Research
My Mom has asked me to do some research into a Class Action Suit on Agent Orange. For those who don’t know, Agent Orange is a chemical the Military sprayed over Southern(?) Vietnam during the Vietnam war to kill the vegetation of the enemy. What they did not know at the time I guess, was the side effects the Veterans would have just being around the chemical & breathing it in. They also didn’t know the effects that the chemical would have on the Veteran’s offspring. I say all this because my Father was a Vietnam Veteran during the time of the Agent Orange dump.
After doing research for my Mom, we have found that my Father has suffered from the side effects from Agent Orange. He had a heart attack at an early age, 45, and the VA are considering him a Veteran who has suffered. But what I am also finding out is that I am an Offspring of a Veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange. You see, I have a heart defect. Bicuspid Aortic Valve with Aortic Regurgitation. My Doctors said that my defect is family related. Well, I’ve been trying to track down what family member may have my defect.
I don’t believe my father did, though he did die young of Heart issues. We believe that his heart attack was caused by this Agent Orange. My Grandfather died of Lung Cancer at a nice old age & my Grandmother on my Dad’s side is still alive at 80 yrs. My Grandmother on my Mom’s side died of old age(from what I understand she was a healthy woman), & my Mom’s Dad died when my Mom was young. I think it was Liver Cancer for him. My Mom’s siblings have either died of old age or Liver something or other. My Dad’s siblings are all still alive. So I have to assume I’m the first to have this defect & I also have to assume that it’s because of the Agent Orange.
In the next 10-15 yrs I will have to have surgery to either put in a stint to keep my aortic valve open or to put in a plastic replacement of the Bicuspid area. It would be a Tricuspid piece to help my heart.
My Mom is going through the channels to put my Father on the list of Veteran’s who have suffered from Agent Orange. But I don’t know what to do for me or if I have any channels to be put on a list of Offspring effected by Agent Orange or even if I WANT to be put on a List. From what I understand, my Mom may receive a settlement for the Suit. I don’t know if there is anything rewarded to the Offspring with defects. But the more I read about Agent Orange the more I wish I could pretend I never even heard of it. You see, apparently, it also effects for generations. So my boys could also be effected & it would also be the reason for their premature births. But how am I to know if that is all true. Do I take a test? Blood work?
But NOTHING will bring back my Dad & NOTHING will heal my heart. No money could ever repair any of this, so why bother? So my heart is screaming at me to just let it all go. Let God take care of everything. Cause no matter the fact that all 3 boys were premature, God took care of them then & he continues to take care of them now. I know in my defected heart that God will also take care of me, now & when the time comes where I need surgery, He will take care of me then. I have found comfort in KNOWING God takes care. Of me, my kids, my family & the things that pop up.
So I’m letting go & letting God! <3
onemommyx3
