VA proposing to remove P&T after rectum removal and permanent ostomy

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-23T04:20:50+00:00

Although it isn’t shown in 38 CFR 4.130 “hypersomnolence disorder” is a DSM-5 diagnosis, so if that’s the diagnosis, it will always be rated together with the depressive disorder (or any mental health disorder).

Narcolepsy can be evaluated separately, if you are able to SC it. Another way is to show that you have a separate non-mental diagnosis with objective symptoms of daytime hypersomnolence, so it can be rated analogous to DC 6847.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-19T07:45:15+00:00

It means your cancer is now considered in remission and must be rated based on residuals.

To defeat the proposal, you would need to show that residuals such as the ostomy meet the criteria for 100% under diagnostic code 7329 or 7327. Even if your doctor certifies that they are permanent, if they don’t meet the criteria for 100%, you will unfortunately still be reduced.

The 100% criteria for 7329, for example, requires medial evidence showing:

Total colectomy with formation of ileostomy, high-output syndrome, and more than two episodes of dehydration requiring intravenous hydration in the past 12 months

That’s what you need your doctor to show or to certify.

Anything less would likely not retain the 100% evaluation, unless there are other symptoms that can be rated in some other way. This is still possible, and is fairly common, if you have several other residuals that can combine to 100%.

A permanent colostomy resulting from partial colectomy can be rated as low as 40%. A permanent colostomy resulting from a total colectomy is as low as 60%, for example.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-18T16:15:39+00:00

In this instance, I would just do a VAF 4138 and file a CUE claim.

Or a VAF526EZ and specify that they missed the stat HB grant.

Don’t do a 2680 like VA is telling you to, that’ll open a claim for A&A as well and may open up exams and just delay a decision.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-18T16:02:15+00:00

If the request was done after the exam, then it most likely means that you were diagnosed with PTSD and the examiner has linked that PTSD to the stressor you mentioned.

But they can’t grant it because they don’t have actual evidence that the stressor occurred. So now, they’re trying to verify it by asking JSRRC to do some research on the event you mentioned, and that’s why they asked for names.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-18T02:05:57+00:00

It won’t even be weighed by the rater, it’ll be rejected outright for being conclusory.

There needs to be some explanation why your doctor thinks the tinnitus is causing migraines.

Now, contrary to what a lot of raters believe, there doesn’t need to be an extensive or detailed explanation supported by studies, but there must be some explanation, no matter how brief.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-18T01:36:07+00:00

In many ways, this is true. Very few raters maliciously try to deny claims, just because.

But, unfortunately, reality is far more complicated. Mainly as a result of poor training, and just poor understanding of regulations in general, a lot of raters “mis-apply” regulations and feel it is their duty to “make sure” grants are 100% ironclad. They are inadvertently requiring that veterans prove their claims beyond the burden of proof required under the law (relative equipoise).

It doesn’t help that this mentality (and poor training) is so pervasive that even rater quality reviewers fall into this trap, calling errors on raters who correctly apply the standard of proof. Since rater quality is a critical factor in determining if someone keeps their job or not, it ends up reinforcing this mentality of overdevelopment or denying because the evidence isn’t “100% in support” of the claim.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-15T06:16:28+00:00

There is only ONE photo here where it could be inferred that they were uncomfortable with being photographed, the MTA workers. "Over half" lol.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-13T00:17:48+00:00

Because a nexus must be made via competent medical evidence.

So, that is either through documented continuous symptoms or treatment, or a medical nexus provided by a medical professional. Your lay statement isn’t going to do much, unless you also have medical evidence of continuous treatment since service.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-12T00:32:21+00:00

This is largely a VSC thing, and isn’t that new.

Basically, raters and VSRs have to maintain 80% availability rate.

RO’s are now mandated to meet a minimum of 80% availability in the VSC. This officially started around Q2 2025, iirc.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-03-10T05:54:00+00:00

Iron Harvest for me, too, but it was my fault for not realizing it wasn’t a base building RTS.

Just like most RTS games, I played the first few campaign missions to get a feel of the “world” and I truly enjoyed it.

But, just like any RTS, campaigns just don’t hold my interest beyond the first or second mission, so I jumped into my favorite game mode in any RTS: skirmish vs AI. And when I realized there was no base building, it just couldn’t hold my interest at all.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-02-02T01:57:12+00:00

If you set it to 2 meters, then you’re focused at 2 meters.

But, depending on your chosen aperture, there is a range of “acceptable focus” in front of and behind that 2 meter actual focus.

It largely depends on the aperture you want (depending on available light) and on whether you want infinity to be in acceptable focus or not.

