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How to Retire When You Have No Retirement Savings / Atomic Veterans Have
New Voice on Advisory Board / New Benefit for Catastrophically Disabled
Evaluation / 10 Tips To Consider When Shopping for Mobility Conversion
And Much More...
Page 2
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
OFFICERS:
PRESIDENT:
ERIC T. PAYTON
VICE PRESIDENT:
STEVEN RAY
SECRETARY:
TOBY GOODMAN
TRESURER:
JOHN FAY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
JACKIE CHILDRESS
CHARLES BRANNON
MATT KINGSLEY
TRICIA LABAR
RICK COE
LAUREN BILLINGS
NATIONAL DIRECTOR:
STEVEN RAY
PROGRAM DIRECTORS:
HOSPITAL LIASON:
RICK COE
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS:
ROBYN SMITH
LEGISLATIVE/ADA:
TED SMITH
MEMBERSHIP:
GLENDON BENTLEY
SPORTS:
JOHN FAY
COMMITTEE DIRECTORS:
MS COMMITTEE DIRECTOR:
LAUREN BILLINGS
SOCIAL:
STEVEN RAY
HONOR GUARD:
JOHN FAY
OFFICE STAFF:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
GLENDON BENTLEY
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT:
ROBYN SMITH
RECEPIONIST:
MARINETT BRIELLARD
Website:
www.mypva.org
IMPORTANT NUMBERS:
Telecare
800-677-8289
Medication Refills
800-849-3594
To Order Online:
www.myhealth.va.gov
PVA DALLAS OFFICE
SENIOR BENEFITS ADVOCATE:
PERRY M. DIJKMAN
SENIOR SECRETARY:
ZELDA HERRERA
VA MEDICAL CENTER
4500 S. LANCASTER ROAD
SCI UNIT ROOM 1A102
DALLAS, TEXAS 75216
214-857-0105 or 0106
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Page 3
Magazine
Summer 2011
In This Issue:
How to Retire When You Have No Retirement Savings
4
Department of Veterans Affairs
5
Multiple Sclerosis Group / MS News
6-7
VA IT Still Falling Short of 21st Century Technology / Legislation Improves Benefits Systems for Veterans and Updates
Arlington National Cemetery Requirements
8
Executive Director’s Report / Editorial Cartoons
9
President’s Report
10
Honor Guard / Hiring Heroes Act of 2011 Could Boost Veterans’ Career Opportunities
11
Washington Update
12 - 14
Paralyzed Veterans Sports & Recreation Schedule
15
From Hunting Season To Fishing Season / Presidential
Volunteer Service Awarded To Our Own Jackie Childress
16
New Benefit for Catastrophically Disabled Evaluation
17
10 Tips To Consider When Shopping for Mobility Conversion
19
Spinal Cord Injury Research at the Mayo SCI
Birthdays
The Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center in Bonham
20 - 22
23
24- 27
SCI Calendar for June
28
Crossword:
29
What’s Cooking:
30 - 31
Page 4
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
How to Retire When You Have No Retirement Savings
by Steve Vernon
How many of us are either in this situation or
know someone who is? Chances are, if I could
do a show of hands, it would be a very high
percentage. To that end, I received this article
from Ms. Bowers in an email and thought this
would be an excellent article to share with
everyone. It makes lots of sense, but may well
need some tweaking given the population we
serve, but could have the added benefit of
sharing aids for even more savings.
In today's economy, creative thinking is what is
going to help make life, especially end of life
decisions as difficult as they are, even more
difficult when you throw in the financial factor
we must ALL face in this world. I hope you
enjoy the read and get some information that
you can use to start planning now.
Unless you're Rip van Winkle and have been
asleep for the past 20 years, you know about
the paucity of Americans' retirement savings
and their resulting lack of confidence in their ability to retire.
So if you're one of the millions of
Boomers approaching retirement
age with LOW to NO retirement
savings, should you just wring your
hands in despair and give up?
No way! You'll just have to be resourceful, and make the BEST use
of the assets you have. Let me offer
an example of how you can be
creative to have a good retirement.
Suppose you're part of a married
couple, both age 60, you're earning
about $75,000 per year, and you've
earned a similar amount throughout
your career, adjusted for average
growth in wages.
Also suppose your spouse had sporadic earnings and will be relying on the Social Security
spouse's benefit based on your earnings record.
In this case, your Social Security income at age
66, which is your Full Retirement Age (FRA),
will be roughly $2,000 per month.
Your spouse would receive an additional
$1,000 per month at his or her FRA for a combined income of $3,000 per month, or $36,000
per year.
Now consider a move that may sound radical,
but is also quite practical: consider hooking up
with another like-minded couple in a similar
situation, finding a nice three-bedroom house,
and living together. Your combined income will
be $72,000 per year.
Beating the Averages
This $72,000 income amount is higher than the
national average annual income of $62,857 for
household units in 2009, as reported by the
U.S. Department of Labor, or the median
household income for all American family units
of $50,221, as reported for 2009 by the U.S.
Census Bureau.
It's also higher than the average annual expenditures of $49,067 as reported by the U.S.
Department of Labor in 2009 for all U.S. household units.
So if an average American family can live on
less than $72,000 per year, I'm betting that two
resourceful married couples can do the same.
And remember that ALL this Social Security
income will be increased for inflation, and that
retirees pay LESS income taxes on Social
Security income than taxes paid on wages
earned by working Americans.
And there are a number of ways your situation
can get better. First, if you delay taking your
Social Security income until age 70, your
monthly income would increase to $2,640 per
month.
There's NO reason for your spouse to delay
taking benefits beyond age 66, since there's no
delayed retirement credit that increases the
spouse's income. In this case, you'd want to file
and suspend your Social Security income at
age 66, so your spouse can start the $1,000
monthly spousal benefit income at age 66.
When you reach age 70 and you begin taking
your Social Security benefits, your combined
income will be $3,640 per month, or $43,680
per year. If both married couples did this, their
combined income would be $87,360 per year.
It can get even better if both couples start saving like crazy now, and between them save
$2,000 per month.
If they do that for 10 years, they will have accumulated a little over $150,000 (assuming they
earn 5 percent annually on their savings). If
they decide to start drawing on that savings for
additional income, it could generate $6,000 per
year if they withdraw just 4 percent of their
savings, and $7,500 per year if they withdraw 5
percent.
Don't Spend it All in One Place
However, I'd suggest they keep this savings
invested for the inevitable day when one or
more of them DIE and they lose the resulting
Social Security income. In the example above,
if either the wage earner or the spouse dies,
then the spousal benefit of $1,000 per month
stops, and the wage-earner's income continues
for the remaining life of the surviving spouse.
This amount was $2,000 per month if the wageearner started benefits at age 66 and $2,640
per month if the benefit started at age 70.
I'd also suggest that this pair of couples make
every attempt to spend LESS than their combined Social Security income and SAVE as
much as possible, because it's inevitable that
one or more of them will need some form of
long-term care. They may be able to take care
of the first person needing care, but eventually
they won't be able to do this on their own and
they'll need to pay for additional help of some
kind.
I also recommend they make a pact to
be as healthy as possible, to reduce
the money they'll spend on medical
and long-term care bills.
All of them can encourage each other
to get daily exercise, such as walking
together after dinner.
They can share meal responsibilities,
making healthy food they can all
share. They might band together to
grow their own food in a vegetable
garden. They could share resources,
such as appliances, cars, furniture,
etc.
They could start their retirement with a
giant yard sale to get rid of the furniture and appliances they don't need -that would garner even more savings. In short,
they've formed a commune!
Finally, if one or both of the couples own
homes that can be rented, they should do so in
order to generate additional income. And the
home equity could be tapped if and when one
or more of these retirees needs long-term care.
I realize that there are many challenges that
need to be addressed with such an arrangement, such as compatibility, discretionary
spending, sharing of savings, estate issues,
and deciding where visiting children or grandchildren will stay.
And there will be significant challenges when
one person needs long-term care or DIES; they
will need to plan carefully for this eventuality.
But in the meantime, they'll have had many
good years of retirement.
This is just one example of how you can be
resourceful to make your retirement work. I
realize that your circumstances might NOT fit
the above example, but I hope this will inspire
you to get creative in order to make the BEST
of your retirement years.
Page 5
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
VA Processing Hundreds of Applications for New Family
Caregiver Benefits in First Week
In the first week for open applications, the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has assisted more than 625 Veterans, Servicemembers
and their Family Caregivers in applying for new
services under the Caregivers and Veterans
Omnibus Health Services Act 2010.
―We are off to a good start having helped hundreds to apply, but we know there are thousands more who will qualify and need to apply
today,‖ said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric
K. Shinseki. ―I encourage eligible Veterans
and their Family Caregivers to apply now to
receive the benefits they have earned.‖
New services for primary Family Caregivers of
eligible post-9/11 Veterans include a stipend,
mental health services, and access to health
care insurance, if they are not already entitled
to care or services under a health plan. The
stipend portion of this service will be backdated
to the date of the application. Comprehensive
Caregiver training and medical support are
other key components of this program.
also assisted nearly 1,200 other Caregivers in
finding more than two dozen other Caregiver
benefits VA provides.
VA began processing applications for eligible
post-9/11 Veterans and Servicemembers to
designate a Primary Family Caregiver on May
9, 2011. On top of receiving the 625 plus applications, Caregiver Support Coordinators have
Atomic Veterans Have New Voice on Advisory Board
Roadman is New Chair for Dose Reconstruction
Dr. Charles H. Roadman II, a retired Air Force
lieutenant general and professor of military and
emergency medicine at the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences, assumed
duties as the chairman of the Veterans’ Advisory
Board on Dose Reconstruction last month.
―General Roadman brings years of medical
expertise and leadership experience, a passion
for helping his fellow Veterans and a profound
sense of urgency to reach all those who may
have been exposed to ionizing radiation during
their military service,‖ said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. ―We are committed to
supporting his efforts.‖
Roadman, who previously served as the surgeon general of the Air Force, succeeded retired
Vice Adm. James A. Zimble, physician who
served as chairman of the advisory board.
Roadman sits on the board of directors of Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., and Air Force Village. He is a member of various non-profit and
for-profit scientific advisory boards.
As its second chairman, Roadman provides
leadership to the board, a federal advisory committee that works with VA and the Department of
Defense through the Defense Threat Reduction
Agency on issues of importance to the nation’s
atomic Veterans.
Atomic Veterans include service members who
participated in the 1945-1946 occupation of
Hiroshima or Nagasaki in Japan, and in atmospheric nuclear testing sponsored by the United
States between 1945 and 1962. As part of its
charter, the board conducts periodic, random
audits of dose reconstructions and decisions on
claims for radiogenic diseases and assists VA
and DoD in communicating information on the
mission, procedures, and evidentiary requirements of the dose reconstruction program to
Veterans.
