How I Spent My Day

On the phone with HR. Writing letters to the Bureau af Labor and Industries and to the office of Senator Wyden. Calling to follow-up with my ONE patient who no-showed his appointment. Daydreaming about having my own private practice. Smiling at the picture texts of my delicious baby hanging out with her daddy at home.

Oh, what? You didn't email your state representatives today? Maybe that's because you get a regular paycheck. I, on the other hand, work for a federal organization that can't seem to figure out how to quickly remedy a "system error" in order to get me appropriately compensated for my hours worked. Yet, I continue to hold out hope that the bureaucratic clusterfuck will figure it out and in my impatience I'll continue to enjoy my small role in the organization and passion for serving Iraq/Afghanistan veterans with traumatic brain injury (and the cognitive impact that is probably more related to stress, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and poor sleep).

I'm reminded of the news stories about the long waits for veteran benefits. Sure, my situation can't hold a candle to awaiting many, many months to receive compensation/pension for combat-related conditions. But still, I can imagine how hopeless or frustrated some may feel when up against a system so large it's difficult (near impossible) to connect to the right person to help your specific need.

Should you care to read up on the VA wait for yourself, here are a few news articles from a few different outlets to peruse from the last few months:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/veterans-benefits_n_2875637.html

http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/the-long-and-unacceptable-wait-for-a-veterans-benefit/?_r=0

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/11/va-veterans-benefits-backlog-ptsd-soldiers/2384429/

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/jan-june13/vabenefits_03-29.html