Really sorry how some of the docs are treating you guys. You're definetly right that it pays to have the right person in your corner. Several years back I started falling apart, physicaly. I couldn't understand why. It got to where I couldn't work and was hit by so many problems, that I thought I was loseing it, but the problems kept getting more and more. I was hit with serious heart, lung, thyroid, esophagus, heart, kidney, pancreas, bone, muscle and nerve problems. Finally I found a private doctor that did all of the needed tests and went to bat for me. I now get a non service related 100% disability. Although 6 doctors and one medical researcher says I'm suffering from dioxin poisoning. When the chemicals for Agent Orange was mixed, two of the chemicals used cobine to make, you guessed it, DIOXIN! I obtained a little known V.A. report that lists the problems caused by dioxin and discovered that it reads like a check list for everything I've been hit with. My problems even started according to the time frame the report predicted. Thought I'd apply for a military related disability and discovered, real quick, just what that amounted too. There's only one doc, St. Louis V.A. Hospital, that is qualified to do the tests. A private doc is not allowed. Then I'd have to track down everyone I served with. Even if I test positive, the V.A. still doesn't admit dioxin as a cause. The doc at the V.A. Hospital in Poplar Bluff, Mo., kept asking me how I got in such bad shape in such a short time. Think, honestly, that they aproved my Non Service just to pacify me, cause they aproved me practicaly over night. What bothers me most is passing my health probs on to my kids. It's sad to realise that just making it home does not mean you survived Vietnam. Did not intend for this to be so long. Wish you guys the best. Hopefully you'll continue to find doctors who care.