To all the young people out there...STAY IN SCHOOL! Jerry Aragon/The Humor Doctor humordoctormd@yahoo.com |
Falling into the black hole of depression... After I got home that awful morning, I got a call from a social worker at the VA named Sharon Sprague. She told me Robert Evans had asked her to call me. She didn't give me a reason why. Words cannot describe my emotions after this incident...angry; depressed; furious; empty; and I think Robert Evans called Sharon Sprague because he was worried about his own skin. It was a hateful, hostile and malicious meeting between me and Robert Evans that morning, and I can only guess why he called Sharon Sprague; 1) He was worried that I would hurt myself; 2) He was worried that I would get a gun and come after him! Sharon Sprague is the only person, other than Robert Evans, as to why he called her! Betrayed by my own vocational counselor, who is paid well by the taxpayer's to help the veterans! I talked to Sharon for about 15 minutes, and she helped to settle me down, but I was in terrible shape right from the beginning. I told her I would not hurt myself or anyone else! I don't consider myself a violent person, but what happened to me that morning, I was tempted to buy a gun, but I had no money, etc. At 60 years of age, my life crumbled before me! I knew I was going to have problems finding a job, because that's what brought me to the VA to begin with. I already knew that ageism (discrimination against older workers) was one of my problems, as I wrote in one of my articles entitled, Ageism: Discrimination Against Older Workers. It took me about eight months to start getting back on my feet...and now this...I lost it all in 5 minutes...betrayed by my own vocational counselor! The cover-up at the VA Medical Center began right away, as I could not get any help from anyone, no matter how many doors I banged on! No response from anyone at the Patient Relations office; the VA Director Mary Dowling; the department director, Dr. Anne Waldorf; nobody! I figrued I could hang on for about 3-4 months before I was evicted, and it turned out to be that way. About a month after my ouster, a message was left on my answering by Robert Evans, telling me that there was another treatment meeting scheduled for the month of April and gave the date. I don't know if this was a poor attempt at humor, but I didn't have the next month's rent, I didn't see any humor in the call at all, etc. All of us have one common addiction...money! Eventually, I ran out of money, and I couldn't buy food, gas, or even a newspaper to look for jobs! I did something I thought I would never do...I was so hungry, that I wrote a bad check intentionally to Wal-Mart to get some food. I felt terrible about it, but I had gone hungry for about two weeks! My telephone was dis-connected, which made matters worse! I called churches, but only one helped my pay the phone. Organizations would help, but I had to pay the rent first...and then get reimbursed later! A knock on the door, brought a summons to the court by a stranger! Because I had no money for gas or no bus money, I walked from Gipson and Lousiana to Lomas and 4th Street (2 1/2 hours) to get evicted! For the second time in 18 months, I was evicted by the same judge! |
Back to the beginning...For over a decade or so, I have been laid off from FIVE jobs, for legitimate reasons such as companies closing; defense cuts; down-sizing, etc. I have never been fired from a job for any reason. During this long period of time, I didn't know much about depression, until I went out on the Internet to do some research. And, I was amazed at what I found. Just about every place I went, I saw two words together...the word "depression," and the word "suicide!" .This got my attention real quick! |
From: National Institute of Mental Health; In any given one year period, 9.5% of the population, or 18 million American adults, suffer from depressive illness. The economic cost for this disorder is high, but the cost of human suffering cannot be estimated. Depressive illness often interferes with normal functioning and causes pain and suffering, not only to those who have the disorder, but also to those who care about them. Serious depression can destroy family life, as well as the life of the ill person. . |
May 2004; After five job layoffs (in a decade or so), and difficulty trying to find a regular job or temp assignemtns, this isn't the quality of life I was looking for. At the age of 60, I know ageism (discrimination against older workers) played a part in my downfall. I ran out of money and maxed out credit cards, and I got evicted and I no longer could cope, I didn't think a judge would throw an unemployed person out in the streets, but I was wrong! A suicide attempt followed, and I found myself at the VA Medical Center, where I lived on the VA grounds for four months, trying to get back on my feet, etc. |
February 7, 2005; Ambushed at the VA Canteen! (My fear was right!) "Give my your card...you're out of the work program!" Getting thrown out into the streets at the VA Canteen, by my own vocational counselor (after giving me an extension)...is the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life! Man's inhumanity toward man! Now, I know what that phrase means! In the work program, I had perfect attendance for over six months, and never took off for any reason. In the history of the work program, veterans were given extensions all the time, because it was very difficult to get back on your feet, with a job that paid only $6.00 an hour. I knew some veterans that had been in the work program for a year or longer. When I reported for work on Monday morning (February 7, 2005, there was somebody working in my place! He told me his name was Cleo, and he was told by Robert Evans to replace me! I didn't know anything about this. A few minutes later, Robert Evans showed up at the Canteen and said in a shouting and pointing at me in a threatening manner and loud voice, "Give me your time card...you're out of the program." Meet me in my office in five