SubscribeMay 2011
Gearing up for a digital image class (0)
5/11/11 •
After a six-month vacation, I’ll return to my online studies at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The readmission process was almost as lengthy and as painful as it was when I first applied in June. I’m studying to obtain a degree in digital design because I’m interested in the technical requirements that will allow me [...]
Happy Mother’s Day to military women (0)
5/07/11 •
Question: What is the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs doing this Mother’s Day to honor the thousands of women who have served or are currently serving in the military? Answer: The VA is honoring women who have accepted dual roles – serving their country while taking “on one of the greatest role in life: [...]
Dealing with a suspected ‘scam artist’ (1)
5/05/11 •
In the wake of last week’s deadly storms in some southern states, including Georgia, scammers are slithering from beneath rocks to capitalize on victims. Yesterday, an out-of-state idiot called and tried to scare me into letting his company check my roof because they allegedly had check many of my neighbors’ and discovered significant storm damage. [...]
Community living centers offer compassionate care (0)
5/02/11 •
Question: Please explain the differences between short-stay and long-stay services at a Veterans’ Community Living Center. Answer: VA Community Living Centers (CLC) offer accommodations to veterans during a short stay that is less than 90 days or during a long stay that is 91 days or more. Each accommodation has admission and eligibility criteria specific [...]
April 2011
Getting ill at the hospital (1)
4/26/11 •
I’ve recovered from a nasty spring-time cold that metamorphosed into flu. I suffered for almost two weeks. But the good news – I lost seven pounds after surviving on orange juice, antibiotics and over-the-counter cold and flu medications for five consecutive days. I suspect I picked up a viral infection sometime during the two days [...]
Gulf War vet seeks help with chronic disability (1)
4/17/11 •
Question: I’m a Gulf War veteran who served a six-month tour of duty in Iraq in 1991. For more than a year, I’ve had constant headaches and menstrual disorders. My gynecologist has performed numerous tests but has not been able to help me. Recently, I read an article that listed numerous illnesses that are now [...]
Family, friends freak over my funeral-program designs (0)
4/12/11 •
In the past couple of weeks I’ve told some family members and close friends that I’m designing my funeral program. They have been freaking out. The majority of them want to know if I have a fatal illness. Well, not to my knowledge. However, I took an in-depth physical on Monday, and a lot of [...]
Warning sirens silent as tornado wreaks havoc in Macon (0)
4/07/11 •
Note: This is not the same information I posted last week! In that post, I talked about severe thunderstorms in my town and an EF-1 tornado that destroyed properties in Laurens County in Middle Georgia on March 26. At least then, there was the constant sound of sirens warning us of approaching storms. But more [...]
Radiation exposure may cause service-connected illnesses (0)
4/03/11 •
Question: More than 20 years ago, while serving a four-year tour of duty in the Air Force, I participated in radiation-risk activities. My doctor recently told me that I have thyroid cancer. Is this considered a service-connected illness? Answer: For veterans who were exposed to radiation while on active duty, active duty for training or [...]
March 2011
Spring brings series of severe storms and a tornado (0)
3/29/11 •
The welcome-to-spring weather is wreaking havoc in my life. In addition to the daily pain caused by post-polio syndrome, now I’m enduring severe pain reminiscent of a tooth ache that seems to be deep in my bones because it has been raining or humid each day since Friday. Local meteorologists said we should expect rain [...]
VA changes its travel-pay policy (0)
3/27/11 •
Question: Last week I had a medical appointment at a VA facility for the first time this year. My neighbor took me to the appointment with an understanding that I’d give him my travel pay to buy gas for the 150-mile round trip. In the past I’ve received travel pay after my visit with the [...]
Getting more bang for the buck with coupons (0)
3/23/11 •
Since January, I’ve been trying to eat healthy meals and snacks. I’ve been clipping coupons to help save money on many of the foods that I purchase while adhering to my healthy regimen. Every Sunday I purchase my local paper, The Telegraph, mainly for the coupons. Since I worked for the newspaper for more than [...]
A young man who truly loved baseball (0)
3/16/11 •
Major League Baseball’s season opener is a few weeks away. Regrettably, a passionate baseball fan, who was also an excellent player, is no longer with us to enjoy the sport he loved since he was a 4-year-old National Little Leaguer. I’ve never met Jerome Stephens Jr. of Warner Robins, GA, but I’ve heard so many [...]
VA offers mental health services (0)
3/12/11 •
Question: My sister’s son recently came home after serving time in Iraq. He’ll talk about some of his experiences, including killing the enemy. Lately he sleeps a lot and seems withdrawn from the family and his friends. I suspect his mental health is in jeopardy. Can the VA help him? Answer: Specialty inpatient and outpatient [...]
The fun side of out-of-town medical trips (0)
3/10/11 •
My friend Russell has one to three out-of-town medical appointments just about every month. The majority of them are more than 50 miles away in Dublin, GA, while two to four times a year we travel more than 150 miles to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center in Augusta. It can be quite boring for [...]
Guidelines verify vet’s health-care eligibility (0)
3/06/11 •
Question: My neighbor and I receive medical treatment from the same VA facility. My out-of-pocket expenses for treatments and medicines far exceed his. I served two tours of duty in the Air Force while he served only one. Why is there such a big discrepancy in our payments? Answer: Many factors including the length of [...]
Honoring a true trailblazer (0)
3/02/11 •
Pearl Stephens School alumni and friends gathered Saturday and Sunday at the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Warner Robins, GA, to honor the legacy of Mrs. Pearl Jackson Stephens – a lady who was passionate about educating black children in the segregated South. Mrs. Stephens’ Contributions to Education In the late 1940s, it was [...]
February 2011
Honoring a late vet’s memory (0)
2/25/11 •
Question: My neighbor wants to get a certificate from the White House in honor of her late husband’s service in the military. What will it take for her to accomplish this? Answer: The Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is an engraved paper certificate that is signed by the current president and issued free upon request to [...]
A dog with toddler-like ways (0)
2/23/11 •
I have a new best friend. He’s four legged and his name is Sir Maximilian – but we call him “Max”. I met the Shih Tzu in August when he was 10 weeks old and weighed a whopping 2.7 pounds. Since May, I have spent a few hours at my friends Angelia and Winfred’s home each [...]
Services available for visually impaired vets (0)
2/19/11 •
Question: I served eight years in the Air Force and received an honorable discharge. My vision is becoming impaired and a fellow vet told me that I’m eligible for treatment at a VA medical center. What services can I receive at a VA facility? Answer: Eligible visually impaired veterans (who are not blind) can enroll [...]
When I was an 18-month-old plump and very mischievous toddler, I was stricken with polio. Paralysis stole my mobility and I was only able to move my head from side to side. Then, when I was 2 years old, my mother was killed in a tornado. A year later, my father married and began a life that excluded me.
