Let me start by saying that I've been following this forum for several months and am glad to know that I'm not the only one that has had a lot of issues with this process.
I have been in 11 years, all active. I have worked in the medical field the entire time. My job up until it was dissolved earlier this year, requires a lot of bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, etc. I am also exposed to a lot of chemicals and radiation. Because the military uses my profession in a much more independent manner than our civilian counterparts, it is not uncommon to work for several hours without being able to drink anything or use the bathroom without having another staff member relieve me so I can do this. This sounds simple enough, but in reality we work quite a few 24 hour shifts where we are the only one available in the hospital that can do our job and we have no one to relieve us. Also I worked in a dept where all but a couple of us did no moonlighting, so the person making the schedule would run us on a skeleton crew so that others could go moonlight. (this is a whole other can of worms). A lot of times we didn't have the ability to get relieved because of staffing.
In 2013, I had a left nephrectomy after a failed reattachment of my ureter to my left kidney. I have passed many kidney stones from 2006 up until 2013 when i was told that my ureter was very scarred and needed to be repaired. The surgeon (civilian) tried for 7 hours to repair the ureter, but just wasn't able to do it and ultimately had to remove the kidney. I asked my PCM at the time if I would need a medboard after losing my kidney and was told that as long as I don't have any issues with the remaining kidney I'm fine. Fast forward to 2015. I'm told I'm deploying Dec 2015. In Nov 2015, I ended up in the local ER with a kidney stone in my remaining kidney that's causing hydronephrosis. This ended up cancelling my deployment and starting the MEB process. I have been seeing an endocrinologist at least twice a year to prevent further kidney stones from forming and causing further damage. I am taking multiple medications to prevent stones and need my kidney function checked at least twice a year and anytime I might be prescribed an antibiotic or medication that can cause kidney problem. This limits the medications that will be given to me. I am also not to be in an austere environment according to my endocrinologist and have dietary restrictions in addition to needing to drink plenty of fluids and take a diuretic causing frequent trips to the bathroom. I am also not to participate in contact sports.
Besides the nephrectomy with issues in my remaining kidney, I have other medical issues anxiety, depression, osa, other joint issues, etc) the most notable being spinal stenosis, arthritis in my spine, and bulging discs. I am on profile for my back and kidney.
My Medboard started in Apr/May 2016. I finished my C&P exams in Jul. In the mean time I have continued to seek treatment for my back. My commander's letter said I was unfit when this process started. I have submitted letters from my endocrinologist discussing my limitations along with radiology and treatment notes for my back. The Narsum came back and I scratched my head wondering if the doctors even read the C&P results. They didn't even have my job description correct amongst several things. They found me FIT. I tried to appeal and resubmitted paperwork that they had access to through the system, but they said more or less that they didn't care. They then took my profile away and said I was completely fit but only needed electricity for my cpap machine.
The paperwork still went in front of the informal PEB. The informal PEB finds me fit. I have requested a formal PEB after talking with my legal counsel here and Peblo and they suggested to pursue it because they are also scratching their heads on this. I go on 24 Jan for this formal board.
During this time, everyone is scratching their heads around me on how I am found fit given my conditions.
I know that officers are rated differently, but given the current structure of how the Army uses my profession, I really need to be allowed to freely use the bathroom and drink water. I can also not participate in ruck marches, carrying heavy items, and do none of the APFT events.
I am scheduled for back surgery in a few weeks (a week after I return from the formal board). This has also brought up (and I'm not getting clear answers) about what happens if found vs unfit with surgery after the formal PEB. This surgery is medically necessary but I don't want to be in my recovery phase and thrown out on my backside without medical care or still recovering from surgery. Three procedures are going to be done by two different surgeons.
This is all on top of the medical command I work at who treat anyone going through a medboard like they are less than human. This command is supposed to take care of patients, but they don't. They have been horrible and I think my supervisors know more about my history because they talk to the MEB doctors frequently since they are across the parking lot from my work.
I know there isn't my entire history here, but has anyone else gone through the something similar? What am I looking at for having them overturn previous decisions? Despite everyone scratching their heads about my current fit status, am I wasting time going pursuing this?
If found unfit for my kidney, it's an automatic 30% for my nephrectomy alone, thus allowing me retirement. Not sure I'd reach 30% for my back post-op, but I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm tired of this process and the lack of support from the command I have received.
