I recently was awarded 100% disability from the Veteran’s Administration, and I just want to say thank you for understanding about my fears of working. For me, instead of a job, it’s been a struggle to survive which kept getting worse as time went on over the 28 years. I had given up in the summer of ’96, and was going to the mountains to die.

Roy S. H.

Dr. Elaine Tripi,

     Much to my surprise, I received my awarded letter of 100% service connected disability, with a totally unemployable rating from the Veteran’s Administration! I want to tell you how much it means to me and my family. Things have been "really bad financially", no health insurance and no income since being forced to leave my first good job. After bouncing around and leaving over 45 jobs since departing Vietnam in 1969.... well, this was my first really great job in over 30 years. I hated having to leave the position due to the PTSD and other medical issues. It was so difficult. I was extremely depressed and at wits end.... I was ready to have my life insurance pay off my wife!!!

I now feel I had to say thank you for being so understanding about my fears, and my private moments that I have never been able to share with anyone. Thank you for not judging me for all the horrible things we did to survive over there in Vietnam.

As you are aware due to the flashbacks, depression, cancer and all the medical and physical issues, life has been a major struggle. It seems like I have had to continuously find ways to cope and find a desire to want to survive as time went on since being in Vietnam in April of 1968 through June 3, 1969. I, like many Vietnam Veterans I've known, have given up and just wanted to die to end the pain and suffering. Thanks you for your help, your counseling, trying to bring peace back into my life and your professional efforts to help me obtain my total disability with the Veterans Administration.

Ken B- Michigan

TO Elaine M. Tripi,                                                                              


From Ron L.,

Myself and Dave S., my service officer from The Military Order of The Purple Heart, received your evaluation in the mail yesterday, and I must tell you that I don't get encouraged by much these days but after reading your report I am totally confident that I will get what I have been fighting for all these years. I spoke with Dave yesterday and he feels the same. He said he really liked what you had written and was going to take the evaluation to the ratings officer today. Dave was with another client when I called today so I could not find out what decision was made. I will talk to him on Friday, and I will update you on the outcome.

I am sending the latest correspondence from my current therapist to my union rep. I am appealing (my employer’s) Disability decisions to not pay me for the last two weeks of my disability leave.

I have not rescheduled any appointments with these people, because I just do not feel confident in their ability to help anymore. I will contact my benefits people and explain my reasons for wanting to change who I treat with and see what they say. Thank you for all your help.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. L.

Dear Dr. Tripi:

I received the Rehabilitation Evaluation that you wrote on my behalf. I was very pleased by it. Thank you.

I am forwarding it to the Department of the Army to include in the record for my
retroactive medical retirement case. If you know of any medical physicians orthopedists who specialize in back injuries who you would think may give me a favorable evaluation I would appreciate a referral to one.

Finally, if I get more involved in VA work (which I might as my sister is an attorney
and an R.N. and is married to a surgeon and she has a pretty active interest in medical
type cases) I will certainly refer you cases for rehabilitation evaluation in the future.
Thanks again. I thought the evaluation was outstanding.

Todd J.
Arlington, VA