Spinoff: Do you know someone directly effected by Agent Orange?

[shawnandangel]

There were a few posts in the Vets thread about Agent Orange. My FIL is currently battling throat cancer (the cancer is right behind his tonsils). They have determined that exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam could be the reason for his cancer.

I have done some research on this and it seems there are a lot of families who lost their loved ones to throat cancers who were also exposed to Agent Orange. Some of these cancers are recognized as side effects by the government while others are not.


In FIL's case, they have caught the cancer early and believe that after finishing chemo and radiation he should be cancer free. He caught it before it had spread.

I am so sorry to other families on this board who have lost their loved one's because of Agent Orange.

[niccig]

I don't know about Agent Orange in particular, as my father doesn't know what he was exposed to in Vietnam. One day he woke up and had a tennis ball size lump on his elbow over a scar which is one of his war injuries. Lots of tests later and no idea what it was. He requested his records through the Freedom of Information Act. He received pages and pages of paper that had more sharpie on it than writing. He was badly hurt and spend about a year in hospital and had multiple surgeries. He has NO idea what was done to him, and no one will tell him.

Many of his Vet. buddies have similar strange medical issues, and so do some children of Vietnam Veterans.

I hope your FIL's treatment goes well and he can get on with being a granddad.

[vejemom]

Yes, my father. He was a research chemist for the Air Force during Vietnam. He actually had liquid Agent Orange spill on him. I presume whatever steps are taken to decontaminate from any chemical spill were taken. I know if ate through his pant legs, but I'm not sure if any immediate bodily injury. He has some skin issues on his lower legs, as you can well imagine.

As scary as spilling the stuff on you sounds, I think he had some advantage in not actually inhaling it like so many combat veterans have. So far, so good, for other related health problems but it's definitely something he monitors.

[vejemom]

Yes, my father. He was a research chemist for the Air Force during Vietnam. He actually had liquid Agent Orange spill on him. I presume whatever steps are taken to decontaminate from any chemical spill were taken. I know if ate through his pant legs, but I'm not sure if any immediate bodily injury. He has some skin issues on his lower legs, as you can well imagine.

As scary as spilling the stuff on you sounds, I think he had some advantage in not actually inhaling it like so many combat veterans have. So far, so good, for other related health problems but it's definitely something he monitors.

[mrshalco]

My dad was effected by Agent Orange....over and over again. He was exposed during Vietnam and when he came home (to his new wife and son - and then to me a year later) he was diagnosed with Non-hodgkins Lymphoma. He was very very sick and at 24, and again at 28, they gave him a month to live. He survived that and continued on as a very healthy man until he was 46. At that age, he suffered an awful stroke! He lost function in his left side and was unable to talk. BUT he's a fighter and managed to push through it and come back to us as he is now. He still has marked weakness in his left side (can walk with a limp, can't use his arm/hand but can use his shoulder, and can't hear/see our of his left side). His speech is still an issue but if you are patient he will get out what he needs to say. Since his stroke, he has become a "stroke hero" with the American Stroke Association. He has walked 6+ marathons from Kona, HI to Boston, MA. He runs a "young stroke support group" at the rehab he was at. He's an amazing guy.

To answer the question......The military did take "responsibility" for his stroke (and for his cancer). It was found that the agent orange caused the non-hodgkins lymphoma in his 20s and that the cancer treatments caused scarring on his heart. That unknown scarring was what caused the stroke in his 40s. He was still "in" the military when he had his stroke - as a Colonel in the Reserves.

He's now in his 60s and he is still active in the stroke support groups. He no longer has the strength in his legs to do the marathons but he still goes to them and cheers on his team from the sidelines!!

Good luck to your FIL!

[american_mama]

My uncle had some kind of lymphoma - don't remember what kind - and died from it when he was in his late 40's. My aunt and uncle have both said it was from Agent Orange. My uncle was in the infantry in Vietnam, I believe, and served one tour there before being shot in the leg and shipped home. I was a rather self-centered 20 year old when he died of the cancer and while I liked him a lot, we were not close, and I regret now not knowing more about his service or later illness.

[AnnieW625]

My uncle was in Vietnam in the mid to late 60s (the height of Agent Orange from what I've heard) and I remember hearing a few years ago he had to go to the VA for some Agent Orange testing. He was lucky and hasn't had any health problems. He is 65 now.

My DH's uncle and grandfather we also in Vietnam at the same time and I am sure they had tests done. DH's grandfather died in 1999 of natural causes, brought on by a heart attack I believe. He was also a heavy smoker and had emphasema so I have no idea if Agent Orange could've contributed to that.

My dad's best friend was in Vietnam in 70 and 71, he was a chopper pilot and flew around medivac supplies and picked up wounded/dead so I am sure he has also been tested. He is 59 and in good health.

[Katigre]

My parents traveled to Vietnam a few years ago and the health effects of Agent Orange to people there were horrific. A lot of birth defects and health issues in people groups living in areas that were heavily sprayed. The worst was seeing kids who were the second generation to be affected.

[crl]

My father served in Vietnam (he was actually career military). His diabetes has been linked to Agent Orange exposure--apparently the VA just assumes that if you have exposure and diabetes that the Agent Orange is the cause.

Catherine

[brittone2]

My dad was exposed.

My parents' friend just went through the VA to get compensated for AO exposure (I think they are assuming his diabetes resulted from it). He is receiving some sort of financial compensation.

[rlu]

My father served in Vietnam (he was actually career military). His diabetes has been linked to Agent Orange exposure--apparently the VA just assumes that if you have exposure and diabetes that the Agent Orange is the cause.

Catherine

The term is presumptive illness. FIL was an atomic veteran (he was exposed to nuclear radiation during testing at Yucca Flats) and his cancer was a presumptive illness from that time of his service. There was financial compensation given to MIL as he passed fairly quickly after his diagnosis in his early 60s. There are some hoops to jump through for the compensation but BIL is ex-Navy and worked his way through the system to help MIL.

Agent Orange presumptive illness information http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/Herbicide/AOno1.htm

General presumptive illness information, including Agent Orange and Atomic Veterans
http://www.ddg22.com/id32.html (this is the same as the pdf from the vba website)