I have been in 11 years, all active. I have worked in the medical field the entire time. My job up until it was dissolved earlier this year, requires a lot of bending, twisting, pushing, pulling, etc. I am also exposed to a lot of chemicals and radiation. Because the military uses my profession in a much more independent manner than our civilian counterparts, it is not uncommon to work for several hours without being able to drink anything or use the bathroom without having another staff member relieve me so I can do this. This sounds simple enough, but in reality we work quite a few 24 hour shifts where we are the only one available in the hospital that can do our job and we have no one to relieve us. Also I worked in a dept where all but a couple of us did no moonlighting, so the person making the schedule would run us on a skeleton crew so that others could go moonlight. (this is a whole other can of worms). A lot of times we didn't have the ability to get relieved because of staffing.
In 2013, I had a left nephrectomy after a failed reattachment of my ureter to my left kidney. I have passed many kidney stones from 2006 up until 2013 when i was told that my ureter was very scarred and needed to be repaired. The surgeon (civilian) tried for 7 hours to repair the ureter, but just wasn't able to do it and ultimately had to remove the kidney. I asked my PCM at the time if I would need a medboard after losing my kidney and was told that as long as I don't have any issues with the remaining kidney I'm fine. Fast forward to 2015. I'm told I'm deploying Dec 2015. In Nov 2015, I ended up in the local ER with a kidney stone in my remaining kidney that's causing hydronephrosis. This ended up cancelling my deployment and starting the MEB process. I have been seeing an endocrinologist at least twice a year to prevent further kidney stones from forming and causing further damage. I am taking multiple medications to prevent stones and need my kidney function checked at least twice a year and anytime I might be prescribed an antibiotic or medication that can cause kidney problem. This limits the medications that will be given to me. I am also not to be in an austere environment according to my endocrinologist and have dietary restrictions in addition to needing to drink plenty of fluids and take a diuretic causing frequent trips to the bathroom. I am also not to participate in contact sports.
Besides the nephrectomy with issues in my remaining kidney, I have other medical issues anxiety, depression, osa, other joint issues, etc) the most notable being spinal stenosis, arthritis in my spine, and bulging discs. I am on profile for my back and kidney.
My Medboard started in Apr/May 2016. I finished my C&P exams in Jul. In the mean time I have continued to seek treatment for my back. My commander's letter said I was unfit when this process started. I have submitted letters from my endocrinologist discussing my limitations along with radiology and treatment notes for my back. The Narsum came back and I scratched my head wondering if the doctors even read the C&P results. They didn't even have my job description correct amongst several things. They found me FIT. I tried to appeal and resubmitted paperwork that they had access to through the system, but they said more or less that they didn't care. They then took my profile away and said I was completely fit but only needed electricity for my cpap machine.
The paperwork still went in front of the informal PEB. The informal PEB finds me fit. I have requested a formal PEB after talking with my legal counsel here and Peblo and they suggested to pursue it because they are also scratching their heads on this. I go on 24 Jan for this formal board.
During this time, everyone is scratching their heads around me on how I am found fit given my conditions.
I know that officers are rated differently, but given the current structure of how the Army uses my profession, I really need to be allowed to freely use the bathroom and drink water. I can also not participate in ruck marches, carrying heavy items, and do none of the APFT events.
I am scheduled for back surgery in a few weeks (a week after I return from the formal board). This has also brought up (and I'm not getting clear answers) about what happens if found vs unfit with surgery after the formal PEB. This surgery is medically necessary but I don't want to be in my recovery phase and thrown out on my backside without medical care or still recovering from surgery. Three procedures are going to be done by two different surgeons.
This is all on top of the medical command I work at who treat anyone going through a medboard like they are less than human. This command is supposed to take care of patients, but they don't. They have been horrible and I think my supervisors know more about my history because they talk to the MEB doctors frequently since they are across the parking lot from my work.
I know there isn't my entire history here, but has anyone else gone through the something similar? What am I looking at for having them overturn previous decisions? Despite everyone scratching their heads about my current fit status, am I wasting time going pursuing this?
If found unfit for my kidney, it's an automatic 30% for my nephrectomy alone, thus allowing me retirement. Not sure I'd reach 30% for my back post-op, but I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm tired of this process and the lack of support from the command I have received.
