A Simple Surgery

I was scheduled to go in for my third military related surgery today Monday, October 23rd, 2006. A simple surgery, (I was hoping), on a Popliteal Cyst.

An article that I shelved was going to be titled, "Call Me Apprehensive!"At first the VA was going to use local anesthetic. They changed their minds and decided to put me under completely.

Why the uneasiness? I'm a 100% disabled Veteran, and basically, I wanted to wake up! Call me paranoid. Yes, the 'tin foil hat' was on! Don't we have a record backlog of VA patients waiting for service? Shit, I'm 49, in this bu$h era of cost cutting, maybe they needed to make room on the rolls for the younger Veteran's returning from Iraq/Afghanistan! I was seriously worried that something would happen to me. Turns out, I'm not nearly as important as I thought!

Hey, I'm always grateful that the VA is there to help but like anybody else I wanted to make sure everything went according to plan. I needed to believe that these VA doctor's and nurses are as competent as the skilled staff at a regular hospital. I hope they are happy at their jobs, stagnant pay and overwhelming case load. After all, they have been seeing me for this leg pain for over 6 months.

Well, I don't have to worry about it now, my surgery got cancelled!! No call in advance, I just walked in this morning at 6 AM and they said, "Sorry we had to bump you off the rolls!" What pisses me off the most is that the wife took a day off from work to drive me home! Not to mention, waking up early, the pre-op preparation, fasting all night, driving down early, the wasted gas and my boy staying at grandma's so he could get to school!

Yes people, the backlog is heavy at the VA! I couldn't even get a minor surgical procedure completed. One that was planned for 2 months. Of course, I'm thinking some retired General got my spot or something. So, I had a momentary self pity party with some simple whining on my part for dessert. I forgot to think that my place was taken by a very ill Veteran!

I needed the wife to play devil's advocate for me...I'm happy to give up my surgical spot! I can continue to drag my leg around for another couple of months and tolerate the pain in the back of my leg! I'll continue to tell myself that there had to be good reason for the cancellation. I will persist in my on going struggle with the VA. I shouldn't be so selfish! Disappointed, yes...selfish, no!

I pray and hope that the Democrat's win the November elections! We will then have a Democrat leading the way on the Veteran's committee and possibly create more funding that is sorely needed for the Veteran's Administration! By God we need it, in order to handle the caseload!!

Seven of Six, crossposted at Low and Left