First post--- Slightly overwhelmed

[Cylus]

Hello all.
This post may be a little long but I need some information.
34 Years ago, while in the Air Force, My right shoulder was injured. I was in a sling for almost 8 months, the shoulder and arm were completely numb and basically worthless.

I was told I was put down for a disability, but it wouldn't be rated until I was discharged. After My separation from the AF I never heard from the Veterans Administration. That was 1980. Over the years I learned to use the arm as best as I could, my right shoulder drooped about an inch lower than my left, the scapula hung away from my back and I learned to just put the pain out of my mind I guess. This may sound funny, but I never thought of it as a handicap, just a fact of life and do the best I could.

Then in 1987 I became unemployed and got sick, I went to the VA. While they were going over my records, I was told I had a disability that had never been rated and I would be sent to have an evaluation. On the day of the exam, the doctor walked into the room, looked me in the eye for about 30 seconds, then looked down at a chart and walked around me twice. He never touched me, never asked me any questions. He then said "there is nothing wrong with your shoulder, get your shirt on and leave". To be fair though, that was right after Vietnam and Veterans were not highly thought of and The VA was a joke. Health care is first rate now.

I once again lived my life coping the best I could. Three years ago, I once again became unemployed and got sick, I went to the VA, yep you guessed it, I was told I had a disability that had never been rated. Ya Ya, heard that before. They scheduled me for another evaluation, it was determined that I had BPI. I was to receive two more appointments to determine the rating, but they sent the letters to the wrong address and I never made them. I was given a rating of 30% based on the one evaluation, but they stated that the rating might have been higher had I made those two appointments.

I haven't worked much in the last three years and the arm has gotten much worse, almost as bad as when it was first injured. I have reopened the case for reevaluation, my appointment is in a few days.

Reading the posts on here have been invaluable to opening my eyes to what happened to me. I never thought that this was nerve damage, I guess my reasoning was if it was nerve damage it would be total paralysis. As I have read the posts of others I see that many have good days and bad and varying degrees of pain and movement. with that said I would ask some questions.

1. After 35 years is there really anything that can be done? I would think the damage is pretty permanent now.

2. The VA is much better now than they used to be, but I doubt seriously that they have any BPI specialists. Does any one have any idea's about getting further treatment? I am assuming that the VA will basically give me a rating, send a monthly check and forget about me.

My symptoms are. The Scapula hangs away form my shoulder. there is an area on my back from mid Scapula to the top of my shoulder that burns and tingles constantly. In the front, there is an area from my shoulder joint across to almost the sternum that is numb and has shooting pain. I have numbness and shooting pain down my Bicep. There is numbness on my lower forearm and into the pinky and ring finger. In the last year, when I get tired my shoulder droops even more and now my neck muscle is starting to tense up and the pain is pretty bad, to the point of drawing my head to the right side.
Arm movement to the front is limited to about shoulder height. To the side I can only lift the arm about a foot and rearward movement is a few inches at best.

I'm pretty angry with what has happened to me. I'm 56 years old and I must now retrain into something that I can do for a living. This is my first post and to tell you the truth, I don't know the questions to ask or even what my purpose is in posting. any reply's are more than welcome and I thank you in advance.

Cylus.

[Master DIVER TOM]

Hi Cylus,
I am glad you are posting.
I see that you are Mad and confused and without direction
These injury are challenging over a life time, kNow this felling well
Had a few court cases, I had to keep my courage up No matter if it was trying something to overcome or bs to just get threw the problem. You have gone on a hard journey so far , but you also need to Remember that you have overcome so much to , smile about what you have overcome in-spite of your limitation, There is a lot to be said in all forms , ware angry turns into, courage and courage move you forwards. Determination grows and you like all of us become UNSTOP-ABLE overtime !! I think
I do have friends from the Nam era, I am 62
I know friends that have been on Va Disability and have increase disability,
Talking to your Va Rep is the way my friends told me they Bug The Rep. I got my good arm rip up driving a semi after 25 years of doing so with birth erbs to. I would have your rep find you a doctor it might be called different, but let the rep help you in your needs, I know there is alot of post that state over- use issue and I know having to arms mass up do count when applying for Social Security Disability. know no doctor ever told me there was help for my birth erbs ever. But know see the right doctor is a Life long quest, There is doctor who deal with arm and shoulder injuries from the battlefield recovery, So getting help can really tick you off, I dont like doctors because they always make my blood pressure go up

Hope this might help you???
Tom

[Carolyn J]

Welcome Cylus to our UBPN Family.
Since you have a Tramautic Brachial Plexus Injury :

1) please post, or copy & paste your post, on the "Traumatic Brachial Plexus Message Forum Board" you'll get more feed back there.

2) Don't know where you are located but please get an evaluation from a BPI Specialist. On the TBPI Forum Board there are referral information there to a BPI Specialist for Adult Traumatic Injuries.
HOWEVER, everyone is welcome on all Message Boards.

There is no such thing as a dumb question, only the one not asked.

Carolyn J
LOBPI/74