Hi Jim,
Wondering if you've come across many Nam Vets that have been diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4 Brain Cancer?
My late husband of 40+ years was in Nam as a Tanker in 70/71. He fought for 38 years before he finally got a rating of 40% (10%-Tinnitis & 30% PTSD). He'd been trying to get help for his hearing loss that he came home with from Nam since 1972, but all the VA would give him was 10% Tinnitis. He also wanted help with his eye, a 50 Cal blew up in his face and he came home from Nam with a growth on his eye. Finally after over 30 years, the growth enlarging and interfering with his eye site, he had surgery to remove the growth.
Finally in June 2009, the VA gave him the rating of 40%, then in Jan. 2010 he started receiving a check from the VA. In March 2010 he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4 Brain Cancer. His PTSD got worse during his journey fighting GBM-4. Many hidden memories surfaced and many times he thought he was back in Nam. He would guard the house at night and when going on walks, would call me and tell me to bring his guns, that Gooks were every where. His VA counselor told me to lock up his guns, then she stopped returning my phone calls in Sept. 2011. Finally the VA checked his hearing and eyes, he got new glasses from the VA and the week he started Hospice for the Brain Tumor, he received his hearing aids. He was so happy to hear my voice after all of these years. By this time he was going down hill and only lived one more month, he died in Dec. 2011.
I promised him I would continue his fight and have been making a list of Nam Vets with GBM-4, researching all of the time trying to make a connection with Agent Oragne and Nam Vets, too many are dying and now I've got Korean Vets coming to me also.
Thank you for listening to our story.
Reply:
I happen to believe there is a connection to brain cancer and agent orange. Of course, VA denies it.
If you haven't already, I began a quick search of BVA decisions for you to work with.
Click http://tinyurl.com/m2yn2g2
I find that in cases where VA has awarded some claims it's often very handy to study the claims that are awarded to learn how that veteran accomplished the goal.