My mom received a letter today from the Camp Lejune settlement that my Dad, Robert Schoelles, didn’t qualify to receive any compensation for the Parkinson’s diagnosis because he didn’t get Parkinson’s within 30 years. I’m concerned it will be the same for prostate cancer as well as the Glioblastoma that ultimately took his life.
This denial is a spit in his face!! He was a Marine, in the reserves, an EMT, police officer, retired from ICE, then worked at his local SO until his Parkinson’s diagnosis. He served in SO many ways!
After his brain tumor was found he fought hard but SUFFERED for 14 months. My mother still has bills coming in; brain surgery TWICE isn’t cheap even if you do have insurance. Eventually ambulance rides to and from the hospital were required because she couldn’t physically move him herself once he lost the ability to walk and understand how to help her; those added up tremendously. Far too many things to count have added up and still need paying on top of loss of income because my mom could no longer work due to him needing constant care and the VA would only allow someone to come help her a handful of hours each week.
EVERYONE affected by this should receive compensation NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN!! The VA should give more care/help… these people should be monitored more closely so treatment can begin at the very start of the disease. Once a veteran receives a diagnosis special benefits should be given so no veteran has to pay ANYTHING out-of-pocket for care and no family should have to BEG for (QUALIFIED) in-home help.
I also believe any other bases that had similar issues should be added to the list and should receive compensation as well. No one should have to go through this, families should not have to see their loved ones suffer like this. Our veterans deserve SO much better!
THIS is my what Dad got for signing up to serve the country he was so proud of. Let’s do better.
