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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Gulf War Vet with PTSD and cancer, killed by police, didn't get help he wanted

One more veteran killed by police because he didn't get the help he needed. This time it was a Gulf War veteran with PTSD and cancer. Think about that one! Stanley Gibson asked for help because of PTSD and cancer. Consider what having cancer did to his PTSD with the added stress. Then think about being told his claim was reduced and he could no longer get the care he needed.

His life went out of control after that. Read the following two reports and then think about his family but don't stop there. Think of the officers involved in this and how they must feel after killing a veteran this country let down.

Shooting Victim Suffered from PTSD
December 13, 2011

By Joe Bartels, Reporter
By Nate Kramer, Photojournalist

LAS VEGAS -- The family of Stanley Gibson, the man who was shot and killed by Metro Police late Sunday night, has been outspoken about his struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder since he returned from the Gulf War.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental health condition that can form after a life-threatening event. Doctors say the condition requires a combination of treatments including medication and counseling.
Gibson was getting help from Veterans Affairs for his disorder. However, when his benefits were reduced, he could not get in to see a doctor to get his prescription filled.

Doctors say people can live normal lives after seeking treatment. If a person does not seek out treatment or does not fully deal with the disorder, they can have flashbacks to the event that started the condition in the first place. Many veterans suffer from the disorder because of their war-time experiences.
read more here



Army veteran shot by Vegas police was ill with cancer and had dispute with VA

By Associated Press, Published: December 13

LAS VEGAS — The 43-year-old Gulf War veteran gunned down by Las Vegas police in a weekend parking lot confrontation felt like his life was spiraling out of control and sought help from a veterans advocate days before he was killed.

Stanley Lavon Gibson suffered from cancer he blamed on his Army service, faced eviction from his home, and was due for sentencing on an assault charge after an argument with a Veterans Affairs doctor.

He also was taking painkillers, antidepressants and anxiety medications.

After recently having his disability payments reduced, Gibson called the Las Vegas Review-Journal seeking help.

“I’m a desperate man. I’m very desperate,” he said in a Nov. 12 voicemail message to a reporter about fears that he and his wife would lose their home.

Gibson was put in touch with a veterans advocate, who told the newspaper he talked to Gibson last week and planned to start reviewing his case Monday.

read more here

2 comments:

  1. Pretty soon they will all be dead; then the gov. will admit something. It's a whole lot cheaper if they are dead. I lost my brother to astrocytoma brain cancer in 2009. He fought with the system, got NO help, was called a moron by his patient advocate at Detroit VA Hospital - and when they finally gave him an MRI he was dead 4 months later. There is so much more to this story. I am now suing VA for wrongful death and medical malpractice - he left a 12 year old son when he passed. Feel free to contact me at rodspillers@yahoo.com. Thanks and God Bless you all!!

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  2. There are way too many stories like yours out there. My heart goes out to you and your family. It makes is all seem more unfair when we read about some getting terrific treatment while others get the shaft. It should never be about where a veteran lives instead of the fact they served. Good luck with the lawsuit. Other families have won but they never should have had to suffer before that.

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