VA examines and treats atomic Veterans, or
other Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation in
service. It also evaluates disability claims and
pays compensation to Veterans whose health
has been adversely affected by exposure.
Roadman retired in 1999 as the Air Force Surgeon General. Since his retirement, he served
as president and CEO of the American Health
Care Association in Washington, D.C., from
1999-2004.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Page 6
We’ve really had
some great luncheons with terrific
guest speakers!
In February we hosted
Master Gardener David Gary and fellow Master Gardener Gene Morrisey. What makes
David unique and inspiring is that he is in a
wheelchair. He was diagnosed with muscular
dystrophy at age 28. David discovered his
passion for gardening as a volunteer at the
Dallas Arboretum. He showed us how he
gardens from a power chair with his own
special tools and techniques. He shared with
us magnificent slides of his own residence
that included paths, trees, bird houses, a
multi-level deck and more. It was quite inspirational. If you want to contact him his email is
[email protected] and phone is
214-206-7767.
Also, Erica Sutton from the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society (NMSS) introduced herself
and spoke briefly about the MS Walk and
wanted us to know that they are a great resource for those with MS. Her contact info is
[email protected] and 214-373-1400.
In March, Perry Dijkman, Senior Service Officer for the PVA, spoke with us and shared
invaluable information with us. Perry is such a
terrific resource for veterans with MS and
spinal cord injury. I met Perry when I moved
to Texas 6 years ago. I had previously worked
with a county service officer in Orlando and
nothing was happening on my claim. Sometime around the time of my move, I was told
that the PVA service officers are the best at
helping with claims for those with MS and
spinal cord injury. Perry took over the claim
and made sure my benefits were increased.
We’re currently working on raising those benefits. Patience and persistence are the name
of the game with VA claims. I know I have the
best advocate on my side and I’m pleased to
be able to call Perry my friend.
Side note: Several years back he introduced
me to Bill Clifford, Glen Bentley (who connected me with Ron and Karen Roland) and some
of the terrific team at our PVA Lone Star
Chapter. Friendships began to develop and I
continue to have the privilege of getting to
know many amazing people through my role
in the PVA (including the Chapter team and
the people in the MS Support group). I’m
really grateful for that.
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Dr. Stuve was our guest speaker in April. He
had just been to an MS Conference in Honolulu and shared with us the most up-to-date
results of MS research and treatments. He
shared with us what was presented and discussed about what’s working, what’s not
working, what’s being researched and developed and what’s on the horizon. It’s very
exciting! We are very fortunate to have some
like Dr. Stuve here at our VA!
In May, we had an open discussion moderated by Pat Sykes. Pat’s husband was diagnosed with MS 30 years ago. Her two adult
children were later diagnosed with MS. Pat
has studied and researched for years to try to
find answers and treatments. She is a great
resource for this group and it was really great
how she opened up topics and encouraged
people to participate. Attendees brought up
questions and others were able to answer or
refer them to a place where they might find
the answers. Here are just a few highlights
from our meeting: (forgive me if I’ve left out
any of our discussion – these are just a few
things that I managed to take notes on)
Karl is our expert in physical fitness and
healthy eating. He teaches by example that
staying fit and paying attention to proper nutrition are important to maintaining energy,
strength and physical ability. He inspires
others (myself included) to do our best so MS
has as little of an impact as possible on our
bodies. Prentis shared a tip (that came from
Karl) about whey protein powder (added to
water or milk) helping to give him the energy
to help motivate him to exercise. He mentioned that the one he likes is by Jay Robb.
I’ve already picked up a sample at the Family
Health market to give it a try. I’ve seen it at
Kroger, too. John shared his personal experience with long distance swimming. I think he
said he was able to work up to a mile (total
laps)! But he started small with just one lap.
Impact on the joints and overheating is not a
concern with swimming. So it’s a great option!
He said he loves the YMCA for this
We also talked about cooling vests for use
during the hot months. I’m not sure now it
works outside the VA, but my personal experience was this – Dr. Pacheco referred me to
Occupational Therapy and they issued a
cooling vest for me. Mine is navy blue and at
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
that time they also had olive green. It’s
been great for my son’s soccer games.
Along with the umbrella to shade me, I
was good to go!
Carol shared that Plano Baylor has an
Exercise Program that is geared toward
those with MS and it’s FREE! She also
shared a great tip about…blowing bubbles! You know, the ones the kids love to play
with? She said that she was taught that doing
this 3-4 minutes per day – and allowing yourself to really expand your belly gets a lot of
oxygen into your body, your lungs, your blood
and brain!
Debbie brought up how massage is so good
for us. I mentioned that massage can be
covered by insurance. See your doctor our
chiropractor or other health care practitioner
to find out more. By putting it in the context of
the patient (you) having MS – they know that
we have special concerns (muscle tightness,
etc). I think it was Debbie who brought up
stretching as well. Be sure to be stretching
each day. Dr. Oz says it’s the very first thing
we ALL should be doing every morning!
Well, I tried to include as much valuable information as could remember.
Our next luncheon is Monday June 20, 2011.
Dr. Marder from the VA will be our guest
speaker and will be sharing a CCSVI study
update. She will also be discussing other
studies. Who knows, maybe some of you will
want to join a study!
Our luncheons take place the 3rd Monday of
each month at 12:00 noon, usually at the
Dallas VA Hospital in the SCI Dining Room or
Gym. We will not be meeting in July or August, but will resume on Monday September
19th 2011. We will be looking forward to more
great speakers with great information!
As I mentioned last time: If you have
knowledge of information about MS that you
feel would benefit the members, please send
it my way and I will share it with the group. If
you know of research studies, clinical trials,
opportunities for focus groups, medical breakthroughs and good resources please let me
know. For anyone who does not want to receive this information by email, please let me
know at [email protected]. You
can also reach me by phone at 214-3993535. If you come across great ideas for
programs to present at our luncheons, please
let me know. And if there’s some way that you
would want to help, I welcome that idea too!
I look forward to seeing you on June 20th!
Lauren
Page 7
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
While Probing Activity of New Multiple Sclerosis Drug,
NIH Researchers Uncover Inner Workings of the Immune System
By Daniel Stimson, Ph.D.
Daclizumab is one of the newest therapies
under study for treating multiple sclerosis
(MS). It quiets the abnormal immune reactions
that occur in people with MS by targeting a
single molecule on immune cells. Beyond that,
how daclizumab works is largely a mystery.
Now, research from the National Institutes of
Health has revealed insights not only into the
drug's effects, but into the basic biology of the
immune system.
The work was led by Bibiana Bielekova, M.D.,
an investigator at NIH's National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
She and her colleagues have been testing how
daclizumab affects the immune cell responses
of people with MS and healthy
volunteers. Their latest findings are reported in Nature
Medicine.*
In MS, the immune system
attacks the brain and spinal
cord, typically leading to fatigue, weakness, and a loss of
vision and other sensations.
The disorder affects approximately 400,000 people in the
U.S.
Daclizumab is based on a
molecule first developed in the
lab of Thomas A. Waldmann,
M.D., a senior investigator in the Metabolism
Branch at NIH's National Cancer Institute
(NCI). It is approved in the U.S. for preventing
organ transplant rejection, and for several
years, Drs. Waldmann and Bielekova have
collaborated to study its potential for treating
MS.
In two small trials, the NIH team found that
daclizumab given in combination with the MS
drug interferon-beta reduced the number of
new lesions (areas of damage) in the brain.
Just last year, a team based at University of
Utah reported the results of the large, placebocontrolled CHOICE study. The study confirmed that using daclizumab as an add-on
therapy helped patients whose symptoms had
relapsed while they were taking interferonbeta.
Meanwhile, the NIH team is steadily unraveling
how daclizumab works. Such research may
help to predict how patients will respond to the
drug, and to generate more potent derivatives.
The drug is known to interfere with interleukin2 (IL-2), a key signal that mobilizes immune
cells to attack. However, the researchers are
discovering that IL-2 signaling involves a surprisingly complex, intimate dance between
immune cells. Their findings have relevance
beyond MS, to a more general understanding
of how the immune system functions in health
and disease.
"It is difficult to study the human immune system under natural conditions. People are exposed to bacteria, viruses and other pathogens
all the time, and they activate different immune
cells in response. This makes it nearly impossible to sort out potentially subtle differences in
the immune system of healthy individuals from
those with a disease," said Dr. Bielekova. "A
drug like daclizumab gives us a rare opportunity to study the immune system because it targets a single molecule, and we can measure
what the immune system is doing before and
after treatment."
One function of IL-2 is to activate T cells, which
are the mobile infantry of the immune system.
When the body is under siege by an infection,
IL-2 serves as a clarion call for the T cell army
to expand and attack. In MS and other socalled autoimmune diseases, for reasons that
are not clear, T cells launch a misguided attack
against the body's own tissues.
Daclizumab blocks the IL-2 receptor, which is
found on T cells and other cell types. The drug
specifically targets a piece of the receptor
called CD25. When daclizumab was first tested against MS, researchers theorized that it
was acting directly on T cells, shutting off their
IL-2 receptors. However, in two recent studies,
the NIH team found that daclizumab's effects
on T cells are mostly indirect.
In a previous study, they found that daclizumab
stimulates cells called natural killer cells, which
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
in turn suppress T cells. That study was done
by analyzing blood samples from MS patients
who were taking daclizumab in clinical trials at
NIH. Patients with the highest activation of
natural killer cells had the most benefit from
daclizumab, suggesting that a blood test for
natural killer cells may serve as a good indicator of how patients are responding to the drug.
The NIH team also found a unique patient who
benefited from daclizumab without the natural
killer cell response. This prompted the researchers to investigate other effects of the
drug. In Nature Medicine, they report that in
addition to its effects on natural killer cells,
daclizumab blocks CD25 on dendritic cells,
whose job it is to prime T cells for battle by
presenting them with a target (or antigen).
They also discovered that CD25 is the key to
an intricate maneuver that takes place between
T cells and dendritic cells.
Just as people are born with innate talents and
skills, T cells are born to recognize specific
antigens.
When a
dendritic cell encounters an antigen, such
as a piece of virus, its
task is to activate the
matching T cell, causing the cell to multiply
and produce an army
of clones.
Dr. Bielekova and her
colleagues found that
IL-2 and CD25 produced by dendritic cells
are essential to this
activation process.
