We met with the VA representative this morning, gave her all of the medical reports and filled out the application for benefits. The rep told us that it should be a slam dunk and we should hear from the VA as soon as the paperwork goes through their bureaucracy.
One good part of this is that it will bring in more money every month that could come in very handy with regard to any future bills. Another good part is that if Marshall is granted permanent benefits for Agent Orange, it will mean that when he dies, his benefits will go to me. There is a little twist in there, though, that you always expect with regard to the VA -- in order for me to get any spouse benefits after his death, he will have had to die of prostate cancer. In other words, if he dies in a car accident, the benefits are terminated and I am not entitled to anything.
Also, if he is granted permanent benefits, he is entitled to a $10,000 life insurance policy. That will be a good thing.
If he is not granted permanent benefits, he will get temporary benefits, which means that they will pay benefits for six months and then re-evaluate and if he should go into remission, the benefits are stopped. The rep wasn't sure exactly what "remission" meant. We are very hopeful that Marshall will have a long period of remission, but the cancer is still not curable. The rep felt that the word "remission" meant that a person was given a good prognosis to begin with. If the initial prognosis is "incurable," then a few years of not needing treatment is not necessarily a remission. Semantics. We will take it a day at a time.
We spent the rest of the day enjoying the absolutely gorgeous weather we are having here in the mountains.
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