KERRY  Should but I am not too sure,
The Naval Hospital who missed the thing while I was in, then after the
VA found it the Naval Hospital Mis Diagnosed it, I am about to send it
to all the MEDIA I don't want to sue I just want to be able to be
treated by a Doctor that has his head on right and not right up his own
tail like the one at the Naval Hospital here in Portsmouth Virginia.
Makes me even madder when I think I served 24 and a halve years in the
Navy and this is how I am treated by Navy Medicine.  I just want
treatment that I can rely on. I will send the whole thing out here but
some will think it is crazy.

Here it is

4 May 2004

On 22 August 2003 I had a retirement Physical at Boone Medical Clinic
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Virginia, Complained about cough and
was told after chest X-Ray that I had extreme allergies and was placed
on FLONAISE, ZYRTEC also was told X-Ray was clear.
On 13 January 2003 During a Physical for the V A for disabilities
During normal Chest X-RAY discovered Tumor lower left lobe.
On 16 January reported to Naval Hospital in Portsmouth Virginia for
follow up on the tumor. LT. Anderson family clinic ordered a CT Scan
On January 19 2004
1st CT Scan Performed by Portsmouth Naval Hospital Tumor Left Lower Lobe
confirmed
1.5inch by 1.7 inch about the size of golf ball. Was referred to
Pulmonary Clinic
23rd January 1st Pulmonary Visit
Performed PFTS Passed good lung capacity and strength
Dr. Perri goes over CT Results and states only thing
Seen in CT is the LLL and if this is Lung cancer it is stage 1
Quick fix cut it out and be done with it.
Set up Needle Guided Biopsy for the 30th of January
30 Jan 2004
CT Guided Needle Biopsy Failed - Pneumothorax
Chest Tube inserted in hospital for 4 days
From the 1st to the 5th February multiple Chest X-RAYS, But no one tries
to perform another Needle Biopsy.
5 February Discharged from Hospital, was told had several  appointments.
13 February
Nuclear Medicine Stress Test Heart
Normal Results
Last Pulmonary Visit
I told how frustrated I was about the delay in getting back information
On the status of anything. Was told 6 to 8 weeks delay would not change
the outcome or treatment.
17th February
Pet Scan performed at Positron Emission Tomography Hampton Roads.

