If only I had listened to my wife 20 plus years ago.

I was in Ubon, Thailand in the late ’60’s. I worked on the flight line and lived right on the base perimeter. I was diagnosed with diabetics on a Wednesday and Heart disease on the following Friday in 1997. The diabetics treatment went from diet, to pills, to injections. The Heart disease started with pills, then onto a heart cath, heart bypass surgery, and then more heart caths. Then my lungs gave out. And now my eyesight is rapidly decreasing.

I had filed a claim for my back injury in 1970 and got a 10% rating. Over the years I had one back surgery and spent so much money on Aspirin, and Motrin. I filed for a higher rating on my own a few times and was denied again and again.

At my wife’s insistence, I called Hill & Ponton, and frankly had very low expectations. The VA said no, what are these people gonna do?

Well what they did do, is get me a 100% rating.

It took some time. But, Mr. Hill and my case worker, Marissa never gave up. My calls and e-mails were always returned quickly. Every 90 days or so I’d check in, just to be reassured. “Have faith, we’re working on it for you.” I am now on the home stretch of my life but feel so vindicated. I was not me being dealt really bad genes. It was not me, not eating my greens. It flat out was not me!

Thank you seems so hollow, but I will rest knowing it wasn’t me.