The Saga of Terry Soles A Widow “SPEAKS OUT” By Barbie Perkins-Cooper

LIVERPOOL, NY – October 27, 2009 -- Denise Soles is a feisty, determined woman who does not take no for an answer. Married to Terry Soles for 21 years, her world changed dramatically in March 1998 when Terry became ill with severe stomach pain, fitful diarrhea and a misdiagnosis of the flu. After several days of bed rest, a decision was made to see the doctor again. Diagnostic medical tests were completed. Anticipating an astronomical medical bill, without medical insurance, Terry decided to go to the V.A. Hospital. Thus began a nightmare that changed everything. Driving to Canton, Ohio for diagnostic testing at the V.A. clinic, Terry and Denise waited for a proper diagnosis. Little did they know these journeys for medical tests would result in six months of not knowing what was wrong with Terry. When it was determined that the tests were not extensive enough, they traveled to the Cleveland Ohio V.A. Hospital in September 1998. Whatever was wrong with Terry was still undiagnosed and could be growing. The Louis Stokes Cleveland V.A. Medical Center appeared to be a friendly atmosphere with caring professionals who would care for Terry. After the testing was done, Terry and Denise were sent home. “We were told to go home and we would hear something within a few days,” she said. Driving for two hours to their home, the family tried to have a normal life. Terry Soles was a typical, all American kind of guy. Dependable, hard working and very devoted to his family. Terry was proud of his country, the United States flag, and what it represented, along with his military service. He served in the United States Navy as a jet mechanic in Rhode Island, during the Vietnam conflict. He was the first to serve others, but when it came time for him to seek help, after his military service, the United States, and the V.A. let him down. October 16, 1998 Terry had surgery that was a four-hour procedure. On this date, Terry weighed 173 pounds. Since March 1998 – seven months after the diarrhea started, he had lost 55 pounds. Removing 1/3 of his esophagus, and 1/3 of his stomach, Denise was told the surgery was a success and he was now cancer free. The V.A. doctors said he would be in Intensive Care for four days, moved to a regular hospital room, and when he was able to walk and eat a meal and the staples were removed, he would be dismissed. The doctors could not explain why he was suffering with the extreme diarrhea and stomach pain, but it was not related to the esophageal tumor. Additional testing would be required and chemotherapy or radiation therapy was not recommended since the malignant cancerous tumor had been removed. Esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in America and the survival rate is about five years. Most patients will require chemotherapy. This was not the case for Terry Soles. Esophageal cancer is a difficult cancer to detect. Many of the symptoms, such as coughing, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and indigestion are thought to be acid reflux. Diarrhea is not a symptom. Esophageal cancer may start as tightness in the throat or pain in the chest. Recurring hiccups, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, or regurgitating food and weight loss, could be symptoms of cancer of the esophagus. The next several months are a blur of driving back and forth to Cleveland, appointments with medical doctors at the V.A. Hospital, admissions to the hospital and time Denise spent with Terry while hospitalized. Denise observed many issues of inadequate care during these hospital stays, including lab work lost, stool samples lost, and she began to question the professionalism and efficiency of the hospital setting. On other occasions, Denise became so frustrated, she decided to become the advocate for her husband’s medical care. She took notes, asked questions, and documented everything. She educated herself to the terminology of the V.A. professionals, along with the terms of ‘Risk Manager,’ ‘V.A. Property,’ and ‘Summary Letters’. These descriptions and documents would benefit her after Terry’s death. For two years, Terry was treated at V.A. hospitals, treated more like a pin cushion that a person. For two years, Terry had confidence in the V.A. hospitals and their care, expressing repeatedly to his wife, “I am a Veteran. They promised me they would be there for me.” As he weakened, he still believed while his body was tested, probed, and tested and probed repeatedly, like cattle headed to pasture, he would get better and the V.A. would ‘take care of him.’ In October 2000, Terry’s weight had dropped to a skeletal frame of 70 pounds. A few of his V.A. doctors referred to his diagnosis as ‘psychosomatic,’ as described in a letter by a Risk Manager. Apparently the doctors were clueless to the fact that Terry had an unexplained weight lost of 158 pounds since March 1998. Quality of care – not exactly. Confident the V.A. would care for him properly, Terry visited with the V.A. doctors on October 5, 2000. According to Denise, the doctors were hopeful they could help Terry, and there were no signs of cancer. This was his last visit with V.A. doctors. On October 8, 2000, finding her husband lifeless in bed, his body and sheets soaking with perspiration, his body cold to the touch, Denise phoned 911 and the V.A. hospital. She had Terry transported to a hospital only 25 miles away. The V.A. hospital was aware of this and said it was ‘OK.’ Terry was extremely weak, incoherent of what was happening and he failed to recognize his son. Arriving at ER, Denise was questioned by the doctors as to the deteriorating condition of her husband. She explained that he had been receiving medical care at the V.A. Hospital and was under their care. More tests were performed. Denise was told to call all family members because Terry might not make it through the night. Admitted to ICU, the weakened shell of Terry fought to survive. The prognosis of a total mass of cancer was discovered and nothing could be done for him. Terry was terminally ill and near death. He wanted to go home to die. His response to his children about the terminal diagnosis was shocking when he looked into his son’s eyes and said, “See. I am not crazy. There really was something wrong with me.” Placed in a wheelchair, Terry was discharged from the hospital. His last wishes were to be in the sunshine, and he had three final requests. One was to keep ‘Ole Red’ his 1990 red pickup truck. His second request to Denise was for her to find someone who would be good to her and to move on with her life. His final, most compelling request was to fight the V.A. and to make them accountable for what they had allowed his family to tolerate. “Don’t give up,” he whispered. “Help other Veterans.” Before his death, Terry requested Denise to do all she could to help other veterans from experiencing this type of care. “Speak Out,” he said. Seven days later, on October 15, 2000, Terry lost his battle and died. At a time when most people take the time to grieve over the loss of a loved one or spouse, Denise Soles was forced to take on a new mission. Never did she have the time to grieve because she had to keep the battle for benefits active. Death was a new battle and the fight of her life as she fought for widow’s benefits. She took it upon herself to file complaints, documenting the inappropriate care and lack of follow up with Terry’s medical diagnosis and care at the V.A Hospital. She received Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, appropriately listed under the acronym of [DIC], based on the ‘inappropriate care with lack of follow up.’ For three years, she filed, complained, and made enough noise to get her widow’s benefits; however, there were stipulations that left her feeling betrayed. The benefits would continue until her death, or remarriage. Knowing she had collected enough documentation to make her case, she sued the V.A. in Federal Court, and after fighting, an additional battle filled with five years of delays, she won her case concerning the medical neglect pertaining to ‘the inappropriate care with lack of follow up,’ for her deceased husband and Veteran Terry Soles. A gag order was attached to the settlement so she is limited to what she can reveal about the case and monetary settlement. Later, the V.A. cancelled her DIC check and are now demanding her to send them $7000 in overpayment. For nine years, Denise has fought this battle. In 2004 Diane Sawyer and “Primetime” broadcast the story of Terry Soles. Scheduled to speak was V.A. Secretary Anthony Principi. When he discovered Sawyer had used hidden camera footage, discovering code violations and mismanagement, he cancelled the interview. Deputy Undersecretary for Health Dr. Jonathan Perlin said the V.A. was a big system. “We take care of 7 million veterans, and sometimes, bad things happen.” Bad things – like the lack of proper medical care for Terry Soles. The lack of medical treatment, and the lack of proper diagnosis. How many more veterans slip thru the cracks, herded like cattle to pasture, or elsewhere – is truly the question. Now, Denise Soles fights government bureaucracy and officials, receiving little response if any. She remembers the words Terry whispered to her while he was at death’s door, “Speak Out. Don’t let this happen to another veteran.” Denise is determined to do all she can to help veterans and their families. Will the practice of herding the veterans, like cattle headed to pasture, or elsewhere continue? Exactly what will it take to make the officials, Congress, and the Legislators who make all the bills, approve the budgets and recognize the V.A. has a major problem. It appears that the V.A. would like the Veterans, their families and spouses, to walk softly into the night and not make any noise. Denise Soles believes passionately in her mission to SPEAK OUT. Widows and widowers, please unite with Denise to ‘make the V.A. accountable’ for what they allowed to happen to Terry Soles, and others. SPEAK OUT so America will recognize our V.A. needs to move into the Twenty-first Century and we need to care for our Veterans in an appropriate, effective manner. On October 22, 2009 President Barack Obama signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act into law. Supposedly, this law will be known as ‘advanced funding.’ Veterans, Widows and Widowers are hopeful this will move the V.A. into a more efficient, effective and professional mode. Our Veterans deserve better and so do the wives, family members and widows, widowers. Let us all unite to SPEAK OUT while shouting to the rooftops for the V.A. to stop treating our beloved as pin cushions, or herds of cattle headed to the unknown. Visit Denise Soles blog, http://veteranswidowsfight.blogstream.com/ for additional updates. For further information or to arrange an interview, Contact Jim Davis Veterans-for-Change 1190 Samuel Drive Garden Grove, CA 92840 714-983-4919 jdavis92840@sbcglobal.net