minutes!" When I met him in his office, he continued on me, as to why I was not going to continue in the program, and he actually said I quit the job, which was a lie! I was just getting on my feet, and I needed this job to survive! Everything he said were a pack of lies! Finger-pointing and shouting at me, this was a hostile Robert Evans, ranting and raving about I could do no right and I was out of the work program. The hostile meeting lasted about five minutes, and I headed out of the office, to go to the main hospital and to punch out! To my surprise, and as I left his office, Cleo had followed me to Bldg. 1 and was standing outside the office and he must have heard everything that went on. We walked out of the building together, and I asked him a few questions. Cleo told me he didn't want to go back to work at the Canteen, because he had worked there the previous year, and was abused, and that's one reason he had started drinking again! But, Robert Evans told him there was no other work at the VA and so he went to work at the Canteen and replaced me! |
What brought me to the VA Medical Center? November, 2004: Thoroughout the summer and fall, I saved my pennies, and I moved from the grounds of the VA Medical Center, and I got my own apartment. I lived about a mile from the VA and I would walk to work everyday. I felt, at the time, quite positive...my confidence was getting higher...and that I would get a job soon, and be on my way, etc. January, 2005: .Robert Evans, my vocational counselor, had only been employed at the VA Medical Center, for a couple of months, so this meeting was the first time I would have a chance to meet him. The meeting went great...there was a little humor, and he gave me a 3 month extension in the work program, because there were no vocational counselors at the VA when I went through the program. But, during the next week, Robert Evans changed...and I think what happened, is that Dr. Pilgram (his boss) saw on the computer, that he gave me an extension in the work program, and Dr. Pilgram told Robert Evans to take back the extension. But, who decided how and where it would be done? |
Time clock: If the time clock is not tampered with (notice the miss-trust), the time clock on February 7, 2005 will read that I clocked in as usual at seven in the morning...and I clocked out about ten minutes later! Where nearly all the veterans get a 30 day notice, when their time is up in the work program...I got NO notice at all! |
Falling into the black hole of depression... After I got home that awful morning, I got a call from a social worker at the VA named Sharon Sprague. She told me Robert Evans had asked her to call me. She didn't give me a reason why. Words cannot describe my emotions after this incident...angry; depressed; furious; empty; and I think Robert Evans called Sharon Sprague because he was worried about his own skin. It was a hateful, hostile and malicious meeting between me and Robert Evans that morning, and I can only guess why he called Sharon Sprague; 1) He was worried that I would hurt myself; 2) He was worried that I would get a gun and come after him! Sharon Sprague is the only person, other than Robert Evans, as to why he called her! Betrayed by my own vocational counselor, who is paid well by the taxpayer's to help the veterans! I talked to Sharon for about 15 minutes, and she helped to settle me down, but I was in terrible shape right from the beginning. I told her I would not hurt myself or anyone else! I don't consider myself a violent person, but what happened to me that morning, I was tempted to buy a gun, but I had no money, etc. At 60 years of age, my life crumbled before me! I knew I was going to have problems finding a job, because that's what brought me to the VA to begin with. I already knew that ageism (discrimination against older workers) was one of my problems, as I wrote in one of my articles entitled, Ageism: Discrimination Against Older Workers. It took me about eight months to start getting back on my feet...and now this...I lost it all in 5 minutes...betrayed by my own vocational counselor! The cover-up at the VA Medical Center began right away, as I could not get any help from anyone, no matter how many doors I banged on! No response from anyone at the Patient Relations office; the VA Director Mary Dowling; the department director, Dr. Anne Waldorf; nobody! I figrued I could hang on for about 3-4 months before I was evicted, and it turned out to be that way. About a month after my ouster, a message was left on my answering by Robert Evans, telling me that there was another treatment meeting scheduled for the month of April and gave the date. I don't know if this was a poor attempt at humor, but I didn't have the next month's rent, I didn't see any humor in the call at all, etc. All of us have one common addiction...money! Eventually, I ran out of money, and I couldn't buy food, gas, or even a newspaper to look for jobs! I did something I thought I would never do...I was so hungry, that I wrote a bad check intentionally to Wal-Mart to get some food. I felt terrible about it, but I had gone hungry for about two weeks! My telephone was dis-connected, which made matters worse! I called churches, but only one helped my pay the phone. Organizations would help, but I had to pay the rent first...and then get reimbursed later! A knock on the door, brought a summons to the court by a stranger! Because I had no money for gas or no bus money, I walked from Gipson and Lousiana to Lomas and 4th Street (2 1/2 hours) to get evicted! For the second time in 18 months, I was evicted by the same judge! |
Returning to the (CWT) work program: After completing the work program, veterans were allowed back into the program all the time like Larry Hernandez. But, when I returned in an ambulance and stayed three months in w-7, I was not allowed back in the program by Dr. Pilgram. I was homeless like everyone else, but why wasn't I allowed to re-enter the work program? |
