Medical Board, Any Hope?

[canav08]

Hi All,

Its been a while since I posted here, before I went to OCS.

The short story:
Commissioned in sept and designated SNA. Arrived at NASC and checked in to A-Pool in October. 2 days into being at P'Cola, I came down with a Staph A blood infection which put me in the hospital for 8 days. After being discharged, a few days later my left eye drooped completely and I was back in the ER with a cavernous sinus thrombosis and a blocked left internal carotid artery. Subsequent examination of my heart concluded that the aortic valve had been damaged by the infection. Valve was replaced during open heart surgery with a mechanical valve and I'm now on coumadin for life.

Most of the civilian docs are convinced that the infection started when my wisdom teeth were taken out at OCS. Furthermore, it also appears I was misclassified by dental as class 3 when I did not meet the criteria. Thats an a separate issue though.

I've been transferred to a local ROTC unit for administrative following and just started the process for a med board. My civilian surgeon and cardiologist said I could, in theory, fly again and they would have no concerns but we all know their opinion means nothing in the world of USN.

Obviously my stated goal is to go right back to what I was doing even if I know it will never work. Forgetting my specific case, I was also pretty PO'ed to find out the med boards are basically stacked against me. They make a determination as to worldwide deployable/not worldwide deployable. If deemed deployable and you accept, that of course does not mean you get to fly. I wish I could find out NAMI's answer BEFORE I knew my overall fate with the boards. If deemed unfit, they then decide what, if any, benefits you are eligible for upon discharge. The lady in med boards was quite snarky in saying "you cant just take your ball and go home if we say you can only go surface or something". Well, I did not join to go surface and the understanding was always that I could have a fair shake at SNA or drop going through OCS with, relatively speaking, no skin of my back. Now I feel like that balance is tipped, I may not be able to continue as SNA but I'm also kind of screwed on the way out too RE no opportunity to apply for benefits if I get deemed fit for duty and later find out I'm not fit to fly.

I know some people will jump down my throat and say the Navy owes me nothing and you'd be mostly right but I chose OCS because it was the path that allowed me the most control over my career with no obligations. I held up my end of the deal and if not for USN's damn dental policy and misclasification, I would not be in this situation. I think I'm at least owed "fly or discharge w/possible benefits" but I know its not the way of the world.

Any opinions on if I have any chance at all of getting to fly? Any advice for med boards?

Thanks a ton for taking the time to read my convoluted story and any advice!

 

[BigRed389]

Honestly, if you have no desire to continue service if you can't fly, I'd get real familiar with what this document (DOD Inst 1332.39) says about heart valve replacements, talk to the civilian docs about getting documentation, particularly linking the infection to military dental work, and think about transitioning with all benefits due. People get some level of disability payments for tinnitis...I would think open heart surgery would be somewhere above that.

I'm not saying they WILL try to screw you...but I wouldn't leave it to chance either.

 

[feddoc]

I don't think your chances for flying are good. Have you spoken with the folks at NOMI/NAMI? They have been pretty good about answering 'what ifs' in the past. You can find their contact info on the opening page of the Waiver Guide.

BTW, BigRed is right.

 

[TimeBomb]

Canav08:
There are two distinct disability systems--the service specific disability board and the VA. Both systems now evaluate the member concurrently, as opposed to serially which was how it was done up until a few years ago. The purpose of the Navy system is to compensate a service member for the premature termination of his military career. The purpose of the VA system is to compensate a service member for any conditions incurred while on active duty.
SECNAVINST 1850.4E governs the Navy's disability process. A quick Google search will pull down a copy for you. That instruction explains the process, and more importantly, how to appeal a decision that doesn't match with reality.
I would agree with feddoc that a waiver for flight is very unlikely. A waiver for special duty (i.e. flight) will require a decision of "fit for continued service" from the Navy PEB (physical evaluation board). While that is possible, I don't think that will be in your best long-term interests. You won't be able to pass a sea duty screening, so you'll never get a chance to get your qualifications. No quals, no promotion. You face the unpleasant possibility that you'll be admin separated in a couple years without any benefits. In my opinion, you were on AD when you were broken, we have an obligation to make sure you're taken care of. I believe you would be best served by medical retirement from the Navy, as that will ensure lifelong access to medical care, and more importantly, affordable health insurance through TRICARE.
I'm new to this forum, but if you send an e-mail to me directly, I can review some more details.
R/

 

[Flash]

....Valve was replaced during open heart surgery with a mechanical valve and I'm now on coumadin for life......Any opinions on if I have any chance at all of getting to fly?

Different service and not a flyer but I have a good friend who was put on coumadin for life and as a direct result medically retired from the Army. To be frank I think the military is going to be hard pressed to let someone with a much higher risk for severe bleeding to take part in any 'higher risk' activity much less deploy.

 

[TimeBomb]

That's the general thought process. It isn't ethical to put an individual with a known medical condition into an environment which either precludes monitoring of his condition, placing him at risk for unrecognized complications or disease progression, or by the nature of the environment, has the potential to worsen the condition.

 

[HAL Pilot]

TimeBomb - welcome aboard Doc! Glad to have someone with your exerience and background.

 

[TimeBomb]

Thanks for the welcome, HAL. I miss the canoe club every day, and this is a great way to stay even a little bit connected. The medical board process took me about 20 years to get a handle on, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be devastating to the service member. Glad to be in a position to shine a light on a process that very few docs, and even fewer patients appreciate.

 

[wink]

Welcome aboard TimeBomb. Feddoc needs a break. Can you be the on call this weekend? I bet he could use some uninterrupted time at the gun range.

 

[TimeBomb]

Got y'all covered! Went to the range myself today, so I'm good for a few days.
Cheers!