I have shouted my praise to you already about the quality of health care I receive at the Thomas E. Creek Veterans Health Care Center.

Luck and good fortune have been on my side so far. I have enjoyed tremendous health and I feel fairly spry for a 66-year-old red-blooded American male.

My next visit, very soon, might provide a bit of a test for the health care providers at the federal agency’s facility in Amarillo.

I have a sharp pain in one of my legs. I didn’t think much of it until Saturday morning when, while walking through the ‘hood with my bride and Toby the Puppy, I felt something go “pop” on the outside of my right knee.

It … hurt … like … hell!

I managed to gimp my way back home and I put ice and a heating pad on the knee for the rest of the day.

Good thing I had an appointment already scheduled with my health care provider at the VA, a quite competent nurse practitioner who I’ve been seeing since I enrolled at the Creek medical center in 2013.

I’ve always considered this “benefit” to be of the “pre-paid” variety. I am grateful for it beyond measure.

https://highplainsblogger.com/2013/10/va-a-federal-agency-that-actually-works/

I also have been horrified and mortified at the scandal that erupted in Phoenix over the care that the VA failed to provide for veterans in need. The tumult cost a fine American, retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki, his job as secretary of Veterans Affairs.

I continue to place my faith in the care that our local VA hospital is delivering the goods to veterans who need them. My hope at this moment is that my nurse practitioner will be able to schedule an appointment with an X-ray tech, who’ll take pictures of my leg and tell me why it hurts so damn bad.

Then, my hope is that I’ll be able to get it repaired in a timely fashion.

I’ll report back when I learn more.

Until then, I shall keep the faith.