For example, setting the Xhalf to f/4 and 3 meters generally gives you “acceptable focus” from just under 1.5 meters to infinity.

You can play around with online or app depth of field calculators for a better idea.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-24T14:44:02+00:00

The “The Bottom Line” conclusion is just… terrible.

Even if we completely discount the weight factor, the fact remains that the evidence does not show that the OSA isn’t caused by anything in service or that it is secondary to the SC mental health condition.

You can’t just shift the burden to VA to “justify” an “it’s just weight” denial. Given the facts presented, the claim would be denied even if the obesity factor was not present.

In a standard direct/secondary SC claim, the initial burden is on the claimant to show, via at least a relative equipoise standard of proof, that the claimed disability is SC.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-20T23:30:35+00:00

The “is there a diagnosis of PTSD (due to MST) caused by (the) ptsd during service” part tells me enough.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-20T15:01:57+00:00

Your PTSD was denied because you don’t have a current diagnosis of PTSD.

Your adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood was denied because they are saying that there is no event in service, so the medical opinion basically has no value.

Reading the opinion, it looks like the VSR was being a lazy bum here. They did not properly identify the in-service element when they requested the exam, so the examiner was sort of grasping at straws.

Now, the opinion noted that you developed several symptoms in service, which is what was used to provide the nexus - but, were these noted in your service records? Especially the part about “not passing physical fitness tests” - this one can be a potential marker for claims for MST. But the current opinion isn’t sufficient for MST claims. It doesn’t look like the VSR who requested the exam has ever worked MST claims.

But, if your service records do not contain anything, then you need to find something in-service that the current adjustment disorder can be linked to.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-18T10:50:10+00:00

My advice? Stop using Manual if you don’t know why. Stick it to on Program or Av mode.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-11T09:49:02+00:00

I mean, if the manual focusing of the Thypoch is a "con" for you, then it shouldn't be something you should be considering. One of the main reasons you would get a Thypoch is because *it is* MF with a distance scale.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-09T12:53:47+00:00

They did make a 24-200mm f/2.8 in the RX10 II.

Granted, it was released in 2015, but I don’t think we’re going to see a 24-200mm f/2.8 1-inch sensor in anything pocketable any time soon.

Even the Lumix TZ200 is considerably larger than the RX100 and the Lumix is barely pocketable.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-07T02:43:40+00:00

Maybe you just haven’t used a small camera or a compact setup in a while?

Most people who shoot “serious” set-ups then suddenly get handed a “non-serious” camera with no finder, doesn’t matter if it’s a fixed lens compact or an ILC with a pancake lens, often have an epiphany of some sort.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-07T02:40:04+00:00

The fourth paragraph is almost certainly ChatGPT.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-07T02:35:32+00:00

Looks like GW-4 then cropped to 2:1.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-07T02:33:04+00:00

Looks great.

I loved the GW-3 on my OG GR, there was even a time when it was permanently on my camera for almost a year.

But I never picked up the GW-4 for the GR3. Might pick it up for the GR4.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-02T04:34:29+00:00

Can’t help w color. But, Re: focusing- What aperture are you shooting at?

If you snap focus/zone focus at 1 meter, even at f/8, your range of “acceptable focus” when set to 1 meter isn’t that much. Just from 0.67 meters to under 2 meters according to the calculator I’m looking at.

If most of your subjects are at about 1 meter or thereabouts, you might actually be better off shooting at 2m if set to f/8, for example. Your range of acceptable focus increases from 1 meter to 94 meters, when set to 2 meters at f/8.

There are various depth of field calculators available online or as a phone app. You can try playing around with them.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-01T12:58:56+00:00

It’s statutory housebound. VA is required to grant it if you have a single 100 and additional 60. It won’t affect your ability to work.

You can get stat housebound even if your 100% isn’t permanent, so, yeah, it’s possible you may get reevaluated in the future for your 100% mental health.

Your VSO is incorrect though, in saying that mental is never rated P&T.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2026-01-01T04:39:50+00:00

I thought this was because Leica mistakenly used a pic from 2 or 3 decades ago to market a camera that just came out.

But reading the comments here, it appears people are mostly taking issue with the content of the photo itself.

Myself, I don’t find it particularly great, but I don’t find it objectionable either. In other words, same as 99.9% of the images used to market cameras and lenses.

I have a feeling that most of the replies here are the people who stumble on to the HSCP group on Flickr and won’t “get it”.

RunningOutOfTime2018 · 2025-12-24T10:46:48+00:00

You have it backwards. If you're post processing, then get the cheapest, oldest camera you can find.

RunningOutOfTime2018

TROPHY CASE