The findings show that when a dendritic cell
finds the right T cell, it activates the T cell by
releasing IL-2 at the site of contact. Meanwhile, the dendritic cell also simultaneously
"lends" the T cell its CD25, because prior to
activation, the majority of T cells do not have
their own CD25. While the two cell types are in
close contact, the CD25 connects with other
components on the T cell surface and is assembled into a complete IL-2 receptor.
"This mechanism allows the dendritic cell to
restrict the IL-2 signal only to the T cell that
reacts to the right antigen," explains Dr. Bielekova. "This is an incredibly intimate type of
crosstalk between the two cell types."
These findings could have relevance for how
MS and other autoimmune diseases begin in
the first place. With further study of the interleukin system and how it activates T cells,
researchers may be able to discern why some
T cells go rogue. Indeed, subtle genetic differences in CD25 and IL-2 have been observed in
patients with autoimmune diseases.
Page 8
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
VA IT Still Falling Short of 21st Century Technology
recent increased funding and staffing.
Rep. Bill Johnson R-OH
The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing entitled, ―Reboot: Examining the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs Information Technology Strategy for
the 21st Century.‖ Committee members
hoped to receive a positive progress report
from VA regarding IT improvements following
―More than four years have passed by since
the Dole-Shalala Commission recommended
a shared DoD-VA database for transitioning
veterans,‖ stated Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06),
Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight
and Investigations. ―And yet today, despite
advances in technology and increased funding, VA has yet to implement, or even begin
to implement, a seamless, shared database
with the Department of Defense. There is
absolutely no reason that in 2011 this has not
moved an inch.‖
VA’s antiquated systems for processing numerous services for veterans, many still paper-based, include benefits to compensation
claims to medical records.
―Historically, VA has struggled to manage IT
developments that successfully deliver desired results within cost, schedule, and perfor-
mance objectives,‖ said Belinda Finn, Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Evaluations, Office of the Inspector General at VA.
―Our [ongoing] audit results should provide
valuable information to VA and Congress as
VA moves forward in managing its technology
investments.‖
Rep. Johnson commended VA’s successes.
He also highlighted, however, that more progress was necessary to ensure an efficient
utilization of resources in the future and eliminate redundancies within VA’s IT architecture.
―We expect VA to implement a timeline for the
VA-DoD integration of an electronic health
record. We also want to know why there remains a lack of system integration, a lack of
program management, poor IT contracting
practices, and overall oversight at VA,‖ questioned Johnson.
Legislation Improves Benefits Systems for Veterans and
Updates Arlington National Cemetery Requirements
The Subcommittee on Disability Assistance
and Memorial Affairs favorably reported three
bills to the House Committee on Veterans’
Affairs. The bills are expected to go before
the Committee as early as next Thursday,
May 12, 2011.
America’s Jewish War Chaplains. This legislation is long overdue and provides the Department of the Army with guidelines to ensure groups wishing to memorialize service,
above and beyond, can do so in a timely
manner without Congressional inference.‖
―With the recommendation to move this legislation forward we are ensuring benefits for
veterans are in line with today’s economic
climate. We have also taken appropriate
action, regardless of rank, to protect against
new burial reservations at Arlington National
Cemetery,‖ stated Representative Jon
Runyan (NJ-03), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial
Affairs.
H.R. 1627, as amended, also takes into consideration Arlington National Cemetery’s
concerns voiced at Tuesday’s subcommittee
hearing, allowing for exceptions to family
member burial practices and further transparency in the process for placing monuments at
Arlington.
―This is the time to restore the public’s trust in
our country’s most hallowed ground, Arlington National Cemetery,‖ said Rep. Jeff Miller
(FL-01), Chairman of the House Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs. ―By passing this bill, we
not only once again reaffirm our deepest
gratitude to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice as we approach Memorial Day,
but we also commemorate the service of
The three pieces of legislation favorably reported to the full Committee are:
H.R. 1407, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost
-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011 (introduced
by Rep. Runyan, Rep. LoBiondo, and Rep.
Stutzman) – as amended.
H.R. 1484, the Veterans Appeals Improvement Act of 2011 (introduced by Rep. Filner)
– as amended.
H.R. 1627, To amend Title 38, United States
Rep. Jon Runyan R-NJ
Code, to provide for certain requirements for
the placement of monuments in Arlington
National Cemetery, and for other purposes
(introduced by Rep. Miller, Rep. Johnson,
and Rep. Roe) – as amended.
Page 9
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
I know this might sound like a broken record, but I feel it needs to be
said, and here goes. This past Sunday we held our General Membership & Election Meeting where the
results from the chapter elections
were tallied. I first want to thank
everyone who ran for the offices, everyone who voted, a huge thank you to
the Oak Lawn Band who did a fantastic
job playing for the membership.
Congratulations to all the members
who won the election results are as
follows; Eric Payton, President, John
Fay, Treasurer, Tricia LaBar and Matt
Kingsley, Board Members. It will be an
honor to have them on the Board again
for a two year term. Now for the unpleasant part, it was shameful that we
had such a small turnout for such a big
event, it is pitiful when we can’t even
get five of the ten Board of Directors to
attend the event. Now granted we did
know of a few BOD members that had
legitimate reasons for not being there,
but come on you are the leadership of
this chapter and you need to attend
these events. I will be bringing this up
at the BOD meeting next month as
well.
On top of that we only had not including the BOD members and staff in attendance approximately ten voting
members of the organization there.
Now that is not what we as a chapter
want, we moved the meeting to central
location within the DFW area per some
of the members request, they said it’s
not fair that they should have to travel
to Dallas for every membership meeting, so we moved it in hopes of getting
more people to attend, and we move
the day and time too so that more
could attend. But then when I looked
around the room that day we had the
same people that always come to the
meetings, and I am sure they would
come no matter where we held the
meeting. This is YOUR chapter,
please take an active role in it, we have
just under 500 members in the chapter,
you would think we could get more
than 10 members attending a General
Membership Dinner with free food and
entertainment. If you think there is a
better way to get participation, please
let me know so that we can try that.
We need support from our membership
to make this the best chapter possible.
Ok enough about what is wrong, now
on to what we at the chapter have been
up to. These past few months have
been busy with several Honor Guard
events, the PVA PAWs Month activities
and getting ready for our up-coming
Bass Tournament.
For PAWs Month we tried to schedule
an event every week and for the most
part we did, the caregivers had a
chance to do a day at the Spa and from
all the feedback we got they just loved
that. They even suggested that we do
it once a month. But I think our pocketbook wouldn’t let that happen…(nice
try though). We also had a small disability expo at the Dallas VA that went
real good, some of the patients and
families got to see several different
types of vehicle for the disabled and we
also had some sporting activities set up
too. One week we hosted a cookout at
the SCI Center and as always it was a
hit with the patients and staff, so thanks
to all the volunteers that made it possible. I want to thank everyone who had
a hand in making the PVA PAWs
month a success and look forward to
doing upcoming event with our volunteers. So as you see we are busy
here and that is a good thing and we
look forward to continuing to do great
things with the chapter.
Page 10
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Mobility Fair happen.
This quarter was
a very busy time.
We had a lot going on, April was PVA awareness
Month. The first week was kind of
sponsoring a craft class called Stampin Up where Marin made arrange-
ments with Ms. Ruth Castleberry to
come and show the Caregivers how to
have fun making personalized greeting cards. The week ended by Robyn
slow paced we started out with Open
house, the second week we hosted a
BBQ and an Air Rifle orientation and
In furthering nurse’s education we
sent 1 nurse to a wound care classes
and we are sending 6 nurses and the
2 OT’s, 2 PT’s, 2 social workers, and
the SCI AO to the SCI Summit 2011 +
EXPO: Delivering Excellence, Achieving State-of-the-Art Health Care PVA
will be hosting on September 16-18,
2011 in Orlando, Florida.
In Sports we sponsored 12 veterans &
volunteers to Mid-America ―OKIE
OPEN‖ PVA Bass Tournament Hosted
by Mid-America PVA, April 29-May 1,
2011, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, OK. We
are also sponsoring 6 veterans to the
National Veterans Golden Age
Games, May 26 - May 31, 2011 - Honolulu, Hawaii.
& Marin taking two groups of caregivers to the Hollywood spa for a day of
much needed pampering followed by
practice at the Dallas VA SCI Center
The third week was dedicated to the
caregivers, we started out the week by
a luncheon at La Madeline’s. They
had a short discussion on making
preparation for when you or your
loved one passes away. The last
week we held a Mobility Fair at the
Dallas VA. I would like to thank all the
volunteers who made all these events
possible and the Organizations and
Mobility Companies who made the
Other items we sponsored last quarter
were the MS luncheon at the Dallas
VA May 16, 2011, coffee, soda’s, water and other stuff for the Internet Café, a Pee Wee football team in Oak
Cliff and one in Waco, and helped 2
families with household emergency.
I am honored to be reelected for another term as your President and to
represent the community and our
great chapter.
Page 11
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Membership Report:
221 Service Connected
254 Non Service Connected
475 Total Membership
During the last month we had 13 of
our members pass.
If you wish to join the chapter you
can get applications from the
Chapter office or Perry Dijkmans
office. Please fill out completely
sign and date wherever required
and attach a copy of your DD214
and mail or fax it to the Chapter at
3925 Forest Lane, Garland TX,
75042 or fax 972-276-5350 or scan
and email to [email protected]. All
applications must have DD214’s
attached to them to be accepted by
the National office.
Hiring Heroes Act of 2011 Could Boost
Veterans’ Career Opportunities
Legislation moving through Congress to help
new veterans transition back to work in the
public sector is being welcomed by Paralyzed
Veterans of America. The Hiring Heroes Act of
2011, introduced by U.S. Senator Patty Murray,
would boost transitional job skills training and
provide more public sector job opportunities for
veterans.
―Opening-up a pipeline to good jobs and careers
for all veterans — and particularly the estimated
85% with severe disabilities who are unemployed — must be a top national priority, both
for the public and private sector. The new legislation could help open-up that pipeline for new
veterans,‖ said Bill Lawson, national president
of Paralyzed Veterans, home to one of our
nation’s most innovative public-private initiatives
to tackle unemployment for veterans with disabilities.
The Paralyzed Veterans’ PAVE (Paving Access
to Veterans Employment) program — with offices in six U.S. cities — empowers veterans with
disabilities with the services and tools they need
to reintegrate into the job market, while matching them with businesses and organizations
offering career positions. Established in 2007,
LSPVA Honor Guard
By John D. Fay
The Lone Star Chapter, Paralyzed Veterans of America Honor Guard was formed
in 1995 and was the first wheelchair Honor
Guard in the nation. The Honor Guard
allows members to be of service to our
country even though we are in wheelchairs.
