Interesting day at the VA
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:23 am
As a nine year veteran, I finally decided to reconnect with the VA and research my benefits. I was asked to submit my DD 214, (which is a vital form that you never want to discard), and then fill out paperwork online. That accomplished, I made an appointment to see a primary care physician. While waiting for this date to come, I did some research on the VA website and found that they had an interesting female urologist here in Jersey, so after my primary care doctor finished her exam, I asked to see this urologist. My primary care doctor said she'd request her for me.
But let me back up and say that I was quietly impressed with the VA Hospital here in north New Jersey. When I went to my appointment, the wait time was minimal. In fact, I had better service with the VA Hospital then I did with my regular physicians office. I waited about 15 minutes, a nurse called me in, took my vitals, asked tons of questions which she filled in the answers too on the computer. However, when she asked me for the reason of my visit and I responded that I was castrated and wanted to talk to the urologist about my condition, the nurse didn't flinch. She didn't ever say, "Sorry to hear that or that's so unfortunate," she just matter of factly wrote it down or added it to the form she was filling out on the computer. That was it. I'm not saying that she was cold or unfeeling, maybe indifferent is the best word or just too busy to offer any sympathy. Not that I was looking for it or really care, but my own doctor offered sympathy. It could be that castration is so common in the military these days that it's not considered a really big thing to her or after seeing more horrific injuries, castration isn't really that big a deal. I do remember once in the past, when I told a female nurse that I was castrated, her eyes got big and she said, "Really, you're castrated." She stayed in the room when the doctor examined me. But that was some years ago. I guess she wanted to see what a castrated man looked like. Back to my story yesterday.
Immediately after seeing the VA nurse, I was led to the doctors office. I chose this doctor because of her nationality and because she had received her medical degree in India. (Maybe she had had some experience with eunuchs). She was nice to me but again, not real sympathetic. She asked a fair number of questions and again, as did the nurse, she filled out the information on her computer. She did ask me how I was castrated and I tried to be vague and that was accepted until she told me to undress and lie down for an exam. She felt around my groin, told me to cough a couple of times (checking for hernia I guess), then told me to get dressed. Now I've got a penis ring and a tattoo that says, "eunuch" above my penis and that must have sparked some new interest because after dressing she wanted more specific details about my castration. I was not totally truthful and I think she just finally accepted my answer and made this appointment with the urologist or tried too. I still haven't been told whether I'll see this female urologist on not. If I do, I'm going to ask for a perenial urethoplasty or in lay men's terms, a urethral reroute. I'll let you know if and when that happens.
But let me back up and say that I was quietly impressed with the VA Hospital here in north New Jersey. When I went to my appointment, the wait time was minimal. In fact, I had better service with the VA Hospital then I did with my regular physicians office. I waited about 15 minutes, a nurse called me in, took my vitals, asked tons of questions which she filled in the answers too on the computer. However, when she asked me for the reason of my visit and I responded that I was castrated and wanted to talk to the urologist about my condition, the nurse didn't flinch. She didn't ever say, "Sorry to hear that or that's so unfortunate," she just matter of factly wrote it down or added it to the form she was filling out on the computer. That was it. I'm not saying that she was cold or unfeeling, maybe indifferent is the best word or just too busy to offer any sympathy. Not that I was looking for it or really care, but my own doctor offered sympathy. It could be that castration is so common in the military these days that it's not considered a really big thing to her or after seeing more horrific injuries, castration isn't really that big a deal. I do remember once in the past, when I told a female nurse that I was castrated, her eyes got big and she said, "Really, you're castrated." She stayed in the room when the doctor examined me. But that was some years ago. I guess she wanted to see what a castrated man looked like. Back to my story yesterday.
Immediately after seeing the VA nurse, I was led to the doctors office. I chose this doctor because of her nationality and because she had received her medical degree in India. (Maybe she had had some experience with eunuchs). She was nice to me but again, not real sympathetic. She asked a fair number of questions and again, as did the nurse, she filled out the information on her computer. She did ask me how I was castrated and I tried to be vague and that was accepted until she told me to undress and lie down for an exam. She felt around my groin, told me to cough a couple of times (checking for hernia I guess), then told me to get dressed. Now I've got a penis ring and a tattoo that says, "eunuch" above my penis and that must have sparked some new interest because after dressing she wanted more specific details about my castration. I was not totally truthful and I think she just finally accepted my answer and made this appointment with the urologist or tried too. I still haven't been told whether I'll see this female urologist on not. If I do, I'm going to ask for a perenial urethoplasty or in lay men's terms, a urethral reroute. I'll let you know if and when that happens.