What to look forward to?

Zomglawlz

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
A quick rundown. I'm not awaiting MEB right now, but I think I'll end up there. I've got some great info on this site so far, but now it's getting pretty real so I figured I'd register and post. I'm a little worried about what I have to look forward to. Please see my timeline below..

About me... I will Hit 16 years active duty this August. I've been a Chief for 8 of those years.

14 Sep 12 injured on deployment ( took a Y-gate to the face on the end of a 2 1/2" fire hose.)
Spent several weeks on board the ship being treated by doc with no success until he was able to determine I had a TBI / Post concussive syndrome. Unfortunately it was hard to get me off anywhere.

4 Nov 12 saw a Neuro in Oki put me on some meds, sent back to ship on deployment.

30 Nov 12 returned to Neuro and placed LIMDU and flown back to home port Sasebo to await orders.
While in Sasebo the docs did not want anything to do with treating me and only said I couldn't be treated in Japan.

1 Feb 13 Recieved orders to PCS to Walter Reed Bethesda for treatment and LIMDU.
Yes, it took that long for me to get orders. Very frustrating since no one would treat me.

14 Feb 13 PCSd to Walter Reed.
Took weeks of going back and forth with TRICARE before I could even set a primary car appointment to get the referrals I need for treatment.

19 Mar 13 First actual appointment at brain injury clinic. No real docs, but just getting the ball rolling.

So, I know my 1st LIMDU is over in May so I have yo get a review done in April. I won't have even seen a Neuro doc here by that time. I've got tons of referrals now, but zero actual treatment has started and my first LIMDU is already done. I've already been told I'll need a surgery also. I meet with the docs at the warrior clinic next week. They will be taking over my case.

So, I've been a retard for 7 months now. Crazy issues from my TBI. Really haven't been able to function in any real capacity. Thank god my wife has been there to help.

So, what do I really have to look forward to? I'm sure ill get the second LIMDU since I haven't even really been evaluated here yet. But other then that, it seems like a long scary road. Please give it to me straight.

---thanks for fixing the title for me ranger supermod---
 
Zomglawlz,

Welcome, glad to have you here.

Crickets...


Sorry no one replied sooner. Probably that is because of my general reply (which I know is not that helpful). The answer is, it depends on how things go with your treatment and how your duty performance is impacted.

It sounds like this is unlikely, but given that you don't have 2nd LIMDU started yet nor treatment, seems to me that you could do really well and get off of LIMDU and return to full duty.

But, if not, then you will face an MEB and PEB. Have you gotten the basics of what happens with MEB and PEBs? I am not sure if you have more specific questions. If you do post them!
 
Thanks for the reply. The hope is definitely to just get fixed. I'm just not sure how that will work out I guess. Since being pulled off my ship in November I haven't done anything but check in each morning. I am not allowed to drive, which is for the best since I struggle to even walk straight at this point. So my duty performance has been impacted 100%. I'm really hoping they have some magic here. They are setting up appointments to check for neck and nerve damage from my TBI so maybe that will give them better info for treatment. My worry has been the limit to LIMDU time pushing me to MEB. I guess I am just trying to see what I have to look forward to if at the end of my second LIMDU which starts soon, I am pushed to MEB. Will the delay in treatment during 1st LIMDU effect anything? With my active duty time what it is, I will be at 16.5 years at end of 2nd LIMDU. The magic number I've read about for retirement is 18 years to make them keep you until 20 even with a MEB/PEB. Is there even a remote chance I can ever get near that?
 
I know where your at. I've had 3 of em in 1 year. I've had broken bones too. Honestly not trying to scare you but I would take multiple broken bones to a TBI any day..any day. Heres why. Broken bones.. "set it and forget it" plus a lil physical therapy. done deal.

But TBI's, as your experiencing are very complicated they have cognative issues, memory, speech, balance(vestibular), headaches, migraines and emotional issues to deal with. To be honest its the most dynamic and complicated injury if you ask me. My advice is take it one day at a time. Each issue i stated above has a seperate therapy for recovery... Docs will love to try to throw pills at you to get you out of they're office so be careful. Demand therapy. One thing I never got is a CASE MANAGER to help with appointments. The sheer number of them alone can drive you mad. I would ask to have one assigned ASAP.
Best of luck
 