Anyone who is a member of the chapter,
uses a wheelchair to get around, has reliable transportation, and is a dependable
person, may join the Honor Guard. We
currently have 16 people on the Honor
Guard Roster and only half of them participate on a regular basis. We really need
more people to join the Honor Guard, we
have so many events we currently have to
turn some down. We will never turn down a
funeral though because we feel that it is
our highest priority to give the veteran his
or her last Military Honor for their service to
our great nation. Families of the deceased
really appreciate what we do and it helps
bring solace to the grieving families.
To join the Honor Guard all you have to do
is call the office and contact the Honor
Guard Commander, which is myself, John
Fay. If you don't want to fire a rifle, no
problem you don't have to. We also do
numerous events that only require us to
Present the Colors. We have several members that don't want to use a rifle. We do
not have regular meeting scheduled, we
meet several times a year to clean weapons and when major events are scheduled
like Veterans Day, and Memorial Day.
When you join, I will meet with you at the
office to order your uniform and answer
any questions you may have about the
Honor Guard. I will also go over the com-
the program is a partnership between Paralyzed
Veterans of America, businesses, philanthropy,
and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
―Paving access to veterans employment is an
urgent priority for Paralyzed Veterans of America,‖ said Sherman Gillums, acting associate
executive director of Veterans Benefits, himself
a graduate of the Paralyzed Veterans’ program.
―The Hiring Heroes Act could help to further
empower new veterans with the skills they need
to transition back to work. It also formally recognizes the world-class skills, training and experience they received while in the service when it
comes getting a good career in the public sector.‖
Everyone has a role to play in solving the puzzle
of unemployment in a tough economy, says
Lawson.
―All sectors must hire more veterans—including
the private sector where the lion’s share of jobs
are created. My message to CEOs is: hiring
more veterans is both good for business and
great for America. Businesses get great employees. America sons and daughters who have
served, get a fairer shot at the American Dream,
a good job and career.‖
mands and motions with you until you feel
you are ready, then before an event the
Honor Guard will practice with you. After
several events it becomes second nature
and you will be mentoring others who want
to join.
The Honor Guard is a good way, and a
very visible way to volunteer for the chapter. It is also a way to let everyone know
what branch of the service you were in and
what you did. You get to wear the ribbons
and other awards that you earned while
you served your country. It’s pivotal in
allowing members to continue to serve
their country by showing respect to fallen
soldiers and their country. We do numerous funerals and other events that sometimes draw the media. I personally think
that it is an honor to serve on the LSPVA
Page 12
VA IMPLEMENTS NEW FAMILY CAREGIVER PROGRAM
FOR POST—9/11 VETERANS
On May, 9, the Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) began accepting applications
from family caregivers who care for severely
wounded post—9/11 veterans and wish to
seek support services from VA. Such services are available to eligible caregivers
through the newly implemented Family
Caregiver Program which was established
by Public Law 111-163, the ―Caregivers and
Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act
2010.‖
The VA Family Caregiver Program was
created to provide support for primary family
caregivers of veterans or service members
from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Veterans and their family caregivers must apply
to participate in the program, and both veterans and caregivers must meet all VA
eligibility requirements in order to receive
services. Additionally, if a veteran is not
enrolled in the VA health-care system, he or
she will need to apply for health care enrollment when completing the Family Caregiver
Program application.
The services available to eligible caregivers
include a stipend, mental health services,
access to health care coverage, and caregiver training. Although post—9/11 veterans are the primary recipients of the Family
Caregiver Program, all caregivers of veterans can access other VA services for respite care, caregiver education and training,
and support groups through their local medical center.
To assist veterans and their families with
obtaining information on this new program
and application for caregiver services, VA
has Caregiver Support Coordinators at all
medical centers. PVA’s legislative staff will
continue to follow the implementation of the
Family Caregiver Program and provide
feedback to Congress and VA as the program develops.
Additional information
about the program’s eligibility criteria and
the application process is available at
www.caregiver.va.gov.
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
HEALTH HOLDS HEARING
ON PROGRESS OF THE
FEDERAL RECOVERY COORDINATOR PROGRAM
On May 13, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health held a
hearing on the Federal Recovery Coordinator Program (FRCP) entitled, ―From Concept to Reality.‖ The purpose of the hearing
was to assess the progress and challenges
of the FRCP and identify potential ways in
which the program can be improved in order
to fulfill its mission. PVA provided a statement for the record.
The FRCP was created as a joint program
between the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD)
to provide severely injured, ill, or wounded
veterans and service members with individualized assistance obtaining health care
and benefits. The FRCP was also designed
to help veterans and their family members
manage rehabilitation and reintegration into
civilian life after a disability. Through the
program, veterans and service members
are assigned a Federal Recovery Coordinator (FRC) and create a Federal Individual
Recovery Plan that consists of long-term
goals for the veteran and his or her family
members.
Currently, FRCs are located at VA medical
centers in Houston, Texas; Providence,
Rhode Island; and Tampa, Florida. While
many changes have taken place to further
develop and enhance the services of the
FRCP, PVA believes that more work must
be done in order for the program to adequately meet the needs of veterans. Specifically, PVA’s testimony discussed the need
for VA, DOD, and Congress to continue
working together to address program challenges in the areas of continuity of care,
care coordination, and program awareness.
PVA also encouraged VA to partner with
PVA, and other veteran service organizations, to identify veterans who may benefit
from FRC services and to help educate
WASHINGTON UPDATE
veterans and their families on the FRCP.
PVA’s legislative staff will continue to monitor the progress of the FRCP to ensure that
it fulfills the purpose for which it was created—to provide guidance to veterans and
service members who have sustained a
catastrophic injury or disability so that they
are able to make informed decisions involving their health care and benefits, and focus
on their recovery and future endeavors.
HOUSE VA SUBCOMMITTEE
ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE
AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS
CONDUCTS LEGISLATIVE
HEARING
On May 3, the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and
Memorial Affairs conducted a hearing to
consider legislation regarding Arlington
National Cemetery, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), claims and appeals process, and the Veterans’ Compensation Cost
-of-Living Adjustment Act (COLA). Representative Jon Runyan, (R-NJ) serves as
Chairman of the Subcommittee and Representative Jerry McNerney (D-CA) serves as
Ranking Minority Member.
In a statement for the record PVA supported
H.R. 811, the ―Providing Military Honors for
our Nation’s Heroes Act.‖ This bill would
authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
(VA) to reimburse a member of a veterans’
service organization or other organization
approved by the Secretary for transportation
and other appropriate expenses incurred in
connection with the voluntary provision of a
funeral honors detail at the funeral of a
veteran when family members or the funeral
home request the honors.
Additionally, PVA and other VSOs support
H.R. 1407, the ―Veterans’ Compensation
Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011.‖
This bill would increase the rates of compensation for veterans with serviceconnected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation
(DIC) for the survivors of certain disabled
veterans.
Page 13
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Unfortunately, for the past two years, there
has been no increase in the rates for compensation and DIC because the Social Security index used to measure the cost-ofliving adjustment did not increase. However, many disabled veterans and their families who rely heavily or solely on VA disability compensation or DIC as their only
means of income have struggled during
these difficult times. As inflation continues
to rise, it is imperative that they receive a
COLA.
H.R. 1441 would codify the prohibition
against reserving gravesites at Arlington
National Cemetery prior to the death of an
eligible veteran. Additionally, this bill would
prohibit the assignment of more than one
gravesite to a veteran or member of the
Armed Forces eligible for interment at a
national cemetery and their eligible family
members. PVA does not oppose passage
of this legislation.
PVA strongly supports H.R. 1484, the
―Veterans Appeals Improvement Act of
2011,‖ which seeks to improve the appeal
process. Section 2 of the bill would allow a
claimant to submit new or supplemental
evidence in support of a case for which a
substantive appeal has been filed, directly
to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and not
to the VA Regional Office of jurisdiction. This provision does, however, preserve the claimant’s right to request VA
Regional Office consideration of the new or
supplemental evidence should they prefer
that option.
H.R. 1627 seeks to clarify the statute regarding the requirements for placement of
markers or monuments in Arlington National
Cemetery. The bill would codify specific
requirements related to the type, purpose
and designated areas for emplacement of
monuments, as well as the authorization or
approval process and sponsoring individuals or organizations required. PVA does
not oppose passage of this legislation.
PVA supports H.R. 1647, the ―Veterans’
Choice in Filing Act of 2011.‖ This legislation would authorize a 24-month pilot program to allow veterans served by certain
poor performing VA regional offices the
option to submit a claim for benefits at any
regional office of their choice. Under the
proposal, five regional offices would partici-
pate in the pilot based upon criteria to be
established by the VA Secretary. Upon
completion of the pilot program, the Secretary would be required to send a final report
to Congress containing recommendations
about the future allocation of resources
amongst VA regional offices. This bill is
intended to serve as a catalyst to improve
and/or reorganize poor performing VA regional offices through a sense of competition.
Of the bills introduced, three—H.R. 1407,
H.R. 1484, and H.R. 1627—were reported
to the Full Committee in a mark up on May
5th and will be considered by the full committee. PVA will continue to monitor the
activity on this legislation
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECON O M I C O P P O RT U N I T Y
HOLDS HEARING ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION
On May 3, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Economic
Opportunity held a hearing to discuss several new bills introduced in the 112th Congress. Representative Marlin Stutzman (RIN) serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee and Representative Bruce Braley (D-IA)
serves as the Ranking Minority Member.
The Subcommittee subsequently marked up
and approved the bills on May 5, 2011.
―These bills are fiscally responsible, meet
the needs of our veterans, and are supported by both sides of the aisle,‖ stated Chairman Stutzman. Although PVA did not testify at the hearing, we did submit a statement
for the record.
Included in the hearing and markup was
H.R. 1383, the ―Restoring GI Bill Fairness
Act of 2011,‖ introduced by Representative
Jeff Miller (FL), Chairman of the House
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. PVA does
not support H.R. 1383 as it is currently introduced. We support the concept of H.R.
1383 that will temporally preserve higher
rates for tuition and fees for programs of
education at non-public institutions of higher
learning. However, PVA opposes Section 3
of H.R. 1383. This section will limit the cost
of living increases of the monthly stipends
for veterans who rely on this funding to
support themselves and their families while
they prepare for a career. With the cost of
WASHINGTON UPDATE
fuel rising each month, which effects the
cost of living, PVA believes the GI Bill’s
monthly stipend must be adjusted each year
to help these veterans remain in school.
PVA supports H.R. 1657, which calls for
enforcement penalties for misrepresentation
of a business concern as a small business
owned and controlled by veterans or,
owned and controlled by service-disabled
veterans. PVA also supports H.R. 802, a bill
to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
establish a VetStar Award Program to recognize businesses that exceed established
goals in hiring veterans.
