Another Sludge Update

[Sludge]

Hey gang!

I have made an effort to be more active here, and that is a good thing.

Things have changed quickly here. I have my words back thanks to intense speech therapy. Only downside to that is I have a pseudo Irish accent as my therapist is a hot little brunette from Dublin. My memory is improving and my fine motor skills are returning, as long as I keep close watch on my meds schedule.

For the last two weeks I have been sleeping soundly for at least 8 hours a night, and haven't had a single nightmare. Been a while since I was that lucky.

I am now the president of the Student Veterans Association of America on campus and ended up in charge of thousands of members. looks like Ill be attending the National Convention in a few months too. I am working part time at the MVSC.

Still tight on funds and mildly stressed about it, but the light at the end of the tunnel is clearly getting brighter. The DAV was able to speed up my claims process thanks to the hardship paperwork suggested on here. I should be getting my entitlements including back pay in just a few more weeks. Also found the VA owes me and additional 1.4k due to returned checks form the last decade or so. For you American Vets, sign up for eBenefits (google it) and track all your VA related stuff. You may find they owe you money they otherwise will never tell you about.

My son got laid off, but will start with the Iron Workers Union in a few months. He is on the apprenticeship list, and got moved up to the top 25 as through an astounding stroke of luck, the local's recruiter served in the Corps with his maternal grandfather. I was able to help out too, as it turns out my industrial maintenance skills are well known around town, something I was completely unaware of.

I am hanging in, but things are getting better. The meds do help, even though I hate the living shit out of pills.

Dreading the holiday season. Preparing the crossbow and making new battle armor for the pugs in prepartion for my annual firefight with f*cking Santa.

 

[Lurch]

Glad to hear things are going so well for ya.

Would love to see the Pugs dressed in their battle rattle for Santa. :)

 

[atilla]

Im happy for u bro. Keep on keepin on. Pugs rock btw.

 

[Friday]

3 cheers for hot little brunettes from Dublin!!! Hell yah, man. Fockin awesome :D

Ahem. Things not to do this Xmas: Kill Santa. Seriously. Or now that you've got 'em back we're gonna have words. Send Saint Nick this way instead, hear?

 

[Lurch]

Friday, what are you gonna do with Santa if Sludge sends him your way? Haven't you been good enough for him to show on his own?:devil:

 

[Friday]

:sneaky:

 

[Grizzly]

Great news Brother. Glad to hear all is going good / better.

I will have to second what Sludge mentioned about Ebenefits. I have just been authorized for all of my previous travel miles to the VA (2.5hr round trip). I have about 4K in travel expenses and another 2K in co-pays they owe back,

 

[Sludge]

3 cheers for hot little brunettes from Dublin!!! Hell yah, man. Fockin awesome :D

Ahem. Things not to do this Xmas: Kill Santa. Seriously. Or now that you've got 'em back we're gonna have words. Send Saint Nick this way instead, hear?

Fat bastard started it. I'll finish it one of these years. If I had a chimney, it would have a claymore in it...

That fat bitch will pay what he owes!

 

[Ronin1]

Now this is a great thread. :-) I love it when things are going the right direction :-)

 

[Sludge]

UPDATE:

Surprise in the mail this morning. Official VA letter showed up. Got Official statement that I'm now 60%. Haven't claimed the PTSD yet, but DAV suggested I wait until January to file that claim. That is another 30% once the claim goes through.(Just found my supporting documents a while back, shocked I still had them.) Will likely get raised to 80% over the next year if the damned seizures are not controlled or the dain bramage worsens or If I am not cleared to drive in the future.The DAV to get me to claim my face too, but after that donated surgery a while back you can't even see the scars unless I have had some sun, something that doesn't happen much being a red-head.

More shocking news, the accrued compensation was paid out at midnight last night, so my financial crisis has ended. After getting everything caught up with the mortgage and such, there is enough left over to both finish the new engine for my 58 beetle, and ensure my family has a good Christmas even though I hate that holiday as much as I hate all these pills and therapies. (My son jokes that he hopes the brain gets worse so he can have my Bug. I explained that even if I am seizing up and mute I can still kick his ass with prejudice....)

I may even have enough left to get the remainder of my teeth pulled so I can wear dentures and not look like the toothless redneck I really am. I will also be able to help my daughter study abroad in England next spring semester and build my son the bad-ass gaming PC he so desperately wants but would never admit. Might even treat myself to a beer or maybe even a joint for old times sake...

The other good thing was I officially joined the DAV as a lifetime member today too. These guys saved my family from serious hardship by keeping a boot up the VA's collective rectum and never asked for anything in return, so I figured it was the least I could do. I hope to find a guy or gal out there in a bind like I was in and help them as I was helped.

So between finishing the last few courses for my degree, working for the Military Veterans Service Center on campus, running the Student American Veterans Association(needs rebuilt from scratch after floundering for a few years) on campus, helping the DAV Chapter out, and spending the winter finishing this VW engine, I have plenty to keep me occupied for the winter and most of the spring too. Hopefully all that busy work will help what is left of my mind get out of the doldrums and back to my usual grouchy, motor-mouthed self.

Still feeling anti-social and stressed out, but then again I almost always feel that way. Woke up screaming last night, but likely because I tried to sleep upstairs in the bed with my wife and three pugs and the stupid excuse for a cat that allows us to care for it(I like cats, just don't tell my wife or she will bring more home...). Gets dead silent round these parts with snow on the ground. Sure you other squids understand why silence triggers panic. So I'll have to keep snoozing in the basement ManCave Mark IV Mod 2 so the aquarium pumps and plant heaters and computer fans provide enough background noise for me. (Unless the wife lets me set up a fish tank in the master bedroom...or maybe one of those sweet aquatic garden tanks...) Son is going to help me run some red and blue night lights so perhaps I can sleep better during "darken ship".

Helped out the DAV at the annual Chapter fundraiser for "Military Monday at Golden Corral today too. We helped almost 2000 veterans and active duty get a free all you can stuff down yer gorge meal, and raised a few hundred dollars for our chapter. All in 5 hours! Barely geeked out in that crowd!

So things do get better, I guess. Sort of always knew that, but when it rains it f*ckin' acts like the North Atlantic in January for me.

For this gang, thanks once again for all the help. Had a long exciting day and am pretty beat down as a result. think I'll pass out in the tub reading tad Williams' "Otherland" series.

 

[Grizzly]

Great news. Congrats!

 

[Ronin1]

Man I'm very happy for you :-) Sound like they stepped up.

Just out of curiosity. How much do you guys get in compensation for getting PTSD while in service???

Here in Denmark they usually give us vets with PTSD, a disability of 10 - 15% witch compares to loosing a finger on the physical scale (Go figure) This will grand me a compensation at around 67152 - 83940$ tax free.