I just found out last night and I am pretty disturbed by it. A very good friend of mine has recently moved back in the area. To find out he is dying from Liver disease. Not much time left in his precious life that he has only had for 60 years.

Disturbing part is, he is a Veteran of Vietnam. Served his country, you would think he would be eligible for a transplant through the V.A....Not! Because it was diagnosed by alcohol abuse. No doubt he was a drinker, maybe excessive as well. But when it came to his kids and family as a whole, he always did the right thing. He genuinely is a great man, maybe the binge drinking originated from the war?

Anyway, moral of the story is this, regardless of the situation, our Veterans should ALWAYS be taken care of, and to even know that over 30% of the homeless population are also Veterans? Something is just wrong with that...

I agree

i suffer wth severe chronic pain from endometriosis, and addisons, and bladder problems. the days when the pain is so bad i cant walk, i always think im lucky, and there always someone worse of than me,atleast im alive. so yes your totally correct.

sorry about your friend people just don't care anymore and its sad because they have no idea what they went threw in that war

Thanks!

Even worse, he is moving to my good friends house. We are going to help him as much as we can, chances are we are just going to watch him die. At least he will be with people that care about him and respect him for what he did....He said he just wants to die with his close friends....At least he has accepted it and I can only hope it's peaceful....

don't discount the chemicals in the war that was used also .. My Uncle was in Vietnam and he's had many problems associated with Agent Orange.
But that aside .. I agree our Vets who agree to put their lives on the line for US should be better treated by US.
Prayers for your friend and his family~

I agree that the US should take care of their Vets. If this guy is only 50 he didn't serve in Vietnam.

Glad you caught that..Typo..."60"

The fact that he is a vet should not qualify him for a transplant when the cause of his liver disease is self-induced. There is little chance he would stop drinking if he received a new liver, thus destroying the donated one.

I am truly sorry about your friend. We all make choices in life for which there are consequences.

As entitled to your opinion as you are, I disagree with the fact that he should not be entitled. He served his country and they should help him..Period.

Contrary to your opinion, he has been clean for 6 months.

It is not necessarily my opinion but the opinion of those who qualify people for transplants.

Are you saying that because we serve our country it should negate personal choices that result in negative consequences?

Because a vet robs a bank, should he not go to jail because he is a vet?

Rules/Laws/Policies are made for the good of the whole, not the individuals. If your friend should be rewarded for poor choices it would prevent someone else from receiving a liver.

Once again, I am truly sorry for your friend but there are many sides to each situation.

I should add I am very sympathetic to the strife of many vets. I am the child of a career military officer who also served in Vietnam.

I agree with you. Our veteran's do not get the respect they deserve. They are the reason we have freedom and protection in this Country. The government does not give a Damn.

God Bless All The Veteran's

To compare a bank robberer, or one to perform a "crime" to one that had an alcohol problem is a stretch. Yes, this man drank..to ridicule him for that is simply unfair. He was not a menace to society in any fashion. He never drove when drinking, he stayed home. He worked hard to support his family and was sober in any relations to his family. It was an addiction and he has done the right thing to correct it, unfortunately it's to late.

None of us can speculate to what they encountered in that War, any war for that matter. Unless we have personally been there. Simply said, the mental condition of these men amd women that served in these wars have been affected. Is it right? Not saying yes or no, I just know it's reality and our men and women should be taken care of if they were a good citizen

It was not my intention to ridicule, nor melign your friend. If that is the way it appeared, I appologize. I'm sure he was a wonderful person. I don't make the rules. If I did, then I would require everyone to be an organ donor. Since that is not the case, donated organs are unavailable to all who need them.

May I ask what accountability you feel your friend DOES have in his situation?

Well, he "is" a wonderful person. He is still among us at this time. The OP was pretty clear in saying he served his country and the Veterans dont get treated as I feel they deserve. Then adding to your one of your opinions he was a good citizen as well and never was a menace in any fashion, only to himself with his addiction.

I just received a very nice email from someone who was is a veteran as well. Adding that there is a disorder out there that can be related to his as and effect from the war. The accoutability would be simply he served our country, fought in a war to protect "us". Being he put his life on the line for us, he deserves to be treated as a normal veteran regardless

every time i hear where the vets get sh-t on like that.I think of whatRambo said in one of his movies.they asked what he wont'ed? and he said was,that they wont'ed our Country to love them as much as they loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I only used the word "was" in reference to your past-tense qualifiers. I am not discounting his contributions to our country, for which I am very grateful. I have always felt veterans do not get the respect nor post-service care they diserve. Throughout my life I have volunteered in military and VA hospitals and have seen it firsthand. I am not trying to sway your opinion in any way. I am merely stating that every one of us has personal accountability for our actions.

That I do agree with, not that it's fair..but it is reality

Maybe we should start a thread/movement to encourage everyone to be an organ donor. If you do wish to be an organ donor be sure to inform your family and physician. Many states offer the option to designate on your driver's liscense.

Maybe this way organs will be available to any and all who need them.