Iraq combat veteran and PVA member,
Andrew Connolly from Dubuque, Iowa, was
invited to testify for the May 3 hearing by
Ranking Member Braley. He spoke in favor
of H.R. 1671, the ―Andrew Connolly Veterans’ Housing Act.‖ Connolly had many
months of difficulty and delay using the
adaptive housing grant after his diagnosis of
a tumor in his spinal cord. With the support
of Congressman Braley, he eventually
gained access to the housing grant. H.R.
1671 would extend the specially adapted
housing assistance to individuals residing
temporarily in housing owned by a family
member for five years. PVA supports the
extension of this benefit.
All four bills were voted out of the Subcommittee on May 5 and will soon be addressed
by the Full Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
COMPLETE STREETS LEGISLATION IN HOUSE
On May 5, Representatives Doris Matsui (DCA) and Steven LaTourette (R-OH) introduced the ―Safe and Complete Streets Act
of 2011‖ (H.R. 1780). H.R. 1780 would
help ensure safe travel for millions of Americans by directing states and regions to
adopt policies to provide for the needs of all
users of public transportation and public
rights of way, including people with disabilities.
The bill is based on successful state and
local policies that require every road project
to create a safer environment. A federal
provision would lead to policies in every
state and every Metropolitan Planning Organization that will transform transportation
planning practices to routinely provide for
everyone using the roadway —whether they
Page 14
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
are walking, pushing a wheelchair, using
canes or crutches, have sensory impairments, bicycling, driving, or catching the
bus or train. It will likely be folded into the
federal transportation authorization bill.
Complete Streets policies require accessible crosswalks with sufficient time to cross,
curbcuts, safe, even and wide sidewalks,
accessible bus stops, etc. Twenty-three
states and more than 200 regional and local
jurisdictions have adopted Complete
Streets policies to date.
H.R. 1780 was referred to the House Committee on Environment and Public Works.
A Senate version of the bill is expected
soon. Complete Streets Policy Analysis
2010: A Story of Growing Strength (http://
ww w.c omp lete stre ets .org/ webd ocs /
resources/cs-policyanalysis.pdf.)
SOCIAL SECURITY WEBINARS ON MAY 19 & JUNE 1
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities [CCD] Social Security Task Force is
sponsoring two Social Security webinars on
May 19 and June 1.
The webinar on May 19 is a basic "Social
Security 101" course to help participants
understand the importance of Social Security to people with disabilities. It will take
place from 1 to 3 pm EDT. To register
follow this link. Space is limited. Reserve
your May 19 webinar seat now at: https://
www3.gotomeeting.com/
register/560244470
This webinar will explain the basics of the
social insurance safety net that is created
by the Social Security retirement, disability,
and survivors programs. The webinar will
include information on the current design of
the programs, how the programs are funded, how workers are covered by paying into
the system, and how benefits help people
with disabilities, retired workers, their families and their survivors. This webinar will
also outline the general and mostdiscussed options for reforming Social Security to ensure its long-term solvency and
maintaining benefit adequacy. It will also
provide some basic principles through
which reform proposals can be evaluated.
The webinar on June 1 will also be broadcast from 1 to 3 pm EDT and builds on the
first webinar. It will explain the specific
reforms that have been proposed by organizations/commissions and those contained
in bills introduced by Members of Congress.
It will explain their likely effects on the solvency of the Social Security trust funds. A
primary focus of the webinar will be to examine the impact of these proposed changes on benefits received by program beneficiaries, specifically, how the proposals, if
implemented, would affect people with disabilities, the elderly, and families who rely on
the Social Security safety net. It will also
provide information on the response of the
national disability advocacy community to
the reform proposals. To reserve your webinar seat now for June 1 go to: https://
www3.gotomeeting.com/
register/594886950 Space is limited so
please register now.
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the webinar.
DOJ SIGNS AGREEMENT
WITH INDEPENDENCE,
KANSAS
On April 28, the Justice Department
reached an agreement with the city of Independence, Kansas through its Project Civic
Access program. This agreement is the
189th under the initiative. According to
census data, the city population is 9,846,
and 23 percent of Independence residents
have a disability.
Under the agreement, within three years,
Independence will:
Make physical modifications to facilities so
that parking, routes into the buildings, entrances, service areas and counters, restrooms, public telephones and drinking
fountains are accessible to people with
disabilities;
Survey other facilities and programs and
make modifications wherever necessary to
achieve full compliance with ADA requirements;
A toll free number is available if you cannot
participate without it. Please listen through
your computer or use the number provided
in the confirmation email you will receive if
you can. Email Lisa Ekman at [email protected] if your organization
cannot participate without a toll free number.
Ensure that buildings and outdoor facilities
built by or for the city comply with the ADA’s
architectural requirements;
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
REACHES ADA SETTLEMENT ON ACCESSIBLE LAW
SCHOOL APPLICATIONS
Begin the modifications to ensure equal,
integrated access to emergency management for individuals with disabilities, including emergency preparedness, notification,
evacuation, sheltering, response, clean up
and recovery;
In late April, the U.S. Department of Justice
reached agreement with Atlanta’s John
Marshall Law School and the Law School
Admission Council (LSAC) regarding accessibility of its online application service.
The online process, which is widely used by
many law schools, was not accessible to
individuals who are blind and use a screen
reader. As a result of these agreements,
LSAC’s online application service will modify its software and train its personnel, and
enable each law schools to insert specific
features using the accessible software.
Install signs at any inaccessible entrance
directing individuals with disabilities to an
accessible entrance; and
Publish a notice to inform members of the
public of the provisions of Title II and their
applicability to the city’s programs, services
and activities;
Implement a plan to improve the accessibility of city sidewalks and provide for the
installation of accessible curb ramps
throughout the city
This settlement can be found at: http://
www.ada.gov/independence_ks/
independenceks_sa.htm
Check Out! WWW. MY PVA.ORG
WASHINGTON UPDATE
Page 16
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Presidential
Volunteer
Service Awarded To Our
Own Jackie Childress
The most exciting thing in the volunteer world this
quarter was Mr. Jackie Childress was recognized by
the President of the United States for helping to address the most pressing needs in his community and
our country. He received the Presidential Volunteer
Service Award which was awarded to him at the VA
North Texas Health Care System Volunteer Recognition Celebration, April 18, 2011 at the Municipal Ballroom in Sherman Texas. Congratulations Jackie and
thank you for your service to our veterans.
The VA Hospital in Dallas SCI Internet Café (IC)
has been opened since the summer of 2010.
The IC is operated by SCI Volunteers MON –
FRI 10:00 am-2:00 pm.
Some days the IC opens early & stays open later.
The IC has 2 desktop computers with Internet
WiFi access, coffee machine with many favors,
bottled water, sodas & 52” flat screen for all
SCI patients, family members and staff.
We are located across from OT & PT if you
have appts.
please come by and visit us.
If you care to Volunteer contact the SCI ADMIN.
Office or the IC.
At this time all the Volunteer positions are filled
at the IC.
We want to thank the LSPVA for there help &
donations to the IC.I
SMILEY WALLACE
SMILEY WALLACE
214-704-9046
From Hunting Season To Fishing Season
By Jim Sifers
Well the regular hunting season is over
and fishing season is in. I want to thank
Tire Kingdom's World of Adventure for
annual duck hunting show in southeast
Texas for giving THE LONE STAR
CCHAPTER of PVA the opportunity to
promote ourselves this year as in the
past. Also I would like to thank Jon and
Tim Peters of PINTAIL OUTFITTERS
for their promotion of us and providing
the venue for the hunt.
The new season for the PVA BASS
Tour began in October and there has
currently been three tournaments. Congrats to those who have made a good
showing and best wishes for the follow-
ing journeys.
The next tournament will be held in
Illinois this month followed up by our
own hosted tournament on Ray Hubbard in Garland, Texas. The work that
goes into these venues are phenomenal but I know thru our chapter's dedication and Paul Offill's guidance we will
once again put on the greatest PVA
BASS tour of the year. While travelling
on the tour I have been approached by
many participants who cannot say
enough about how they look forward to
our hosted tournament.
If you are not involved with the chapter,
I highly recommend you begin because
it not only helps others but yourself as
well.
One last "HAT'S OFF" to our officers
and staff for their work and dedication
to our members!
See you on the water!
Page 17
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
NEW BENEFIT FOR CATASTROPHICALLY DISABLED EVALUATION
There are many veterans receiving medical
care from the VA Medical Center who struggle
to make co-payments for the medical care and
medications provided to them. That is why the
new law, which provides exempt status for
medications and medical services, is such
welcomed news.
Under Caregiver and Veterans Omnibus Health
Services Act of 2011, public Law 111-163
(2010). Section 511 of act added new section
1730A to Chapter 17 of title 38, United States
Code, which provides that catastrophically
disabled veterans are now provided exempt
status from copayments for hospital care and
medical services received at the VA Medical
Center, which include copayments for prescription drugs, is such welcomed news.
The key to obtaining the benefit is to request
appropriate assessment to be placed in category 4, which is reserved for veterans who are in
receipt of increased pension based on a need
of regular aid and attendance or by reason of
being permanently housebound, and other
veterans who are catastrophically disabled as
determined by VHA. Benefits of Priority 4
inclusion include elevation of the veterans’
existing enrollment priority status and the opportunity to enroll and receive VA healthcare
services for those who may otherwise be ineligible due to a Priority Group enrollment restriction. And now also provide exempt status
for medical services provided and prescription
drugs.
How Do I Get Enrolled?
Speak with your treating physician at your local
VAMC about the issue and request an evaluation to be rated catastrophically disabled. VA
Form 10-0383, Catastrophically Disabled Veteran Evaluation, may be initiated at the request of
the veteran, representative of the veteran, or
the facility.
Note: to be rated as catastrophically
disabled you must meet certain criteria.
Veterans are considered to be catastrophically
disabled who have a permanent severely disabling injury, disorder, or disease that compromises the ability to carry out the activities of
daily living to such a degree that the individual
requires assistance to leave the home or requires constant supervision to avoid physical
harm to self or others as defined by Title 38
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section
17.36 (e).
Catastrophically disabled (CD) means to have
a permanent severely disabling injury, disorder,
or disease that compromises the ability to carry
out the activities of daily living (ADL) to such a
degree that the individual requires personal or
mechanical assistance to leave home or bed or
requires constant supervision to avoid physical
harm to self or others.
If you have any questions about this article
contact your local PVA service officer or speak
with your treating VA physician or social worker
at your local VA Medical Center.
