The toughest time in my life was after getting out of the Corps as an E-5 with a disability. An ongoing battle fighting to get the right help from the VA. I loved the time I was in the Corps and brotherhood is like no other. Between the contaminated LST’s and the tainted water at Camp Lejeune, years later I faced an enemy hard to defeat. I am currently fighting Lung Cancer for the 3rd time. All of these are new cancers not repeats. Both kinds of lung caner Small Cell and Non-Small Cell. One of each in the right lung and Small cell in the left lung. I quit smoking along time ago, this is NOT from smoking 20 years ago. There is no other case like mine. For me to get treatment through the VA I would have to travel 130 miles to a VA center capable of treating me. But the VA clinic that is 20 miles away disqualifies me from getting Non-VA local healthcare. Even though they can not treat me, it counts under the 40 mile clause. Imagine traveling 130 miles while sick as a dog 4 times a month for 4 months. The only saving grace was/is private health care insurance and now just Medicare. I have battling this now for 9 years.
Semper Fi,
Kerry
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