To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Lance Corporal Joseph B. Hodges U.S.M.C (Ret.). I am a disabled veteran. I received my medical retirement/discharge on Dec. 1 2003 for seizures which were determined to be caused by a head injury I received while in service to our country.
The subject of this letter concerns my three visits to the emergency room of the Veterans Administration hospital in Little Rock, AR this week.
On Sunday Jan. 14, 2007 I suffered from two seizures which occurred one right after the other. My wife witnessed both of these seizures and she says they both lasted over five minutes. At this visit I was forced to wait over an hour before I could see the doctor. The physicians name was Dr. Prince. He listened to my heart, had me squeeze his fingers, and ordered blood work. I feel Dr. Prince should have at least performed a head exam, but he didn’t. I feel a CT scan would not have been out of the way, but one wasn’t performed. My dilantin (anti seizure medication) level was at zero which is subtheraputic even though I hadn’t missed a dose. No one did any tests to see why it dropped so low. They just assumed I was lying about not missing my medicine. They had me take a mega dose of dilantin and discharged me from the hospital. I feel I was brushed aside.
On Wednesday Jan. 17, 2007 I was home alone and suffered from another seizure. My grandmother-in-law came to check on me and found me in the floor. She called my wife and let her now what had occurred. My wife called the V.A. and let them know what had happened. The V.A. told my wife to bring me to the E.R. They informed my wife someone would be waiting on us when we arrived at the E.R. After we arrived at the V.A. we had to wait three hours to see a doctor. This time I was seen by Dr. Kiser. He ordered blood work, but not much else. He then tried to send me home. When I requested better treatment he seemed to get angry. I told him I was depressed, and he acted like he didn’t hear me. Then I was released.
On the way home I spoke with the patients rep. at the V.A. He asked me to return to the V.A. to be treated for my depression. After I got off of the phone with the patients rep. I suffered from another seizure, and my wife returned me to the V.A. I again was seen by Dr. Prince. Again he neglected to do a head exam, and I don’t feel as though I was properly cared for. While in the treatment room I overheard a nurse telling the rest of the staff about an older gentleman who thought he was having a stroke. They laughed and acted like it was funny. I was appalled. When I brought up the subject of my depression to Dr. Prince he asked me if I wanted to kill myself I told him no, and he left the room.
I don’t feel as though I was offered the quality healthcare I deserve as a veteran. If my medication levels were low why couldn’t I stay the night to see if they could get them regulated? Don’t you think our veterans deserve better treatment?! Does someone have to die due to neglect before any changes are made? Why are V.A. doctors acting like we are a nuisance? In my humble opinion the veterans should be offered quality health care at the V.A. regardless. It shouldn’t matter if we are suffering from a stroke, seizure, or the sniffles. We have earned it!!!!
Sincerely Yours,
Joseph B. Hodges