Timothy T. Hicks
National Service Office, PVA, Jackson, Ms
VARO
Greater Dallas Veterans Council
LSPVA has been proud members of the
greater Dallas veterans council since the
early 90's . The council is made up of
many different veterans organizations
such as Vietnam veterans, marine corp
leauge, American of foreign wars and
Disabled American Veterans to name a
few, it's mission is to protect the service
provided by the va to veterans. The
monthly General Membership Meetings
are attended by Delegates from the member Organizations, other interested parties and guests. All veterans are welcome at any meeting. The meetings are
held to disseminate and collect relevant
and current information. The meetings
are attended by senior staff from the VA
Medical Center (usually the Director) who
update us on current events at the VAMC
and respond to questions. Local events
of interest to veterans are also brought to
the attention of the Delegates..
We have seen many changes over the
years but The last four years the Greater
Dallas Veterans Council has been loosing
veterans organizations, they went from
being represented by 54 organizations to
only 24 probably due to the aging population of many of the organization. We really need to push for all veterans organiza-
tions to join together in the GDVC to continue to help the VA deliver quality care to
it's veterans. We especially need to call
into action the younger generation veterans it's their time to shine the older Veterans have really paved the way for the
newer OEF, IEOF veterans to receive the
quality of care that is now given at the VA
and it's up to the younger generation to
pave the way for those who will follow
after them.
To join please contact Martin visor at the
Dallas VA or call LSPVA for more information.
Page 19
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Top 10 Tips To Consider When Shopping
for Mobility Conversion Upgrades for 2010
By Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor
Submitted by United Access
These days, there is a wide variety of conversion options available for mobilitychallenged drivers and passengers who
seek to upgrade their vehicles. If you're
new to the world of mobility conversions,
stepping into a dealership can be an overwhelming experience. However, by doing
the proper research, you can acquire the
knowledge necessary to shop with confidence.
Below are 10 points to keep in mind when
shopping for conversion upgrades and
conversion vehicles. BraunAbility is the
world's largest provider of wheelchairaccessible minivans. The company's president, Nick Gutwein, was kind enough to
contribute to this article by sharing his insight.
Know your options. Thankfully, you have
many alternatives from which to choose
when it comes to mobility upgrades. You
could install a scooter lift on your vehicle
that lifts your scooter or chair and puts it in
the trunk. You could install seats that articulate and lift the driver into and out of the
vehicle. And of course, you could also opt
to convert your vehicle with a ramp for
wheelchair access. Which upgrade is best
for you? The answer will depend largely
upon just how mobile you are.
Tap your dealer's expertise. An informed
dealer can help you make sense of the
various choices available to you, and can
guide you toward the upgrade that best
suits your needs. "Maybe the most important thing is to have a local dealer who
understands your disability," says Gutwein.
"The dealer can help you decide whether to
go for a scooter lift, articulating seat or a full
van conversion."
Choose an accredited dealer. Mobility dealers differ from regular car dealers in that
they need to have 24-hour, 7-day-a-week
service capability; if your conversion vehicle
has a breakdown, your dealer is expected
to be on call to help you address the problem. The dealer's mechanics are also expected to have training that meets certain
standards. The National Mobility Equipment
Dealers Association (NMEDA) is an organi-
zation dedicated to advocating for the provision of safe, reliable modifications in the
conversion market. NMEDA offers a Quality
Assurance Program (QAP) that's the only
nationally recognized accreditation program
for the adaptive mobility industry. Dealers
who participate in the QAP must meet high
standards regarding the services that they
provide. Notes Gutwein: "If it's not a QAP
dealer, it's a crap shoot."
Know the value of experience. The industry
has a lot of people who do customized
conversions. You want to avoid someone
with a garage shop whose work in this segment is limited to three or four conversions
a year; it's very important to choose a dealer who has a history and track record of
performance. Look at the number of vans
they've converted. How big is the company? Do they have customer satisfaction
information? Is there data that shows that
customers who've bought from them are
happy with the product?
Get references. Dealers or manufacturers
should be able to provide you with recommendations of people who've purchased
from them in the past. Get in touch with
these references, and find out whether
they're happy with the service they've received.
Consider the warranty. If you're converting
a new vehicle for wheelchair access, you'll
want the conversion to offer the same warranty coverage that you get on the chassis:
If there's 3-year/36,000-mile coverage on
the chassis, for example, that's what you
should get on the warranty. Though not all
companies provide this, you'll get this level
of coverage from a handful of top-tier converters.
Get the right fit. If you're looking at potential
conversion vehicles, one of the most important things to consider is the fit. Is the
vehicle big enough, given your chair and
your size, for you to easily enter and move
around in? Also, is it big enough to accommodate the number of passengers that you
typically carry? For some, a smaller SUV
like the Honda Element will be large
enough to do the trick, while others may
have to opt for a minivan.
Decide whether you want a rear-entry or
side-entry modification. With conversion
vehicles, you'll have the option of having
your modification accommodate either rear
or side entry. In a side-entry van, you can
access both the mid-section and front of the
vehicle while remaining in your chair. With
rear-entry vans, you can typically only access the rear and mid-section of the vehicle
while remaining seated. How narrow is your
parking space? If you frequently face tight
parking spaces, you might be better served
by a rear-entry van. "Eighty-seven percent
of the market is side entry, but it's still an
important question," opines Gutwein.
Know the pros and cons of purchasing the
chassis separately versus buying the vehicle pre-made. If you're shopping for a conversion vehicle, you have the choice of
either purchasing the vehicle pre-made, or
buying a new chassis and then taking it to a
conversion shop. There are time savings
and convenience benefits associated with
buying the vehicle pre-made. However,
there may be cost savings associated with
buying the chassis separately, if you're able
to get a better deal from a non-mobilityfocused dealer.
Prepare for a long day. In the mobility market, the dealer works as a consultant, carefully analyzing your needs with the aim of
coming up with the product that represents
the best solution. As a result, the selling
process is typically a long one. Expect to
spend at least a few hours in the dealership. You can shorten the process by arriving at the dealership with a clear picture of
what your needs are, and what you'd like to
accomplish with the conversion.
Page 20
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Helping Patients to Walk Again: Nerve Regeneration
Researchers at Mayo have completed
animal studies that are the first steps in
showing that nerves can regenerate in the
spinal cord system. Anthony Windebank,
M.D., a neurologist, molecular neuroscientist, and director of Mayo's Molecular Neuroscience Program is co-principal investigator of the research team. Michael
Yaszemski, M.D., Ph.D., a spine surgeon
and chemical engineer who directs the
Tissue Engineering and Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory, is the other coprincipal investigator. In October 2003, the
research team received a $1.3 million
National Institutes of Health grant that
underscores the early success of their
animal studies. "I am optimistic that we will
be conducting human clinical trials within
ten years," says Dr. Windebank. "This
project is so exciting that I can't wait to get
into the lab."
Dr. Yaszemski agrees. "It is exciting to
imagine that we might make a contribution
to helping patients with SCI walk again,"
he says.
The research team that Drs. Windebank
and Yaszemski assembled for this project
is remarkable for the breadth of its collaboration. Areas involved include:
spinal cord system."
Department of Neurology
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Department of Neurologic Surgery
Summary
Department of Physiology and Biomedical
Engineering
Mayo Clinic researchers know that patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are
concerned with two main questions: Will I
walk again? Will I breathe by myself
again? This article describes Mayo Clinic
research efforts to, some day, allow physicians to be able to answer "Yes" to these
questions and to provide new treatments
for secondary problems that relate to SCI.
And it's about the teamwork Mayo's hallmark that's necessary to bring researchers
and physicians from a variety of disciplines
together so advances made in seemingly
unrelated labs can be accessed and modified to benefit each others' projects and,
more importantly, to benefit patients with
SCI.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology
Molecular Neuroscience Program
Biomedical Engineering Program
Tissue Engineering and Polymeric Biomaterials Laboratory
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
"We have developed the biotechnology
that supports nerve regeneration," says
Dr. Windebank. "And we've completed
animal studies that are the first steps in
showing that nerves can regrow in the
Applying Expertise Beyond the Scientist's Field
Dr. Windebank has devoted most of his
research career to understanding the
mechanisms of peripheral nerve disease.
He has extensive knowledge in how peripheral system Schwann cells stimulate
regeneration after injury and was well
aware that spinal cord nerve fibers also
have the capacity to regenerate, but that
many efforts have been thwarted by a
cellular process that inhibits regeneration
and promotes scarring.
Dr. Yaszemski is an expert in engineering
a variety of polymers that are used as
scaffolds to support new bone growth. He
is also a firm believer in research that is
initiated by patients who have a problem
that needs to be solved. As a spine surgeon, he is frustrated that the best he can
currently offer a person who comes in with
an acute spinal injury, is stabilization of the
bony spine that will allow the person to
function with paralysis.
In casual discussions the two physicians
wondered how they could synthesize their
combined clinical skills with their cellular
biology and engineering expertise and
launch an effort to help patients with SCI.
Just two years later, they began seeing
promising results in studies that evolved
from their collaboration.
The Project
Orthopedic surgeon, Bradford Currier,
M.D., and neurosurgeons Richard Marsh,
M.D., and Robert Spinner, M.D., help plan
experiments and keep the team focused
on translating the science to humans.
To simulate spinal cord injury a small section of a spine is surgically excised from an
anesthetized rat. It is replaced with a trellis-like, biodegradable, polymer scaffold
designed to anchor nerve cells, deliver
drugs that promote nerve regeneration,
and dissolve after a predetermined time to
make room for more nerve growth. The
goal is to produce a permissive environment that encourages the nerve cells to
grow in a predetermined direction.
"We're using polymer chemistry to find the
ideal combination of plastics," says Dr.
Yaszemski. "And we have designed and
Spinal Cord Research
constructed a variety of these mini scaffolds. Now we're ready to test them to find
the architecture that produces maximal
nerve growth."
Another variable is sorting out which compounds do the best job of promoting nerve
growth.
"We know that Schwann cells promote
nerve growth so we harvest them from the
peripheral nervous system and load them
into the polymer scaffold," explains Dr.
Windebank. "We also introduce neurotrophins - protein growth factors that promote
nerve growth by blocking natural cell
death. And we are experimenting with
compounds that inhibit scar formation."
Three months after they injected Schwann
cells into rat spinal cords, the research
team observed as many as 5,000 nerve
fibers growing throughout the length of the
polymer scaffolds. There are hundreds of
thousands of nerves in a normal spinal
cord but Dr. Windebank estimates that it
will be possible to restore function with ten
percent of the normal number.
Page 21
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
The Next Step
Helping Patients to Breathe by Themselves
While encouraged by their progress, Dr.