20th February 11:00 was frustrated due to hospital having results from
Pets can but refusing to explain findings until Wednesday following
week. Called and complained to Hospital  was told over the phone you
have cancer just like you thought. Was still told Doctor will go over
results more with you on Wednesday. Aprox 15 minutes later received call
from hospital informing me the Dr. can see me then if I could make it in
.
20th February 13:00 Dr. Roberts
States as you know you have lung cancer in your  left lung and this spot
here shows up as being lung cancer also You are at stage 4 and surgery
will do no good. But
I will send this to the Tumor board on Monday at 3 PM.
Me and my wife  ask how this got to stage 4 was told it is in the blood
stream and grew else where. When ask how we know the LLL is cancer he
states Biopsy we informed him the last biopsy failed they never got any
tissue he states someone got some tissue. He states he will present to
tumor Board but will be at least until Tuesday before I hear anything.
Left Hospital me and my wife cried all the way home, 30 minutes after
arriving home receive call from Dr. Roberts (he states the  biopsy on
the 30th was in fact a failure they had no tissue and I will have to go
thru another one on the right side before he can say that have cancer or
what stage I am at. Monday morning receive call from Naval Portsmouth
Hospital asking me to come in on Wednesday.  
Wednesday 25 February 10:00 Dr. Roberts tell me he wants to admit me to
the hospital on Friday and cut my lower left lobe out and six weeks
after that he wants to cut my right center lobe out and reattached the
lower right lobe,  then we set back and wait if nothing else shows up I
am in the clear.  However when he states when he  cuts me open if he
finds something else he may have to take my whole left lung out or just
sew me back up and forget it.  When ask about another needle biopsy he
states no one at the Hospital will do one because of the last failed
attempt they do not have the skill needed to perform one.  When ask
about a referral to get one out on town so insurance will cover it as my
PCP suggested he states there is someone in San Diego at the Naval
Hospital that could do it. Then when ask about a referral to be treated
else where so they could do it or about seeing a Lung Cancer Specialist
he states he is a lung Dr. and if he thought he could send me else where
and I could receive treatment that he could not give he would.
               I told the Dr. I needed time to think about the
operations he tells me you have until tomorrow morning I am on leave
Friday for two weeks and I would not even be here than except I want to
treat you, and when I return from leave I have other patients that I
need to see.  
          I declined the treatment and inform his nurse in the morning
I start to search for a second opinion.  I go to the University of
Virginia and the Dr. there gives me a physical and suggest I get another
PET/CT scan to see what they can Biopsy and to see is it has spread
anywhere other than the lungs, my primary care manager is called and a
referral is put in however Portsmouth Naval Hospital radiology did not
and will not approve the referral. ( because I already had a CT/ PET
SCAN
                The UVA tells me because of no referral this would be
at Point of Service charge and could cost up to $8000 so they recommend
they attempt a needle Biopsy with out the Scan. A biopsy on the Left
lung is set up for the 16th of March 2004 so they can at least diagnose
and set up treatment.
I decide to go to the hospital and file a formal complaint with the
patient affairs office.  CDR Padrazza talks to me, I  inform him of the
situation up to before the biopsy.
                A biopsy is performed with no problems and I received
the results on the 23rd of March, I was told what they found in the left
lung was in fact not cancer but a Granuloma a Benign Tumor. An
additional Biopsy needs to be performed on the right lung and is set up
for the 26th of March.
    The Biopsy on the 26th of March  on the right side shows that I
have Lymphoma, and again because I have no Referral it is a Point of
Service.
My problem is I have lost all confidence in the Naval Hospital and I
keep asking them to release me and give me a referral to the U VA so I
can recieve treatment at cost of insurance but they will not so I have
to pay out of pocket. The UVA is a network provider and so is the Dr. I
am seeing as it is I have to pay out of pocket which will be
unbelievable high Naval Portsmouth Hospital seem not to want to help me
with this.  After the misdiagnosis and the poor treatment I feel it is
the lest they could do is allow me to be seen by someone willing to
treat me for what needs to be treated.
I could not get any of the requested referrals approved from them and
two of the requested referrals they actual set on until after the
scheduled date or just refused to approve..  I have contacted Tricare my
insurance company and they state if the hospital releases me it would be
covered and if they put in a retro referrals the previous visits would
be covered.  
I have already spoken to Portsmouth  Naval Hospital Customer/ Patient
Relations to a CDR Padrazza and told him everything with the exception
of the last Biopsy findings and he too seemed that referring me to the U
VA is out of the Question but he thought he could send me to Walter Reed
or Maryland because U VA is too far away???  CDR Padrazza stated to me
over the phone U VA is out of the Cachement area.  I am too scared to
let the Navy work on this after the previous performance. One other
thing in April 2002 a LCDR Fox in the Emergency room Portsmouth Naval
Hospital during a normal Chest X-Ray because I had breathing problems
wrote in his findings about the Tumor but never relayed the information
to me or suggested I be treated for anything.  I have recently contacted
Tricare to see if any referral was made and still no referral is in the
system.  
    I have already had one Chemo-Treatment and schedules for the 2nd
on 5 May 2004.
    I am starting to receive the Bills from my treatment, this is an
outrage, I can not seem to obtain the required referrals, and it seems
both Tricare and the Naval Hospital seem to think I should be treated by
the same people who misdiagnosed me.
    I have contacted both my congressman and Senator along with a
lawyer to try and get this worked out, I am making one last ditch effort
to settle this before they all get involved.

4 May 2004
Received Email from a Mr. Richard Humphery of TRICARE he stated BCAC and
Portsmouth Naval should be able to give me the referral I need gave me
contact number for BCAC Portsmouth, again no help.
Received Letter back from Senator Warner with an attached letter from
Portsmouth Naval Hospital , as I would of guessed they lyed talking
about missed appointments, about referrals that never took place or was
never offered, they simple put lied to cover themselves and still
refused to provide me with a referral.