Marc Cronin

Sergeant

SGT Marc Cronin has been struggling for many years with a TBI, PTSD and a series of constant back issues and injuries, which have been all but ignored by the Veterans Administration system, while having to constantly redo documents and appointments to diagnose and get treatment with no relief  as of yet.

Here is a bit of his story “Having a brain injury keeps things interesting.  The way I’ve been explaining it to the Doc’s is that when I’m on a subject, I’m kinda sharp but most of the time, I’m a complete flake. I am hyper aware of everything, cannot sleep and am constantly dealing with flashbacks that can be good or bad depending on the current situation.  I have memory loss. I have forgotten appointments and other various responsibilities and have been overlooked because it feels like I’m always scrambling to play catch up since I can’t seem to manage things beyond the very basic.

What ends up happening then is, I’ve been taken advantage of a lot due to my memory loss.  I’ve lost a stable living arrangement, because I put my trust into the wrong people and tend to be loyal almost to a fault.  So, to summarize, I am in the Veterans Administration rehabilitation facility in Lyons NJ. The care is being directed from East Orange NJ (can’t see that getting mismanaged in any way). I have been patiently waiting on corrective treatment for my severe back problems and injuries (who knows when that will happen) and attempting to get the problems that I encounter daily for my TBI addressed and get treatment, but, even that seems questionable and drawn out.  During the hurry up and wait period,which is every day, I’m expected to just deal with the level of suffering and pain that I’m experiencing without any adjustment.  I am Technically homeless, but I guess more in limbo.  I have lost all my worldly possessions from trusting the wrong people who did not show even a bit of the respect I extended to them because my TBI doesn’t let me think properly at times and I forget!  My easy going, usually ridiculously optimistic self is struggling to hold onto any hope and I’m having a hard time seeing ahead, I guess I’m not confident that this will work out and that I will be ok.  At this point, I don’t have any support system to speak of, and it seems I’m surrounded by self-serving and crooked people who would do anything that they could get away with in order to get ahead.

I forget a lot, and, when I went into the military I was as sharp as a tack until I got my TBI.  I just want and need the medical care that I was promised.  I need my TBI and back issues to be treated and attended to, I need help with finances to get an apartment, and, I want my life back, or some resemblance of a life that I can function in.  I don’t want to keep getting screwed over and treated like a non desirable of the earth, by the VA or governmental organizations or by every VA I have been in and out of.  I expected my country to give a little back to me, after all I gave to them….it sucks to realize that less and less people have your back.” and I have to fight for everyhting over and over until I am finally helped. I know once I get my story out there with savemyvet I will be able to be viewed by caring loving people that want to help and support veterans and their situations.

Please help me get back on my feet and live a simple but decent life in society,

Thank you so much,

Marc