Windebank cautions that they must find a
way to guide nerve terminals to make
contact with the correct nerve ending before function can be restored.
Severe SCI leads to loss of neurological
function below the level of injury. When
the injury occurs high in the neck, it involves the upper cervical spinal cord and
quadriplegia results. When that happens,
the patient stops breathing and life can
only be sustained by artificial ventilation.
Such patients are far more concerned with
being able to breathe by themselves than
with being able to walk again.
"Thus far we've successfully implanted a
scaffold in animals, shown that it supports
and directs growth, and functions as a
delivery system for drugs," says Dr.
Yaszemski. "That says nothing about the
nerve fibers actually functioning."
Slobodan Macura, Ph.D., a biochemist
and an expert in nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy and spectroscopy,
helps investigators judge their progress by
producing images of the tiny polymer scaffold. Together with spectroscopy studies,
he is able to provide information on the
composition and concentration of metabolites in body fluids, cells, tissues, and organs.
Other basic scientists at Mayo are conducting research that may help when the
team is ready to begin the complex process of restoring function.
How Do Motoneurons Interact
with Muscle Fibers?
A motoneuron is simply a nerve with a
motor function. It extends out from the
spinal cord to innervate skeletal muscle
fibers. The drive to breathe resides in the
medulla, which is located in the lower
brain, while phrenic motoneurons that
control the diaphragm are located in the
lower cervical spinal cord. So when a patient sustains a severe injury to the upper
cervical spinal cord, the connection between the two vital locations is disrupted,
and the patient stops breathing.
Our rhythmic pattern of inspiration means
that phrenic motoneurons are active almost half the day, all day long, every day,
making them some of the most active
neurons in the body.
"When SCI imposes sudden and total
inactivity, phrenic motoneurons, diaphragm muscle fibers and the synapses
between them display plasticity - each
adapts to the change in activity," explains
Dr. Sieck. "To devise effective therapies,
therapies, such as more effective phrenic
nerve pacing. And Dr. Sieck's expertise
will be helpful when Drs. Windebank and
Yaszemski are ready to focus on coaxing
the new nerve terminals to find and connect with the right targets.
Gary Sieck, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, has earned continual funding
from the National Institutes of Health for
more than 18 years to conduct research
that may contribute to freeing people with
quadriplegia from being tethered to ventilators.
The nerve, the muscle, and the junction
that connects them, all exhibit degrees of
plasticity they adapt to accommodate
changing levels of activity. Dr. Sieck's Cell
Imaging and Physiology Lab studies the
plasticity of neuromotor control of the diaphragm muscle. Greater understanding of
this process could contribute to pragmatic
we must understand the basis for this
neural plasticity."
The Role of Neurotrophins in
Motoneuron Plasticity
While Drs. Windebank and Yaszemski
exploit neurotrophins because they help
generate nerve growth, Dr. Sieck is intrigued by their role in enhancing neuroplasticity.
The system involves brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and Neurotrophin
4 (NT4) neurotrophins that are mediated
through a receptor called tyrosine kinase
receptor B (TrkB). The receptor sets up an
intracellular signaling cascade that causes
changes in protein expression, which results in changes in the synapse.
"We've shown that BDNF and NT4 are
expressed in phrenic motoneurons and at
the neuromuscular junction," says Dr.
Sieck. "We know that the TrkB receptors
are present on both the pre- and postsynaptic side of the neuromuscular junction both neurons and muscle fibers. We
Spinal Cord Research
This cross section of a removed
polymer scaffold illustrates
(red-brown) nerve fibers regenerating in a rat spinal cord.
can enhance synaptic transmission by
treating the diaphragm and the nerves
with neurotrophins. Or we can hinder synaptic transmission by blocking the TrkB
receptors or the intracellular signaling
cascade induced by TrkB activation.
Clearly neurotrophins play a role in neuroplasticity."
Phrenic Nerve Pacing
In SCI, the phrenic nerve remains intact so
diaphragm muscle fibers can be stimulated to cause breathing.
"Surprisingly, the diaphragm muscle
doesn't atrophy with inactivity as limb muscles do," explains Dr. Sieck. "Since it's not
a weight-bearing muscle, it's assumed that
gravity exerts some trophic influence."
That's why patients who have been on
long-term mechanical ventilation can still
generate enough force to breathe when
phrenic nerves are electrically paced.
Unfortunately, it does not take long for the
diaphragm to become fatigued when the
phrenic nerves are stimulated.
Page 22
Dr. Sieck's research has contributed to
understanding the physiology of why that
happens knowledge that may lead to treatments that can lengthen the time a patient
can tolerate pacing.
Dr. Sieck's lab has shown that physiological and metabolic properties vary with
different types of diaphragm motor units.
Larger motor units are susceptible to fatigue and are recruited when the diaphragm needs greater force such as for
sneezing and vomiting.
"We have modeled how the nervous system controls motor unit recruitment during
different ventilatory and non-ventilatory
behaviors of the diaphragm," says Dr.
Sieck. "The problem with electrical pacing
is that fatigable types of motor units are
recruited before the most fatigueresistant ones so pacing studies
need to focus on finding ways to
encourage the normal recruitment
order."
In animal models, the Sieck lab transects half of the spinal cord at C2.
The rodents can still breathe because the phrenic nerve on the other
side remains intact. Interestingly, the
animals can still ambulate because
locomotor patterns are generated in
the spinal cord. So the only result of
the SCI is paralysis of the diaphragm
on the transected side. Then the lab
imposes different patterns of stimulation to try to simulate the normal recruitment order of motor units.
Collaboration with the Spinal
Nerve Regeneration Project
Mayo researchers devote much of their
time to educating future leaders in science
and educational duties frequently lead to
further scientific collaboration. For example, Drs. Windebank, Sieck and Yaszemski
are all members of the thesis committee of
a graduate student who is working on the
polymer scaffolds an activity that keeps
them abreast of each other's projects.
"Neuron target cell interactions have been
best characterized in the motoneuron muscle area," says Dr. Sieck. "Potentially, motoneurons can pick any muscle fiber they
want to innervate but they choose very
specific types of muscle fibers that express
the same contractile and metabolic pro-
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
teins. The same problem exists for nerve
axons in the spinal cord as they regrow
following SCI. As we increase our understanding of the mechanisms by which neurotrophins mediate neuron-target cell interaction, we can apply that knowledge to
developing therapies that will help Drs.
Windebank and Yaszemski to steer a newly regenerated nerve in the right direction."
Targeting Antibodies to Repair
the Myelin Sheath and to Promote Nerve Regeneration
Moses Rodriguez, M.D., a basic scientist in
the Department of Immunology, and a
neurologist in the Department of Neurology, has developed antibodies that may
play a critical role in repair of the myelin
bodies that promote remyelination will also
promote functional recovery."
In addition to the myelination projects, Dr.
Rodriguez's lab is now developing a whole
new set of antibodies that are specifically
targeted at nerve regeneration.
"We have characterized a series of two
monoclonal antibodies that are very effective in promoting neural outgrowth in tissue
culture," says Dr. Rodriguez. "We are very
excited about testing them in animal models."
Next Steps for the Demyelinating
Lab
While the nerve regeneration project is in
its early stages, the remyelination studies
are likely to lead to clinical trials in the near
future.
"We have secured patents and
worked with industry to purify the
antibodies and produce them in high
concentration," says Dr. Rodriguez.
"We are currently conducting toxicity
studies and could begin clinical trials
within a year."
As a neurologist, Dr. Rodriguez is
most excited that he is focusing on
research that could lead to noninvasive treatments for his patients.
sheath - the fatty insulation that surrounds
most nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
He is optimistic that a greater understanding of the mechanisms that promote remyelination will one day result in non-invasive
treatments that promote nerve repair.
Dr. Rodriguez directs the Demyelinating
Laboratory and has dedicated 20 years to
researching ways to promote nervous system repair. Though his primary interest is
multiple sclerosis, much of what he has
learned is applicable to SCI.
"Multiple sclerosis results from injury to the
myelin sheath and we have developed a
series of assays by which we can examine
how various antibodies directly stimulate
its repair," explains Dr. Rodriguez. "There's
strong pathological evidence that demyelination is the cause of dysfunction in many
SCI cases. And I believe that some anti-
Spinal Cord Research
"Seeing patients is a very strong
motivator for my research," says Dr.
Rodriguez. "It is very exciting to be
able to take our laboratory successes and
apply them to better care for our patients."
The Future of Spinal Cord Research at Mayo Clinic
Interest in spinal cord research is growing
at Mayo Clinic. Mayo has expertise in all
the right areas basic science, clinical studies, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
a highly specialized Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory, and a model system of
interdisciplinary collaboration to make a
significant contribution to SCI research that
can benefit patient care.
Mayo provides important base support for
SCI research projects by funding necessities not funded by external grants such as
space, infrastructure, microscopes, centrifuges, electrophysiological and other critical equipment.