Similar Case; I was in the CWT work program along with another veteran named Roger (last name unknown). He was dealt the same fate as I got, but in a different way. He too, saved his pennies and moved off the grounds of the VA Medical Center, and got his own apartment. Like I did, he continued to work in the VA work program. One day, his hours were abruptly cut in half (without notice), and he couldn't pay his rent, was evicted, and both of us were in the homeless shelter together! It's awfully hard to make a living at $6.00 an hour, and just 20 hours a week! |
Team Effort? The program social worker, Camilla Lopez, addressed the group of 15 veterans, and told us, that when it came to making the important decisions in a veteran's life, it would be done with a team effort, that way, all the team members could all have input in decisions, etc. So, the question is: Was my trashing from the work program, in an evil and hostile way (in about 5 minutes) a team decision by the program staff...or was it a team decision at all. Or maybe, it was just plain old abuse of authority by Robert Evans, who took matters into his own hands! (Maybe Robert Evans was afraid to lose his job!) Was the decision to abruptly cut another veteran's (Roger's) salary in half...forcing him to be evicted...was that a "team decision," too? |
SHAME! AT THE VA MEDICAL CENTER! |
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To all the young people out there...STAY IN SCHOOL! Jerry Aragon/The Humor Doctor humordoctormd@yahoo.com |
This is a family website |
UPDATE: March, 2009 |
Ever since I've been going to the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1993, trust has never been my companion. And, that's because of some of the awful things that have happened to me at the VA Medical Center over the years. I'm sure there are individuals, who think that medical/health people are people who are squeaky-clean, and never do anything wrong, etc. But, we all know better than that, don't we? We hear the never-ending nursing home abuse; nurses who are serial killers and put patients to death; dentists who gouge the public; pharmacists who water- down medications for financial gain; staff people in a Nevada clinic, who used the same syringe on many people and caused an outbreak of hepatitus-c; and medical/ health people who are involved in HMO scandals, etc. And, then we hear about medical students, who take out large loans...and go on to make a good living...and never pay back the loan. How many medical/health people fall into this category? So, medical/health people can be just as corrupt; sinister and evil as anybody else in any other profession! |
Near the nurse's station, located in ward 7 at the VA Medical Center, a sign reads, "The veteran will be treated in a caring, compassionate, and dignified manner." WRONG! Not in my case! |
Offered job at the Canteen: As I said earlier, I had perfect attendance at the Canteen, where I washed dishes. I was asked by Pricilla, the Supervisor, and Nancy the Manager if I wanted a full-time joy working there. I turned it down! If I was getting abused by the employees for the four hours a day, that I worked there, so why would I want to get abused for eight hours a day? |
Help outside the VA Medical Center: For over two months, I banged on doors at the VA Medical Center, trying to get somebody to listen to my story, and to help me. All of it fell on deaf ears! Finally, in late April, 2005, a meeting was arranged to meet with Dr. Ann Waldorf, the Director of the work program. But, Mary Dowling, the VA Director, and Ann Dowling never came forward to investigate what happened at the Canteen. Guess who arranged this meeting, which was a waste of taxpayer's money? Guess who arranged the meeetin? Senator Pete Domenici arranged the meeting! |
VA Medical Center contacts: (505-265-1711) - Dr. Evelyn Sandine: The ward psychologist; While I was in ward-7 for over three months, we held group sessions about three times a week. There were times I was so sick, that I couldn't get out of bed to attend groups...and there were about six times when Dr. Sandine came to my room to see if I would attend groups. - Perry; (last name unknown) Maintenance man: If there was anybody who knew how sick I was in Ward-7...it was Perry, because he cleaned the room everyday. |
VA Medical Center contacts: (505-265-1711) - Sharon Sprague; She called me about 30 minutes after I got home the morning of the hate crime by my so-called vocational counselor. She told me that Robert Evans called her and told her to call me, and she would have the reasons why. - Cleo; (last name unknown) He was the veteran who replaced me at the Canteen, and he followed me and Robert Evans to Bldg. 1, and he was outside the office when Robert Evans tore into me. Question: If Cleo was called by Robert Evans to replace me...why wasn't I called not to come in on Monday morning. Because this little stunt was planned by Robert Evans and Dr. Pilgram...that's why. - Elaine Bawdin; (House nurse) After the treatment meeting, I stormed into Elaine's office and I told her, "I didn't like the way Dr. Pilgram talked to me today...you understand me...I didn't like the way he talked to me!" - Randy: (last name unknown) Worked the afternoon shift; can testify as the abuse we took in the Canteen. * Alumni List: The House Nurse in Bldg. 11, should have the alumni list, which includes all the veteran's, who have gone through the work program like myself. This list should be easy to obtain. |
Fall of 2004: (page 49 of my booklet) shows a document from the VA Medical Center, which shows my discharge and instructions, and the discontinued the medication called amiodarone, a heart medication. Dr. Isnogle, the director of the VA Heart Station, told me that this wasa temporary medication. So, this tells me my heart was doing fine at the end of 2004. Throughout all of 2005 and until June, 2006 (18 months) I took no heart medication...and I had no visits to the heart station, etc. But, what caused the heart failure in June, 2006? . |
Work in Progress! |
Work in Progress! |
Work in Progress! |
Work in Progress! |
UPDATE; MARCH, 2009 |
