Comments on: The Horror Of Government Run Veteran Health Care

By: Leslie

Leslie — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 05:24:46 +0000

I witnessed horrible neglect of my 92 yr old grandfather a World War 2 vet….My grandfather died from alzheimers. I first noticed signs of the disease back in 2000, but they last couple years it has been awful. I begged my grandmother to take him to our local hospital, but grandpa insisted on going to the VA hosp. My grandfather was NOT a smoker, was NOT obese (he was only 108 lbs at death), NEVER abused drugs, took his medication as prescribed. Everytime my grandfather was rushed to the VA ER for something, he was always returned home a couple hours later. They wanted nothing to do with him. On Mothers Day 2011, he was still coughing really badly, was moaning in pain…I called 911 and had him brought to our local hospital ER…they could NOT believe that the VA released him 2 days before! He was severely anemic…needed 4 blood transfusions, congestive heart failure, very low potassium, kidney problems…the list goes on and on. How come the VA didn’t give him a blood transfusion? How come he wasn’t treated for the congestive heart failure? Thankfully at our local hopsital, he blood levels returned to normal, congestive heart failure cleared up and was under control…..he died 4 months later from the alzheimers. He was unable to feed himself (forgot how), and eventually forgot how to breathe BUT, I feel the VA is responsible…..no they are not responsible for the degenerative disease Alzheimers…but they are responsive for the lack of care, meaning, blood transfusions, potassium supplements, controlling the congestive heart failure. The did NOT do a thing. Disgusting.

By: M. Tenanbaum

M. Tenanbaum — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:25:52 +0000

I am a nurse at the VA, so I can speak to some of these issues. Most Vets are old men (i.e. grumpy) who have been doted on (spoiled) by their wives of 40+years. They are vastly overweight (we do not “starve” them, we serve them NORMAL size nutritous meals). They expect the same care they would PAY for outside the VA system. We do not provide that. We provide BASIC health care for those of no other means. Most are dying because they are non-compliant diabetics, they smoke(d), they are obese, and they are very old. Many have done drugs in earlier years, several have HIV or Hep C., or ruined their own health through neglect. In short, they abused their own bodies for 60-80 years then expect us to perform miracles to “prolong” their miserable lives. THAT is the joke, not the VA. Nearly all are ungrateful for their totally free health care that the taxpayers provide. I have trouble realizing that this undisciplined lot ever was in the military. Now they are dying and many are mad at their families, their doctors, or me, about it. There should be ethics to end life when there is no productive/happy life left. Death squads or whatever you want to call it. When I am 85, have cancer, weigh over 300 lb., am blind/deaf and no one gives a damn about me, I hope some death squad will take mercy on me and push the button for a painless release. That way, everybody wins.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:35:40 +0000

The Bay Pines VA Medical Center (St.Petersburg, FL) is a Joke ! The quality of medical “care” there is completely UNSATISFACTORY ! The same applies to the Local VA Out Patient Clinics associated with this hospital ! Do you know that the VA does NOT require their “Physicians” to be licensed? Could the reason for that be, that they cannot get a job anywhwere else ?

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:53:40 +0000

Okay…now my other post is showing. Very odd..

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:52:18 +0000

Why did you delete my post? It contained several truths about things going on at a certain west coast VA Hospital. Is not this site about truth…?

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:43:01 +0000

Hey you…since you haven’t worn the shoes and walked a mile in them then you need to get off the pulpit until you do!

Recently, I watched – almost helplessly – systemic, group protected negligence (cover ups) at a particular POD in a West coast VA hospital.
A lawsuit is coming for sure but in the meantime….how many more patients will be given little food upon admittance to the facility,
left to do without being bathed unless family or friends help out,
be harassed,
intimidated (into silence),
told to participate in a health care treatment program when there has been an incomplete diagnosis,
injured by mishandling (RN claimed they were not trained to handle the particular situation),
wrongly medicated because the same RN has her own agenda since she had to answer for failing to do her job duties (what she is paid to do) and flat out lied about a patient to the EMR team doctor, which resulted in a do-not-administer medication being injected, which – again – caused an allergic reaction that progressed to convulsions and seizures – with Benadryl being denied for over an hour.
The patient – a SCI patient has regressed to having urinary problems that had been overcome 4 weeks prior and now has a high level of mistrust and fear of the medical environment…even when stating there are several who are quite competent and do their jobs well.

Many of the elevator door sensors are a joke. The doors slam shut without sensing anything is between them. That is exactly what happened to the above mentioned SCI patient.

There are present day stories being relayed by other patients that mirror those found online.
They have shared their experiences of poor care but some choose not to push the matter in fear of receiving even worse treatment.

Records are non-existent regarding reported incidents involving a certain few.

Yes, there are some absolutely wonderful and compassionate medical staff…but…those who are guilty of negligence and abuse and are not being forced to answer for the wrongs that they have done, overshadow the positive qualities of those who do the job well.
Accountability is sketchy at best.

With all that I have seen at this government run medical facility I can’t help but wonder if this is what Obama Care will look like….

By: Stephen Verges

Stephen Verges — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:08:44 +0000

The Veterans Administration people are grand! How dare you insult them, you should have more respect for a government agency that handles the dire needs of veterans issues like angry potato peeling kitchen police goons.

Ever hear that saying”if you deal with a shitty diaper that weighs less than a pound you got a baby, if you deal with a shitty diaper that weighs five pounds you got a problem”