Page 23
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Susan E. Ficklin
Abul Hayat
Rory E. Bandy
Robbie L. Green
O. H. Hubbard
Patrick D. Magee
David W. Pierce
Demetrio Lerma
Kenneth C. Mumford
Taylor W. Offill
Eugene Wash
Dan A. Narangi
Elic T. Knight
Clinton Rogers
David P. Self
Aubarey S. Vernon
Warren D. Inman
Daniel H. Shaffer
Buena Ventura Sandoval
Michael B. Silverstein
Charles J. Garvey
Edward A. Nierengarten
Tina A. Schaaf
David H. Bergeron
Bobby W. Johnson
Norman S. Ulmer
Michael N. Marcum
Joe A. Price
Samel E. Seidemann
Arthur W. Bauldwin
Russell K. Burleson
Arthur W. Schilling
Cristin Hartman
David E. Wall
Nancy E. Alexander
Jimmie L. Hart
Sharon M. Hunter
Lola W. Sanderson
Charles Carter
Richard K. Peterson
Jenise Peeples
Gavin A. Cox
Tammy S. Beeler
Ben E. Dobson
Robert E. Ross
Michael D. Coleman
Richard D. Conner
Randy E. Brown
Alberta Holloway
Hugh E. McGee
Cheryl D. Smith
Rickey L. Black
Henry J. Halverson
Alton L. Hallmark
Gary R. Ogburn
Clifton L. Howard
Karl L. Cromley
Cara L. Combs
Richard G. Naze
Claudia J. Offill
Ignacio Pabon
Paul P. Pluimer
Jose E. Molinary
Ken W. Frosch
Phillip N. Smith
Michael R. Comer
Paul W. Crawford
Thomas R. Croxell
James E. Hodges
G. Neil Adams
Jack D. Franklin
Jennifer Y. Lyons
Robert W. Pustejovsky
Joe Traylor
Joe M. Royal
Lorraine P. Swann
Richard T. Thomas
Alton Timm
Jerry Hinkle
Ronald L. Cyrus
Bertha E. Johnson
Albert V. Patlan
Thomas J. Cummings
David P. Goodwin
Dennis W. Seagroves
Leonard W. Brown
James T. Murphy
Tommy L. Wise
Commodore P. Keyes
Dean I. Menzies
Robert L. Murray
Ross A. Temple
Russell J. Amaya
Brian F. Duffy
Terry L. Keller
Jay D. Neumann
Buddy C. Rogers
Jessica E. Swanson
Charles L. Biggs
Jackie L. Childress
Elbert (Don) D. Coxsey
Hollie L. Dragoo
Stanley L. Hopson
Dorothy M. Marshall
Ron L. Sykes
Jack C. Barber
Frances E. Hill
Bruce A. Saulsberry
Jerry G. Stevens
Alfred D. Coe
Tommie R. Daniels
Billy C. Moon
Dorothy F. Walker
Ronnie U. Powell-Wade
Carroll R. Fuller
Darrell W. Madison
Angus M. McDonell
James B. Ralston
Arnold R. Harris
John Potter
Tony R. Taylor
Charles (Tom) Tracy
Jeffery K. McGee
Paul Parker
Martha A. Phillips
Steve E. Ehlert
James A. Lewis
Melvin L. Mosher
Paul E. McDougald
Tammy V. McIntyre
Robert E. Wallace
Paul E. Williams
Chiletha L. Harmin
Paul R. Ward
Joanna Luster
Kerry R. Morris
Lloyd R. Burris
Johnny Avery
Charles J. Behrends
Mamie L. Carter
Marvin O. Crawford
Michael R. Tully
Phillip S. Ross
Tyrone D. Foreman
Richard J. Holmes
Sgt. Gail I. Steen
Debbie A. Aulenbacher
Claudia Beltram
Charles W. Cooper
Richard E. Grozier
Cruz Martinez
John A. Roller
Johnny Boyer
Charles W. Brannon
Timonthy A. Crosby
Page 24
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Page 25
Page 26
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Page 27
26
Word Find &
Self Directed Activities
Chapel Service
10:00
Family Visits
Puzzle Books &
Self Directed Activities
Chapel Service
10:00
Family Visits
Chapel Service
10:00
Family Visits
Soldiers’ Angles 2-4pm
Cross Word &
Self Directed Activities
12
19
Chapel Service
10:00
Family Visits
Trivia &
Self Directed Activities
27
20
13
6
TR Staff Mtg 1-2pm
Volunteer Snacks &
Visits noon-2pm,
Outing 3pm and/or
Evening Games
TR Staff Mtg 1-2pm
Volunteer Snacks &
Visits noon-2pm,
Outing 3pm and/or
Evening Games
TR Staff Mtg 1-2pm
Volunteer Snacks &
Visits noon-2pm,
Outing 3pm and/or
Evening Games
TR Staff Mtg 1-2pm
Volunteer Snacks &
Visits noon-2pm,
Outing 3pm and/or
Evening Games
June
National Month of:
Perennial Gardening
Professional Wellness
Rebuild Your Life
June
National Month of:
National Rose
National Safety
Steakhouse
5
Mon
Sun
VA Movie Program: Channel 17 (movies rotated weekly).
Movie #1: 8:00 am, 3:30 pm and 11:00 pm
Movie #2: 10:30 am and 6:00 pm
Movie #3: 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm
Veterans’ Voices Magazine –write poems and articles
Music Lessons: Mon 10:15-11:15 by appointment.
Free TX Talking Books Program: Ph: 1-800-252-9605
28
21
14
7
SCI PVA BBQ at noon
in the SCI Dining Room
Wii Games
NVWG Practices:
Air Rifles
10-11am and 1-3pm
(or 1:1s)
Crafts 9am-noon
Consults or 1:1s
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
Leisure Education/
Community Resources
Consults and 1:1s
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
Gardening Class
Noon in the Atrium
Consults or 1:1s
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
Leisure Education/
Community Resources
www.riseadventures.org
www.turningpointnation.org
Programs for individuals
with physical disabilities
Tue
29
22
15
8
Pet Therapy 2 pm
Treatment Team 1-3 pm
Peer Partner Mtg 3pm
Special Forces &
ROTC Bingo & Dinner
5-9pm
Out Patient Consults
Treatment Team 1-3 pm
FIMS Training 8-noon
IT –Hollodeck
Books on Tape Program
Treatment Team 1-3 pm
SCI Meeting 3pm
Crafts 9am-noon
Pet Therapy 2 pm
Out Patient Consults
Treatment Team 1-3 pm
Crafts 9am-noon
Books on Tape Program
1 Treatment Team 1pm
Pet Therapy 2 pm
Marine Corps
League 6:30
Longhorn Detachment
ALA 81 Bingo at
Community Center 7pm
Wed
Thu
30
Crafts 9am-noon
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
Pre-4th of July BBQ
SCI Gym 11am-1pm
Games 2-3pm
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
NVWG Practices:
Air Rifles & Table Tennis
10-noon and 1-3pm
(or 1:1s)
23
NVWG Practice
in Fort Worth or
Games on Unit
Patient Assessments
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
1:1 Visits
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
Games on Unit
Gardening Activity in Greenhouse by apt
Family Conferences
11 am and/or 1pm
NVWG Practices:
Air Rifles & Table Tennis
10-noon and 1-3pm
3pm NVWG PVA Mtg
16
9
2
Ask CTRS for a listing of community resources
Recreation Therapy -SCI
June 2011
9am-11am
Racer Training
Spruce High School
or on unit activities
Outing or 1:1s
9am-11am
Racer Training
Spruce High School
or on unit activities
Outing or 1:1s
Library Visits
or on unit games
Practice Billiards in
SCI dining room pm
CTRS off
CTRS off
Practice Billiards in
SCI dining room pm
Peer Partner
Discussion noon
Community Resources:
www.pva.org
Click under Sports
& Recreation
24
17
10
3
Fri
25
18
11
4
VA Move Program:
Nutrition and
Weight Management
Classes
Please call CTRS
FMI at 214-857-1794
)
Self Direct
Activities
Work on Crafts
& Family Visits
Request a Pass
to Ride the Dart
with Family
Pet Therapy
10:00 am
Outing:
PVA Fishing at
Lake Ray Hubbard
Hobby Crafts 9-noon
Turning Point
Extravagenza
Outing
Family Visits
& Self Directed
Activities
Sat
VA Chapel Schedule:
Fridays: Catholic Mass 10:30 am
Sundays: Spiration: 10:00 am, Worship: 1015 am
Services are televised on channel 18.
Visit the VA Library: call x71251 for same day apt.
VA Hobby Craft Hours of Operation, Room 115 x76544:
Tues and Thur Crafts Workshop 9:30 am-11:30 am
Page 29
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
ACROSS
1. Rest here please, abbr.
4. The compass point that is one point
south of southeast
8. A French abbot
12. Own (Scottish)
13. A sword similar to a foil but with a
heavier blade
14. River in South Africa
15. A way to decree
17. __ Spumante (Italian wine)
18. A group of similar things ordered one
after another
19. Network of nerves
21. Alligator
23. Dish
26. Part with
29. Fulmination
31. Turn tail
32. African cape
33. The compass point that is one point
east (clockwise) of due north
34. A way to vanish
36. Crinkle
37. In a way, fed
38. Stake
40. Turkish leader title
42. Spoke
46. Staff of life
48. Coil
50. A way to squeeze
51. Clupeid
52. Queen of Scotts
53. Surrender
54. Hosiery
55. Born of
DOWN
1. Letters of the alphabet
2. Rich person
3. Person
4. More dried-up
5. Shows
6. Article of furniture
7. Visionary
8. A visible personification of an abstract quality
9. An imaginary line or standard by which things are
measured or compared
10. Eutherian11. __ Lilly, drug company
16. Food grain
20. This (Spanish)
22. About
24. Swedish rock group
25. A way to view
26. In a way, left
27. __ Shankar, Indian musician
28. Exhaled
30. Tumours
32. Sacred writing
35. A way to diverge36. A space reserved for
sitting
39. Business
41. Cincture
43. Sir in Asia
44. Bulky grayish-brown eagle
45. Sandy piece of seashore
46. Beginning military rank
47. Wrath
49. The 17th letter of the Greek alphabet
Page 30
LONE STAR PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAN MAGAZINE
Chicken Fajitas with Spice Rub
Ingredients
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1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
and tossed in 1 teaspoon of
lime juice
Salsa
Sour cream
Fresh ciliantro, chopped
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken
breasts, cut in half
1 small red or yellow pepper,
sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 8-inch flour tortillas
Instructions
Place your toppings (avocado, salsa, sour cream and cilantro leaves) in separate bowls
and set them on your table.
Next, make the rub. Combine the cumin, chili powder, oregano, and salt in a shallow
bowl. Lightly rub the spices into the chicken with your fingertips until the meat is coated
on all sides. Heat your grill to medium. Grill the chicken on both sides, just until cooked
through, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, slice thinly, and set it on a platter.
While the chicken is cooking, toss the pepper and onion in the olive oil. Set them on the
grill, using a vegetable screen, if desired, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, turning once. Remove from the heat and set on the platter with the chicken.
Place the tortillas on the grill for 5 to 7 seconds on each side, turning with tongs, until
hot. Set out the grilled chicken, pepper, and onion with the toppings and tortillas. Let
guests assemble and roll their own fajitas. Serves 4 to 6.
Page 31
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE
Lemon Pudding Cake
Ingredients
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CAKE
1/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
(optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
STRAWBERRY SAUCE
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries,
sliced
1 tablespoon strawberry jam
1 tablespoon sugar
Whip up a zesty, double-layer dessert. This suncolored cake emerges from the oven with a sweet
surprise: a layer of lem-ony pudding at the bottom.
Instructions
First, put a kettle of water on to boil and heat the oven to 350º F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, lemon zest if you're using it, lemon
juice, egg yolks, and the flour. Stir in the milk. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites
with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into an 8-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray, then set
the pan inside a 9- by 13-inch pan. Fill the larger pan halfway with boiling water, then
place the nesting pans in the oven (a parent's job). Bake until the top is golden, about
30 minutes.
Remove the smaller pan from the water and let it cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
Cut the cake into 6 servings and top with strawberry sauce (mash 1 cup of the strawberries, the jam, and the sugar in a large bowl, then stir in the remaining berries).
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