story. I still am waiting on my aid and attendant from a year ago.
Please refer this outrage to the Secretary of the VA.
Thank you..
Sincerely,
Amanda L. Kato
p.s. Since I wrote this letter ...the debacle got worse. When my husband asked to be released on the 20th...There was a problem and this was
a voluntary admission....No involuntary after being in a non va facility wanting to be in the VA or a facility that understood combat vets plus he needed
medical treatment. Some one came in on the 17th a Friday and pinched his black and blue toe and said he was fine. After he was released and came straight home the very next day the Clinic ( VA) primary care nurse called me and said they had received an email that he needed treatment urgently for his discolored feet and legs. This is after two weeks with them and not notifying his primary care nor VA not having access to his treatment nor trying to obtain it and visa versa. On top of that the liaison at the clinic called me and said that an email was sent to the Vines ( non VA non medical) to transfer him back to the VA.
That did not happen. The other deal is the VA only on Friday the 17th after much of my contacting people stated via email to have him treated medically thoroughly for his medical condition. that did not happen either. The liason patient advocate then tells me to take him to another non va facility that they had a contract with for medical attention. NOT 3 MILES FROM THE NON VA PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL BUT 45 MILES FROM ME. I told her they were insane. He was a 100 percent t and p combat vet service connected with medical and psychological issues and it was their responsibility to make sure he was receiving treatment and especially since we went to the va for treatment in Gainesville two weeks earlier just to be sent to a non VA facility. I was told at the non va facility they are housing approximately 15 veterans at all times on behalf of Gainesville who had built a new wing but no staff to man it. My husband was given a prescirption
that could not be filled if it was a prescription at all it just listed the meds on a paper and his meds were changed and he was sent home without any.
no blood tests. Increased Dosages of some...Added vitamins..No workup. He goes to the Clinic tomorrow and they are wanting to send him back to the VA.
I found an article whereas Governor Scott was trying to privatize all mental health facilities and VA Nursing homes and VA mental facilities to cut back on budgets. I had been informed by my husband that the beds were not really beds. I have no clue what he meant by that. Beds or cots I asked. He stated that
the non va facility had very uncomfortable sleeping arrangements especially for someone in a wheelchair with spinal problems. I am at a loss.
Yes I want to go on your radio program. Thank you for the opportunity. Title 38 is very clear about non contracted hospitals and the Mill act of 99. Temporary stays until stablization and then transfer to a federal facitlity. Under title 38 there is also under patient bill of rights that a hospital should transfer to a federal facility and veterans are to be treated with respect and dignity. This was not done. Another thing. He was asked to sign a paper after being administered a shot and suffering from a ptsd flashback and not at his full mental state. I HAVE a durable power of attorney and was dismissed as if I were a stranger on the street. I am furious!
Other veterans have been released home and not transferred. I have names. I have asked for investigations. I have had pacifiers stuck in my mouth and to date my husband has still not been treated medically from the initial intake of nearly a month ago. Feb 7th.
Sincerely
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Moving right along.......
An unstaffed Facility
Seems like a good idea except there is no staff to open the wings up so the veterans are farmed out like dirty laundry.
A new Hospital...Orlando..
But it is not open !!!!!!!
Claims being held for over a year. Three letters and mass confusion on what they have and what they don't. Service Officers get the POA and then forget who they are supposed to be helping. Did I mentiion they are non partisan? The whole system is failing those who borne the battle,
......................................................................................................
SCOTT
Problem for Florida vets for sure.....
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott’s $65.8 billion spending pitch to lawmakers includes privatizing veterans homes, mental health facilities and developmental disability centers, which the governor’s budget staff has concluded will save $103.9 million.
Scott health-care policy coordinator Jane Johnson said the governor’s office was still working with Veterans Affairs director Bob Milligan on the specifics of how to hand veterans homes over to private enterprise, a concept she called “public instrumentality.”
The papers have it ...We need to shout it !
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Gov. Scott names insider as new chief-of-staffmore florida news »
Posted: 4:45 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2011
TALLAHASSEE — A shuffle at the highest reaches of state government began today, with Gov. Rick Scott naming a veteran legislative insider as his chief-of-staff and Senate President Mike Haridopolos also choosing a well-known Capitol name to manage his office.
As expected, Scott hired Steve MacNamara to succeed retired Army Col. Mike Prendergast as his chief-of-staff, plucking MacNamara from Haridopolos' office, where he served in a similar capacity. Prendergast, who had been working for the first time in state government, earlier this week was named executive director of Florida's Veterans' Affairs Department.
His former CEO?
There is so much more... but I am so mad and furious that all I have to say is if I have my way.....Think of this....