MILITARY TIME LIMIT

[melissarob]

IN 2002 I WENT TO THE VA AND COMPLAINED OF SEVERE NUMBNESS IN HANDS AND RIGHT SIDE OF BODY, FOR YEARS I HAVE HAD PAIN IN NECK AND LEG, FINALLY I WAS SENT TO A VA DOCTOR WHO WAS LOOKING FOR CORPAL TUNNEL TO HER SHOCK ON THE TEST IT WAS DIFFERENT NERVES. I THEN HAD A SERIES OF MRI'S EACH MRI WAS CONSIDERED SEVERE!  MY VA NEO. AT FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS A TUMOR IN THE BACK OF MY BRAIN AND SPINAL COLUMN.  AFTER A TOTAL OF 3 YEARS OF STILL WONDERING THE NEO AT MY VA FINALLY SENT ME TO ANOTHER NEO. IN NEW ORLEANS FOR A SECOND OPINION, SHE LOOKED AT MY MS AND IN FIVEMINUTES TOLD ME I HAD MS AND THE BACK OF MY BRAIN WAS COVERED WITH LEISIONS. WITH THAT MANY LEISIONS I ASSUME I HAVE HAD MS FOR A WHILE I DID NOT GET MS THE DAY BEFORE MY FIRST MRI?  BECAUSE THERE IS A STIPULATION IN THE MILITARY YOU CAN ONLY GET YOUR SERVICE CONNECTED BENEFITS IF YOU ARE DIGNOSED WITH MS WITHIN 7 YEARS AFTER DISCHARGE.  DO YOU THINK WITH THAT MANY LEISIONS I HAVE HAD IT FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS, IT TOOK THE FIRST NEO AT THE VA TO SEND ME ANOTHER NEO THAT KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING!  OR HOW CAN I PROVE THE LIMITATION THE MILITARY SETS?

[Sailorsong]

When did you get out of the service? If within 7 years of 2002 I think you might have a chance of getting the MS as service connected since you were trying to find out what was wrong with you then and it turned out to be MS.

If you do try to get S/C for it I recommend that you use one of the free  SO like the DAV to handle the filing and handling of the case.

Dennis

[SarahL2491]

I need to clarify, I meant the year of the MRI.......sorry
ms moment?

[kwarendorf]

I'm not sure if they can give precise age to lesions. I think that there are three  "ages" they can associate with lesions; New (currently enhancing on contrast MRI), Old (non enhancing on MRI) and Really Old (black hole appearing on MRI.  

I don't think they can say "this lesion is 7 years old."  As Sarah said, I'd file and let them try and prove you don't qualify.

Kyle

[SarahL2491]

Do you have copies of the MRIs done that show MS lesions and what years were they?

Please break up your post with paragraphs for those of us who can't handle long rows of text?  We find it much easier to read!

I'd file anyway, you never know with the military but make sure you have copies of EVERYTHING for yourself