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Wayne, my Dad served in Vietnam in 1968-69 in Dong Tam. We lost him in 2003 from Agent Orange exposure. He developed lung cancer which quickly spread, and he died only 6 weeks after his diagnosis. I am the one who was diagnosed with ET in March of 1999, just before I turned 22. I'm 35 now, and currently only treat with aspirin. I have had plateletpheresis twice, and took Hydrea as well as Lovenox injections on one occasion. (after surgery to remove my gallbladder) I was diagnosed with a bone marrow biopsy, but my oncologist ran a Jak2 test on me a year ago, and it was positive.
Navigating the VA is frustrating. We had help filing my Dad's claim (we had a volunteer liaison who helped us with paperwork etc), and they won't even listen to me as far as a 2nd generation victim goes. i have a laundry list of other illnesses, and myself as well as my doctors have no doubt it is from my Dad's exposure. It breaks my heart that men such as yourself served our country, then had a door slammed in your face when you try to get help for a medical issue caused directly from that service.
All I can do is thank you for your brave service, and tell you that I am here and can relate to your situation in an eerily similar fashion.
-Allison
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