THE VESID LETTER

THE VESID LETTER


Today I got a letter from the VESID counselor insisting that he would like to speak to me about my work goals and accomodations needed. He offered an appointment in mid-August.

I was "accepted" by VESID in December. At the last "meeting" the VESID people were insisting that I apply for Medicaid in order to get cognitive rehabilitation for my traumatic brain injury. This "cognitive retraining" would magically make my fatigue go away and then I would be all of a sudden able to work twenty hours a week.

"Unfortunately", because of my husband's salary, we would have to "buy-in" to Medicaid for me at three times what we are paying for him to carry me on his health insurance now. Not to mention that I am unwilling to change some of my doctors or accept a lesser standard of medical care.

The last letter from the VESID counselor still insisted that I apply for Medicaid. What has changed?

It is obvious to me that I will have to continue to be in charge of my own rehab. I am currently volunteering at a local musuem--since February--and I'm up to being able to tolerate five hours a week (though not five hours in one day as I found out recently). The five hours a week over a two day period is up from three hours a week that I had started with initially. For my extra two hours, the VESID counselor wants me to bring "medical documentation."

I have asked for assistance from the CAP agency--the CAP agency oversees how VESID treats its customers. I will have to contact the CAP agency woman tomorrow.

~sapphoq



P.S. This post was written sometime before I quit VESID because we were not getting anywhere. Ten months went by-- ten months of them insisting that I get Medicaid in order to get cognitive rehabilitation services. Ten months of aggravation on my part. People in my tbi e-group kept wondering why I was holding on to something that wasn't working. Finally, I asked for my "case" to be placed on hold or terminated.

What it came down to in the end is, "Either you're going to help me or get the fuck outta my way."