A wasted day

    • 1855 posts
    December 16, 2013 10:51 AM PST
    So, from 11 a.m. until 5: p.m. I'm either on my way to the Dayton VA, at the VA, and on my way home from the VA.  I went to audiology.  10 years ago they did a hearing test on me.  At that time I received these cauliflower type hearing aids.  They lasted a day and I've not worn hearing aids since then.   But today I walk in and they say, "We have your new hearing aids".  They put 'em on me, hook me up to a computer, do some hearing/sound adjustments/tests and then I'm on my way.  Gypsy asked me on the way home why they didn't do a hearing exam.  Well, I figure that with the tech advancements made over the years that that was exactly what they were doing when I went through all that hearing/sound adjustment sheite. After all, they knew it had been 10 years since my last hearing exam.  I mentioned it several times.

    So, we're 20 miles north when I get a call from the VA. "You need to come back", the woman said.  I replied, "Why is that"?

    "Well, we're sorry but we need to test your hearing and you can't wear what we gave you.  They aren't correct and could further damage your ability to hear".  

    "I'm not coming back.  It's late and I've still got 60 more miles to drive home."

    "We need the hearing aids back".

    "Fine, schedule me another appointment and I'll bring them back to you then because I'm absolutely not turning around.  I need to get home and feed the wood burner and let the dog out so her bladder doesn't burst."

    "Oh my. We're so sorry.  Is 10 a.m. Friday good for you?" 

    "Can I bring my dog"?

    "What"?

    "Never mind.  I'll see you Friday".

    Now, I know I should have really stressed the point that I hadn't been tested in 10 years but I figured that after telling them 3 times it didn't matter.  I mean, who the hell am I to know what they think is relevant or not?  So now, on Friday morning during rush hour I have to drive to Dayton again to take a test I should have taken today.   Geeeesh.  Honestly though, my hearing is just fine. (there is tinnitus though) I just can't hear my dog whining to go out.  But she's figured that out and just goes to the door.

    • 5420 posts
    December 16, 2013 11:49 AM PST
    You should show up with your dog and tell her you thought she said "sure, bring your dog". After it's their fault you couldn't hear how the lady responded to the question :-)
  • December 16, 2013 7:02 PM PST
    lol bring the dog
    • 2685 posts
    December 17, 2013 5:48 AM PST
    That's the VA, spent many years transporting our vets. Five hour drives in an ambulance to have a nurse do an EKG or take some blood and turn around and take them home again.
    One of my favorites was a drive that was about twelve hours to bring him home because he could not 'walk' to a car. We get there and he hops off the stretcher and walks across the living room and sits on the couch. He told us the VA wouldn't let his wife pick him up.
    Our tax dollars at work and great treatment of our vets.

    Sorry for the little rant there. 8^)
    • 3006 posts
    December 17, 2013 6:01 AM PST
    Hearing loss is serious and you should make sure this time they cvered all the bases before walking back out again.I have partial hearing loss & can confirm its a hassle at times.
    Its too bad that a person has to suffer from poor medical care,yet even worse it occurs in the VA for crap sake cant they get it rite??
    Hope it goes well & you end up getting reimbursed for the travel time & expense if possible.
    stay safe & enjoy the ride
    • 1855 posts
    December 17, 2013 6:07 AM PST
    As for the travel expenses; I give mine to the patients at the hospital. They don't get a great deal for free. As for how acute my hearing loss is; I'm just not sure. Gypsy insists it is "selective" hearing. LOL

    • 3006 posts
    December 17, 2013 6:48 AM PST
    Especially on those honey-do's weekends roflmao : ) what was that again?? again???
    • 284 posts
    December 27, 2013 7:45 PM PST
    Man, I am not even gonna list my complaints with the VA. It keeps me from getting obamacare and that is about the only good thing I can say.

    I had to go to Charleston VA, for what I thought was to have 3 small cyst removed. My Doc in Savannah had already identified them and sent photos to Charleston. So I drove up there just over 2 hours, had to park in another hospital parking garage, cause Charleston has almost no parking spaces, and then sit and wait for 30 mins.

    I thought I was there to get them out. I get called in, guy looks at my neck and back, say yep they are cysts. Lets schedule this for 3 weeks from now.

    What, your not taking them out. "No I had to look at them" Why the hell do I have a Doc in Savannah who already did and identified them? He sent you photos. "That is just the way we do it"

    I left the house at 830 a.m. got home at about 430 p.m., had to pay for parking, cost of a tank of gas and lost time and wages. Well I have not been back to Charleston, and never will. Told the Savannah VA to cowboy up and pretend they were doctors.

    I got better medical services from a Special Forces medic than the VA. Other than a flu shot or stickin their finger in my ass they perform almost no viable function.

    And the list could go on, bitch gripe groan complain.
    • 1855 posts
    December 29, 2013 4:35 AM PST
    Well Ssportster, I really think the VA is what you make it for the most part. But I have to agree that having one facility diagnose you and then another facility do the same thing and then not do anything about it is ludicrous. I don't know what your service connection is (disabled vet, etc.) but one of the best things you can do is to get a civilian doctor make a diagnosis as well. It would help if he could some how relate your illness to your service. I'm at 70%. At one point I had shoulder surgery and my civilian doctor said, "By the looks of the calcium build-up, you've had diabetes for at least ten years" (that was 10 years ago). I said, "You need to write that down". Because he did write it down the surgery was linked to one of my service-connected disabilities (agent orange exposure) and my disability rating was increased 5%. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up.

    I did go back for my hearing test (moderate to severe) and I'm now waiting for the new hearing aids to come in. I'll have to travel again but the travel pay will help someone else.

    Peace
  • December 29, 2013 8:10 AM PST
    What?
    • 1855 posts
    December 29, 2013 9:07 AM PST
    Funny
  • December 30, 2013 11:53 AM PST
    Judging from your response, I made ya smile. Mission accomplished then and not so wasted a day.