getting fraustrated/depressed

Hey all

For those of you who don't know I recently got the J-pouch surgery and have been doing wonderfully. However I have always wanted to join the army, I tried at the age of 18 when I was still taking pills and very badly "controlled" for U.C. I was obviously rejected and didn't push the matter knowing it was pointless. I completed 2 years of college and during august of '08 had to have the surgery due to the fact that i was literally going back on preg every 3 months or so and in the hospital at least once outta every 8. After 4 months of recouping from the second surgery i decided to go back to the recruiting office and try and join agian. I was told that I had to wait 6 months post surgery to do anything and ended up waiting about 8 due to doctors not being able to get me all the medical documents i needed. I sent all my medical paper work to the MCO (medical commanding officer) and was rejected on waiver with the response being that U.C. is not waiverable. I have challenged this ruling due to my understanding that I'm no longer considered to have U.C. My recruiter sent more paper work up for me which came back as still not waiverable...and i'm waiting on my surgeon to write a very detailed letter for me vouching for me. I went and found the medical standards online and was reading them and am going to post them for you all to read and tell me what you think they mean. I have highlighted the areas i feel most apply to me right now and would really like to hear some feedback/advice. I'm also looking into contacting my local representive to see if that will help my case at all. Thank you all for your time and concern. This has just been eating me away for the past week or so and I'm starting to feel that i've just been givin a raw deal. Still so glad I got the surgery but hate that U.C. can take another thing away from me.

Also wondering if there is anyone out there who has enlisted after getting the surgery if so please contact me and tell me how you managed to do it.

Thanks again

John

2–3. Abdominal organs and gastrointestinal system

 

The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are an authenticated history of:

 

    a. Esophagus. Ulceration, varices, fistula, achalasia, or other dismotility disorders; chronic or recurrent

        esophagitis if confirmed by appropriate x-ray or endoscopic examination (530).

 

    b. Stomach and duodenum.

        (1) Gastritis. Chronic hypertrophic, or severe (535).

        (2) Active ulcer of the stomach or duodenum confirmed by x-ray or endoscopy (533).

        (3) Congenital abnormalities of the stomach or duodenum causing symptoms or requiring surgical
              treatment (751), except a history of surgical correction of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis of infancy.

 

    c. Small and large intestine.

        (1) Inflammatory bowel disease. Regional enteritis (555), ulcerative colitis (556), ulcerative proctitis (556).

        (2) Duodenal diverticula with symptoms or sequelae (hemorrhage, perforation, etc.) (562.02).

        (3) Intestinal malabsorption syndromes, including postsurgical and idiopathic (579).

        (4) Congenital (751). Condition, to include Meckel’s diverticulum or functional (564) abnormalities,
              persisting or symptomatic within the past 2 years.

 

    d. Gastrointestinal bleeding. History of, unless the cause has been corrected, and is not otherwise
        disqualifying (578).

What about another branch of the service? Are the medical standards the same for all of them? The Coast Guard always seemed kind of cool to me. I used to want to be a Merchant Marine in a big way, but also because of UC (& other factors) I didn't pursue it. I agree with notsosicklygirl- ut's unfortunate, but it is what it is. And even if you get a lawyer, you can expect a long drawn-out court case & in the end, still not be accepted. There has got to be another career that has the qualities & duties you are looking for in the army- what about some sort of recruitment position? Or working for the government in another format, if that's what you want, the government perks & such. It does stink, but what can you do? And when you read the medical standards, they state "The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are an authenticated history of:". Note the wording- "authenticated history of"- which you certainly do have!

Well, you no longer have a colon, so you no longer have ulcerative colitis/IBD!!! How can it be that hard for them to understand that?!

As you know this is what you really want to do, keep pushing!! Why don't you try contacting your nearest Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America chapter office? You're in Michigan, right? Here's the info for the office there:

31313 Northwestern Highway
Suite 204
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: 248-737-0900
Fax: 248-737-0904
Email: [email protected]
Toll Free: 888-737-CCFA (2232)

They might have some knowledge to help you out!

Best of luck to you Johnny. I do admire your persistence but I don't want to see you work so hard for something and not get anywhere. The Fire Dept could be an incredible opportunity.

Hi,
I didn't read all the posts here, but,
Your member of Congress may be able to help you. Seriously! They can get through all the red tape and BS, like you wouldn't believe. What state are you in, what city, and I can check if any in your Congressional delegation are on military-related committees, since they would be most tuned into what can be done and the military branches will listen to them.