This was on a friends Facebook page today:

--letter start---

Dear VA,
Thank you so very much. I appreciate that the kid u assigned to draw my blood this morning was BRAND NEW to needles...much less actually using them. I also appreciate that it takes years to be denied a claim for the exact SAME thing the Army said didn't allow me to stay in uniform. But most of all this morning...I appreciate that despite a high serviced-connection rating, you not only bill the insurance company provided by my employer, but that you take an hour and a half to fill a prescription. This time spent waiting is great! I can watch all the unemployed/retired vets sign for their medicine and then...wait for it....STAY RIGHT HERE AND SOCIALIZE. This is awesome, and I get it. Putting 30 little pills in a bottle is hard and since my service connection AND my insurance pay for them, it only makes sense that I should be made to wait in order to assure quality of your efforts and my money's worth!
I love that I have served my country in 2 different branches including war and now I get to do the same as I have been sitting here so long I am thinking a paycheck will be sent to me from you, while probably ticking off my boss, in a civillian uniform.
Ever so slightly annoyed,
ME

--letter end---

 

How many times can the VA Fuck up??? Why in the name of God is it allowed to continue? Is it just because of the size of the VA? Or is it because of the are my VA is in? I get this letter, and it sounds very similar to my own experiences. At the VA around here, it's bullshit!!! If I didn't like any of my Doc's, I probably wouldn't even fucking go!!! I wonder if the problem with the VA isn't actually an issue based on the actual quality (or dare I say lack thereof) of the veterans themselves, the simple fact that the VA is a HUGE government cesspool, or some combination thereof. I don't normally complain about other vets in general...unless they really fucking piss me off!

 

I will complain about this though: The reverse-racism is so fucking bad in this town that it is even very noticable at times with some of the pieces of shit that work at the VA here. I have the utmost respect for the boys and girls from earlier wars and the shit that they went through, ESPECIALLY the vets from 'Nam. However, that does not mean that I feel that I have to kiss their fucking ass just because they are Veitnam Vets and and black, whereas I am younger and whiter than them! It's 2011...how about everyone, black, white, or otherwise...just get the FUCK OFF of the minority rights shit. I mean really, if it happened 200 years ago...it didn't personally happen to you. So deal with what DID actually happen to you, live in peace with others, don't antagonize when possible, and GET THE FUCK OFF OF THE RACIAL SOAPBOXES!!!

My Doc Rocks

I think, even though I haven't posted much, that I should post about my Doc.

Doc is my doctor, and ROCKS!!! The shame of it is, she is probably one of three people worth anything here at the local VA. However, she is worth a lot! She is like that friend that just WILL NOT take your crap on ANY day...except she's the Doc and not you're friend!

It doesn't matter my mood when I walk in her office, I leave feeling like a ton of bricks has been removed from my back...even if she had me on the verge of crying in her office. This whole Cognitive Processing Therapy has been painful, but without Doc, I am certain that I would NEVER have stuck it out this long. Given some of the stupid shit I have done, even since therapy started, I am lucky to have Doc helping me.

Thing is, I didn't WANT to do therapy or see anyone. Then, I didn't want to see a female doctor. Unfortunately, I got STUCK with both. However, it has worked out well so far. It didn't help at first that she was HOT...but then I just convinced myself that was a lesbian, :-) which helped me quickly get past that fact.

So, I may not be perfect...or even 100% fixed. I am better because of Doc and will owe my life to her, whether she knows it or not! She may consider me a patient, but to me she is a friend. So for anyone doubting the value of the "Shrink,"...get off your ass and go see one...NOW!!!