I have 2 case managers. I have a main case manager that over sees all of my appointments and my families, and another at the DVBIC that is supposed to work through the main case manager. I've also been assigned to the the Warrior clinic here so I think that will help a lot since I was really worried going to different doctors and not having one doc oversee everything. I also have some ENT issues since I got hit in the face and it crushed my nose, leaving me with a deviated septum with collapsed cartledge so I can't breath through my nose. The other issues you listed I do have and have had since my injury. I have only met with the warrior clinic once yesterday, but it brought a sense of relief knowing they will help me. I go back Monday to meet with my main doc there who will go into more detail. But from what I gather, all of my treatment has to get coordinated through them to make sure there is no conflict and it is all one effort. I agree with you. I've had broken bones too. I would trade this for that anytime. I just feel so stupid since my TBI.
 
welcome, im new here. Ill be glad to tell you that the people on here will ease your mind on mostly everything you are about to encounter. keep your head up, and nose clean. you will survive.
 
Will the delay in treatment during 1st LIMDU effect anything?
It depends. On the one hand, not having had treatment earlier, and if that treatment is really helpful, you may have lost out on time to "get better," and perhaps to have avoided an MEB if things are better but still not enough to take you off of LIMDU. On the other hand, it could just mean more time in service, pushing you further towards 20 (but see, below about time and 18 yrs). Bottom line, it is a lot of "woulda, coulda, shoulda." The delay did happen, so nothing much to be gained about second guessing the past.


With my active duty time what it is, I will be at 16.5 years at end of 2nd LIMDU. The magic number I've read about for retirement is 18 years to make them keep you until 20 even with a MEB/PEB. Is there even a remote chance I can ever get near that?

You are referring to "sanctuary" law which takes effect at 18 yrs of service. Bad news, that does not supercede or trump disability processing. So, there is no benefit to getting to 18 yrs in your case. 20 years is what you are looking for (and the benefit there is that you are guaranteed to retire AND will be eligible for concurrent receipt of military and VA compensation). They are placing more emphasis than in the past on pushing cases through faster. The question you are asking (or mean to ask) is whether you can make it another 3.5 years once you enter into IDES. Short answer, no. Long answer, I have seen extremely rare circumstances where it takes many years to get through the IDES system. Longest was more than 5 years. These are rare circumstances and everything seemed to conspire to make this happen (multiple "do overs" of each stage of process with long delays at each step- started then stopped MEB, MEB NARSUMs that needed to be re-written, delays in getting required specialty consultations, IPEBs that took longer than normal, same at FPEB, return of case to MEB for correction/further exams, case basically forgotten at MEB level again, restarted MEB due to length of time and change of condition of the member, and then a long time to get through IPEB and FPEB). Really long case processing can happen. But, most cases move much faster, even more so now. (You can look at some of the timelines threads to get a sense of what other members are experiencing). So, it is extremely unlikely that you could stretch this out for years. But, it is almost certain that on entering the IDES, you will be through the process in about a year (plus or minus several months, due to normal variations in process).
 
Good info Jason. Thanks for the clarification on sanctuary. I guess it's just a matter of doing everything I can to get better and hoping for the best if I don't. Looks like my best case is to recover, and worst case is looking at at least another year an a half given 1 more LIMDU + IDES timeline. Either way I'll definately be hanging around this forum for the long haul.
 
Lots of waiting.
 
Well, I go in tomorrow to determine if I go on another LIMDU or to MEB. My PCM told me earlier this week he is leaning towards another LIMDU period. Today I was tested at the "dizzy clinic" in audiology. What an experience. The good news is they found some inner ear damage from my TBI that is causing my severe vertigo. It's the first real find of any kind so far. The only problem is that rehab is most successful when done during the first months after the damage. It's been 9 months now for me just for it to be found, and the rehab requires a lot of physical therapy that right now my docs don't think I can handle very well because of my pain, concentration and anxiety. Seems like its always something, but I'm still happy that they finally found something solid. This whole thing has been a fight from the start. I'm lucky I have a good PCM that is getting me seen where I need to be seen instead of waiting on the TBI clinic to figure things out.
 
Well, I met with my PCM today and he decided to give me a second LIMDU instead of MEB right now. He said mainly because I haven't really had a chance at any treatment during my first LIMDU, but he reminded me that I can be MEB'd at any time before the end of my LIMDU time. So I guess I dodged the bullet for a little longer, though I still feel like I would need some kind of miracle in order to make a fit for duty by the end of the second LIMDU. I guess we will see. On a more positive note, my biopsy results came back today and it was negative, so that was a huge weigh lifted off me, though I think I'm going to need a few more biopsies in the next few weeks. I'll take small victories where I can get them.
 
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